Complete Bruiser Bulldog Nutrition Plan

Mitch’s Background In Canine Nutritional Health:

As many of you know, I am a licensed canine nutritionist with a deep, personal connection to bulldog health. I can confidently tell you that there are only a handful of peers that have studied Bulldog Nutrition as deeply as I have. I respect everyone’s nutritional opinions but do ask that all bruiser bulldog adopters start their puppy on the Phase 1 Bruiser Bulldog plan and have honest conversations with me if you would like to deviate from it.

2-Phase Nutrition Plan:

Phase 1

Puppy Growth Stage

8 weeks to 12 months (have these ordered before pickup/delivery)

Phase 2

Long Term Health

12 month and on

Phase 1 – Puppy Growth Stage

Nutrition Checklist: Have these ordered and ready on Day 1 of pickup. If you would like to move away from one of these recommendations please let me know!

Diamond Naturals All Life Stages – Hits all the correct macro numbers to slow puppy growth

Nuvet Supplements – Adds bioactive nutrition that promotes immune function – something bulldog puppies struggle with

Probios Probiotics – restores gut biome balance. I believe all bulldogs benefit from a probiotic for long term disease prevention and digestive health.

Details of each product for

Phase 1

Why I recommend Diamond Naturals All Life Stages

Slowing Growth: Bulldogs are one of the smallest large breed dogs that struggle with rapid growth from 12 weeks to 8 months. We often see developmental issues when they are on a high energy (protein and fat) diet with too high of calcium. The goal is to promote steady slow growth to ensure proper joint development.

Objective – Slow growth down for proper bone and joint development while fortifying gut biome health and the immune system foundational health

Diamond Naturals Macro Numbers– Diamond naturals hits all the correct macro numbers we are looking for to create steady, slower growth that promotes structure development.

Fat = 16%
Protein = 26%
Calcium/Phosphorus = 1.17:1

**It also avoids some of the ingredients I do not believe bulldogs should ever have. These include: corn, soy, wheat, BHA, BHT, artificial colors, added sugars, and excessive calcium.

Diamond Naturals solves the number one health risk in bulldog puppies – rapid growth development and deformity risk. It is certainly not a trendy dog food but that actually is not the goal during Phase 1 Puppy Growth. We can start to open up the dog food options as puppy develops structural soundness and has a good base.

Marketing Tactics to be aware of – every dog food is half nutrition, half marketing. It is the nature of the business.

Diamond Naturals promotes probiotics – this is a total scam. Diamond naturals has only 80 million CFUs of probiotics on their kibble. Probiotics of this nature are very susceptible to moisture. Most likely zero CFU of probiotic is actually reaching your puppy. To go further, 80 million CFU does nothing for the gut biome. One serving of Probios probiotic (administered via a dry powder) contains 10 billion CFU. That is 125 times more. The probiotics in Diamond are 100% marketing. You still need a probiotic to promote gut health

Diamond Naturals ingredients include chia seed, quinoa, spinach, blueberries – What they don’t tell you is the quantity. This is a modern dog food trend – list very healthy ingredients but actually only include micro dosage amounts per serving that in reality provide very little nutritional value.

Why I recommend Nuvet Supplement

I am a huge believer in natural bioactive nutrition that has not been processed via the high heat extrusion process of dog food. Dog food (both kibble and fresh) reliance on high heat makes it impossible to deliver certain sensitive nutrition that is vital to puppies and dogs. I like Nuvet because it fills that gap and promotes immune function + gut stability. This is a nutrition gap that NO FRESH OR KIBBLE DOG FOOD can ever fill (despite their marketing attempts to make you believe this is true). Essentially the “just feed a complete and balanced dog food” statement that you hear everywhere is a product of billion dollar pet food companies’ ability to control the information narrative from the top down.

Bulldog puppies (really all puppies) have unique digestive and immune system challenges that are often overlooked. They are hit with vaccines, antibiotics and parasite treatments that often challenge their gut health. These stressors can actually cause long term issues that “show up” as dogs age. Supplementing for gut and immune health is for both short term and longer term foundational health benefits.

Nutvet’s most important ingredients/benefits

Blue Green Algae – Antioxidant support that reduces oxidative stress and immune development

Papain and Amylase (digestive enzymes) – Promotes nutrient absorption and digestive aid that is critical in both puppy and adult bulldogs

Evening Primrose Oil – rich in omega 6 fatty acids, supports healthy skin and coat and helps maintain a strong skin barrier

Why I recommend Probios Probiotic

English Bulldog have shorter digestive tracts and occasionally struggle with yeast, allergy, and skin issues. Most people dont understand that these issues stem from gut health imbalances (measured by dysbiosis index). Probios probiotics contain live beneficial bacteria that help support a balanced gut microbiome. I like probios because it contains 10 billion CFU of multiple beneficial bacterial stains. The amount matters and dog food is never able to effectively deliver probiotics effectively on their own due to moisture activating and destroying efficacy.

Probios: Important Probiotic Strains

Enterococcus faecium – Produces lactic acid, which can reduce harmful bacteria. Helps keep beneficial bacteria dominant and support consistent stool quality.

Lactobacillus acidophilus – Supports a favorable environment for gut microbes by lowering ph levels and aids in digestive support.

Lactobacillus plantarum – Known for strong adhesion to the gut lining, helping beneficial microbes stick around.

Phase 2 – Long Term Nutrition Plan

Phase 1 is dictated by the bulldog puppy’s most immediate need – slowing growth for proper joint and bone development. Because this is such an important factor in bulldog health, it really dictates and narrows our focus. Phase 2 allows us to open up nutritional concerns and start thinking about long term health function.

This is where we are able to fully lean into canine nutrition and explore all of our options.

Nutrition Checklist :

Select For Long Term Dog Food Plan – explained down below

Nuvet Supplement – I still believe in Nuvet’s long term benefits for adult dogs. I have seen too many benefits in bulldog health to question it. For adults I am primarily focused on its ability to provide antioxidant and digestive enzyme support.

Probios Probiotics – All bulldogs should be on a probiotic regardless of food unless there is an individual bulldog specific reason.

Selecting a long term dog food

SCIENCE SAYS IT IS ABOUT THE CALORIES AND EXERCISE NOT JUST THE DOG FOOD! Studies show the single most important factor related to canine nutrition is body fat and obesity. Studies consistently demonstrate that dogs that have lower body fat% percentages live longer, healthier lives. In the USA – 65% of dogs are overweight. No matter what dog food you give your dog…the obesity factor always dominates the conversation.

**Sadly, obesity information does not make a dog food company money. Consumers focus so much on dog food selection and still overfeed and under exercise their dog. The truth is – a properly conditioned body is always healthier regardless of the food it eats.

I have seen bulldogs thrive in kibble, fresh and raw diets systems. There are differences in quality certainly, but clinical studies still have not been able to clearly show a statistical health or longevity difference between the different mediums. I believe science will eventually find truth, but at this time there are dog food options at each of these mediums that you can feed your dog guilt free. With that said, in general higher protein, less carb dog food that avoids corn, soy and wheat is better for a bulldog.

Fresh dog food still uses heat, destroys nutrients, and relies on dumping in synthetic ingredients to meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines. Synthetic ingredients are never as effective as whole food based vitamins and minerals. In my opinion, fresh is better but is overhyped right now vs demonizing kibble.

Raw and Freshly cooked is a great alternative that many bulldogs benefit from – especially bulldogs that struggle with allergies, yeast or related gut issues.

The 80.10.10 PMR raw diet is my first go to if a bulldog is struggling with allergies

If a bulldog is struggling with yeast, allergies, interdigital cysts or skin/hair issues the first thing to look at is diet and proper gut biome function.