What to feed a Chow Chow
A Chow Chow does best on a complete food built for a medium-to-large, moderately active breed, with an eye kept on weight and joint support rather than on the coat — the famous ruff is a grooming job, not a feeding one. Chow Chows are also one of the breeds more prone to hip dysplasia and other joint problems, so a food that keeps them at a lean weight through adulthood is doing more for their joints than any supplement added later.
Size, build and what that means at the bowl
Chow Chows are a solid, medium-to-large breed with a distinctive stocky, square build, and they are not a naturally high-energy dog — most are content with moderate daily exercise rather than the long runs some working breeds need. That combination of solid build and moderate activity means it is genuinely easy to overfeed a Chow Chow relative to what it actually burns, so measuring meals against the food's own feeding guide, rather than free-feeding from a full bowl, matters more for this breed than for a leaner, more active one.
The breed is also prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, a joint condition where the joint does not form quite correctly and wears unevenly over time. Diet cannot prevent it outright, since a lot of the risk is inherited, but keeping a Chow Chow lean through puppyhood and adulthood is one of the few things an owner genuinely controls that reduces the load on those joints.
Puppy to adult
As a medium-to-large breed, a Chow Chow puppy benefits from a large-breed puppy food specifically, rather than a standard puppy formula — these are built with a controlled calcium and phosphorus balance and a slower calorie curve, aimed at bone and joint growth that does not outpace the puppy's frame, which matters for a breed already carrying some joint risk.
Once fully grown, most Chow Chows do well on a standard adult complete food from a reputable brand, moving to a joint-support or senior formula from around seven or eight years old, or earlier if a vet has already flagged joint stiffness. A grain-inclusive food is entirely fine for most Chow Chows; there is nothing about the breed that specifically calls for grain-free.
What we stock
We carry adult and puppy dry foods suited to a medium-to-large breed, wet food for topping up or tempting a fussier eater, and joint-care supplements and complete foods with added glucosamine and green-lipped mussel for an older Chow Chow or one already showing stiffness after rest.
A slow feeder bowl is also worth considering for a Chow Chow given their build — like a lot of solidly-built, deep-chested breeds, eating too fast is more of a habit worth managing than it looks, and slowing meals down is one of the easiest changes to make.
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.
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Joints & Bones Treats
Grain-free salmon dog treats with salmon oil, glucosamine and chondroitin
£2.45
Pooch & Mutt Salmon Oil
Scottish salmon oil for dogs, dosed by weight from toy breeds to giants
£13.99
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
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 Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
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
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Common questions
- Is a Chow Chow prone to food allergies?
- Chow Chows are not particularly more prone to food allergies than other breeds, though any individual dog can develop a sensitivity to a specific protein over time. If you see persistent itching, ear infections or digestive upset, it is worth discussing with your vet before assuming it is a broad breed trait.
- Do Chow Chows need a grain-free diet?
- No, there is nothing specific to the breed that requires grain-free food. Most Chow Chows do fine on a good-quality grain-inclusive diet, and the more useful thing to focus on for this breed is portion control and joint support rather than the presence of grain.
- How much should I feed a Chow Chow?
- Follow the feeding guide on your chosen food as a starting point, based on your dog's weight and activity level, then adjust up or down depending on their body condition. Because Chow Chows are moderate in energy but solidly built, it is easy to overestimate how much they actually need.
- At what age should a Chow Chow move to senior food?
- Many owners make the switch from around seven to eight years old, or sooner if a vet has noted early joint stiffness, since senior and joint-support formulas are built with that in mind. There is no single correct age — it depends on the individual dog's condition.
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.