Are you looking for the best dog food for Coonhounds? Proud owners will tell you the
Coonhound is a lovable and hardworking dog breed but one who can also be a bit stubborn.
Some of the best-liked breeds include:
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These are the individual breeds added to the registry of the American Kennel Club (AKC).
The Coonhound breeds are scent hounds famous for being charming and goofy.
They’re noticeable due to the big bays and long ears. Coonhounds are good hunting dogs and require regular exercise to stay physically and mentally fit.
And just as importantly, it’s crucial to find and feed them the best dog food for
Coonhounds.
We’ll be reviewing some of the top products for puppies, adults, and senior Coonhounds here.
We’ll also provide some info about what, how, and how much to feed your canine.
You should also know about some red flags when it comes to feeding your Coonhound.
These include some of the breeds’ common health issues and types of ingredients you’ll definitely want to avoid.
This will help to keep your dog as safe as possible when selecting commercial dog food.
Best Dog Food for Adult Coonhounds
Here are our top picks for typical adult Coonhounds. Below, we go over each one specifically.
Now, let’s look at each of these foods in detail. Knowing more about the good or bad for each one can help you in your decision for what’s best for your own Coonhound.
Summary
This Blue Buffalo dog food contains high-quality real meat protein from lamb. It also contains whole grains, veggies, and fruit.
This Dry Dog Food provides nutrients like omega-3/6 fatty acids for coat/skin, protein/carbs, vitamins/minerals, and antioxidants to boost the dog’s immune system.
The best dog food for hounds also doesn’t contain certain ingredients that could cause food allergies. They include chicken, meat by-products, fillers like wheat, corn, and soy, and artificial flavors/preservatives.
Pros
- Real meat dog food
- Contains no chicken
- Omega-3/6 fatty acids
- No corn, soy, or wheat
- Natural dog food
Cons
- Some dogs might not like
- Could cause white spots
- Might cause fatty growth
Summary
Holistic Select has been making natural dog food for over a decade. This dog food includes natural protein, veggies, and fruits. The product includes a single protein source of fish.
This Natural Dry Dog Food contains natural ingredients with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Antibiotics, probiotics, etc. The protein is from real salmon, sardines, and anchovies.
The Coonhound dog food only includes high-quality natural ingredients. There are no fillers like wheat, no meat by-products, and no artificial colors/flavors/fillers.
The dry dog food is backed by the Holistic Select guarantee.
Pros
- Includes prebiotics/probiotics
- High-quality natural ingredients
- Protein from salmon/sardines/anchovy
- Made in the USA
- No artificial colors/flavors/fillers
Cons
- Might cause dry skin
- Now includes chicken/pork
- Shipping/packaging of bag
Summary
The Sport 3/20 Formula helps to optimize the dog’s metabolism. The amino acids help to nourish the canine’s muscles, including the time following exercise.
The 30/20 protein/fat meets the dog’s metabolic needs to maintain lean muscle.
Antioxidant nutrition boosts the immune system by protecting the dog from free radicals.
The dog’s joint health/mobility is improved by the omega-3 fatty acid EPA and glucosamine.
Pros
- Exercise recovery
- 30/20 protein/fat formula
- Antioxidants boost the immune system
- Improve joint health/mobility
- Optimizes oxygen metabolism
Cons
- High protein content
- Large bag
- High price point
Best Dog Food for Coonhound Puppies
Here are our top 3 picks for puppy food. Details of each follow below.
Summary
This Puppy Dog Food is for large-breed puppies. The first ingredient is high-quality real meat from chicken. This helps to build/maintain healthy muscles.
This dog food is made of natural ingredients with essential vitamins/minerals. It contains no chicken/poultry and fillers like corn, soy, and wheat.
The puppy dog food also contains no artificial flavors/preservatives.
The product contains the company’s in-house LifeSource Bits.
This is a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants carefully selected by nutritionists and veterinarians for a stronger immune system.
This dry dog food contains the fatty acids ARA and DHA which are important ones found in mother’s milk. This helps to support retinal health and cognitive function.
This best dog food for blue tick hounds also includes glucosamine/chondroitin for joint/mobility support for large breed dogs, including puppies.
Pros
- Contains whole grains, veggies, and fruit
- Includes vitamins/minerals/antioxidants
- Natural dog food
- Good for large breed puppies
- Real meat is first ingredient
Cons
- Size of food is different
- Could cause digestion problems
- Might be different food from stores
Summary
This ANP dog food is for large-breed puppies. It includes high-quality protein from chicken/eggs, and chicken is the first ingredient.
There’s also DHA from fish oil and fish meal to support the dog’s vision and brain.
The dry dog food also includes omega-3/6 fatty acids for healthy skin/coat.
There’s also phosphorus and calcium for healthy teeth/bones.
Vitamins and minerals are also added to food to provide a well-balanced food.
The puppy chow includes no fillers like wheat, corn, or soy.
There are also no artificial colors/preservatives added, which increases the puppy food’s nutritional value.
Pros
- Large bag
- DHA from fish meal
- Omega fatty acids
- Vitamins/minerals
- No fillers
- Calcium/phosphorous for teeth/bones
- Quality chicken
Cons
- Large bag
- Could cause chicken allergies
- High price point
Summary
This dry dog food is made from cage-free chicken. It’s a grain-free puppy chow w/ freeze-dried raw chicken. The puppy chow also contains no genetically modified organisms (GMO) fruits/veggies.
This dog food contains calcium/phosphorus to strengthen your dog’s teeth/bones. There’s also DHA for eye/brain development.
The dog food is minimally processed and combines raw chicken with kibble. It contains no grain, corn, potato, soy, wheat, and meat by-products. There are also no artificial colors/preservatives.
Pros
- Grain-free dog food
- Probiotics/omega-3/6
- Freeze-dried raw pieces
- No artificial colors/preservatives
- High-protein kibble
Cons
- Few Raw bits
- Change in ingredients
- Might cause LBM
Best Dog Food for Senior Coonhounds
Summary
Senior Plus Dog Food includes ingredients for healthy bones/joints.
Real chicken is the first ingredient and provides quality meat. Fruits/veggies include carrots/peas and apples/blueberries.
Antioxidants can help to boost the senior dog’s immune system.
The crunchy kibbles help to clean the dog’s teeth with each bite to lower plaque buildup that can cause teeth/breath issues.
The food contains beta carotene and Vitamin E for antioxidants. This helps to keep older dogs healthier.
It also contains chicken/egg for strong muscles and L-carnitine for healthy metabolism and fat-burning.
This senior dog food for breeds like black and tan Coonhound contains natural ingredients.
There are no fillers, including grains, soy, and corn.
Pros
- Antioxidants for the immune system
- Includes carrots, peas, apples, and blueberries
- Includes healthy nutrients/carbs
- Crunchy kibbles
- Designed for large-breed seniors
Cons
- Shipping/delivery issues
- Dogs could get sick
Best Dog Food for Coonhounds with Medical/Sensitivity Issues
Summary
This dog food for red tick Coonhounds is made from New Zealand lamb.
It’s a limited-ingredient dog food that provides quality protein and vitamins/minerals. This dog food is for all-sized dogs.
The company takes a meat-first philosophy. It’s the first ingredient of all Zignature products and includes meat/fish. This helps to strengthen muscles/bones and soft coat.
The dog food is grain free and contains no fillers like grains. It’s hypoallergenic food to help prevent your dog’s food allergies.
It also lacks ingredients that often cause canine allergies, like corn, soy, wheat, soy, and chicken.
In fact, this dog food is 100% chicken-free. That includes meat, eggs, and by-products.
Pros
- Grain-free dog food
- Chicken-free food
- No filler ingredients
- Well-balanced diet
- Limited-ingredient
- Lamb formula
Cons
- Some dogs don’t like the food
- Dog food might not be fresh
Buying Guide
Here are some features to look for when picking commercial food for dog breeds like a redbone
Coonhound:
Puppy/Adult/Senior
Make sure to consider your dog’s age when picking dog food for your Coonhound. Some products are specifically formulated for a certain age group, such as senior aged dogs.
For example, puppies and seniors need more protein than adults.
On the other hand, other products are ideal for all age groups.
This might be a good option if you want to use the same food as your dog progresses from puppy to adult, then adult to senior.
Natural/Organic
These are similar classifications for dog food but are a bit different.
“Natural” means the dog food contains ingredients that are available in nature, like animal meat, whole grains, and fruits/veggies.
These can be healthy for your dog.
“Organic” means no synthetic substances were used to produce the food’s ingredients.
That includes hormones, pesticides, and fertilizers.
These chemicals can cause health issues even if the ingredients themselves are natural.
Take note that organic dog food will be significantly more expensive than natural dog food.
Price
This is based on a wide variety of options.
Is the food made by a huge conglomerate? Is the food certified organic? How long is the bag? Does it contain any gourmet meats or exotic fruits/veggies?
All of these factors can affect the price tag of dog food for Coonhounds. That said, keep in mind you’re investing in your dog’s health, and in a sense, that’s priceless.
Ingredients
The most important ingredient is meat. Look for fresh animal meats versus meat by-products, and it’s better if there are 2-3 meats for more amino acids.
Whole grains like brown rice and oats are better than processed “filler” grains.
Some fruits/veggies can add lots of vitamins/minerals to dog food.
Watch out for additives like salt, sugar, and artificial colors/ingredients/preservatives. These can cause various short/long-term health issues for your canine.
Brand
Purina, Blue Buffalo, and Hill’s are some of the established brands on the market. Make sure to research a particular brand before buying food for your dog.
Some manufacturers are startups or are producing generic-off brands.
These products consistently have lower quality, so your dog will get fewer nutrients and risk health issues due to low-quality ingredients.
Dry/Wet
Some dogs prefer wet food, and others prefer dry food/kibble. The main issue is texture; wet food tends to be healthier, although it’s not automatic.
There are a few alternatives. You can even add a little water to the kibble to soften it for your dog.
You can also add some kibble to homemade food to add some crunch to their meals.
Coonhounds Diet & Nutrition Requirements
When picking food for breeds like treeing walker Coonhound, it’s critical to know the breeds’ nutritional requirements.
Coonhounds are hard-working, so they need a lot of energy to refuel themselves. The caloric requirements are based on the dog’s age, weight, and lifestyle.
Coonhounds have an average weight of 55 to 80 lbs. If your dog is very active, it should eat a minimum of 2200 calories/per day.
As Coonhounds get older, they should consume less food but shouldn’t eat less than 1100 calories.
It’s important to pick protein-rich foods to build your dog’s muscles/bones. Fresh animal protein is the best source.
Dogs are omnivorous, but any food you buy your Coonhound should list meat as the first ingredient.
It can contain grains but should ideally be whole grains and not used as a filler.
In terms of other ingredients like fruits/veggies and dairy, these are good sources of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
Make sure the ingredients are natural/fresh so your pet canine can get the most nutrients from them.
How to Properly Feed Coonhounds
Coonhound puppies between 8-12 weeks old should be fed 4 meals within any 24-hr. period.
When the puppies are 3-6 months old, reduce their meals to three/24-hr. period.
Then when the Coonhound is 1-year-old, you can reduce their meals to one bowl/per day.
When feeding adult Coonhounds, two small meals/per day is often the best option.
Make sure to watch your dog’s eating habits to figure out if you need to make tweaks to their daily meals.
If you’re feeding puppies or seniors, make sure to cut back on their quantity of food rather than the amount of protein.
These two age groups need more protein than non-senior adults.
Common Health Issues of Coonhounds
Coonhound breeds like Plott Hounds are more prone to certain health conditions, including the following ones:
- Bacterial infections
- Ear hematoma
- Eat infections
- Heart Disease
- Hip dysplasia
- Skin allergies
- Thyroid Disease
Some of these conditions are inherited, but the risk of others can be prevented through methods like a healthy diet and regular exercise.
If you suspect your dog suffers from any of the above-mentioned issues, you should schedule a check-up immediately.
Must-have Ingredients
Animal Protein
This should be high-quality and easy-digestible protein. It can be different types like fish, pork, chicken, beef, venison, lamb, buffalo, duck, etc.
Make sure animal meat is the first ingredient listed on the list and it’s high-quality meat.
In general, you should also look for dog food with 2-3 meat sources.
This provides your Coonhound with different kinds of amino acids. If your pet has health issues, you should generally pick a limited-ingredient dog food with one meat source.
Healthy Fats
Make sure this is from chicken fat, fish oils, canola oil, flaxseed, etc. This provides omega-3/6 fatty acids your pet pooch needs.
Your dog must get the “good” fat it needs.
Grains/Veggies/Fruits
These ingredients are less important than animal meat but are still important.
Apples, blueberries, pumpkin, peas, beets, and beans are some of the various ones added to dog food.
In terms of grains, make sure they’re whole grains. When grains are processed, they lose much of their nutrients, which is bad.
Ingredients and Brands to Avoid
Feed-grade ingredients
This might sound OK for animals, but feed-grade is lower than human-grade ingredients.
What’s wrong with feed-grade ingredients? They can include toxins that are in much lower quantities in human-grade foods.
Rendered Fat
This is as bad as it sounds. It provides flavor for kibble but is loaded with microorganisms/toxins.
If moisture gets in the kibble, it can cause mold/bacteria buildup.
Chemicals/Preservatives
Watch out for BHT, BHA, and other preservatives. These are strong synthetic ingredients that can cause major health issues in animals.
You should also watch out for other artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. If it’s tough to read/pronounce an ingredient, it’s usually a red flag.
By-Products
Watch for meat by-products. This isn’t actually animal meat but is instead from the interior of the animal.
In terms of nutrition and safety, it’s not a good choice. The lower price isn’t worth risking your dog getting ill due to a meat “meal.”
