Affordable food for my 7-8 year old underweight pitbull mix?

It's quite a difficult question as a lot depends on what you would consider affordable. Bearing in mind that more expensive foods usually work out similar as you end up feeding less. Personally for puppies I would try and give them the best at least at the start. I really like royal canin or alternatively Hill's made for the breed size.

Iams is a great brand of food, and it's not as expensive as Hill's. I also like Purina ProPlan, and Purina One. All of these are healthy, and cheaper than Hill's. I recommend trying Layla on one of those foods. You will have to transition her slowly to prevent GI upset. Mix together the new and old food, and over the course of two weeks, gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of old food until she is eating the new food only. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Max. Higher quality food does make a difference in a dog, but you could see how he does on economical brand. You want him to eat the food and like it. He should have no vomiting or diarrhea on a new diet and should only have 2-3 bowel movements per day. He also needs to have a glossy coat. These are signs the diet is working for him. Of the cheaper brands, I would recommend Purina Dog Chow or Pedigree. Purina ProPlan and Iams will better options of the higher ends foods you listed. I hope this information helps!

Hello. You have quite a very handsome group of pups! The best dog foods most vets will recommend are those made by Purina, Hill's Science Diet & Royal Canin. I personally feed mine Purina One True Instincts. These may not be the very cheapest foods out there, but they are definitely more reasonable than the incredibly high priced boutique foods which are no better than the basics. Hope your guys do well & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach! The food I mostly recommend is Science Diet. I have used their food for over 20 years in my own pets and have never had a problem with their food. My own dog was on their food for 20 years and did very well. He maintained an excellent body condition, hair coat was amazing and he loved very long. I contribute his longevity to a good diet and good care as well. If you are opposed to Science Diet, I also recommend Royal Canin, Natural Balance and Purina One. There are so many foods out there and it is easy to get caught up in the marketing game of "natural", "organic" and "grain free". As long as your dog is on a well balanced and complete diet is what matters the most. I typically recommend feeding a puppy food for the first 12 months and then switching to an adult food from 12 months to 7 years of age. Beyond 7 years I recommend a senior formula. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

You should definitely feed a puppy food. Purina Pro Plan and Iams are good foods that are a little less expensive. If your puppy still isn't gaining weight you should see a vet - parasites, food sensitivities or pancreatic diseases may be keeping him from gaining weight.

Provide food that is high in calories, like puppy food or a food that’s designed for active, athletic, or working dogs. Higher protein and fat pet foods are best. Underweight pets should be eating foods that are around 30% protein and 20% fat if they’re eating dry kibble; 7% protein and 5% fat (or higher) if you’re feeding a wet food. Intersperse your pet’s diet with small amounts of high-calorie supplemental canned food or canned products made of 100% meat sources. These will have a high protein and fat content, like 100% pheasant or bison, for example. They won’t say “complete and balanced” but rather “for intermittent or supplemental use” because they’re not meant to replace regular feeding. Some moist foods may be easier to digest, so your pet may retain more nutrients, and more importantly these products tend to be more palatable and tempting to a pet who isn’t eating enough. Any diet changes should be done gradually over a week's time as to not cause any GI upset. Hope this helps. Best wishes.