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When it comes to dog food, there is an overwhelming number of options available, including recipes for puppies, senior dogs, and those with sensitive stomachs. Add to that many popular pet food brands, and it can be difficult to choose one of the best dog foods for your pup. Pet Treats
We consulted veterinarians and animal nutritionists and researched hundreds of recipes to select nutritious, healthy options for the best dog food. Our recommendations for dry, wet, and fresh food are based on each recipe's nutritional adequacy, calorie content, and ingredients. One of our recommendations for the best overall dog foods is Wellness Complete Health Lamb and Barley Recipe. The kibble for adult dogs contains a healthy balance of protein, fat, and fiber plus beneficial nutrients like omega fatty acids for brain health and glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health.
All of our picks for the best dog food meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards, meaning they have the right balance of fat, protein, and fiber for a dog's life stage. They also align with the Global Nutrition Guidelines published by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). The veterinarians we spoke with recommend that at least 90% of your dog's daily calories come from their food while treats can make up the remaining 10%.
Read more about how we research and test pet products here.
Lamb and lamb meal are the main protein sources, and carbohydrates include oatmeal, ground barley, and ground brown rice. Healthy extras like menhaden fish meal provide omega fatty acids, while glucosamine and chondroitin support joint health. This food is appropriate for moderately active, normal-weight dogs with 24% protein, 12% fat, and 4% fiber. Each cup contains 417 kcal.
Beef and pork meal lead the ingredients list, and there are a variety of carbohydrates, including brown rice, barley, oatmeal, quinoa, carrots, and apples. Health extras include omega fatty acids (salmon), glucosamine, and chondroitin. With 26% protein, 15% fat, and 3.5% fiber, this is a good option for moderately active, normal-weight dogs. Each cup contains 386 kcal.
At the top of the list are chicken meal, chicken fat, millet, and eggs. Carbohydrates include pumpkin seeds, kelp, almonds, carrots, apples, blueberries, and cranberries. There are healthy extras like probiotics and digestive enzymes. We recommend this food for active, normal-weight dogs with a breakdown of 36% protein, 15% fat, and 5% fiber. This food has undergone feeding trials and each cup contains 418 kcal.
Dry food is convenient, practical, and affordable. You're not paying for the water that's in higher moisture wet foods, says Dr. Megan Shepherd, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and owner of Veterinary Clinical Nutrition.
Calorie and nutrient content in kibble varies. Look for a moderate amount of protein — the AAFCO minimum is 18% for adult dogs. You may think more protein is better since dogs evolved as carnivores, but that's not necessarily true, says Kelly Swanson, professor of animal and nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Pet dogs are omnivorous and don't need super high levels of protein. He says protein quality and digestibility are most important.
The best dry dog foods contain ingredients that meet the AAFCO's nutrient requirements for complete and balanced food. These ingredients include whole meats and fish, meat meals, rice and beans for protein, and fiber from grains, vegetables, and fruit. Swanson also recommends fat concentrations under 20%. However, if your dog is a healthy weight and doesn't have pancreatitis or gastrointestinal disease, don't worry too much about fat content.
Our recommendations for the best dog foods have all the essential nutritional qualities plus healthy extras. Our pick from Nature's Logic has also undergone feeding trials. These tests are based on AAFCO procedures to ensure that a food is palatable, digestible, and able to sustain pets over time. The picks below also have health-boosting ingredients, like omega fatty acids for skin and coat health and glucosamine, chondroitin, and green-lipped mussels, which may provide joint support.
Beef and chicken meal are the first two protein sources in this dry dog food. Other standout ingredients include brown rice, pea protein, and brewers rice. Menhaden fish oil provides omega fatty acids. With 26% protein, 14% fat, and 4% fiber, we recommend this food for moderately active, normal-weight dogs. One cup contains 352 kcal.
The main protein sources in this recipe are deboned chicken and chicken meal. Standout carbohydrates include brown rice, barley, oatmeal, peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, and cranberries. Healthy extras include omega fatty acids and glucosamine. We recommend it for moderately active, normal-weight dogs, with 24% protein, 14% fat, and 5% fiber. One cup is 378 kcal.
Chicken and chicken meal lead the list of ingredients. Other ingredients include pearled barley, peas, oat groats, brown rice, and carrots. It also contains fish oil for omega fatty acids. Its nutrition breakdown of 23% protein, 13% fat, and 5% fiber is ideal for normal, active-weight dogs. One cup contains 370 kcal.
When it comes to dog food, there's a relationship between price and quality. Ultra-cheap dog food options often contain lower-quality ingredients to bulk them up and keep their prices down.
"But it's important to remember that there are many more affordable dog foods that are perfectly good options," says Dr. Jamie Richardson, head of veterinary medicine at Small Door Veterinary. You don't need to break the bank to feed your dog a healthy diet.
We've found plenty of high-quality foods available at lower prices. As long as a food meets the AAFCO complete and balanced standards like our recommendations and makes sense for your dog's life stage, you're good to go.
This wet food has protein sources of chicken, chicken and turkey broth, and chicken liver. Brown rice, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin round out the list. It contains 48% protein, 28% fat, 1.5% fiber, and 320 kcal per 12.5-ounce carton, which is about 25.6 calories per ounce.
At the front of the ingredients list are lamb broth, lamb, beef, and beef liver as protein sources. Carbohydrates include brown rice, apples, carrots, and spinach. This food consists of 41% protein, 26% fat, and 1% fiber. A 12.5-ounce can contains 359 kcal, or about 29 calories per ounce.
Beef and pork liver are the main protein sources in this wet food for adult dogs ages 1 to 6 years. Carbohydrates include whole grain corn, cracked pearled barley, and prebiotic dried beet pulp. The food contains 23.7% protein, 19.3% fat, and 1.3% fiber, with 406 kcal per 13-ounce can.
Some dogs prefer the taste or texture of wet food, says Richardson. These foods may also be easier to digest because they may be less processed and contain fewer preservatives. But keep an eye out for wet food containing only meat since an all-meat diet won't provide your dog with complete and balanced nutrition. Instead, you can use a small amount of this food as a delicious meal topper for kibble or stuff it in some of the best dog toys like the Kong Classic and other puzzle feeders.
The same nutritional standards apply to dry and wet dog food, but comparing their labels isn't easy because wet food has more water content. To compare them, you need a wet food's protein, fat, and fiber on a "dry matter basis," a measurement of nutrients without water included. Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University explains how to calculate that. You can also call the brand or ask your veterinarian for help. We contacted brands to obtain the dry matter basis for our picks.
Wet food often has more protein and fat and fewer carbohydrates. Before you switch your pet from dry food to any of our recommendations, talk to your vet about potential issues your dog may have digesting a lot of protein or fat.
Just Food For Dogs makes a variety of fresh, shelf-stable, and custom meals. Its fresh-frozen turkey and whole wheat macaroni contains ground turkey, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cranberries, and cod liver oil for omega fatty acids. It consists of 35% protein, 13% fat, and 3% fiber (dry matter basis). The brand conducts feeding trials and uses human-grade ingredients and no preservatives. Save 35% on your first purchase and 5% on recurring autoship orders.
The Farmer’s Dog turkey recipe includes chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, parsnips, and spinach, plus omega fatty acids from fish oil. It is made from human-grade ingredients without preservatives. It contains 38.2% protein, 26.2% fat, and 2.1% fiber (dry matter basis). This food is grain-free. The FDA continues to investigate a potential link between dogs fed grain-free diets and the development of dilated cardiomyopathy, so talk to your veterinarian before feeding your dog this food. Get the first 2 weeks of food 50% off.
Ollie’s chicken recipe includes chia seeds, carrots, peas, spinach, and blueberries, plus omega fatty acids from fish oil and cod liver oil. It’s also free of preservatives. It contains 37% protein, 11% fat, and 7% fiber (dry matter basis). Save 50% on your first box.
Pet guardians have shown increased interest in fresh food, says Richardson. That may be partly due to marketing that talks about the benefits of feeding dogs a fresh diet. It's often true that these foods are minimally processed and contain whole gently cooked ingredients. They also tend to be preservative-free, so follow the storage instructions carefully.
Because these foods are fancier, they are more expensive, but you get convenience too. Brands typically offer subscription services and deliver frozen fresh, customized meals to your doorstep.
Richardson says nutrition standards are the same as for other dog food. The food should have an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement and the ingredients should be the same ones found in other types of dog food: meat sources of protein, whole grains, fruits, and marine sources of fats. It's a big bonus if there are healthy extras like omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Our recommendations come from brands with strong quality control. We've tested our picks and vouch for their quality. You can read more about them in our full reviews of The Farmer's Dog, Just Food for Dogs, and Ollie.
The first few ingredients in this food are highly digestible ingredients like salmon, rice, barley, canola meal, and oatmeal. Sunflower oil and fish oil provide omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, while added probiotics help support immune and digestive health. This food contains 26% protein, 16% fat, and 4% fiber, with 449 kcal/cup.
Chicken, chicken meal, yellow peas, and cracked pearl barley are the top ingredients in this food, which is designed for easy digestion. Other standout ingredients include brown rice, brewers rice, and dried beet pulp, a prebiotic fiber that may help soothe your dog's stomach. The food contains 25% protein, 16.8% fat, and 1.4% fiber, with 394 kcal per cup.
True Chews Dog Treats Protein sources in this wet food for sensitive stomachs include chicken, whitefish, and chicken liver. You’ll also find fiber sources like prebiotic beet pulp, oatmeal, brown rice, and barley. The food contains 46.4% protein, 20% fat, 2% fiber, and 373 kcal per 12.5-ounce can, or about 30 calories per ounce.