Best dog food for a Bloodhound
The Bloodhound is a big, deep-chested scent hound, typically 36 to 50kg fully grown, and for this particular build how you feed matters just as much as what's in the bag. Deep-chested large breeds are more associated with bloat than average, which makes feeding practice, not just food choice, part of getting this right.
Feeding a Bloodhound
A large breed
An adult Bloodhound typically weighs 36–50 kg, so a healthy Bloodhound eats a fair amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A large breed is usually done growing at 15–18 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 10–12 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
How much should a Bloodhound weigh?
Adult 36–50 kgfully grown at 15–18 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 4.1–5.7 kg | 11% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 6.7–9.3 kg | 19% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 13.4–18.6 kg | 37% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 26.7–37.1 kg | 74% |
| 15–18 months | Fully grown | 36–50 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a large breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Bloodhound
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Bloodhound's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Vitalin Adult Dog Pork with Apple
Complete dry food for adult dogs of any age, led by pork, with citrus extract for dental support
From£11.99
A big, deep-chested scent hound
Adult Bloodhounds stand 58 to 69cm at the shoulder and weigh 36 to 50kg, with a deep, narrow chest shape that's characteristic of scent hounds bred for stamina over rough ground. That body shape is exactly the profile more commonly associated with bloat, a serious and fast-developing condition, across large deep-chested breeds generally.
This doesn't mean every Bloodhound will be affected, but it's a genuinely useful thing to know about the breed's general build, and it changes how feeding is best approached compared with a barrel-chested breed of a similar size.
Feeding practices that matter more than the recipe
Feeding two or more smaller meals across the day, rather than one large meal, is a commonly recommended precaution for deep-chested large breeds, since it avoids a single big volume of food sitting in the stomach at once. Avoiding vigorous exercise for a while either side of a meal is another widely recommended precaution for the same reason.
Slow feeder bowls, which make a dog eat more gradually rather than bolting a meal down in seconds, are worth considering for a breed known for a determined, food-focused approach at mealtimes.
What to look for in the food itself
A large-breed adult formula, with a calorie density matched to a breed that's powerful rather than especially high-energy once mature, suits most adult Bloodhounds better than a standard or small-breed recipe. Decent protein supports their considerable muscle mass without excess calories adding unnecessary weight to an already heavy frame.
As with any large breed, a large-breed puppy formula that moderates growth rate is worth choosing while they're still developing, rather than a standard puppy food that can encourage faster growth than their joints need to keep up with comfortably.
Joint support as they age
A Bloodhound's substantial frame puts real ongoing strain on their joints simply through everyday movement, which is why many owners look at joint-support supplements or a joint-formulated diet as their dog gets older, alongside keeping them at a lean, healthy weight throughout life.
Weight matters more here than almost anything else you can control — every extra kilo on a 40-plus kilo dog adds meaningfully more strain to joints that are already carrying a lot.
Common questions
- Are Bloodhounds prone to bloat?
- Like other deep-chested large breeds, Bloodhounds are more commonly associated with bloat than average, which is a serious and fast-developing condition. Feeding smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding vigorous exercise around mealtimes are commonly recommended precautions — speak to your vet if you have concerns about your own dog.
- How many meals a day should a Bloodhound have?
- Two or more smaller meals rather than one large one is generally recommended for a deep-chested breed like this. It avoids a large volume of food sitting in the stomach at once, which is a precaution worth taking regardless of any specific concern.
- Do Bloodhounds need large-breed dog food?
- Yes, generally — a large-breed formula suits their considerable adult size, and a large-breed puppy formula that moderates growth rate is worth choosing while they're still developing, to support healthy joint development in a breed that ends up this heavy.
- How much exercise before or after feeding a Bloodhound?
- It's commonly recommended to avoid vigorous exercise for a while either side of a meal in deep-chested breeds like the Bloodhound. A calmer walk is a reasonable substitute around mealtimes rather than cutting exercise out altogether.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.