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Huskies are working dogs with a long history of coexisting alongside their people in the harsh winters of Siberia, where they originate. While it is difficult for dog owners to provide what these working dogs were once eating, you'll have several commercially available dog food options that can be just as beneficial, if not more, for your Siberian husky.
Our article will list the best dog food for Huskies in 2024 for puppies, adults, seniors, and working Siberian huskies, particularly sled dogs. We'll also share a few tips on how you can find the best dog food for your husky. Read to the end to get a comprehensive guide on feeding your husky in our informative article.
What to Think About When Buying Dog Food for Your Husky
Before placing an order for any of the dog foods in our article, here are a few tips on finding the best dog food for your husky. We'll cover how considering your dog's age, health needs, lifestyle, and preferences can lead you to the best dog food.
Food Quality
Ensuring that your husky is eating food of the highest quality means that they’ll be getting all the nutrients they need to live long, happy lives! The options on our list all contain high-quality ingredients.
Food Allergies
Check with your vet to make sure your husky doesn’t have any allergies, and keep an eye on your dog food’s ingredients. Feeding your pet food they’re allergic to can result in health problems down the line.
Calorie Needs
Not all huskies have the same lifestyle. Even though every husky is energetic, their temperament may vary. While some huskies stay fit and happy with an hour-long daily walk, others may need intense physical activity. The dog food you're buying for your husky should suit their lifestyle.
For example, working dogs require nutrient-rich, calorie-dense dog food to keep their physical health at their peak. Feeding a husky that likes lounging around the whole day with the same food may lead to excess weight gain, which can create health problems.
Husky’s Special Health Needs
Although this is more of a special case, huskies with specific health problems may need specialized dog food to help them with their conditions. For example, huskies with stomach and digestion problems need gastrointestinal or highly digestible dog food. Similarly, huskies with allergies require hypoallergenic dog food that won't trigger immune system responses.
However, consult your veterinarian before browsing online reviews and finding the best dog food for your husky with specific health problems. For instance, your husky may require switching to a special homemade diet for several weeks before going back to kibble. Your vet can point you to the best diet to benefit the health of your husky.
Life Stage
Age is an important factor that goes into finding the best dog food for your husky. Dogs in their puppyhood, adulthood, and senior years have different nutritional needs that call for appropriately-designed dog food. Here's a quick overview of what kind of dog food you should buy based on the age of your husky.
- Puppies (2-12 months): During puppyhood, Huskies need to eat dog food that supports their rapid growth. Going from 10 pounds to up to 60 pounds in just ten months, huskies at this life stage need dog food with high protein, fat, and dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids.
- Adults (1-7 years): Huskies enter adulthood around the 12-month mark. At this stage, huskies need food that maintains their mass without promoting excess weight gain. Adult dog food for huskies should also have essential nutrients to benefit their health.
- Seniors (7+ years): Senior huskies require a diet as nutrient-rich as puppies but with fewer calories. The aging bodies of huskies also need a highly digestible diet to assist their digestive health. At this life stage, note that senior huskies may need to eat dog food with supplements to benefit their health, particularly joint and cognitive function.
Wet Versus Dry Food
Wet food can be a great supplement to kibble, as it can keep your husky hydrated. This is especially important during the summer, as huskies have thick coats that may make them overly warm.
Your Husky’s Preferences
Be sure to note your husky’s preferences when you’re picking out food. For instance, if you know your dog doesn’t eat beef kibble with the same gusto as chicken kibble, consider sticking with chicken-based flavors.
Best Dog Food for Huskies in 2024
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Below are our top dog food picks for huskies. Since dogs need to eat differently based on their life stage, we’ll include the best dog foods for puppies, adults, and seniors. We’ll also include an option for working huskies, such as sled dogs, as their demanding work requires appropriate feeding.
1. Best for Husky Puppies: Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe
Our Rating: ★★★★★ 5 out of 5
Why we like it
This puppy chow is packed with all the nutrients a growing pup needs all while being delicious.
Key Notes
Available in 4lb, 10lb, 20 lb Bags, Chicken-Based With Sweet Potatoes and Turkey
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe is our top pick for husky puppies. It is puppy food with all the nutrients huskies need at this life stage for healthy growth, packed with omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
This dog food is not only nutritious enough to support the rapid growth of huskies but also tasty. In addition to high-protein kibbles, the package contains freeze-dried raw bites. These delicious additions are easy to digest and highly nutritious, making Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe an ideal puppy food for picky young huskies.
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe can be a great dog food for young huskies, but it has a few downsides – mainly for the owner. Although it is affordable, it isn’t available in every pet supply store. Also, the raw pieces are more appetizing than kibble, which can make your husky refuse to eat kibble.
Pros
- A well-balanced puppy food for huskies
- Affordable pricing
- Tasty
Cons
- It isn't widely available
- The freeze-dried raw pieces may make your husky refuse kibbles
2. Best for Adult Huskies: Orijen Six Fish Recipe
Our Rating: ★★★★★ 5 out of 5
Why we like it
The ingredients in adult dog food are high in protein and close to what huskies’ ancestors ate.
Key Notes
Available in 4.5 lb, 13 lb, and 23.5 lb Bags, Seafood-Based Flavor
Orijen Six Fish Recipe is our best dog food pick for adult huskies for several reasons. This dog food provides a diet for huskies that resembles what their ancestors were eating. Closely tied to the Chukchi people, huskies earned their feed mostly in the form of fish, making Orijen Six Fish Recipe one of the healthiest dog foods for this breed.
This dog food contains six different species of fish. It has an abundance of vitamins and minerals and natural omega fatty acids, which are perfect for benefiting your husky’s health through diet. Since Orijen Six Fish Recipe is also grain-free, it minimizes the risk of allergic reactions, especially in mini huskies.
While the high animal protein content makes this dog food a great option, Orijen Six Fish Recipe also contains a fair amount of legumes. This can cause your husky to have gas, which can be unpleasant, particularly if it leads to flatulence. Lastly, this dog food is more on the expensive side.
Pros
- Mimics what the ancestors of your husky were eating
- High animal protein content coming from fish
- Reduced risk of allergic reactions
Cons
- The amount of legumes can make huskies have gas
- It isn't the most affordable dog food
3. Best for Senior Huskies: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Senior
Our Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5 out of 5
Why we like it
This senior dog food gives your older pup all the nutrients they need without loading them up on unneeded calories.
Key Notes
Available in 5lb, 15 lb, 30 lb, and 34 lb Bags, Chicken-Based With Blueberries, Fish Oil, and Brown Rice
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Senior is our top pick for huskies seven years and up. It is specifically formulated for older dogs. It has everything your senior husky needs, from glucosamine for joint health to omega-3 fatty acids for cognitive function.
Moreover, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Senior has all the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals your senior husky needs to support their physical health. It is a dog food that makes older huskies feel energetic without consuming unnecessary calories that can promote excessive weight gain.
Although a great dog food for senior huskies, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Senior has a few downsides. Some huskies require more animal protein than what this dog food has. If you’re switching from a raw diet to kibble, this senior dog food may not be the best choice for your husky.
Pros
- Rich in glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids
- Ideal calorie content for senior huskies (343 kcal per cup)
- Affordable pricing
Cons
- It isn't the best for senior huskies transitioning from a raw diet
- Some senior huskies need more protein than this food has
4. Best Wet Food for Huskies: Blue Buffalo Homestyle Chicken Variety
Our Rating: ★★★★★ 4 out of 5
Why we like it
This natural wet food is tasty, suitable for all husky ages, and easy to find at your local pet store.
Key Notes
6-Can Pack Featuring Chicken and Beef-Flavored Wet Food
Blue Buffalo is one of the most popular natural dog food brands and their 6-can chicken and beef variety pack will keep your pup’s taste buds and muscles happy. This wet food contains protein, vitamins, and minerals without any fillers like corn.
This wet food contains ingredients targeting muscle health, which is great for huskies – especially those who are super active. However, since the food is meant to be suitable for dogs of all breeds and sizes, your husky may still need a specialized supplement to their diet. Blue Buffalo wet food is a great complement to kibble for huskies, though.
The chicken recipe also includes blueberries, peas, and carrots, which are packed with antioxidants. The beef recipe is actually a combination of whitefish, turkey, chicken, and fish broth (in addition to other ingredients like sweet potatoes and carrots.) While these are all delicious, healthy ingredients for huskies, if you’re looking for beef specifically, you may be disappointed.
Pros
- Natural formulas with no wheat or corn
- Targets muscle growth and maintenance
- Available in most pet stores
Cons
- Beef recipe doesn’t contain beef
- More costly than kibble
- Doesn’t target husky-specific dietary needs
Your Guide to Buying Dog Food for Huskies
Buying the right food is just as important as feeding your husky. Below, you’ll find some of our tips on both
How Do I Decide a New Food Is Right for My Husky?
Monitoring your dog, especially after changing to a new brand of dog food, is highly important. Check how your husky reacts to the new food. Itching, gas, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, and a brittle coat are indicators that the new food isn’t going well for your husky.
Also, regularly weigh your dog at the vet or weigh yourself with your dog and subtract your weight to know how much your dog weighs.
How Do I Start My Husky on New Food?
When switching dog foods, the change should be gradual. As a general rule of thumb, start by mixing 25% of the new food with 75% of the old food. After a few days, increase the new food to 50%, mixing it evenly with the old food. Continue this process for a few more days before transitioning to 75% new food and 25% old food.
Finally, you can switch entirely to the new food after your dog fully adapts to the new food. This gradual transition prevents digestive issues and allows your dog to adjust to the new diet smoothly.
What’s a Good Husky Feeding Schedule?
Husky puppies under six months of age must eat at least three meals daily. Around the six-month mark, you can start feeding your husky twice a day – about 12 hours apart.
Although missing a few hours here and there won’t be a problem, sticking to a consistent feeding schedule is important to ensure your husky understands when it is mealtime.
Is Fresh Water Important for Huskies?
All dogs, regardless of breed, must drink about one ounce of fresh water per pound of body weight every day. Even when your dog is not eating, fresh water should be available at all times.
If you’re limiting water intake during potty training, it should be on a consistent schedule. However, fresh water should be available in a separate water bowl during the day when you can take your puppy out for potty breaks.
Get the Best Dog Food for Your Husky
We’ve covered what to keep in mind when finding the best dog food for your husky, along with our top picks for puppies, adults, seniors, and working huskies. By considering everything we’ve mentioned throughout our article, you can make an informed decision to get the best dog food for your husky.
While the dog foods we’ve listed are all great picks, your husky may need something different depending on their health, lifestyle, and food preferences. Before changing your dog’s food or starting a puppy on commercial dog food, consult a licensed vet for recommendations. After checking the health of your husky, the vet can point you to the best dog food that will benefit their health.