The 20 Best Dog Foods For Your Canine’s Health and Happiness
Your dog is more than just a pet – they’re your loyal companion, best buddy, and beloved family member. That’s why you owe it to them to feed a high-quality and healthy dog food. Choosing the right food is key to maintain their welfare and ensure they avoid unpleasant ailments.
So how do you know which option out of the abundant array of dog foods will provide the best nutrition for your unique four-legged friend? Let’s take a comprehensive look at what elements matter most when selecting a high-grade kibble or canned formula. Carefully considering ingredients, portions, palatability, and more will ensure your pup stays strong and happy.
Key Factors That Impact Dog Food Quality
The first thing to pay attention to is the overall nutritional breakdown. Experts recommend 20-25% protein, 8-15% fat, 3-5% fiber for adult canines. Puppies require higher protein (30% or more), while senior dogs benefit from leaner recipes. Essential vitamins, fatty acids, antioxidants, and minerals should also be present.
Grain-inclusive or grain-free is an important question. Grains provide carbohydrates for energy, though some dogs struggle with digestion. Look for healthy whole grains like brown rice that are rich in fiber to promote gut health. If allergic to grains, you’ll want a fully grain-free formula.
By-products, artificial preservatives, and poor quality meats should be avoided. Seek out dog food with identifiable whole proteins (chicken, turkey, and salmon) as the first ingredient with no feathers, horns, hair, or hooves included in the mix.
So, knowing your dog’s size and specific needs matters. The nutritional balance for active small breed dogs will look very different from large dogs or puppies.
With these standards in mind, here are 20 of the best dog foods across major retailers that meet high marks of approval for various reasons.
The Best Dog Foods of 2024
Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Large Breed Formula
This trusted brand offers a recipe packed with DHA for brain development in large breed puppies. Part of the balanced diet comes from real salmon and rice that promotes healthy growth in young pups who need special care for their joints and bones as they grow bigger.
Blue Buffalo Blue Freedom Grain-Free Adult Small Breed Chicken Recipe
Small dogs have unique nutritional demands, and Blue Buffalo delivers with their Freedom recipes. The LifeSource Bits provide a potent blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. With deboned chicken as the first ingredient, paired with wholesome carbohydrates like peas and sweet potatoes, your petite pooch will thrive.
American Journey Active Life Formula Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
For active adult dogs who live life on the go, American Journey’s grain-free salmon and sweet potato recipe offers a protein punch they’ll love with digestible omegas and antioxidants. With no corn, wheat, or soy, plus probiotics for healthy digestion, say goodbye to upset tummies after a fun day playing fetch at the park with your energetic canine.
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Smoked Salmon Recipe
Salmon comes in as the very first ingredient in Taste of the Wild’s Pacific Stream recipe. With fruits and vegetables plus proprietary probiotic blend for digestive and immune support, it makes a well-balanced choice. Your dog will get quality energy from sweet potatoes and peas instead of grains in this formula.
Iams Healthy Naturals Adult Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe
The Iams classic lamb and rice recipe utilizes lamb meal instead of fresh lamb. This concentrated protein packs more of a punch and locks in nutrition. With brown rice and barley for whole grains plus beet pulp for fiber, you can feel good knowing this more affordable choice still meets high standards for nutrition.
Purina ONE SmartBlend Lamb & Rice Adult Formula
Similar to Iams but with a few different highlights, Purina ONE’s SmartBlend also utilizes lamb meal paired with brown rice. It has guaranteed live probiotics, plus glucosamine and omega fatty acids. With a name like Purina behind it known for quality control, you can trust they focused on the key components for healthy digestion, skin, coat, joints, and energy at a reasonable price point.
Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe
Sometimes dogs struggle with upset stomachs, gassiness, or skin irritation. Hill’s Science Diet designed their sensitive skin and stomach recipe to ease discomfort. Real chicken is the #1 ingredient with easily digestible carbohydrates from brown rice and barley. With omega-6s for skin health and guaranteed probiotics for healthy digestion, it offers complete balanced nutrition tailored to sensitivities.
Merrick Grain Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
Merrick keeps it simple with identifiable deboned chicken as the sole animal protein atop their ingredients list. Paired with antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes, hearty chickpeas, and nutritious oils like flaxseed, it packs a nutritious punch. It’s an option with leading protein levels to promote strength and energy without any grains that might trigger allergies or digestive issues.
Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Easy to Digest Salmon, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe
This easy to digest formula utilizes fiber-rich sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and salmon to create a recipe ideal for sensitive digestive systems. With pumpkin packing vitamins and minerals and salmon bringing omega fatty acids to the table, your dog gets dense nutrition. Nature’s Recipe added probiotics to further aid digestion as well.
CANIDAE All Life Stages Multi-Protein Formula with Whole Grains
The Canidae all life stages formula stands out for its ability to meet the needs of dogs ranging from puppies to seniors. With four animal protein sources – lamb, turkey, chicken, and fish – they offer a varied diet. Brown rice, barley, oats, and millet give whole grains for steady energy. Balanced omega 3s and 6s plus antioxidants round it out.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Denali Dinner Grain-Free High Protein Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
The Blue Buffalo Wildnerness Denali Dinner recipe sources its protein from wild-caught Alaskan salmon to lead the charge on quality nutrition. It skips cheap fillers and uses lentils, sweet potatoes, and peas instead. With guaranteed levels of omega 3s and 6s, plus vitamins and minerals it keeps your dog in peak condition.
Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food
Instinct keeps it simple by using just one animal protein source as the foundation – cage-free chicken. With digestible carbohydrates from chickpeas, peas, and tapioca paired with nutritious oils and probiotics it makes a clean but complete recipe. There are no grains, soy, corn, wheat, fillers or artificial colors/flavors anywhere.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Dry Dog Food
Rachael Ray’s Zero Grain recipe gets its protein punch from real U.S. farm-raised chicken. With brown rice swapped for digestible vitamin-packed produce like sweet potatoes and carrots, dogs benefit. added glucosamine and chondroitin supports healthy joints too. All Rachael Ray recipes avoid fillers, wheat, gluten, and soy.
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet, Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
Some dogs struggle with allergies and Blue Buffalo Basics offers a great solution. With just one animal protein – deboned turkey – and one carbohydrate – potato – atop its simple ingredients list, there are fewer opportunities to trigger sensitivities. It has everything needed like omegas, antioxidants, and vitamins with nothing extra to cause problems.
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Natural Adult Dry Dog Food Farm-Raised Chicken
Nutro utilizes non-GMO ingredients with farm-raised chicken free of hormones and steroids as its first ingredient. With whole-grain brown rice, sweet potato, blueberries, spinach, and more, dogs get antioxidants and fiber. It has no wheat, corn, or soy while still delivering a solid bang for your buck.
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Adult Dry Dog Food
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach recipe offers a high protein count with salmon combined with rice for gentle digestion. It skips soy, corn, wheat, dairy and fills sensitive dogs’ needs with guaranteed probiotics, vitamins, and omega fatty acids for healthy skin. The crunchy kibble helps clean teeth too.
Pedigree Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food
While less fancy than other options, Pedigree still makes the cut for meeting complete nutritional needs on a budget. With farm-raised chicken and whole grains like brown rice and corn, it checks the boxes on quality sources of protein and carbs. With a crunchy texture and strong taste dogs love, its an affordable option to keep your pup healthy.
Cesar Filets in Gravy Grain-Free Adult Wet Dog Food Variety Packs
If your dog prefers wet food or gets dry food as a topping for their kibble, Cesar cans check the boxes. With grain-free recipes using chicken, beef, salmon, turkey, or chicken paired with vegetables in gravy sauce your dog gets taste and nutrition. There are never any artificial flavors or corn, wheat or soy inside either.
Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food Chicken
Puppies need higher protein ratios for development and Iams Proactive Health uses real chicken to meet those needs. Paired with wholesome grains and veggies like barley, beet pulp, carrots plus DHA for brain development, growing pups get support. Antioxidants and healthy fat ratios fuel playful puppies adequately too.
Key Takeaways:
- Look for proper protein, fat, fiber ratios based on your dog’s life stage (puppy, adult, senior). Higher protein needed for puppies.
- Consider ingredients carefully – wholesome lean proteins, digestible carbs, vitamins, minerals good while fillers, by-products, artificial preservatives bad.
- Grain-inclusive or grain-free is a personal choice. Grains OK for some dogs, but if allergies present go grain-free.
- Cater to size and specific needs – higher calorie active small breed foods very different from large breed.
- Sensitive stomach recipes utilize digestible carbs like sweet potato, pumpkin and probiotics.
- Limited ingredient foods helpful for dogs with allergies, using one novel protein and carbohydrate source.
- Always consult your veterinarian on health conditions warranting specialized food. Then choose among recommended quality brands.
The 20 options here run the gamut to cater to different budgets, sizes, ages, sensitivities, and tastes while keeping nutrition a top priority. Offer variety within the recommendations by rotating proteins, textures, and key ingredients.
Still have doubts on the best dog food for your beloved pup? Consult with your veterinarian on specialized needs. But you can feel confident one of these balanced and vet-backed options will serve most adult canines exceptionally well. Keep tails wagging by choosing the most nutritious and delicious dog food for your furry best friend’s needs!
Why does my dog need a specific type of food tailored to their needs?
Your dog’s nutritional needs change based on various factors like breed size, age, and activity level. Feeding your dog an appropriate food formulated for their specific requirements ensures they maintain a healthy weight and receive adequate macro and micronutrients. For example, puppies need more calories and protein for growth. Senior dogs benefit from lean protein for weight loss. Small breeds have higher metabolisms needing more caloric density versus low energy large breeds prone to obesity. Tailoring nutrition prevents vitamin deficiencies and obesity leading to disease. Diet is crucial for canine health.
How often should I switch my dog’s food and what elements should change?
Rotate recipes focusing on new whole protein sources every few months to add dietary variety and prevent common allergies associated with long-term chicken or beef-dominant diets. Transition gradually mixing old and new kibble over 5-7 days. Keep carbohydrate bases similar for steady digestion adding vegetables, fruits and oils for variation. As you transition between life stages (puppy, adult senior) more substantial nutrition shifts slowly accommodate aging.
My dog has persistent digestive issues. What food adjustments may help?
Digestive issues potentially relate to food sensitivities and inflammation. Switch to easily digestible options like hydrolyzed protein, sweet potato, broth, rice, pumpkin and probiotic blends shown to soothe stomachs. Diets overly high in rich meats and fat can also trigger upset stomachs. Stick with one protein source to pinpoint intolerances. Extreme issues may warrant prescription gastrointestinal dog food or temporary bland diets on veterinary guidance avoiding treats and table food which exacerbate problems.
Why pay more for premium versus generic store-brand dog food?
Higher priced foods utilize quality whole food ingredients, ethical animal protein processing, stringent quality control, veterinary developed formulations and nutritional research for superior digestibility, bioavailability and nutritional adequacy. Testing confirms nutrition matches labels. Cheaper brands use unspecified by-products, controversial preservatives and poor protein quality with reduced regulatory oversight risking long-term health issues. Spending more upfront lowers veterinary costs over time.
How much food should my dog eat per day?
Consult your veterinarian and dog food feeding guidelines based on weight, life stage, and activity level, then adjust based on your dog’s body condition. Most foods suggest daily quantities on labels. Cup measurements vary greatly between shredded, small dense or large fluffy kibbles so weighing food tracks portions accurately as intake needs shift gradually with age. Free feeding can lead to overeating obesity. Scheduled meals allow adjusted amounts basing quantity on hunger, weight goals and changes over time.
