Best puppy food for a basset hound
A basset hound puppy grows into a surprisingly large and heavy adult despite their short legs, which makes controlled, steady growth more important than fast growth. A complete puppy food formulated for medium or large breeds, which manages growth rate rather than maximising it, generally suits this breed better than a standard or small breed puppy formula.
Feeding a Basset Hound
A medium breed
An adult Basset Hound typically weighs 18–27kg, so a healthy Basset Hound eats a moderate 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 medium breed is usually done growing at ~12 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.
This breed tends to bolt its food
A food-motivated dog will empty a bowl in under a minute given the chance. A slow feeder or a puzzle bowl turns a meal back into something that takes time, and splitting the daily ration across two or three meals helps as well.
How much should a Basset Hound weigh?
Adult 18–27kgfully grown at ~12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 2.8–4.2 kg | 15% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 4.5–6.8 kg | 25% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 9–13.5 kg | 50% |
| ~12 months | Fully grown | 18–27 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 medium 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 Basset Hound
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Basset Hound'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
Why growth rate matters for this breed
Basset hound puppies put on a substantial amount of bone and body mass relative to their short leg length, and growing too quickly can put extra strain on joints and a spine that are already working at a mechanical disadvantage compared with a more conventionally proportioned breed. A large or medium breed puppy formula is specifically designed to support steady, controlled growth rather than rapid weight gain.
This is different from restricting a puppy's food — a properly formulated large breed puppy diet still meets all their nutritional needs, it simply balances calcium, phosphorus and calories in a way that supports measured rather than accelerated growth.
Feeding routine and portion control
Basset hound puppies typically have a strong appetite even at a young age, and it's worth sticking closely to the feeding guide for their current weight rather than free-feeding or allowing extra portions when they beg. Weighing food out rather than eyeballing it helps avoid the gradual overfeeding that can happen easily with a food-motivated puppy.
Regular weigh-ins, either at home or at routine vet visits, help confirm your puppy is growing at a steady rate appropriate for their age rather than gaining weight faster than their frame can comfortably support.
Joints from an early age
Because of the strain their adult build puts on hips, elbows and the spine, some owners of basset hound puppies start thinking about joint support earlier than they might with another breed, though any supplement should be discussed with your vet first rather than added speculatively. A well-formulated large breed puppy food with joint-supporting ingredients already included is a reasonable starting point.
Avoiding excessive jumping, and taking care on stairs and slippery floors while your puppy's joints and growth plates are still developing, matters alongside diet rather than instead of it. Diet supports healthy development, but how a growing puppy is exercised and handled day to day plays just as large a part in how their joints hold up long term.
Common questions
- Should a basset hound puppy eat large breed puppy food?
- Many bassets fall into the medium-to-large weight category as adults despite their short legs, so a large or medium breed puppy formula, which manages growth rate rather than maximising it, is often more appropriate than a standard or small breed food. Check your puppy's growth with your vet to confirm.
- How much should I feed a basset hound puppy?
- Follow the feeding guide for your puppy's current weight on whichever complete food you're using, and weigh portions out rather than estimating, since this breed has a strong appetite and can easily be overfed.
- Why does controlled growth matter for basset hound puppies?
- Their adult frame carries a lot of bone and muscle mass on short legs, and growing too quickly during puppyhood can add extra strain on developing joints and the spine. A large breed puppy formula is designed to support steady rather than rapid growth.
- When should a basset hound puppy switch to adult food?
- This depends on individual growth and is best confirmed with your vet, but as a larger breed underneath their short stature, bassets often stay on a puppy formula for longer than a small breed would before transitioning to adult food.
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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.