What Is The Best Dog Food

Nutro Ultra Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Nutro Ultra Adult is one of 10 dry recipes included in our review of the Nutro Ultra product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole brown rice, brewers rice, rice bran
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Other recipes: Beef, duck, lamb, fish, small breed, large breed, puppy, senior and more
• Price: $$

This Nutro formula derives most of its meat protein from chicken and chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28% protein, 16% fat and 49% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

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.

What Is The Difference Between The Worst And Best Dog Food

If you were to pour a bowl of the best and worst dog food, they might look pretty similar. Even if you took a quick look at the packaging, you might still think there wasnt anything different. There are, in fact, some significant similarities between the best and worst foods but it is the differences that really matter.

First and foremost, you need to understand that a low-quality dog food and a high-quality dog food will both technically meet your dogs minimum nutritional requirements . The difference is in the quality of the ingredients and the degree to which the product exceeds those minimums.

To understand the difference between the worst and the best food, lets quickly review the basics of your dogs nutritional needs. He needs protein for growth and development , fat for energy , carbohydrates for energy and fiber, and vitamins and minerals for nutritional balance. Even the worst dog food will contain the minimum amount your dog needs from each of these categories, but it is the best food that will exceed those minimums.

In addition to noticing the things that ARE included in the ingredients list, another important difference between the best and worst dog food is the ingredients that are NOT included. The worst dog food will contain things like corn, wheat, and soy ingredients that dont provide your dog with much nutritional value and are hard to digest. A 5-star dog food also wont contain any fillers, by-products, GMO ingredients, or artificial additives.

Whole Earth Farms Dog Food

Rating:

Whole Earth Farms Adult Recipe is one of 2 dry recipes included in our review of the Whole Earth Farms product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley
• Type: With grain
• Other recipes: Puppy recipe, grain-free, wet formulas and more
• Price: $

This Whole Earth Farms selection derives most of its meat protein from both chicken and turkey meals. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 16% fat and 47% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.

An affordable option from the maker of Merrick. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewLike a few other reviews here, this was one of the best dog foods I could find for my dog. It isnt filled with unhealthy fillers that many other dog foods are, and it doesnt have peas or lentils in it which are some of the main ingredients linked to heart disease in grain-free foods. My dog loves this, and I love it!

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Benefits Of Dry Dog Food

Dry dog food is, without a question, the most popular choice among dog owners who wish to provide the greatest nutrition for their pets. Because it includes around 90% dry matter and 10% water, dry dog food does not require refrigeration, which is its principal advantage over wet dog food.

Its much easier to store as a result of this. Ingredients such as meat and wheat are combined and cooked to make dry dog food. This technique transforms the foods starches into an easily digestible form while simultaneously eliminating contaminants and flash sterilizing the contents.

On the shelves, there are many different types of dry dog food. The ideal dry food for your dog is determined by his or her nutritional requirements. In general, a higher-quality dry dog food with the right components for your dogs life stage is preferable.

Here are some of the benefits which can be attained by dry dog food:

Diamond Naturals Small Breed Chicken And Rice

Rating:

Diamond Small Breed Chicken and Rice is one of 13 dry recipes included in our review of the Diamond Naturals product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, ground white rice, grain sorghum
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Design: Maintenance
• Best for:Small breed adults
• Price: $

This Diamond Naturals formula obtains the bulk of its animal protein from fresh chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 30% protein, 18% fat and 44% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.

A solid, budget-friendly option ideal for small breed adult dogs. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewSo I switched to this dog food on chewy as the review was right, the price was right and I did not have to haul large bags of dog food home. Auto shipment is a plus. Most important is my dogs love it. I didnt realize before researching these brands of dog food that the size of the kibble could be a health issue for the dog. Hard to find small kibble that is healthy. My dog usually has ear issues as well. None seen since starting the new kibble. Hopefully the skin issues will clear up as well!

Also Check: How To Soften Dry Dog Food Quickly

Nutrition Every Dog Needs

Maybe your dog has gained a few pounds, his breath could be fresher, or perhaps you’re interested in a dog food that uses natural ingredients. Either way, the best dog food is the one that puts your pet’s health first.

Everyday health and vitality is important for any dog, which is why Hill’s provides a variety of foods designed for common health concerns:

• Weight management

Check with your veterinarian regularly to make sure your dog gets the nutrition he needs.

What Kind Of Food Is Best For My Dog

This is a subjective question. You must take different factors such as breed, age, gender, body composition, activity level, and temperament of your dog into account before picking up the right option available. But generally, a diet that offers a blend made from quality ingredients is considered healthy and beneficial for your dog.

Read Also: How Long Does Dry Dog Food Last

Best Rigorously Tested Dog Food: Ollie

New York City veterinarian Imogen Slome, DVM, believes natural and fresh diets are best for people and dogs, including her pit bull, Sosa. As a vet, Im also extremely cognizant about food safety! There are so many recalls in the pet food industry, so what I like about Ollie is the rigorous testing they do on every batch for food safety, as well as nutritional adequacy, says Dr. Slome. Sosa, like many pit bulls, has sensitive skin and skin allergies, so Dr. Slome feeds her a single ingredient protein, Ollie Turkey, to keep skin issues under control. Ollie creates a personalized meal plan subscription for your pup based on a few simple questions to keep them in optimal health. Look out for these signs your healthy pooch is actually sick.

via amazon.com

Made To Fuel The Energy Needs Of Small Breeds

PetSmart

If you have an actual lap dog that weighs between nine and 22 pounds, the Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Small Adult Formula Dog Dry Food has everything needed to support a small dogs boundless energy. Small dogs have a shorter, more intense growth period than larger dogs, and they also have higher calorie needs . This dog food supports both, plus it contains L-carnitine for healthy fat metabolism and EPA and DHA to support brain and skin health.

Read Also: Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Dog Food 28.6 Lb

Antioxidants And Omega Fatty Acids Support Senior Pups

Chewy.com

Senior dogs may spend more time in their dog beds than younger pups, but this makes proper nutrition even more important. This American Journey Active Life Formula Senior Dry Dog Food has everything your aging companion needs . It combines real chicken with antioxidant-rich ingredients, like sweet potatoes, blueberries and marine algae to help support healthy aging. It also has a handful of specially selected nutrients, like glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health and mobility, vitamin A for healthy vision and omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.

Purina Pro Plan Focus Dog Food

Rating:

Pro Plan Large Breed Adult is one of 18 kibbles featured in our review of the Purina Pro Plan Focus product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, brewers rice, whole grain wheat, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Other recipes: Puppy, small breed, sensitive skin and stomach, senior, weight management and more
• Price: $

Focus Large Breed Adult derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 30% protein, 14% fat and 49% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 46%.

Pro Plan is one of the dog food brands most frequently mentioned by breeders and veterinary professionals.

Each recipe has been expertly formulated by a team of board certified veterinary nutritionists.

In addition, the entire Pro Plan product line is designed and manufactured according to rigorous guidelines recommended by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Purina Pro Plan is one of the very best brands youll find on this or any list. And its easy on the budget, too. Highly recommended.

Actual buyer reviewMy black lab loves this food. Her coat is beautiful, her energy is high, and she digests it easily. My vet recommended this food and I couldnt be happier. I saw a noticeable difference within days of feeding this to her. My dog eats the dry food with a little bit of the PPP wet focus for large breeds. Do not hesitate to feed this to your pups.. its a game-changer!

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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Adult Chicken

Rating:

Nutro Small Breed Adult Chicken is one of 23 dry recipes included in our review of the Nutro Wholesome Essentials product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, split peas, brewers rice, whole brown rice
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Design: Maintenance
• Best for:Small breed adults
• Price: $

This Nutro Wholesome Essentials formula derives the lions share of its meat protein from fresh chicken and chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 27% protein, 17% fat and 49% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.

A complete and balanced dog food designed to provide optimal nutrition for smaller dogs. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewI like BBQ chicken and sweet potatoes and so do my dogs. Okay so maybe this isnt barbecue chicken flavor but its still chicken. My min pin and my chiweenie both love home cooked sweet potatoes so Im glad that there are sweet potatoes in this dog food. And with all Nutro products this food shines up their coat and decreases shedding and is made with top-quality ingredients. I feel good about feeding Nutro to my dogs.

American Journey Dog Food

Our Most Affordable: Produced and sold by Chewy, the American Journey brand of dog food is an affordable option that still offers good quality which makes it one of the best foods if youre on a budget. American Journey offers a wide variety of products, including grain-free options made with digestible carbohydrates like sweet potatoes. Their chicken and brown rice recipe is one of their most popular, made with high-quality and nutritious ingredients like deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, chicken fat, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It also contains chelated minerals for maximum nutrient absorption.

• Pros: Affordable but high in quality, rich in protein and healthy fats, made with nutritious ingredients, fresh fruits and vegetables, digestible whole grains, chelated minerals
• Cons: Some recipes are not grain-free, no probiotic supplements

Recommended Reading: Purina Owned By

What To Look Forward To

The study of canine nutrition is just getting started. Research into the best diet for dogs, the links between nutrition and disease, and even the ingredients in commercial dog foods have just begun.

There is still so much left to learn, and you can be sure that experts will continue working in this field.

The trends in pet foods often mimic the trends in the human food industry. Health and sustainability are the two most prominent movements in both markets.

Researchers have quickly realized that we won’t be able to feed everyone forever with the increasing human population and the increasing pet population.

New developments in sustainability and nutrition are on the horizon, and it will benefit both you and your pet if you take notice of them.

The one thing that we know for sure is that nutrition is directly linked to overall health and well-being and that’s as true for our dogs as it is for us.

Staying on top of the latest research in canine nutrition will help you feed and care for your pet in the best way possible.

Zignature Zssential Formula Grain

Best Wet Food Sometimes the best dog food to buy for a dog is a wet food. If your dog prefers canned food, Zignature Zssential Formula is a great option. Made with a blend of premium animal proteins like turkey, duck, and lamb, this recipe is incredibly rich in protein while being low in saturated fat. It features grain-free carbohydrates like chickpeas and peas with turkey broth for both natural flavor and moisture. This recipe is also supplemented with essential nutrients including chelated minerals and contains fresh fruits and vegetables to provide natural sources for essential nutrients as well.

• Pros: Very high in protein, protein from numerous premium animal sources, grain-free digestible carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables, chelated minerals
• Cons: Very expensive, some dogs are sensitive to poultry ingredients like turkey

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Wellness Complete Health Dog Food

Rating:

Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb and Rice is one of 14 dry recipes included in our review of the Wellness Complete Health product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Lamb, lamb meal, oatmeal, ground barley, menhaden fish meal
• Type: With grain
• Other recipes: Puppy, senior, small breed, large breed, toy breed, turkey, whitefish and more
• Price: $$
• See all 14 available recipes

This Wellness Complete Health adult formula derives the bulk of its animal protein from lamb and lamb meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 27% protein, 13% fat and 52% estimated carbs with a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.

A fully-balanced, grain-inclusive dog food. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewSo far so good, as both of my dogs love their new Wellness Complete Health Lamb & Barley. They have been on Wellness Original Grain Free for many years, but because of the recent scare on grain free food, I decided to change. So glad I did because their stools are firmer and both my rescued 12 yr old German Shepard/Malmute & 8 yr old Schipperke are very happy and energetic.

Purina Dog Chow Complete With Real Chicken

Its proudly tagged as having 23 vitamins and minerals as well as containing real chicken, so youd expect it to be a healthy chicken-based dish for your pup. But that would be wrong.

There is no chicken to be found within the first five ingredients. But wheres the chicken? Its in the 7th slot, after the corns and legume.

Well list down the first five ingredients here: Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal. Thats a significant amount of corn and soybean when put together.

We dont have a problem with corn. We recognize that corn contains nutrients and is not a filler. In most cases. However, for a recipe thats not formulated to target specific canine medical conditions, wed expect the corn to be merely a supporting ingredient and not the main one. Quality dog food should always contain more meat than carbohydrates.

The second thing weve noticed is that most of the meats are unnamed. Thats a red flag in dog food. While an unspecified meat ingredient will not harm your pup, its kind of worrying that you dont know whats going in your pets food. Itll even be more worrying if your pet turns out to be sensitive to the ingredient included.

Theres Meat And Bone Meal and Poultry By-Product Meal. What meat do these refer to? Pork, beef, chicken? What kind of poultry? Turkey or chicken?

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Eagle Pack Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Eagle Pack Power Adult is one of 7 dry kibble recipes included in our review of the Eagle Pack product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, pork meal, ground brown rice, peas, chicken fat
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Other recipes: Puppy, small breed, large and giant breed, lamb, pork and more
• Price: $
• See all 7 available recipes

This Eagle Pack recipe derives the bulk of its meat protein from chicken and pork meals. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 21% fat and 38% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.

A superior kibble at an affordable price. Made by the same trusted company that also produces Wellness. Exceptional value. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewShe seems to be shedding much less on Eagle Pack, and her coat condition is much better than it was. She has always been prone to itches and allergies, and she is no longer scratching herself all the time and gnawing the hair off of her paws. Im happy that this is a food that agrees with her. I wonder why I hadnt heard of Eagle Pack earlier, as I feel that it is a great food at a much more affordable price than other popular high-quality brands.

• See all 12 available recipes

This Wellness Core formula derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh turkey, as well as turkey and chicken meals. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 18% fat and 36% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.