Top Dry Dog Food Brands

What To Avoid In A Dry Dog Food

10 Vet Recommended Dog Food Brands (That are Inexpensive) (2022)

Every dog food manufacturer manages an optimum nutritional value and manufacturing cost for the win-win situation in their own ways. As dog parents, we have a responsibility here i.e. to avoid these factors in dry dog food.

1. Poultry By-Products

Avoiding poultry by-products is not as beneficial as poultry meat. Basically, a poultry by-product is just the addition of the leftovers of a chicken other than meat. In fact, the manufacturers have a huge loophole to exploit for their cost of manufacturing.

Hence, getting a dog food with poultry ingredient is good but avoid poultry by-products.

2. Manufacturing Date

Going for a weekly or monthly shopping can be frustrating we know. Still, try to have a look at the manufacturing dates of all the dog food you buy. Because shopping places have huge aisles of racks and giant godowns of their own to stack.

This practice will often have the dog food packet of the older dates when you buy them. Although, it might not have passed the expiration date yet doesnt mean it will last longer.

3. Pack with Holes

As we mentioned earlier in this article, you shall keep away from the dog food packets which are ripped or have even tiniest hole on it. Because the bugs, contaminations can enter inside and spoil the food substantially.

Moreover, the holes can be an indication of the presence of the bugs inside the pack. In fact, dog food packets can have holes during transportation.

4. Falling for Innovative Commercials

5. Synthetic Addition

Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Diamond Naturals Adult Lamb Meal and Rice is one of 13 recipes included in our review of the Diamond Naturals dry product line.

First 5 ingredients: Lamb meal, ground white rice, cracked pearled barley, sorghum, egg product
Type: Grain-inclusive
Price:About 0.97 per pound
Best for: Adults dogs
See all 13 available recipes

Diamond Naturals Adult derives the bulk of its meat protein from lamb meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 16% fat and 51% estimated carbs which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.

Typical buyer reviewIve never seen my dogs so excited to eat. They fight over who gets the first bowl. Its also cheaper than what we were buying before for the same size bag! And with 3 big dogs we were struggling between price and quality. This is the best of both worlds.

Acana Chewy Brand Grass

This is the best Chewy dry food for dogs with digestive problems. It is well accepted by the body and consists of safe components. The only representative of easily digestible proteins here is lamb meat, which is quite a lot in the composition 50%. In particular, this is what provides the calorie needs without worsening the condition of the bones.

These results are based on the findings of veterinarians. This food is also useful for the normal functioning of the intestines due to the content of fiber, the source of which here is nutmeg and apples. To meet the needs of the pet, it is enough to feed him 2 times a day, but at the same time you need to increase the amount of water. Although Acana Grass-Fed Lamb is recognized as the best dry food for large breed dogs, it can also be fed to small decorative animals, and at any age.

Advantages

Contains a probiotic that normalizes the intestinal microflora
The components are well ground No strong odor
A wide choice of packing volumes from 340 g to 17 kg.

Disadvantages

It is recommended to replace every 5-7 days, and the transition should be smooth.

Read Also: Grain Free Puppy Food Large Breed

Is Dry Dog Food Better Compared To Wet Food

There are definite benefits associated with dry dog food. These options are not only nutritionally balanced for your dog but also easier to serve and store. The food has less odor and is less likely to go bad if left in the bowl for too long. On the other hand, wet food options are also beneficial for dogs, especially for dogs who need to increase water consumption, but dry food indeed has more benefits.

Whats The Best Affordable Dog Food On The Market

Looking for a good, cheap dog food?

Although the best budget-friendly brands are not always the cheapest

You can still find many 4 and 5-star dog foods selling for as much as 40% below the cost of premium recipes.

These are quality brands offering inexpensive product lines designed to meet the needs of those who love their pets

But who also want to avoid foods made with cheap fillers and plant-based protein boosters.

What Is The Best Pet Food Delivery Service

If youre looking to switch your dog over to a dog food delivery service, this is likely the question on your mind. In general, the best service is one that provides recipes customized to your dogs health, medical and dietary needs. You want to be sure that your dog is getting whats right for them. Additionally, the service should use whole, fresh ingredients that are minimally processed and packed with dog-friendly nutrients. Finally, check whether the service has veterinarians and nutritionists on staff. If a service can check off all the things above, its safe to say theyre a solid option.

If youre looking for a solid recommendation, though, ask Dr. Countner: She says shed go with Just Food For Dogs. They have a variety of recipe options as well as veterinary prescription diets that you can order easily off of their website, she explains. They also have brick and mortar store locations around the US and conveniently in Petcos.

Our Favorite Dog Food Brand Is Purina Pro Plan

We independently research, test, review, and recommend the bestproductslearn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

The Spruce Pets / Chloe Jeong

Our favorite dog food brand recommended by veterinarians is Purina Pro Plan, which provides validated and comprehensive nutrition in a variety of formulas that can be tailored to your dog. Dog owners on a budget should check out Pedigree, which offers a wide variety of nutritionally-verified formulas for different dog sizes and ages.

The right dog food provides complete nutrition and dietary support, sure, but it also has to be a food your dog will love.

There are numerous aspects to consider when evaluating dog foods, explains Dr. Jennifer Frione, DVM, owner of Lakeside Animal Hospital. Factors to look at include the pet food label, ingredients and guaranteed analysis, the pet’s age and the pet’s medical state or conditions.

We evaluated a wide range of dog food brands, seeking advice from veterinarians and researching nutritional certifications to collect the most trustworthy dog food brands available. You can learn more about how to evaluate dog food brands in the What To Look For section or in The Spruce Pets guide to choosing a dog food.

Here are the best dog food brands, according to veterinarians.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Dog Food

Best Wet Dog Food For Adults

Some dogs really prefer the taste or texture of wet food, says veterinarian Jamie Richardson, chief of staff at Small Door Veterinary in New York City. Of course, pet parents want their dogs to enjoy their meals, so it makes sense that this is a popular choice.

Other pros of wet food are that it tends to have a longer shelf life before it’s opened, and according to Richardson, some wet foods may be less “processed” or contain fewer preservatives, which can make them easier to digest.

Luckily, the same nutritional standards apply to both dry and wet food. But comparing their labels isn’t exactly apples to apples because wet food has much more water content. So in order to understand how a wet food’s nutrition compares to a dry food, you need to look at the percentages of protein, fat, and fiber on a “dry matter basis.” Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University has some handy instructions on how to calculate that yourself. Another option: Call the brand that makes the food or ask your veterinarian for help. For the foods we recommend in this guide, we contacted the manufacturer to get all the info.

Our picks for adult wet dog food:

How Important Is Fat In A Dogs Diet

Top 5 Best Dog Food Brands in 2022

All dogs require a certain amount of fat in their diets to maintain health and strength. In fact, a dogs fat requirement is much more than humans, and since dogs do not suffer from the hardening of arteries or atherosclerosis, the fat content doesnt pose threats to your dogs health. They need fat to gain the energy they require to run and play.

Read Also: What House Food Can Dogs Eat

Nutro Ultra Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Nutro Ultra Adult is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Nutro Ultra product line.

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain sorghum, whole grain barley, whole grain oats
Type: Grain-inclusive
Other recipes: Beef, duck, lamb, fish, small breed, large breed, puppy, senior and more

This Nutro formula derives most of its meat protein from chicken and chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 24% protein, 15% fat and 53% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.

Available in a wide range of flavor and recipe options. One of our top value picks.

Sample buyer reviewI have 5 dogsranging in different sizes and breeds. This is the ONE food I can get them all to eat without having to buy a bunch of different brands or formulas. Thank you Nutro!

See all 5 available recipes

This Go! Carnivore formula derives the majority of its animal protein from chicken, turkey and salmon meals, as well both chicken and turkey. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 18% fat and 36% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.

Free of GMO ingredients and loaded with meat. A rare find. Highly recommended.

Why Trust The Spruce Pets

This article was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and lifelong animal lover who currently owns two dogs, both of whom she feeds Purina Pro Plan dog food at the recommendation of her vet.

Pet nutrition is a complicated topic, so she reached out to Dr. Jennifer Frione, DVM, owner of Lakeside Animal Hospital, for guidance on what to look for in a dog food. She also did ample research through trusted sources, including the AAFCO, WSAVA, Tufts University, and Pet Nutrition Alliance. To evaluate various dog food brands for quality, she considered their range of products, nutritional content, ingredients, recalls, and development team, prioritizing brands with comprehensive teams including vet nutritionists, veterinarians, and scientists.

Also Check: Why Is Grain Free Dog Food Bad

Read Also: What’s Crude Protein In Dog Food

What Ingredients Should I Look For

The ingredients list of a dog food bag can be confusing, with buzz words like healthy,raw, and organic thrown around. But what ingredients should we really be looking for when choosing a substantive and delicious dish for your dog?

Look for include fresh meat as the first ingredient, concentrated meat meals as second and or third ingredients, said Dr. Bernal. You then want to see ingredients you recognize.

In addition, other vitamins and minerals are important for well-rounded health of your pup, said Dr. Nelson.

Amino acids, which build and repair tissues, help maintain healthy skin and coat and support the immune system fatty acids, which also maintain healthy skin and coat, and are essential for joint health and a healthy immune system. Vitamins and minerals are important to ensure that the pets nutrient requirements are met, she said.

Is Wet Or Dry Dog Food Better

The 7 Best Dry Dog Food Brands with Reviews and Ratings

“Wet food is not necessarily better, but it’s typically more palatable and the excess water it provides may help keep dogs hydrated,” Streeter says. “Including at least some in the diet is reasonable.”

Here’s a quick tip for when you’re scanning the cans: A named ingredient like “Beef Dog Food” means the product must contain at least 70% beef. However, names like “Beef Entree” or “Beef Dinner” only have to contain 25%. “With Beef” or “Beef-Flavored” doesn’t have to contain much at all.

Also Check: Is Dry Food Bad For Dogs

Best Budget: Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Premium Dry Dog Food Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe

Nutrish is a fantastic budget option that uses real chicken meat, not animal byproduct. Also included in the formula are prebioticsthe kind of food that feeds the good bacteria in your pet’s gutfor digestion. The brand prides itself on its wholesome ingredients, and explains what purpose the top ingredients serve in your pet’s nutrition. Not on that list? Artificial flavors and artificial preservatives.

What Are The Benefits Of Dry Food For Dog And Owner

Dry dog food is available either in uniform pieces or as a mix of different components, with pellets, biscuits and kibble forming the uniform dry food and flake mixes being the primary mixture options. Dry dog food contains a broad variety of nutrient-rich ingredients, as well as having a maximum residual water content of 14%. This low moisture content ensures that dry dog food can be stored for a long period of time without going off. Dry dog food is generally more energy-dense than the same amount of wet food, meaning it can be fed in smaller quantities. Dry dog food can also help to remove dental plaque, offering mechanical teeth cleaning thanks to its hard consistency. Another advantage of dry food is that it is much easier and cleaner to serve. However, if you choose to feed your dog a dry food diet, you need to be sure that your dog is always taking on enough fluids through other means.

Read Also: How To Make Hard Dog Food

These Are Two Examples Of How I Use Ingredients In Batch Cooking

Batch 1: 2 big/giant sweet potatoes 4 broccoli heads half a bag of spinach chicken meat chicken feet gizzard some beef liver.

Batch 2: 2 big/giant sweet potatoes 4 broccoli heads half a bag of spinach chicken feet beef some beef liver pork

The meat for each batch was about 7lbs + the veggies, and all covered with water. The 12 qt pot was nearly full and this filled x15 24oz containers = 10.5 liters . One container is one meal for Rocky, so 15 meals from each batch.

What Are The Benefits Of Dry Dog Food

Best 3 Dog Food Brands (Quality NATURAL Dog Kibble)

Many dog owners prefer dry dog food because its convenient and easy to store. It usually comes in a bag or canister that fits easily into cabinets or cupboards. This makes it easy to track how much you have left and when its time to buy more.

Dry dog food also has other benefits:

Long Shelf-Life. It can be stored in your pantry or countertop without spoiling quickly. This makes it easier to feed your pet at certain times or nights when youre not home.
Easy Use. Measuring wet food and managing portion control can be tricky. Luckily, when it comes to dry dog food, it is simple just scoop the kibble and pour it into the dog bowl.
Mess-Free. Wet foods are more likely to spill on carpets and furniture, which can cause stains and odors over time. Dry foods dont spill as easily, so theres less cleanup required afterward.
Training. You can put kibble in a treat dispenser, which will keep your dog busy. You can also use the kibble while training your dog and teaching tricks.

Also Check: Best Puppy Dog Food For Large Breeds

Best Dry Dog Food Of 2022 At Glance

This list is nothing but the highlights of products standing above the others in some aspects. There is nothing like an ideal food which suits all the dogs. Therefore, respective makers prepare their recipe focusing on specific feature requirement of a pet. Resulting from that, each dog food brand will have different positives and negatives.

Editors Pick:

Natural and Healthy Dry Dog Food

4.6

**Rated by experts at WeNeedPets at the time of publication. It has nothing to do with Amazon ratings and reviews.

Best Organic Dog Food Brands

Why buy organic dog food? Many dog food brands pack their doggy meals full of artificial fillers in case you didnt know. Non-organic foods containing fillers can be difficult for your dog to digest and cause stomach aches and irritation.

Organic dog food has plenty of antioxidants that are beneficial to your pups health and digestive system. The food is more nutritious and healthy, and not to mention it tastes far better. Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Dry Dog Food and Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Organic Dog Food are fantastic organic dog food brands.

Recommended Reading: How Much Food Should I Feed My Puppy

Chewy Dry Food Brand: Happy Dog Supreme With Salmon Rabbit Lamb

This is the best Chewy dry food brand for large breed dogs, outperforming more than a dozen options in this category in terms of safety and effectiveness. Pets eat it with pleasure, while we did not notice any adverse reactions. Such nutrition is recommended even by veterinarians themselves, it does not harm, including with prolonged use of the product. Particularly noteworthy is the lack of habituation effect, which is often observed in the case of other feeds. It is very convenient that it can also be given to puppies, starting from the 6th month of life.