Puppy food for weight loss
A puppy carrying too much weight needs a different, more careful approach than an adult dog on a diet, because a growing body still needs the right nutrients to develop properly — this is a job for controlled portions of an appropriate puppy food alongside your vet, not a crash diet or a switch to adult 'light' food.
Why an overweight puppy is treated differently
Puppies are still growing bone, joints and muscle, and restricting calories too aggressively can affect that development. This is why an overweight puppy is not simply switched to less food or an adult weight-management diet without guidance — the balance of nutrients still needs to support growth, just without excess calories on top.
A vet check is worth doing before changing anything, both to confirm the puppy is genuinely carrying too much weight for its breed and age, and to rule out anything else contributing to it, since not every solidly built puppy is overweight.
What a sensible approach looks like
Once your vet has confirmed your puppy needs to lose weight, sticking closely to the feeding guide for your puppy's target weight — rather than its current, heavier weight — is a common and effective approach, alongside cutting out extra treats and scraps that often go unaccounted for.
Weighing food accurately on kitchen scales rather than estimating by eye makes a real difference here, since a puppy carrying excess weight is often the result of gradual overfeeding that was never obvious day to day.
Treats, scraps and hidden calories
Treats and table scraps often make up a bigger share of a puppy's daily calories than owners realise, and cutting these back is frequently more effective than changing the main food. If treats are part of training, swapping to smaller pieces or using a portion of the puppy's own daily food allowance for training keeps calories in check.
Weigh your puppy regularly and keep a simple record, since steady, gradual change is what you are looking for — a puppy losing weight too quickly is just as much a concern as one gaining it too fast, and either is worth discussing with your vet.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Burns Puppy Junior Original Chicken Rice
A complete puppy and junior food with dried chicken 31% and controlled fat at 15%
From£14.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Common questions
- Can I just feed my puppy less to help it lose weight?
- Not without guidance. Puppies need the right balance of nutrients to grow properly, so cutting food without adjusting for that can cause problems. Speak to your vet before changing your puppy's diet for weight reasons.
- Should an overweight puppy go on adult diet food?
- Generally no, not without veterinary advice. Puppy-specific recipes are formulated to support growth, and adult weight-management food is not designed with a growing puppy's needs in mind. Your vet can advise on the right approach for your individual puppy.
- How do I know if my puppy is overweight rather than just solidly built?
- This can be hard to judge by eye, especially in stockier breeds, so a vet check is the reliable way to find out. They can assess body condition properly rather than you guessing from appearance alone.
- Will my puppy always need a special diet once it has lost weight?
- Not necessarily. Once your vet confirms your puppy has reached a healthy weight, many puppies move back to a standard, age-appropriate diet with portions kept in line with their target weight going forward, rather than staying on a restricted plan indefinitely.
- Is it normal for puppies to go through chubby phases while growing?
- Some puppies do go through stages where they look rounder, particularly around growth spurts, and this is not always a cause for concern. A vet check is the reliable way to tell a normal phase apart from genuine excess weight.
Related
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.