Forthglade senior dog food
Forthglade's senior range keeps the brand's usual lightly baked and wet recipes, adjusted for a dog whose appetite, teeth or activity level have changed with age. It suits a dog eating less than they used to, carrying more weight than is ideal, or simply past the point where a rich, high-fat adult recipe still makes sense. Here is what actually changes in the senior formulas and how to choose between the formats.
What actually changes in a senior recipe
The senior recipes sit lighter than Forthglade's standard adult range: less fat, fewer calories per tray, and portions built around a dog whose energy needs have dropped rather than one still working or growing. As with the rest of the range, there are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives in the list, and the recipes are lightly baked or cooked as trays, pouches and cans rather than extruded into dry kibble.
That soft, moist texture is worth knowing about on its own merits. An older dog losing teeth or developing gum sensitivity often struggles with hard kibble long before anyone notices, and a wet or lightly baked meal needs far less chewing. The higher moisture content also helps a dog who is drinking less than they should, which is a genuinely common change in older dogs and one that is easy to miss.
Choosing between the formats
Forthglade sells the senior range as trays, pouches and cans, and the choice between them comes down to portion size and how quickly you get through a pack rather than any real difference in what is in the recipe. A single dog on a small portion will get more out of a resealable pouch than an open can sitting in the fridge for two days.
The soft bite treats sit alongside the meals rather than replacing them, and they are worth having in for a dog who has gone off harder biscuits — the texture is the whole point, not a downgrade. Keep treats a small part of the day's food regardless of how soft they are; an older, less active dog puts on weight from extra treats just as easily as a younger one.
Who the senior range actually suits
Age on its own is not a great reason to switch food — a fit, active nine-year-old terrier and a sedentary nine-year-old mastiff have very different needs, and breed size affects how quickly a dog is considered senior. Watch weight, energy and appetite rather than the calendar, and let those decide when a change is worth making.
If the change you are actually noticing is a sudden drop in appetite, new fussiness, or weight loss rather than a gradual slowing down, treat that as a reason to see a vet before assuming it is simply age. A food change will not fix an underlying problem, and an older dog going off their food is exactly the kind of thing worth having checked properly.
For this need
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Complete Senior Lamb Grain Free — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. A 60% lamb complete wet dog food for seniors, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£35.89
Forthglade Complete Grain Free Senior Turkey Grain Free — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. A 60% turkey complete wet dog food for seniors, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£35.89
Forthglade Complete Senior Grain Free Variety Case 12pk
A 12-tray case of grain-free wet food for senior dogs, split between lamb and turkey recipes
£23.25
Forthglade Complete Senior with Brown Rice Variety Case 12pk
Complete wet senior dog food, 12 x 395g trays in two recipes, with brown rice
£23.25
Forthglade Complete Puppy Chicken with Liver Grain Free — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. A complete grain-free wet food for puppies, built on 71% chicken and 4% chicken liver
£35.89
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£44.09
Forthglade Just 90% Multicase Grain Free 12 Pack (4xChicken, 4xlamb, 4xbeef)
Twelve trays of single-meat food, four each of chicken, lamb and beef, at 90% meat
£23.25
Forthglade Complete Grain Free Beef & Sweet Potato Adult — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. A grain-free complete tray with beef named at 75%, well above the usual named-meat share
£35.89
Forthglade Just Grain Free Poultry Mix 12pk
Twelve grain-free poultry trays across three recipes, made to go over a mixer or dry food
£23.25
Forthglade Complete Adult Dog Grain Free Turkey & Veg — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. Forthglade Complete Adult Dog Grain Free Turkey & Veg: complete wet dog food with turkey 75% — 395G
£35.89
Forthglade Just Turkey Grain Free — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. Forthglade Just Turkey Grain Free: complementary dog food with turkey 90% and minerals — 395G
£35.89
Forthglade Complete Adult Dog Grain Free Duck & Veg — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. Forthglade Complete Adult Dog Grain Free Duck & Veg: complete wet dog food with duck 75% — 395G
£35.89
Common questions
- At what age should I move my dog onto a senior food?
- There is no fixed age — it depends heavily on breed size, since giant breeds age faster than small ones and can be considered senior well before ten. Watch for a real drop in energy, a change in body condition, or a vet's suggestion rather than switching on a birthday.
- Does a senior food help with stiffness or joint pain?
- A food change is not a treatment for joint pain, and a dog who has become stiff or reluctant to jump into the car needs a proper look from a vet rather than a diet swap on its own. A lighter, easier-to-digest senior recipe can suit an older dog generally, but it will not resolve pain that has a specific cause.
- Can I mix wet Forthglade with a dry food for my older dog?
- Yes, plenty of owners feed a wet tray alongside a dry kibble, and there is no reason not to as long as the total amount fed matches what your dog actually needs. Introduce any new food gradually over a week or so rather than swapping everything over in one sitting.
- Why has my senior dog gone off a wet food they used to love?
- It is worth checking their mouth and general demeanour before assuming it is just age — dental discomfort, a reduced sense of smell, or a general appetite dip are all common in older dogs. If it lasts more than a couple of days, or comes with any other change, get it looked at rather than waiting it out.
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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.