The Harrier is an energetic, medium-sized hound bred for endurance and stamina. Known for their excellent sense of smell and love of the outdoors, these dogs require a diet that can fuel their active lifestyle and maintain their lean muscle mass. Whether your Harrier is out on a long hike or lounging with the family, they need balanced nutrition to support their health and vitality. At Petabolix, we’ve curated the best dog food options for Harriers, ensuring they get the nutrients they need to stay strong, active, and ready for their next adventure.

Breed Summary

The Harrier is a medium-sized hound with a rich history as a pack hunting dog, originally bred to track and chase small game like hare and fox. With their powerful sense of smell, endurance, and boundless energy, Harriers are often compared to smaller versions of the English Foxhound. They are sturdy, muscular dogs with a sleek coat and long legs built for covering long distances, making them excellent companions for outdoor enthusiasts.

Harriers are known for their friendly, outgoing nature, and they tend to get along well with other dogs, especially if raised in a pack-like environment. They are excellent family pets, particularly in active households where they have plenty of space to run and play. However, due to their strong hunting instincts, they need consistent training and should be socialized early to prevent them from chasing smaller animals.

Their short coat is easy to care for with regular brushing, but their high energy levels mean they need a lot of exercise to stay happy and healthy. They thrive in homes with large yards or families who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, running, or agility training. Given their athletic build and endurance, Harriers require a diet that supports their energy levels and lean muscle, as well as promotes long-term joint health.

Vet’s Note

Harriers are generally healthy but, like many active breeds, they can be prone to joint issues, such as hip dysplasia. To help prevent this, a diet rich in joint-supporting nutrients like glucosamine and chondroitin is beneficial. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to reduce strain on their joints and prevent obesity. Harriers may also be prone to bloat, a life-threatening condition, so feeding smaller, more frequent meals can help lower this risk. High-quality protein and fats are essential to fuel their energy levels and sustain their active lifestyle.

Health Considerations for Harriers

Dental

A Harrier's teeth and gums are always under plaque attack, which forms naturally from food particles and other bacteria. Dogs aren’t too concerned about having pretty white teeth, but dental care is critical for oral health. Bacteria in the mouth can even affect internal organs, like the heart, liver and kidneys, so there are certain things below we like to see in food or supplements to combat these threats to Harriers. Learn more about how to take care of your dog's teeth.

Puffy/crunch kibbles (bigger)
Sodium hexametaphosphate
Treats based on solubility, not hardness

Gut

Think of your Harrier's gut like a diverse community of bacteria and other microbes that work together to keep the body healthy. Keeping all these balanced is very important for overall health, including digestive, mental, and immune well-being. For these reasons, we prefer Harrier food that support the GI system and supplements that contain attributes below. Learn more about gut and digestive health in dogs and how to keep a dog's gut healthy.

Prebiotics
Probiotics
Fermented foods

Bone & Joint

It’s very common for breeds like the Harrier to develop discomfort or pain in their joints and bones, especially as they age. Some of these issues are hereditary, and some come from wear and tear over time. We can’t usually prevent these problems, but proper nutrition and weight management will do wonders in minimizing pain in our beloved pets. We always make sure diets include the ingredients below. Learn more about joint health in dogs.

Glucosamine
Methylsulfonymethane
Chondroitin
Omega-3 from Fish Oil
Green Mussel
Taurine
Turmeric
Vitamin E
Antioxidants

Cognitive

Puppy and senior Harriers need a little extra brain power in their nutrition plans. In the early years, puppy brains are developing quickly and need a healthy flow of vitamins to help them grow strong. Once they hit senior years, brain function can deteriorate and we like to supplement their diets with nutrients that will keep them sharp. Learn more about cognitive nutrition for dogs.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Vitamin E
Vitamin C
L-carnitine

Eye

The only thing better than looking into your Harrier’s eyes is looking into your Harrier’s healthy eyes. All dogs are susceptible to degenerative vision and eye function, but supplementing their diets with things like beta carotene, lutein, EPA, DHA, and other nutrients can help maintain quality vision. Learn more about eye nutrition for dogs.

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Anthocyanins
Astaxanthin
Beta-carotene
Carotenoids
Glutathione
Lutein
Lycopene
Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Phytonutrients

Skin & Coat

Skin is a Harrier’s largest organ, and it plays a huge role in protecting from the outside world. Just think — weather, allergies, stress, parasites — all these things are trying to get under your dog’s skin. A healthy outer layer is key to avoiding irritants that may irritate or infect. And pay close attention to their coat. Unhealthy looking (or smelling) fur can mean bigger problems. To keep Harrier skin & coats healthy, we recommend that diets contain ingredients below. Learn more about skin nutrition for dogs and the dog foods focused on a healthy coat..

GLA
ALA
Omega-3 fatty acids
Vitamin E
Vitamins and choline
Flaxseed/fish oil
Antioxidants
Probiotics

Heart

Chances are, if you’re doing what’s right for your Harrier’s heart, you’re doing what’s right for his or her health overall. Proper exercise, weight management, and nutrition are all key to a healthy ticker. Most heart issues in dogs are a result of normal wear and tear with age, so heart-focused diets with taurine and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil could be the gift of a lifetime for your Harrier. Learn more about heart nutrition for dogs.

Taurine
Carnitine
Omega-3 fatty acids
Antioxidants
Complete protein
Low sodium

Immune

There is a powerful little army inside your Harrier (the immune system) that protects the body from bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins and countless other microscopic predators. As pet parents, our job is to keep this army strong, conditioned, and well-supplied. Most of the battle is won in the gut, so a balanced diet plus probiotics and antioxidants are key for victory. Learn more about immune system nutrition for dogs.

Antioxidants
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Omega-3 fatty acids
Fish oil
Coconut oil

Weight Management & Obesity

There is nothing more important than keeping your Harrier at a healthy weight. Even a little excess poundage can cause a wide variety of health problems, including the pain of extra burden on their joints. Unfortunately, almost half of dogs in the US are overweight. Let’s fight dog obesity together by giving our dogs appropriate exercise and managing their caloric intake. If your Harrier needs to shed a little weight, look for diets with these labels below. Learn more about weight management and obesity for dogs and how to tell if your dog is overweight.

Low calorie
Low fat
Large bites (to slow chewing)
L-carnitine

Are Fresh Food Diets Good for Harriers?

Only if they’re properly balanced.

Many well-intentioned Harrier parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.

Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets

✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists
✓ Customized portions for weight control
✓ Superior digestive and immune health
✕ More expensive than standard dog food

Farmer's Dog

"Fresh, human-grade dog food"
Ollie

"Healthy, Simple and Delicious"
Nom Nom

"Real, fresh, custom dog food"

Foods We Recommend for Harrier Puppies

How long do Harriers need puppy food?
Until they're 12 to 16 months old

Harriers are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young Harrier is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.

Foods We Recommend for Harrier Adults

When should Harriers start transitioning to adult food?
Until they're 12 to 16 months old

From a nutrition standpoint, Harrier become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for a Harrier.

Foods We Recommend for Harrier Seniors

When should Harriers start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but Medium dogs like the Harrier can start to benefit from senior food around 7 to 8 years old

Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior Harriers slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.

What are the Best Dog Foods for the Harrier?

Jump to Section

Breed Info