Top 7 High Calorie Dog Foods For Intensely Active Pet

Unless dogs are obese or have health issues, they can benefit tremendously from a high-calorie diet.

Calories provide dogs with energy, and dogs that are highly active and engage in jumping, running, and hopping, will do well eating dog foods high in calories.

Aside from that, high-calorie diets are excellent for maintaining the weight of an adult dog or a senior one. Ideal, too, for providing muscles for relatively underweight puppies who need nutrients for their growth and development.

But not all high calorie dog foods are created equal.

Some are better than others regarding health benefits and taste; others do not contain allergens; more beneficial for a dog with a sensitive stomach and those suffering from food allergies.

So, what are the best high-calorie dog foods available to provide your favorite pet with enough energy to spend on activities or bulk up?

7 Best High-Calorie Dog Foods

The Top Seven Choices for Best High Calorie Dog Foods Are:

• Crave High-Protein Dry Dog Food: Best Overall, Very high in Calories, Ideal for all Dog Breeds That Need Lots Of Energy or Muscles.
• Wellness Complete Health Senior Dry Dog Food: Best for Seniors, It Has High Calories, Fruits And Veggies With Lots Of Nutrients.
• Miracle Vet 8-1 High-Calorie Dog Food: Best for Adults, High-Calorie Content, Balanced Nutrition, Excellent Nutrients for Bone Health.
• American Journey Salmon Grain-Free
• Orijen High-Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
• Merrick Grain Free Texas Beef Puppy Food
• Purina Pro Plan Performance Chicken And Rice

Crave High-Protein Dry Dog Food

This dog food contains more than 400 calories per cup while maintaining high amounts of protein and tremendous amounts of fats, fiber, and carbohydrates.

It gives the dog the best nutrition and has one of the highest calories in any dog food.

With fish meat, chicken meal, fish meal, lentils, and peas, this dry dog food contains lots of vitamins and minerals, perfect for complementing the high-activity level of dogs.

It gives dogs energy while simultaneously strengthening the bones and joints and boosting your pet’s immune system.

It does not contain fillers and additives and mainly contains natural ingredients, the same diet that dogs’ ancestors had in times past.

One thing going against it is that it is not ideal for large breeds, especially inactive ones.

• Crude Protein: 34%
• Crude Fat: 17%
• Crude fiber: 3.5%
• Moisture: 10%
• Calorie content: Not Indicated

American Journey Salmon Grain-Free

This dog food provides high calories while providing essential nutrients and fats for canines.

A shade below 400 calories per cup gives tremendous energy while providing balanced nutrition, high protein, and enough fats and vitamins to complement an active dog’s needs.

It has deboned salmon, chicken, and turkey meals as a protein source; carbohydrates come from peas and sweet potatoes.

The fish and chicken ingredients give lots of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients; the most vital are the omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin.

The best thing about this dry dog food is that the other nutrients ensure that it strengthens the bones and joints, which is best for highly active dogs.

The fats contain minerals that are good for brain development and give dogs healthy skin and excellent coats.

• Crude Protein: 32%
• Crude Fat: 14%
• Crude Fiber: 5%
• Moisture: 10%
• Calorie Content: 390 kcal/cup

Wellness Complete Health Senior Dry Dog Food

If your pet is a senior dog but still needs high calories in the diet to maintain a healthy weight, this dry dog food is the ideal option.

Compared to others, it is low in protein but provides all the needed carbohydrates, fats, and fiber for maintaining overall health in old age.

It has deboned chicken as the main ingredient for protein but also has carrots, blueberries, and apples that contain lots of nutrients, especially antioxidants vital for boosting immunity.

That is crucial, especially for senior dogs most prone to diseases.

Due to the presence of said ingredients, many dogs love the taste and find it appealing, though some picky ones might reject it.

Other essential nutrients present are taurine, glucosamine, and chondroitin.

• Crude Protein: 22%
• Crude Fat: 10%
• Crude Fiber: 4.25%
• Moisture: 10%
• Calorie content: 416 kcal/cup

Orijen High-Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This dry food from Orijen is an excellent pick if you want one that is really high in protein to give your pet dog the needed nutrients for building muscles and stronger bones.

It is also high in fiber, promotes healthy digestion, and has tremendous amounts of calories for active dogs.

It has deboned chicken and turkey as the primary source of protein.

It has whole eggs, fish, and dried liver; all are important in giving your pet essential fats and other nutrients.

It is devoid of grains, so you need not worry about allergens and food allergies for your pet dog.

It may not contain much fat, but it has all the needed ones that provide vital nutrients, particularly those from chicken, turkey, and fish.

The Atlantic flounder is a rich source of phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B and C; all are essential for your pet’s overall health and well-being.

• Crude Protein: 38%
• Crude Fat: 18%
• Crude Fiber: 18%
• Moisture: Not Indicated
• Calorie content: Not Indicated

Merrick Grain Free Texas Beef Puppy Food

Puppies need tremendous amounts of calories because they are active and need them for their growth and development.

This one from Merrick may be the best dog food for puppies, with its 400 calories per cup, tremendous amounts of carbohydrates, and proper amounts of protein, fats, and fiber.

This pet food has deboned beef and a lamb meal as a protein source but is rich in carbohydrates due to sweet potato formula and peas.

It is grain free, contains no soy, wheat, or corn, and does not contain allergens that may cause allergies or upset stomach.

The fat content comes mainly from the salmon meal, which provides tremendous amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and concentrated levels of DHA.

It is vital for brain development and crucial for all puppies who need these nutrients to be intelligent and wise, complementing their active lifestyle and playfulness.

• Crude Protein: 28%
• Crude Fat: 15%
• Crude Fiber: 4.5%
• Moisture: 11%
• Calorie content: 400 kcal/cup

Miracle Vet 8-in-1 High-Calorie Dog Food

If you are a pet owner with an underweight dog who needs high calories to bulk up or at least have that needed healthy weight, then this dog food can give your dog a lift.

It can make it gain weight in no time at all.

 It has an astounding 600 calories per cup, maybe the highest calorie count per cup a dog food can give.

It is a weight gain formula, with chicken meal and chicken fat as the primary protein source.

It also contains fish meal, rice flour, egg products, beet pulp, starch, sorghum, and flaxseed, guaranteeing your dog will get all nutrients essential for health and well-being.

Dogs can quickly gain weight because they love it; it is delectable and appealing.

Many dog owners attest to the efficiency of this dog food in helping their pets achieve a healthy weight and ideal body mass.

Still, this dog food also provides other needed nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

• Crude Protein: 31%
• Crude Fat: 25%
• Crude Fiber: 4%
• Moisture: 10%
• Calorie content: 600 kcal/cup

Purina Pro Plan Performance Chicken And Rice

This one has 484 calories per cup but sports a nice, balanced nutrition, having an excellent protein-fat ratio and just the right amount of fiber.

It has enough carbohydrates to keep an active dog going.

It is also ideal if you want your dog to gain weight quickly due to high amounts of calories.

Chicken is the main ingredient, the primary source of protein, while fats are from beef and fish oil, so you get lots of omega fatty acids.

It has poultry by-product meals, corn gluten meal, and rice as the primary source of carbohydrates.

It is best for sporting dogs who need lots of energy to keep going.

It has vitamins and minerals like iron that promote oxygen metabolism, making it the perfect food for a working dog continuously engaging in intense activities.

Other minerals like glucosamine keep the bones and joints healthy.

• Crude Protein: 30%
• Crude Fat: 20%
• Crude Fiber: 3%
• Moisture: 12%
• Calorie content: 484 kcal/cup

Final Thoughts

A high-calorie diet can give your dog many health benefits, but as a dog owner, you must be a bit cautious.

You must be aware if your dog needs one, for sometimes, the usual calories are enough for your dog to keep going.

This list of high-calorie dog foods illustrates that some dog foods contain many calories per cup. And some are for keeping your dogs active, while others are for gaining weight.

You also need to bear in mind the ingredients contained in those dog meals.

Some may contain allergens, some offer balanced nutrition, while others offer high protein and fat content.

But once you determine your dog’s needs, you should not have any problem picking the right one. The only remaining thing to settle is whether your dog will like it.