11 Best High Calorie Dog Food For 2023

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Most dogs nowadays usually eat too much, but what about the dogs that don’t eat enough. That’s where we come in. Some dogs need more calories, and more food. Especially if your dog is very active, you may not even notice that your dog is burning so many calories, that they’re not eating enough.

When it comes to calories, this helps measure the amount of energy your dog will be getting. High caloric content supports puppy growth, promotes weight increase in underweight puppies, keeps elderly dogs at a healthy weight, and keeps active dogs’ energy levels up.

The best overall choice for dogs and puppies who require higher-calorie meals, according to months of research my study on the top high calorie dog foods, is American Journey Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food

However, different dogs have different calorie needs. I, therefore, analyzed the top high-calorie dog chow recipes across all categories.

The 11 Best High-Calorie Dog Food For 2023

1. American Journey Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food – Best Overall
2. Solid Gold Barking at the Moon High Protein Dry Dog Food – Best High Calorie Adult Dog Food
3. Purina Pro Plan Sport, Energy & Vitality Support, High Protein 30/20 – Best For Active Dogs
4. Purina ONE Healthy Weight Adult Dry Dog Food – Best Value
5. Merrick Grain Free Texas Beef Puppy Food – Best High Calorie Puppy Food
6. Crave High Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food – Premium Choice
7. Holistic Select Giant Breed grain Free Dry Dog Food – Best High Calorie Dog Food for Large Breeds
8. Wellness Complete Health Senior Dry Dog Food – Best High Calorie Dog Food for Seniors
9. Taste of the Wild Appalachian Small Breed Dog Food – Best For Picky Eaters
10. CRAVE Chicken Pate – Best Wet Food
11. Zignature Lamb Limited Ingredient Formula Dry Dog Food – Best High Calorie Dog Food for Sensitive Dogs

Best High Calorie Dog food By Category 

American Journey Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food – Best Overall

Due to the high caliber of their products, American Journey is one of the top brands in the dog food industry. This grain-free dry meal is a prime example of why American Journey has earned that status.

This food has 337 calories per cup, of which 30% are from protein, 10% from fat, 10% from fiber, and 10% from moisture, with the remaining calories coming from vital vitamins and minerals. Since the calorie count isn’t a crazy amount of calories, your dog will have a much better chance of preventing that unhealthy weight gain (which leads to obesity.) 

There may be a lot of other dog foods that have more calories but, we recommend having your dog slowly add weight as opposed to all at once.

Another reason why we love the American Journey food is the fact that L-carnitine is included. It is a supplement that helps with fat reduction, helping to ensure that the majority of the additional weight is healthy muscle mass.

Worried about overeating? Well, this food prevents that by keeping your dog satisfied for longer due to the high amount of fiber!

Additionally, it contains essential elements like glucosamine and chondroitin that are necessary to prevent joint and mobility issues.

The main ingredients here include chicken, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and kelp.

There are also no by-products.

Weight gain here will be slow and gradual. Do not anticipate quick changes, but this is ideal here. We want slow and consistent gains that last for the long haul.

The good news is that all of the extra weight gained will be pure muscular mass. We chose the American Journey Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dry Dog Food as our best choice for a number of factors, including these.

Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Rice Bran, Peas, Barley, Natural Flavor, Chicken Fat
Guaranteed Analysis: 25% Crude Protein, 15% Crude Fat, 6% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 342 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Affordable

 2. Solid Gold Barking at the Moon High Protein Dry Dog Food (Best High Calorie Adult Dog Food)

Coming in at 1A is the Solid Gold Barking at the Moon High Protein Dry Dog Food. 

This dog food has a unique recipe created to satisfy the dietary requirements of dogs with high energy needs. A cup of beef, ocean fish meal, and eggs contains 415 calories and 41 percent crude protein.

To further increase the protein level, pea protein is added to the mix. Although less bioavailable to dogs, plant protein does contributes to the extra energy in high-calorie recipes.

The first ingredient is beef, and extra high-quality animal protein. The second ingredient is from ocean fish meal.

So what is ocean fish meal?

Well it is fish. It has tons of benefits, but with a crude fat level of 18%, it’s best for it to be a feature ingredient as opposed to a main ingredient. This contains omega-3 fatty acids, which support a healthy immune system and coat and hence improve general health. Dogs can get a lot of energy from fat, which is also high in calories and also why it is important for your dogs diet.

Concentrated sources of vitamins and minerals can be found in pumpkin, cranberries, blueberries, and carrots all which are included here. Additionally, a probiotic improves nutrient absorption so that your dog can utilize the full amount of energy in this diet.

The formula is for energetic dogs. But it may not be suitable for dogs with legume issues or sensitivities due to the high pea protein content.

Main Ingredients: Beef, Ocean Fish Meal, Pea Protein, Potatoes, Dried Eggs, Chicken Fat
Guaranteed Analysis: 41% Crude Protein, 18% Crude Fat, 4% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 415 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Affordable

3. Purina Pro Plan Sport, Energy & Vitality Support, High Protein 30/20 – Best For Active Dogs

Sporting dogs with active lifestyles use a lot more energy than the typical home pet or couch potato.

With a caloric composition of 484 kcal/cup, this specialist formula’s high protein, fat, and carbohydrate content offers balanced energy with solid weight gain.

A balanced dish with a 30/20 ratio uses 30% protein and 20% fat. The first component and main source of lean protein is chicken. Your sporty active dog needs a high protein diet to get the amino acids they need to gain additional muscular mass.

For energetic dogs, 20 percent crude fat from beef fat and fish oil delivers significant levels of usable energy. Although elevated fat levels might cause excessive weight gain in puppies that are inactive, active dogs might not be able to work without it. And since your dog is actively moving, he should have no issue here.

Additionally, a specially created mix increases oxygen metabolism for endurance. Glucosamine being in this blend also helps joints and mobility.

According to some reviews, this special blend enhances the performance of their energetic dog. But dogs who live “chill” will not benefit from this formula.

Main Ingredients: Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Poultry By-Product Meal
Guaranteed Analysis: 30% Crude Protein, 20% Crude Fat, 3% Crude Fiber, 12% Moisture
Caloric Content: 484 kcal/cup
Type of Product: High Calorie

4. Purina ONE Healthy Weight Adult Dry Dog Food – Best Value

The Purina ONE calorie formula, which contains 320 calories per cup, is another excellent product if you’re trying to increase your dog’s weight. It is marked as the best bang for our buck here.

It has a respectable protein level of 27%. 5.5 percent fiber, 12 percent moisture, and 12 percent fat. That composition tells you that this meal encourages a healthy weight gain.

This product’s main ingredient is turkey, which gives it a great flavor that your dog will love. Turkey is, of course, a fantastic source of high-quality protein. In addition, the Purina ONE SmartBlend has a good amount of fiber to keep your dog satisfied for longer as well as necessary vitamins and antioxidants to improve its general health.

The quality and safety of all Purina ONE products are always tested, which helps provide confidence before giving this to our furry friends. 

Main ingredients include: Turkey, Rice Flour, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, OatMeal.

The only concern you should have about this product is that the kibble size might be a little big for smaller dogs. The Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy Weight High Protein Formula is undoubtedly a great high-calorie dog food available today.

Main Ingredients: Turkey, Rice Flour, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal
Guaranteed Analysis: 27% Crude Protein, 20% Crude Fat, 5.5% Crude Fiber, 12% Moisture
Caloric Content: 320 kcal/cup
Type of Product: High Fat

5. Merrick Grain Free Texas Beef Puppy Food (Best High Calorie Puppy Food)

For energetic puppies or young dogs who struggle to keep a healthy weight while growing, this puppy food is perfect. The majority of the ingredients in this 400 kcal/cup mix come from high-quality protein sources and good fats.

Real deboned beef and lamb meal make up the 28 percent crude protein content. These red meats are fantastic suppliers of the crucial amino acids required for healthy muscle growth. They include a lot of vitamins and minerals, including iron.

Taurine supplementation aids in promoting healthy cardiac function in young dogs. Additionally, salmon meal’s concentrated DHA levels promote normal brain and ocular development. The 15% fat level also includes contributions from other beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

The lamb meal’s glucosamine and chondroitin content can reduce the chances of developing aberrant skeletal development or joint problems which is always beneficial.

Puppies play and grow a lot with the energy they get from their meals. In order to ensure that your young puppy has enough energy to expend, you should provide them a high-calorie diet.

Additionally, some pet owners noted that this meal improved the intestinal health of puppies.

Main Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Whitefish Meal, Tapioca, Peas
Guaranteed Analysis: 28% Crude Protein, 15% Crude Fat, 4.5% Crude Fiber, 11% Moisture
Caloric Content: 400 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Puppy

6. Crave High Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food – Premium Choice

One of the foods on the market with the most calories per cup is Crave’s dog meal, which has 424 calories per cup. It is made up of 34 percent protein, 17 percent fat, 3.5 percent fiber, and 10% is moisture.

This means that it is perfect for quenching the high metabolisms of energetic dogs.

This meal was created by Crave to resemble the diet of your pup’s ancestors. It contains white fish, chicken meal, split peas and fish meal. This enables your dog to eat a meal that is in their genetic make-up. The essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids in this dog food are also abundant, promoting general health.

With no harmful filler ingredients like artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives in this product, you can feel confident you’ll be getting a great bang for your buck.

Despite its outstanding quality, we did not select this item as our top option since it is a little too calorie-dense for large dog breeds. However, the Crave High Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is the best there is for active medium-sized and small dogs. 

Just by looking at the ingredients, you know this is some really, really good stuff. Tons of high quality, good protein meat.

Main Ingredients: White Fish, Chicken Meal, Lentils, Split Peas, Chicken Fat, Pork Meal, Fish Meal
Guaranteed Analysis: 34% Crude Protein, 17% Crude Fat, 3.5% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 422 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Fish

7. Holistic Select Giant Breed grain Free Dry Dog Food (Best High Calorie Dog Food for Large Breeds)

When it comes to large dogs, they will need and have specific dietary requirements that conventional high-calorie formulas might not be able to satisfy. This 453 kcal/cup recipe has targeted nutrition that aids in managing the health issues that these large dog breeds are more susceptible too.

FYI: Large dogs and dog breeds are dogs that are over 50 pounds!

A nice 24 percent protein content from chicken meal helps large breed dogs maintain optimal muscle function without developing unhealthy, excessive weight. Glucosamine, which helps help overworked joints from issues that typically arise in large dogs, is also naturally included in chicken meal. In our opinion, this ingredient and supplement should be staple in all large dog breeds.

Larger dogs are more likely to experience bloat and digestive issues as well. Both digestive enzymes and probiotics, which can help control gas buildup, are used in this dish. Dogs can process all of the energy in their meal thanks to this digestive support.

Vitamins C and E, two antioxidants also included here, support tissue defense against oxidative stress and free radicals. Omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed also aid in reducing joint and gastrointestinal inflammation.

The kibble size is larger, which can be a pro and con. It can be good because it can help promote slower eating. It can be a con, because there is a greater risk of choking. The kibble size is bigger than avg here, but not too big where choking should be a major concern (You should always monitor and make sure the food is not too big for your dog).

Main Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Lentils, Peas, Dried Ground Potatoes
Guaranteed Analysis: 26% Crude Protein, 12% Crude Fat, 5% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 388 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Joint

8. Wellness Complete Health Senior Dry Dog Food (Best High Calorie Dog Food for Seniors)

This Wellness Complete product has been created to satisfy the nutritional requirements of older dogs. 

The mixture, which has 416 calories per cup, is extremely calorie-dense and promises rapid weight growth. This meal has a protein content of 22%, a fat content of 10%, a fiber content of 4%, and a moisture content of 10% per cup. The remainder is made up of various fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that improve the health of the dog.

Thanks to excellent components like deboned chicken, carrots, blueberries, and apples, this dish is extremely delectable. Additionally, it contains taurine for better heart health and glucosamine and chondroitin for healthier joints.

Deboned chicken, the main ingredient, is the primary source of animal protein, and is good..

The modest 10% fat percentage of this high-calorie diet aids in preventing excessive weight gain. Oatmeal and ground barley are among the whole grains that provide the majority of the calories. These substances increase the carbohydrate content to 53% and are simple to digest for elderly stomachs.

The addition of taurine helps reduce the risk of heart issues in senior dogs, and therapeutic doses of glucosamine soothe pain in arthritic joints.

The additional assistance provided by beta carotene helps maintain vision. Additionally, flaxseed’s omega fatty acids help prevent itchiness that can lower your senior’s quality of life.

The majority of elderly dog owners saw improvements in their dogs’ general health after switching to this food. But some finicky dogs might not like this dog chow.

Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Peas, Rice
Guaranteed Analysis: 22% Crude Protein, 10% Crude Fat, 4.25% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 416 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Balance

9. Taste of the Wild Appalachian Small Breed Dog Food

Compared to their larger friends, little breeds have faster metabolisms, which means they need higher calorie diets to match their increased energy requirements. This high protein, high fat composition contains 370 kcal per cup of food.

The majority of the protein in this dog food—32%—comes from venison. Lamb meal and duck meal are other sources of protein. These unusual foods are perfect for sensitive dogs who respond poorly to more typical components.

In small dogs who are active, a high protein intake helps maintain muscular mass. Additionally, due to their smaller muscle mass, toy breeds are unable to store enough glycogen. So, to prevent hypoglycemia, young pups require a steady source of carbohydrates.

Even though this recipe is grain-free, the 36 percent of carbohydrates that it contains gives tiny dogs enough digestible energy. Peas serve as a key source of carbohydrates that are high in protein rather than grains.

For tiny breeds, a high 18 percent fat content is excellent. For a healthy ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, fat sources include canola oil and ocean fish meal.

Reviews suggest that this tasty formulation will appeal to even the most finicky small dogs.

Main Ingredients: Venison, Lamb Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Peas, Lentils, Pea Protein, Canola Oil
Guaranteed Analysis: 32% Crude Protein, 18% Crude Fat, 4% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 422 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Affordable

10. CRAVE Chicken Pate – Best Wet Food

The natural diet of dogs serves as the basis for CRAVE Adult Wet Dog Food. These protein-rich formulas provide dogs energy and maintain strong, lean bodies since they contain real chicken as the first ingredient and contain 99 percent protein from animal sources.

Real chicken is the first ingredient in our wet dog food, along with wholesome fruits and vegetables and omega fatty acids to support healthy skin and coat. It’s ideal for dogs of all sizes, including young ones! This premium pet food is offered in cases of 12 cans so you can stock up right now!

Dogs are protein-hungry creatures, yet many commercial dog diets are packed with additives that can upset the stomach.

With no byproducts or fillers, CRAVE High Protein Grain Free Paté is an all-natural wet dog food made with real chicken and turkey. Since some dogs are allergic to soy and wheat gluten, CRAVE is grain-free, high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and includes extra vitamins and minerals for general health.

As you can see from the main Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart, Pork Broth, Dried Egg Product; You can see this is some high quality chicken wet dog food.

We really like the CRAVE brand, and there products are really good. We highly recommend the Crave wet dog food for anyone who is looking to help their dog gain some clean good weight, with wet dog food. 

Main Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart, Pork Broth, Dried Egg Product
Guaranteed Analysis: 12% Crude Protein, 5% Crude Fat, 1% Crude Fiber, 78% Moisture
Caloric Content: 371 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Clean

11. Zignature Lamb Limited Ingredient Formula Dry Dog Food (Best High Calorie Dog Food for Sensitive Dogs)

This grain-free dog food has a straightforward recipe to provide calorie-sufficient nutrition for sensitive canines with high energy requirements.

To reach a calorie content of 393 kcal/cup, the formula does away with several frequent allergies in favor of a few high-energy ingredients.

The first ingredient and sole source of the 28 percent protein in the dish is lamb. The meals for dogs with sensitive stomachs must contain special single-source proteins. Since proteins make up the majority of allergens, having diverse protein sources can result in the emergence of additional allergies.

With lamb being the main and only source of the 28 percent protein, the Zignature food is unique. 

Dogs who have sensitive stomachs want only single-source proteins. Since proteins make up the majority of allergens, having diverse protein sources can result in the more additional allergies.

Lamb is a perfect animal protein that is full of vitamins and minerals, despite being uncommon in dog food. Selenium, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamin B6 are all present in this meat.

Some dogs are allergic to gluten and grains. 

However, for energy, dogs do require digestible carbs. This recipe uses peas and chickpeas as an alternative source of carbohydrates that also increase protein content.

Flaxseed and sunflower oil both add to the 15% fat content. By lowering inflammation and enhancing skin health, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can aid in the management of allergies.

For active dogs that react poorly to other high-calorie recipes produced with common allergies, dog owners suggest this formula.

Main Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Meal, Chickpeas, Peas, Sunflower Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal
Guaranteed Analysis: 28% Crude Protein, 15% Crude Fat, 4% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 393 kcal/cup
Type of Product: Balance

Buying Guide To Buying High-Calorie Dog Food 

When purchasing high-calorie dog food, the appropriate number of calories should be examined.

To find out how many calories your dog consumes, you can either calculate this or check the brand labels.

Here are a few things to think about before purchasing high-calorie food for your canine companion.

What Is High Calorie Dog Food?

Dog diets with higher-than-average calorie contents are known as high-calorie formulas. Calories are a unit of measurement used to identify the amount of energy in food.

These meals’ high quantities of fat, protein, and carbohydrates provide the majority of their power.

What Causes Weight Loss In Dogs?

Generally speaking, if there are underlying health issues, your dog may lose weight. Common causes of being underweight include:

Picky Eaters

Picky eating is a common trait in dogs, which is why they frequently lose weight quickly. My Jack was a super picky eater, who really only wanted to eat when he knew we were going outside for a walk or were going to play.

To fix this, you can either try a variety of flavors to determine which one they prefer and stick with that, or you can check to see whether the brand your dog typically eats has altered its flavor or ingredients.

Diabetes Mellitus

Due to decreased glucose uptake or increased insulin resistance in the body, diabetes mellitus can result in weight loss.

Your dog may lose weight even after eating a lot of food because little to no glucose is taken into the cells.

Your dog may exhibit additional symptoms in addition to weight loss that point to diabetes mellitus. These symptoms include increased hunger, thirst, and urine.

Keep an eye out for these symptoms and request a few tests from your veterinarian. The majority of dogs can manage their diabetes mellitus with exogenous insulin therapy and a diet that is tightly regulated.

Cancer

Because cancer cells take up the body’s energy, we know that all cancers result in weight loss. Rapid weight loss and indications that an organ is cancerous are symptoms of cancer.

Malnourishment 

Malnutrition can be caused by either an extremely low-calorie diet or a diet that is deficient in some critical ingredients/nutrients. 

Poor general health, a dull coat, bad teeth, not getting enough food are all signs here,

Anxiety

Dogs usually will lose a significant amount of weight when under stress. A sign that your dog may have some anxiety could be they are constantly barking, digging, gnawing, and howling.

Does Your Dog Need High Calorie Dog Foods?

Dogs may demand this type of food if they are very active, their age or physical condition. A high-quality calorie food for your dog can assist make sure he has enough energy each day.

More Energy for Active Dogs

A larger daily calorie intake is necessary for sporting and active dogs because they are more active than other breeds of dogs.

Some breeds with higher natural energy requirements could also require more calories and protein in their diet to sustain a quicker metabolism.

The best high-calorie dog food recipes are high in protein to support muscles that are working hard. Increased fat intake and easily digestible carbs can also assist guarantee that your energetic dog has access to enough immediate energy.

Gaining Weight For Underweight Dogs

Feeding your dog extra high-calorie food is the best approach to help them gain weight. Your dog will soon start to appear healthier than before.

However, in addition to putting on weight to improve your health, you are also preventing a number of ailments in your canine companion by providing them with adequate nutrition.

If your dog is underweight, it may have anemia, vitamin D insufficiency, reduced height, poor growth, and low immunity, all of which increase the likelihood that your dog will contract a serious infection.

Even your dog’s appearance can tell you how underweight they are. 

Senior Dogs And High Calorie Food

Even after your puppy has reached adulthood, they still require a healthy diet to stay in good health. Even though dogs don’t need as many calories as they did when they were young, they still need special diet requirements. For example, if your dog has a sensitive stomach, they might need a special type of food.

But as your dogs age, they still require enough calories to preserve the strength of their muscles and the health of their bones and coat.

To keep your dog active and healthy at any age, you can provide them a high-calorie diet.

Offer Frequent Snacks

Apart from your dogs regular meals, you can also feed them some snacks throughout the day. There are many options here you could give, but a nice snack I like to recommend is chicken (or any other lean meat). It’s very lean, high in protein, and most dogs love it. A little piece here and there can be very beneficial. 

You can also speak with your dog’s vet (we recommend) about adding vitamins or other supplements to help fuel weight gaining. We do have a list of our most recommend supplements we recommend to help fuel weight gain. 

Use Wet And Healthy Foods

Wet foods have more calories per serving (usually). To make sure your dog is getting the right nutrients for their body, you can also feed them freshly prepared meals from your kitchen (or mix it in with their food). 

Feed Them Their Favorite Snacks

For picky eaters, we recommend giving them what you prefer. 

What we mean here is, if you like meat, or chicken, or fish, save them a piece. Cook it for them only. 

To find out which flavors your dog like and save food waste, you can purchase smaller servings of tastes that are common among most dogs.

We do recommend that you stick to lean meats, and make sure to check our guide on what can dogs can eat, to make sure you are not giving them anything toxic!

Conclusion

Some dogs require a high-calorie diet to satisfy their heightened energy needs.

Increased calorie consumption is beneficial for active sporting dogs, energetic breeds with quick metabolisms, and underweight dogs.

Your dog will have the energy he needs to stay active and healthy if you meet his daily calorie demands.

Dogs who are overweight require careful weight-control diets that restrict their calorie intake. However, if your dog’s diet doesn’t provide enough calories, he may lose weight and muscle or become lethargic.

We highly recommend all of these high calorie dog foods. Simply choose the one that is best for your dog, and give it a try!

Your dog needs the best dog food for there specific needs. And we know, some dogs need high calorie, some dogs need low calorie, some dogs need sensitive stomach blends. No matter what dog food your furry friend needs, we’ll have a breakdown on it. That is why we encourage you to stay a while… Look around, check out some of our other articles.

With that being said, we’ll see ya around!