What to feed a Bullmastiff
A Bullmastiff is a giant, powerfully built breed, typically reaching 50 to 60kg as an adult, so the feeding priorities are controlled growth as a puppy, careful weight management as an adult, and choosing a calorie-appropriate food rather than assuming a big dog simply needs more of everything.
Puppy growth and why it matters
A Bullmastiff puppy grows extremely quickly toward a very large adult size, and growing too fast puts real strain on developing joints and bones. A large or giant-breed puppy formula, fed to a measured amount rather than free-fed, supports steadier, more controlled growth than a standard puppy food.
Follow the feeding guide on the specific product and weigh your puppy regularly, adjusting the amount based on how they are actually growing rather than sticking rigidly to a fixed figure regardless of their progress.
Adult feeding and weight
Keeping an adult Bullmastiff at a genuinely healthy weight matters more than it might for a smaller breed, since a flat, powerful face already works harder to breathe during exertion than a longer-nosed breed's does, and extra weight adds further strain on top of that. A lean, easily felt waist is worth aiming for rather than judging weight by eye on a naturally bulky breed.
A complete adult food fed to the amount recommended for your dog's actual weight and activity level, rather than their intimidating size, is the straightforward way to manage this day to day.
Portion control tools that help
Weighing food out on kitchen scales rather than using a scoop keeps portions accurate, since a large breed's daily amount is big enough that a slightly generous scoop adds up to real extra calories over a week.
Splitting food into two meals rather than one large one also suits a big, deep-chested breed better, reducing the discomfort a single very large meal can bring on and spreading the day's calories more evenly rather than in one sitting.
What we stock
Our puppy food range includes large and giant-breed specific formulas, and our dry and wet dog food ranges cover plenty of options suited to a large adult dog's calorie needs.
A joint supplement is also worth considering as your Bullmastiff ages, given the load a giant breed's joints carry throughout life, though this is worth discussing with your vet rather than adding one on a guess without knowing whether it is actually needed.
Foods that suit this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Alpha Sensitive Salmon & Rice
A salmon and rice dry food for adult dogs with sensitive digestions, made without wheat gluten, soya or dairy.
£49.00
Alpha Working Dog Maintenance Chicken
An energy-controlled chicken dry food for working dogs with lower energy needs or a tendency to put on weight.
£29.00
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Senior Dry Dog Food Turkey & Veg
Grain-free turkey kibble for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin for joints
£82.35
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
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
Bakers Superfoods Chicken with Vegetables Dry Dog Food
Bakers Chicken with Vegetables dry dog food, 14kg, complete nutrition for adult dogs
£39.15
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 Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Burgess Supadog Adult Complete Dog Active
Complete dry food for active adult dogs, built around poultry meal and calcium for bone health
£29.15
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey Veg
Grain-free turkey kibble for adult dogs, evenly balanced with potato in the mix
From£12.75
James Wellbeloved Adult Breed Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, in small and large breed versions, built around single-source turkey protein
From£45.75
Common questions
- When should a Bullmastiff move from puppy to adult food?
- Giant breeds mature more slowly than smaller dogs, so many stay on a large or giant-breed puppy formula well beyond a year old. Follow the specific food's guidance and check with your vet rather than switching on a fixed age alone.
- How much should I feed an adult Bullmastiff?
- This depends on the specific food's calorie content and your dog's actual weight and activity level, so follow the feeding guide on the product and adjust based on regular weigh-ins rather than a generic large-breed amount.
- Are Bullmastiffs prone to weight gain?
- Their naturally bulky build can make extra weight harder to spot by eye than it would be on a leaner breed, so a hands-on check for a waist and ribs with your vet is more reliable than judging weight by appearance alone.
- Is a large breed puppy formula really necessary for a Bullmastiff?
- Yes, given how quickly and how large this breed grows, a formula that controls calorie density and calcium balance specifically supports steadier bone development than a standard puppy food, which is not built around a breed reaching this size.
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.