Best Basset Hound Puppy Foods : Top 9 Recipes + Growth & Nutrition FAQ’s

The Basset Hound is easily one of the most recognizable dog breeds out there. He is known for his short, stubby legs, his wrinkled skin, and his long, floppy ears. On top of all that, he is also known for his excellent scenting abilities and his friendly nature.

If you’re lucky enough to bring home a Basset Hound puppy, you should do your best to keep him happy and healthy. These dogs don’t grow particularly tall, but they can weigh over 50 pounds at maturity, so choosing the right diet is very important.

To make sure your Basset Hound puppy gets the nutrients he needs without gaining too much weight, take the time to choose a high-quality puppy food. Here are some tips for doing just that.

Basset Hound Puppy Diet Requirements

Though he stands no more than 14 inches tall at full height, the Basset Hound technically qualifies as a large breed based on his weight. These dogs weigh 50 to 65 pounds at maturity and they can live for 12 to 15 years. Quality nutrition is important for all dogs, but it is particularly essential for your Basset Hound puppy because you need to keep him from becoming obese while still meeting his needs for energy and nutrients.

So, what should you look for in a high-quality Basset Hound puppy food?

The best place to start is with a large-breed puppy food. The Basset Hound is a dwarf breed which is why his legs are so short, but he still qualifies as a large breed based on weight. This being the case, you want to make sure he gets plenty of protein to fuel his growth and development as a puppy and to help him maintain lean muscle mass as an adult. That being said, you want to control his fat and calorie intake to prevent him from growing too fast and to prevent obesity.

As you start shopping for a large-breed puppy food for your Basset Hound puppy, keep an eye on the ingredients. Look for high-quality sources of animal protein as the first ingredient with digestible carbohydrates and essential fatty acids (also ideally from animal sources). Chicken fat and salmon oil are two excellent sources of essential fatty acids while whole grains or gluten-free starches are good choices for digestible carbohydrates.

In addition to meeting your Basset Hound puppy’s needs for protein and fat, you should make sure he gets adequate fiber to promote healthy digestion. There are also certain key nutrients and beneficial supplements you should look for. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide a natural source for essential nutrients, though synthetic supplements like chelated minerals are beneficial as well.

When it comes to beneficial supplements, your Basset Hound puppy can also benefit from glucosamine and chondroitin, two joint-supporting nutrients. As a dwarf breed, the Basset Hound is prone to certain musculoskeletal issues such as hip and elbow dysplasia. Starting him with a puppy food that contains these two nutrients may help protect his joints as he grows and develops.

Quick Look: Best Puppy Foods for Basset Hounds

Now that you know more about your Basset Hound puppy’s nutritional needs, it’s time to start shopping around for a healthy diet. To give you a place to start from, here are our picks for the 9 best Basset Hound puppy foods:

Rank	Puppy Food	Price	Rating
Overall   Best	Solid Gold Wolf Cub Large Breed Puppy Food Buy Online Customer Reviews	$2.36/lb	A+
Most   Popular	Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$1.58/lb	A+
Most   Affordable	American Journey Lamb & Sweet Potato Puppy Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$1.49/lb	A+
Allergies	Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato LID Puppy Buy Online Customer Reviews	$2.09/lb	A

Overall Best Basset Hound Puppy Food

Solid Gold Wolf Cub Large Breed Puppy Food

We love this Solid Gold Wolf Cub Large Breed Puppy Food recipe for many reasons. First and foremost, it is made with high-quality ingredients in a nutritionally balanced formula designed specifically for medium to large-breed puppies. This recipe contains 26% crude protein which is more than enough to meet your Basset Hound puppy’s minimum requirements but without going too high. It is moderate in fat and calorie content but loaded with healthy nutrients from novel proteins, digestible carbohydrates, fresh fruits and veggies, and beneficial supplements. Overall, this holistic puppy food recipe is a great choice for any large-breed puppy.

• Pros: Holistic recipe with high-quality ingredients, novel protein source, rich in protein and healthy fat, digestible gluten-free carbohydrates, fresh fruits and veggies, chelated minerals, contains probiotics
• Cons: Not grain-free, contains some plant protein (pea protein), main fat is plant-based (canola oil)

Our Most Popular Pick

Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Recipe

If you aren’t sure what to feed your Basset Hound puppy, why not go with one of the most popular options out there? Taste of the Wild is a high-quality brand with two puppy-specific recipes to choose from. This Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Recipe is a decent choice for your Basset Hound because it is rich in protein (27%) but lower in fat than the chicken recipe – this means fewer calories and less risk for excess growth. You still need to be careful how much you feed your puppy, but he’ll get the benefit of novel proteins like salmon and ocean fish meal along with grain-free carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes. Plus, this recipe is supplemented with chelated minerals, omega fatty acids, and probiotics. What more could you ask for?

• Pros: Novel protein sources, grain-free digestible carbohydrates, rich in protein with moderate fat, rich in essential fatty acids, probiotics for healthy digestion, beneficial supplements
• Cons: Contains some plant protein (pea protein), main source of fat is plant-based (canola oil)

Our Most Affordable Pick

American Journey Lamb & Sweet Potato Puppy Recipe

If you’re looking for a quality commercial recipe for your Basset Hound puppy but you don’t want to spend a lot, this American Journey Lamb & Sweet Potato Puppy Recipe is a good option. It may not be formulated specifically for large-breed puppies, but it is rich in protein without being too high in fat or calories. It features deboned lamb as the main ingredient with chicken meal and turkey meal for supplemental proteins. It is grain-free, made with chickpeas and sweet potatoes, plus it has animal-based fats like chicken fat and salmon oil. You’ll also love that it contains natural sources of glucosamine, chondroitin, and other nutrients, as well as beneficial supplements like chelated minerals.

• Pros: Rich in protein, not too high in fat or calories, three animal proteins as main ingredients, digestible grain-free carbohydrates, contains glucosamine and chondroitin, beneficial supplements
• Cons: Not large-breed specific, some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, contains some plant protein (pea protein)

Our Pick for Basset Hound Puppy Allergies

Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato LID Puppy

Dogs can develop food allergies just as people can and they can be allergic to any food ingredient. If your Basset Hound puppy already has allergies, or if you want to prevent him from developing them, a limited ingredient diet made with novel protein and carbohydrates is a good choice. This Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato LID Puppy works well because it contains a single source of animal protein (turkey) as well as digestible carbohydrates like oatmeal and peas. It contains 26% crude protein with 15% fat, both of which are adequate to meet your puppy’s needs without going overboard on calories or fat. This recipe also contains beneficial supplements such as dried fermentation produces for probiotic support, supplemental omega fatty acids, and chelated minerals to ensure nutritional balance.

• Pros: Novel source of animal protein, digestible carbohydrates, plenty of omega fatty acids, limited number of main ingredients, probiotics for healthy digestion, chelated minerals
• Cons: Main source of fat is plant-based (canola oil), contains some plant protein (pea protein)

Our Pick for Basset Hound Puppy with Sensitive Stomach

Nutro Max Large Breed Puppy

If your Basset Hound puppy has a sensitive stomach, you need to be careful what you feed him. You should avoid low-quality ingredients like byproducts, fillers, gluten, and artificial additives and focus on high-quality proteins, digestible carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This Nutro Max Large Breed Puppy recipe features chicken meal which, in addition to being a concentrated source of protein, is also rich in glucosamine and chondroitin. This recipe features digestible whole-grain carbohydrates as well as essential fatty acids from chicken fat and fish oil. It also contains beneficial supplements like chelated minerals to ensure nutritional balance.

• Pros: No fillers or artificial additives, concentrated source of animal protein, contains glucosamine and chondroitin, whole-grain carbohydrates, rich in essential fatty acids, chelated minerals
• Cons: Not grain-free, some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, some plant protein (dehydrated alfalfa meal)

4 More Top-Rated Basset Hound Puppy Foods

If you aren’t sure that one of the options above is quite the right fit for your Basset Hound puppy, don’t fret! There are still plenty of other wonderful options out there – here are four more to consider:

Rank	Puppy Food	Price	Rating
#6	Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Formula Buy Online Customer Reviews	$3.05/lb	A
#7	Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Puppy Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$4.49/lb	A
#8	Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula Buy Online Customer Reviews	$1.06/lb	B+
#9	Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Adult & Puppy Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$2.37/lb	A

Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Formula

Designed specifically for puppies between 2 and 15 months of age who will grow to over 50 pounds, this Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Formula is a good option to consider for your Basset Hound Puppy. It features deboned turkey as a novel source of animal protein with grain-free carbohydrates like potatoes and peas. It is rich in essential fatty acids from both plant and animal sources as well as fresh fruits and vegetables for natural sources of key nutrients. This formula also contains beneficial supplements like plant fiber, dried fermentation products (probiotics), and chelated minerals.

• Pros: Novel source of animal protein, gluten- and grain-free carbohydrates, rich in essential fatty acids, fresh fruits and veggies, probiotics for digestion, chelated minerals
• Cons: Main source of fat is plant-based (canola oil)

Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Puppy Recipe

If you want to feed your Basset Hound puppy the best of the best, consider going organic with this Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Puppy Recipe. It may not be a large-breed specific recipe, but it contains 25% protein and 14% fat which is just fine for a large breed. This recipe features organic chicken and organic chicken meal as the top two ingredients with digestible grain-free carbohydrates like organic sweet potatoes and organic chickpeas. It also contains plenty of essential fatty acids as well as probiotics and chelated minerals.

• Pros: Made with organic ingredients, two animal proteins as first two ingredients, grain-free carbohydrates, rich in essential fatty acids, moderate protein and fat, probiotics, chelated minerals
• Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, contains some plant protein (pea protein), main source of fat is plant-based (coconut oil)

Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula

Formulated for large-breed puppies, this Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula is made with lamb as a novel source of protein. It features both fresh lamb and concentrated lamb meal as well as digestible carbohydrates like ground rice, peas, and cracked pearled barley. Rich in essential fatty acids from chicken fat and salmon oil, this formula is also supplemented with dried fermentation products for probiotic support and chelated minerals for nutritional balance.

• Pros: Real animal protein as first two ingredients, digestible carbohydrates, healthy animal-based fats, probiotics for digestive support, chelated minerals, fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cons: Contains some plant protein (potato protein), not grain-free

Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Adult & Puppy Recipe

If you want to nourish your Basset Hound puppy’s body from the inside out with a nutrient-rich formula, try this Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Adult & Puppy Recipe. Because it is formulated for both puppies and adults, the protein and fat content are moderate which is good for your Basset Hound. This recipe features novel sources of animal protein with grain-free carbohydrates and plenty of beneficial supplements like probiotics and chelated minerals.

• Pros: Novel protein sources, grain-free carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables, chelated minerals for nutritional balance, probiotics for healthy digestion, moderate protein and fat
• Cons: Main source of fat is plant-based (canola oil), not formulated specifically for puppies

Our Basset Hound Puppy Feeding Guide – Frequently Asked Questions

One thing you need to be careful of when feeding your puppy is feeding him too much at once. As a deep-chested, large-breed dog, the Basset Hound is prone to a dangerous condition called bloat in which the stomach fills with air and twists on its axis, cutting off blood flow and creating a life-threatening condition.

To reduce your dog’s risk for bloat, try using a slow-feed bowl to prevent him from eating too fast and swallowing air as he eats. Do not use an elevated feeding bowl for your Basset Hound – there is no evidence to suggest that it reduces the risk for bloat and it may, in fact, make matters worse. You should also avoid exercising your dog too soon after a meal.

In addition to thinking about how you feed your Basset Hound puppy, you should also consider how much you feed him, how many meals he gets a day, and when to switch him over to an adult recipe. Once you’ve followed our advice above to select a quality Basset Hound puppy food, follow these tips for feeding your puppy:

How Much Should I Feed a Basset Hound Puppy?

There is no hard and fast answer for how much to feed a Basset Hound puppy because each dog’s needs are a little bit different. You should also realize that every dog food recipe contains a different number of calories, so the best thing you can do is start with a quality product and then feed the recommended amount on the package. These recommendations will change with your dog’s weight, so keep an eye on his body weight and condition as you feed him. If you feel like he’s growing too fast or gaining an unhealthy amount of weight, scale back his diet a little bit.

How Many Times Should a Basset Hound Puppy Eat a Day?

Again, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Most puppies do well on three meals a day but because you want to avoid feeding your Basset Hound puppy too much at once, you may want to divide his total daily portion into four smaller meals. You should do whatever works with your schedule to keep your puppy on a consistent feeding schedule and, as always, keep an eye on his body weight and condition to make sure he’s growing at a healthy rate.

How Long Should I Feed a Basset Hound Puppy Food?

Most veterinarians recommend feeding puppies a puppy-specific recipe for 12 months and then switching to an adult recipe. As long as you feed your Basset Hound puppy a large-breed puppy recipe, this schedule should work just fine. If you’re feeding a regular puppy recipe, your puppy might grow a little more quickly, so you should switch him to a large-breed adult recipe when he reaches about 80% of his expected adult weight. If in doubt, ask your veterinarian when to make the switch.

Now that you know everything you need to know about feeding your Basset Hound puppy, you’re ready to put this newfound knowledge to work! Take the advice above and head to the pet store to pick out your new Basset Hound puppy food. Good luck!