We All Want A Dog Food Brand We Can Trust
With confusing labeling, misleading marketing, and a lack of transparency so common in the world of dog food, a brands integrity can sometimes be more telling than the ingredient list.
Finding the best dog food is a process that requires attention to all details. Its a delicate balance of being conscious of the brand while not allowing what looks like a great brand history, reputation, and production process to supersede awareness of ingredients and the foods appropriateness for your dogs unique needs.
Read on as we list what are the healthiest dog food brands in the market today.
Here at DogFood.Guide we have a dedicated mission to provide dog owners like you with well-researched information so they can provide the best care and nutrition to their dogs.
Our readers rely upon the dog food reviews, articles and recall alerts that we research and publish. We also routinely update and review our own reviews ensuring that any changes by manufacturers are brought to your attention.
DogFood.Guide is maintained by Mary Nielsen & her staff. Mary is an animal lover of both dogs and cats. She and her staff are passionate about animals and work hard to provide you with a wealth of information for you and your dog.
DogFood.Guide is supported by our readers. If you make a purchase through one of our links, we may earn a referral fee. This helps cover the cost of operating our free blog. Thanks for your support!
Key Features Of Healthy Dog Foods: Ingredients & Other Considerations
While each owner may have his or her own preferences when it comes to choosing a dog food, there are several important factors to take into consideration to ensure that your canine companion is getting the nutrients he needs.
When it comes to dog food, there are three absolute essentials you should always look for when making a choice:
1. The dog food is formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines for your dogs life stage. These guidelines are designed to ensure your furry friend gets the nutrition he needs.
2. Your dog food of choice addresses any of your dogs unique health conditions. Whether your dog has a specific food sensitivity or needs a weight loss food to shed a couple of pounds, your food of choice should address any of your dogs specific health ailments.
3. You select a dog food in collaboration with your veterinarian. No one understands the needs of your furry friend better than you and your veterinarian. Your veterinarian should approve of your choice and provide you with specific serving recommendations based on your dogs needs.
Once these criteria are met, you can look for other key indicators of healthy dog food, such as:
Our Picks For Budget Dog Food:
There’s a lot of buzz about grain-free diets, but it’s important to know that they’re not necessarily better for your dog. If your dog happens to be allergic to or intolerant of certain grains, then a grain-free food might be helpful.
And FYI, these foods aren’t carbohydrate-free. Instead, the carbs in grain-free dog foods come from non-grain sources like white potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and tapioca.
Also, it’s key to talk to your veterinarian before switching your dog to a grain-free diet. The FDA continues to investigate a potential link between dogs fed grain-free diets and the development of a heart condition called non-hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy, which can be fatal in a matter of months, according to Richardson. Because of this, some vets are strongly opposed to grain-free diets in general. They believe the risks of feeding a grain-free diet simply outweigh any potential reward. In a study published in the journal “Scientific Reports” in August 2021, researchers at Tufts University found that peas are a common ingredient in the DCM-associated foods they examined, but research is ongoing and conclusions can not be drawn at this time.
Read Also: How Long Does Dry Dog Food Last
Where Did Roosevelt Live In Manhattan
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site is a recreated brownstone at 28 East 20th Street, between Broadway and Park Avenue South, in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City. It is a replica of the birthplace and childhood home of 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt.
What To Look For In Dog Food In Order Of Importance:
AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement: This is the most crucial factor in determining whether a dog food is healthy or not. Any food you feed your dog should say on the label that it meets the nutritional standards established by the AAFCO. This means the food is “complete and balanced” for the dog’s life stage. You can find out more about these standards and definitions in the next slide.
Guaranteed analysis: This is where you’ll find the percentages of the most important nutrients in the food: protein, fat, fiber, and moisture. Sometimes, you might find other nutrients like glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega fatty acids listed in the guaranteed analysis, too. It’s worth checking if the brand routinely tests their finished product to ensure it meets standards, Shepherd says. All of the foods in this guide have moderate to high protein and low to moderate fat .
Healthy extras: Some foods contain extra ingredients intended to support healthy skin, coat, and joints, Swanson notes. Examples include long-chain omega-3 fatty acids , omega-6 fatty acids , glucosamine, chondroitin, green-lipped mussels, and additional vitamins and minerals . Probiotics, prebiotics, and yeast can also benefit a puppy’s immature GI tract and probiotics may help boost overall immunity in senior dogs.
Recommended Reading: Iams Aurora Ne
+ All Formulas Are Limited Ingredient
Given that Zignatures formulas are all limited-ingredient recipes, made without the most common allergic triggers, and available with several different exotic proteins, they are fantastic for dogs with food allergies.
Limited ingredient formulas basically refer to foods where the manufacturer avoids adding fillers or mystery ingredients, keeping ingredient lists as short as possible.
Limited ingredient formulas are often better to use for dogs with allergies because it can be easier to detect which foods are causing a problem .
What Dog Foods Are Made In Canada
Recommended Reading: Can You Buy Dog Food With Snap Benefits
Best Dry Dog Food For Seniors
Typically, you might consider a senior dog food around age 6 or 7 for a large breed, and around 10 or 12 for a small, says Richardson. The right food for a senior dog depends on the specific senior and how they’re doing, says Shepherd. If they’re maintaining a healthy weight and muscle tone, their stool is well-formed, and they’re enjoying their food, you may not even need to change their diet.
That said, there are lots of dog foods tailored specifically to the needs of older dogs who may have certain health issues. “Senior diets are formulated to target some of the common ailments of older pets, such as joint health, digestive health, immune health, and possibly others,” says Swanson.
Senior dog food is usually easier to digest and may be lower in calories since older dogs aren’t always as active. Food for senior dogs may be higher in protein to help maintain their muscle, fiber to help them stay regular, and extra antioxidants to limit oxidative stress and keep their immune system healthy. You may also see omega-3 fatty acids for cognitive performance because some senior dogs suffer from cognitive dysfunction, aka “doggy dementia.”
For older dogs, a bit of extra protein is a plus. As long as your dog doesn’t have any health conditions, look for a senior dog food that’s lower in fat and calories and has extra protein beyond the AAFCO minimum of 18%.
Our senior dog food picks are protein packed and have nutritional boosters that can support an older dog’s changing needs.
Natural Life Pet Products
Natural Life Pet Products, also of Saint Louis, is voluntarily recalling bags of its Chicken & Potato dry dog food that were distributed in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and California. The product is:
- 17.5 pounds Natural Life Chicken & Potato Dry Dog Food/Bag UPC: 0-12344-08175-1
The Best By Date code for affected bags is December 4, 2019, through August 10, 2020
Also Check: How To Soften Dog Food Quickly
What Dog Food Is Manufactured By Midwestern
The address is 9634 Hedden Rd. Midwestern Pet Foods Earthborn product line features Holistic pet food. You provide your dogs with quality nutrients through a line of dog food containing Proteins, Fruits, Vegetables, Vitamins and Minerals in the form of protein isolate, fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals all selected with your preferences. Adult Vantage, Ocean Fusion, Puppy Vantage, Small Breed and Primitive Natural are all formulas available.
No Recipes With Chicken
Some owners may note that chicken is conspicuously absent from all Zignature products. None of the recipes utilize chicken as the whole protein, nor do any use chicken meal as the secondary protein. This isnt necessarily a drawback, and many owners will actually consider this a positive characteristic, but some dogs like chicken more than any other protein.
Recommended Reading: Can You Buy Dog Food With Food Stamps In Texas
Dog Food Advisor Beliefs
- While DFA claims to be science and fact-based, the site actively promotes non-evidence based claims such as the myth that corn is a suspect ingredient in dog food. This apprehensiveness is partly based on anecdotes of pets allegedly contracting allergies despite the site’s admission that studies suggest corn allergies are the least common allergy.
- Also “debunked” is the claim the site says has been made by the pet food industry that corn has a low glycemic index , but this hasn’t been claimed, rather, individual ingredients do not have baring on the GI of the developed food, and whether or not GI is important to assess in dogs is also questionable. DFA is fixated on ingredients rather than the finished product that has shown to be, through feeding trials and other research, safe and healthy for pets.
- Also focused on is the notion that dogs should be fed some form of “ancestral diet“. Not only are dogs not wolves, they do not live a wild wolf lifestyle. In addition, wild wolves do not have ideal diets in the wild.
DFA thinks dogs should be fed like wolves.
“Arctic_Wolf_1” by Fool4myCanon is licensed under CC BY 2.0
What Is The Healthiest Dog Food For The Money
You May Like: How To Soften Cat Food
Spot & Tango Unkibble
About: Looking for a happy medium between a premium fresh food and more affordable mutt meal options? Unkibble from Spot & Tango is an innovative product that may be the perfect choice.
Custom-crafted for your pooch and made with the same kind of premium, whole ingredients fresh brands use, this veterinarian-developed kibble-like food is raising eyebrows and getting tails wagging.
Most Palatable Dry Food
This is a sponsored placement, in which an advertiser pays a fee to be featured in this article. Learn more
Is A Raw Diet Good For My Dog
Insider Reviews spoke to veterinarians who said that even though there are some reported benefits of raw diets, they’re just too risky. They put pets at risk of nutritional deficiencies, bacterial infections, and possibly even injuries from bones in the food. Plus, there are risks to humans. Those who are immunocompromised, elderly people, and young children are at risk of bacterial infections if they live in a household where a dog is fed a raw diet. If you want to learn more, you can check out the statements from the FDA and CDC on the health and safety risks of raw dog foods.
Also Check: Can You Buy Dog Food With Foodstamps
Which President Had A Bulldog
Franklin D.
FDR also had a Bullmastiff named Blaze, two Irish Setters named Jack and Jill, a Bulldog named Pal, an English Setter named Winks, another Scottish Terrier named Meggie, a German Shepherd Dog named Major, and a Great Dane named President, which made things confusing in the White House.
The 14 Healthiest Dog Foods: Nutritious Noms For Your Pet
Now that you know some of the things youll want to look for when picking some meals for your mutt, well share some of the healthiest dog foods on the market today. Well detail the main features of each, provide you with a sample ingredient list, and lay out the the pros and cons of each choice.
Just remember: The healthiest dog food choice will vary from one dog to the next.
There is no single healthiest dog food brand that works well in all cases, as each individual dog has unique needs, which will be best met by different dog foods.
Read Also: How To Soften Dry Cat Food
A Recipe For Healthy Muscles And Joints
Chewy
If you have a wannabe lap dog thats over 50 pounds, you need a specialized dog food formula thats designed to maintain lean muscles, healthy joints and optimal body condition. Enter the Purina Pro Plan Adult Large Breed Shredded Blend Dry Dog Food. Featuring chicken as the first ingredient, it combines hard kibble with tender, meaty shreds that keep your big boy coming back for more. Its also fortified with probiotics, prebiotic fiber, glucosamine and EPA to support digestive, immune and joint health and overall mobility. And if you like to switch off between dry and wet food, you can also opt for the bundle, which includes a 34-pound bag of dry dog food and 12 cans of wet dog food.
What Dog Food Is Made In Perham Minnesota
It makes its own products along with our national brands including NutriSource, Pure Vita and Natural Planet as well as other co-manufactured products including. The dry cat and dog food products come from Tuffys Pet Foods since 1964. Only one pet food factory can be found in Perham, which is the current plant.
Also Check: What Company Owns Purina
How Much Real Food Should I Feed My Dog
Approximately 3% of its body weight can be attributed to an active, overweight male adult dog. A senior, less active, overweight adult dog should eat one serving of dog food. Each day, consume approximately five pounds of fat. For a puppy that weighs 30 to 40 pounds, an optimum amount of energy is 3 percent of its current body weight.
Roosevelt Pet Food And Treats
Roosevelt hails from a small town in Americas heartland and was developed with the insights and knowledge of a dedicated team of pet health experts. They take full advantage of all the fresh fruits and veggies nearby farms have to offer and source their meat from some of the most beautiful, natural places in the U.S. Their ultra-modern facility is a family run, third generation business and uses the highest quality ingredients, standards and controls. Roosevelt dry dog food and treats contain only all-natural, whole ingredients rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and no byproducts and artificial anythings . Roosevelt dog food has a balanced amount of fatty acids and that each recipe has a low glycemic index.Roosevelt created grain-free recipes with unique proteins but consistent base ingredients to make transitioning between flavors easy. Switching up a protein source is a great way to prevent food allergies, dietary deficiencies, and imbalances. Now you can serve beef one night and fish the next, without worrying about any digestive issues for your dog.Try Roosevelt treats, delicious protein nuggets made with love and nose boops by pet foodies. With less than 4 calories per treat, theyre great for training, motivating, snacking and rewarding.
Also Check: Iams Dog Food Henderson Nc
Best Food For Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Our Selection Of The Best Dry Dog Food
This is the product I also chose for Teddy Roosevelt Terrier for all its advantages : HILLS Science Died Adult Healthy Mobility. I recommend these dry dog food to keep your Teddy Roosevelt Terrier in good physical condition.
Even if these kibbles do not contain enough protein, they are well balanced and studied to maintain your Teddy Roosevelt Terrier in good health without it increasing in weight.
What do Teddy Roosevelt Terrier owners think?
Highly valued product. Buyers comments indicate their overall satisfaction and confirm that these croquettes are doing their job well. One of them says that his 14-year-old dog, which suffered from osteoarthritis, has regained his mobility thanks to these croquettes. Another gives them to his 10-year-old Teddy Roosevelt Terrier and says they have a clear effect on his dogs joints. Since his dog is taking it, it feels good and moves easier and faster.
Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Best Food Eukanuba Adult Maintenance Dog Food
Excellent value for money. And yes, it is a fact that while some people chose these croquettes above all for their price, they still continue because their Teddy Roosevelt Terrier hair is now softer and more shiny, because the health of their Teddy Roosevelt Terrier is perfect and trouble-free. Finally, many people say that they have been feeding their Teddy Roosevelt Terrier with these croquettes for several years and that everything is going well.
Also Check: Can You Buy Dog Treats With Food Stamps