Best Large Breed Dog Food in Australia
Feeding a large dog is not cheap, but the right food helps keep joints healthy and energy levels high. Instead of grabbing the cheapest bag of grain-heavy kibble, choose a formula designed to support big breeds from puppyhood to adulthood.
This guide highlights the best large breed dog food in Australia, focusing on dry kibble that’s nutritious, cost-effective, and available in larger bag sizes to save money per kilo.
Affordable large breed dog foods
#1 Black Hawk Large Breed
In 2022, Black Hawk poured more than $80 million into upgrading its manufacturing facilities, a big investment that’s really paid off. Since that overhaul, the quality of their dog food has noticeably stepped up.
The Black Hawk Large Breed recipes strike a nice balance of meats, wholesome grains, and legumes, making it easier (and more affordable) to keep a big dog well fed. Their Chicken & Rice variety is a solid everyday choice, and you can always toss in some raw meaty bones for extra flavor and nutrients.
Whether you go for the grain or grain-free version, it doesn’t make much difference. You’ll find both in budget-friendly 20 kg bags.
Check out: Black Hawk Dog Food Review
#2 Instinctive Bite Large Breed
Instinctive Bite is sold exclusively through Pet Circle and comes in slightly cheaper than Black Hawk, though the biggest bag tops out at 15 kg.
It contains a bit less protein about 58% meat by wet weight and uses potatoes as a key ingredient, but overall the recipe is still solid with a good variety of ingredients.
It’s a decent affordable choice, but if you can stretch to a formula with a little more meat check out the next recommendation.
#3 Taste of the Wild
Taste of the Wild doesn’t offer a formula made specifically for large breeds because all of their recipes are designed to suit dogs of any size.
The brand has been around for years and has built a strong reputation for reliability and great customer feedback. Its recipes strike an excellent balance between quality ingredients and affordability, making it a solid everyday diet for big dogs.
Many of the formulas come in generous 18.1 kg bags, which is a plus for large breed owners. The kibble size is standard, but the variety of meats and other ingredients is impressive. Taste of the Wild is also known to work well for dogs with itchy skin or allergies, a true testament to the quality of the food.
At around 70c per 100g it’s definitely one of the most affordable and decent dog foods I can recommend.
Where to buy: Buy on Amazon
Check out: Taste of the Wild PREY Dog Food Review
#4 SavourLife Large Breed
I find SavourLife really hits a sweet spot, it costs under 70 cents per 100 grams for a 15 kg bag and offers a solid amount of meat. Instead of relying heavily on potatoes like Instinctive Bite, it uses peas as the second ingredient, which is a nice touch.
With its higher protein and lower carb profile, this recipe provides a well-balanced diet that most dogs will thrive on, and customer feedback backs that up. Plus, there are several large breed puppy formulas you can rotate through to keep mealtimes interesting.
#5 Diamond Naturals Large Breed
What you’ll love most about Diamond Naturals Large Breed is it comes in a whopping 18.1kg bag at approximately 58c per kilo at the time of writing. That makes it the most affordable of all these brands!
The manufacturer behind this food has an excellent track record for quality and reliability and if you’re familiar with Taste of the Wild, that’s another well-regarded brand from the same company. It’s priced lower than many competitors because it’s a grain-based formula, but the grains are a healthier mix of rice and barley rather than cheap cereals or wheat.
If you’d prefer less grain, you can still use Diamond Naturals as a dependable base diet and supplement it with a higher-end brand, BARF, or fresh foods for added variety.
Why I recommend these large breed dog foods
If you’re on the same page as me, you understand that dogs especially large breeds thrive on a meat-focused diet rather than fillers like corn, wheat, or vague cereal ingredients. These cheap ingredients help keep production costs low, but they aren’t ideal for your dog’s health.
Large breed dogs, in particular, need a carefully balanced diet with an emphasis on high-quality animal proteins and healthy fats. Joint support is also essential at every stage of their growth and adulthood.
You’ll often hear large breed dog foods marketed based on calorie content or calcium-to-phosphorus ratios, which are important for proper growth. However, many of these formulas miss the mark because they focus more on these numbers than the quality of ingredients. Too often, the protein sources come from grains or legumes that your dog cannot digest efficiently, rather than from animal-based ingredients that truly nourish them.
For a large breed dog, the priority should always be real meat, wholesome fats, and premium ingredients not just numbers on a bag.
Also, while researching consumer feedback I often find many complaints are about the kibble size not being large enough, rather than what a food is actually made from.
Feel free to add any useful information in the comments. I’d love your feedback on any of these brands, or other brands you’ve had success with. This helps me keep this information current, and helps other large breed dog owners too!
Some final thoughts on large breed dog foods in Australia
I bet if you’ve just read the last section about “popular” brands of large breed dog foods in Australia you’re scratching your head a little.
How can so many large breed dog foods and puppy foods be so full of cheap grains and by-products, and still be so popular?
To quote Glen Richards, founder of Greencross, the largest pet care company in Australia, most consumers buy the cheapest possible products.
You’ll also find most consumers blindly recommend the products they buy to anyone who’ll listen on social media.
That doesn’t meant they’re good products.
When choosing a diet for your large breed dog or puppy, keep in mind the following two key points:
- Make sure you choose a diet rich in animal ingredients, including proteins and fats from animal sources.
- Don’t be afraid to feed a variety. If dry food is your choice of base diet, why not consider some fresh or wet foods to feed with it?
Lastly, feel free to leave a comment or get in touch!
I hope this guide to large breed dog foods in Australia helps you choose a healthier diet for your dog!
