For an active Basset Hound, the best everyday choice is a 30 percent protein, 20 percent fat performance kibble such as Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20. The breed weighs 40 to 65 pounds per the AKC standard, so an active Basset needs roughly 1,200 to 1,800 calories a day, not the giant-breed numbers most “active dog” guides quote. The bigger risk for this breed is not under-fueling. It is feeding a calorie-dense performance food and letting a low-slung, food-motivated dog get heavy on it.

Below are five real formulas, compared on their published guaranteed analysis and first ingredient, with a verdict for each on which Basset it actually suits. GetPetPros researches and compares products from manufacturer and retailer data. We do not feed-test them.

Quick comparison: high-protein foods for active Basset Hounds

Protein, fat, and ingredient figures are from each manufacturer’s published guaranteed analysis and ingredient panel, as listed June 2026. Always confirm the current panel on the bag, since recipes are reformulated periodically.

The five foods, and who each one is for

1. Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice

This is the formula most working-dog handlers reach for, and it is the one we would default to for an active Basset. The guaranteed analysis is 30 percent protein and 20 percent fat, chicken is the first ingredient, and the panel lists guaranteed EPA (0.12 percent) and glucosamine for joint support, which matters for a long-backed breed that loads its joints unevenly.

The trade-off readers should know up front: the ingredient deck includes corn gluten meal and poultry by-product meal. Neither is harmful, and by-product meal is a legitimate nutrient-dense protein source, but owners specifically avoiding corn or by-products will not want this one. Buy it on price rather than bag, since the chicken and beef-and-bison versions are nutritionally close.

Check current price on Purina Pro Plan Sport

2. Victor Classic Hi-Pro Plus

Victor matches Pro Plan Sport on the macros that matter (30 percent protein, 20 percent fat) and usually costs noticeably less per pound, which is why it shows up in so many multi-dog and sporting households. It is gluten-free, with grain sorghum and millet rather than corn or wheat, and the VPRO blend adds selenium yeast, prebiotics, and probiotics.

Two real caveats. First, the first ingredient is beef meal, not fresh meat, so this is a meal-forward formula rather than a fresh-meat one. Second, Victor is sold mostly through feed and farm stores and online rather than big-box pet retail, so availability is patchier than the others here. For an active Basset, the lower fat-to-calorie temptation versus Orijen actually works in your favor.

Check current price on Victor Hi-Pro Plus

3. Orijen Original

Orijen Original runs 38 percent protein and 18 percent fat, with chicken, turkey, salmon, and herring among the first ingredients and roughly 85 percent animal ingredients overall under the brand’s WholePrey approach. The amino-acid quality is among the best on this list.

Here is the breed-specific warning that most roundups skip: Orijen is calorie-dense, and a Basset Hound is a stout, food-driven dog that gains weight easily. At 38 percent protein you are not buying more muscle, you are buying a richer food that is easy to overfeed. If you choose Orijen for an active Basset, weigh portions and check body condition every couple of weeks rather than free-feeding. The premium price also makes it a hard everyday choice for a 50-pound dog eating it daily.

Check current price on Orijen Original

4. Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused

Backcountry mixes grain-free kibble with freeze-dried raw pieces, so it sits between standard kibble and a raw diet without the handling and balancing work of true raw. Published guaranteed analysis is about 35 percent protein and 17 percent fat, with a deboned meat as the first ingredient (the exact meat varies by recipe, such as the Great Plains Red beef-and-lamb line).

The freeze-dried bits are mostly a palatability and variety play rather than a nutritional leap over the kibble itself. The common failure case is loose stools when owners switch over too fast, so transition across 7 to 10 days. Good pick for a picky active Basset that turns its nose up at plain kibble.

Check current price on Merrick Backcountry

5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Chicken

Wilderness is the easiest of the five to find on a shelf, runs 34 percent protein with deboned chicken first, and carries no corn, wheat, soy, or chicken by-product meal. The LifeSource Bits add a vitamin and antioxidant blend.

Two marks against it for an active dog: at 15 percent minimum fat it is the lowest-energy formula here, so a hard-working Basset may need a slightly larger portion to hit its calorie target, and its DHA leans on plant oils rather than fish oil. It is also grain-free, which ties into the diet note below. Fine as a high-protein everyday food, less ideal if sustained energy is your single priority.

Check current price on Blue Buffalo Wilderness

A note on grain-free and DCM

Three of these foods (Orijen, Merrick, Blue Buffalo Wilderness) are grain-free. The FDA opened an investigation in 2018 into a possible association between grain-free, legume-heavy diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs, and as of 2026 that link is still not confirmed and remains under review. The risk appears low, but it is real enough that it is worth raising with your vet, especially if you feed grain-free long term. If you want to sidestep the question entirely, the two with-grain options here (Pro Plan Sport and Victor Hi-Pro Plus) avoid it.

How many calories does an active Basset Hound actually need?

Basset Hounds weigh 40 to 65 pounds per the AKC breed standard, with most adults landing in the 45 to 60 pound range. That puts daily needs far below the giant-breed figures generic “active dog” guides quote. A reasonable starting range:

• Lighter active Basset (about 40-50 lbs): roughly 1,100-1,500 kcal/day
• Heavier active Basset (about 50-65 lbs): roughly 1,400-1,800 kcal/day

These are starting points, not targets. Use the feeding chart on the bag, then adjust to body condition: run your hands along the ribs, and you should feel them easily under light pressure without seeing them. If you cannot feel ribs, cut the portion. This breed hides weight gain under loose skin and a heavy frame, so the hands-on check beats the eyeball test.

What to look for in a food for an active Basset

Protein, 28-38 percent: supports muscle repair. Named meat (chicken, beef, salmon) as the first ingredient is the signal to look for.

Fat, 15-20 percent: the main energy source for sustained activity. More fat means more calories per cup, which is a benefit for a working dog and a liability for one that is mostly enthusiastic on weekends.

Glucosamine and chondroitin: worth prioritizing for this breed specifically. The long spine and short legs load the joints differently than a square-built dog, and joint support is a sensible hedge.

Omega-3s, ideally from fish oil: help manage exercise-related inflammation. Fish-oil-sourced DHA is preferable to plant-oil DHA.

Feeding around exercise

Deep-chested breeds carry the highest bloat (GDV) risk, but any dog can be affected, and feeding around hard exercise is the controllable factor. Veterinary guidance is to wait at least one to two hours after a small meal, and two to three hours after a large meal, before vigorous activity, and to let a dog settle for an hour or so after exercise before a big meal. Splitting the day’s food into two or three smaller meals and slowing down fast eaters both reduce the air-gulping that contributes to bloat. Learn the early signs of GDV (unproductive retching, a distended belly, restlessness) because it is a true emergency.

Which should you buy?

For most active Basset Hounds, Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 is the right default: the macros suit the activity level, the joint-support additives fit the breed, and it is widely available. Choose Victor Hi-Pro Plus if you want the same macros for less per pound and do not mind ordering it. Reach for Orijen only if you will actually portion-control it, and prefer the with-grain options if the DCM question concerns you.

Compare dog food options on GetPetPros, with picks filtered by breed, size, and activity level.

Frequently asked questions

What protein percentage should I look for?
28 to 38 percent on a dry-matter basis. An active Basset does fine in the low-to-mid part of that range; the very high-protein formulas are more food than the breed needs and easier to overfeed.

Can I feed puppy food for extra calories?
No. Puppy formulas have different calcium and phosphorus ratios meant for growth. For more calories in an adult, increase the portion of an adult performance food rather than switching to puppy food.

Is grain-free better for an active Basset?
Not inherently. Grain-free is a formulation choice, not a quality grade, and it carries the open FDA-DCM question noted above. Pick based on the full formula and your vet’s input, not the grain-free label alone.

Should I add raw food?
You can, gradually and with vet input. A raw-infused kibble like Merrick Backcountry is a lower-effort middle ground; full raw diets need careful balancing to avoid deficiencies.

Related reading

• Best Dog Food for Basset Hounds
• Best Food for Sedentary Basset Hounds
• Best Joint Supplements for Basset Hounds
• Complete Guide to Dog Food 2026
• How Much Should You Feed Your Dog?
• Every Major Dog Food Brand Ranked

Affiliate disclosure: GetPetPros.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this site, at no additional cost to you. Sources: manufacturer guaranteed-analysis and ingredient panels (Purina, Victor, Orijen, Merrick, Blue Buffalo) as listed June 2026; AKC Basset Hound breed standard; FDA grain-free diet and canine DCM investigation updates; general veterinary guidance on feeding around exercise and GDV risk.