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Choosing the best dog food takes a good bit of research. There are many healthy dry and wet foods for puppies, adult, and senior dogs. You'll also find special diets for dogs with sensitive stomachs and weight loss. wet dog food for allergies
For this guide to dog food from top brands, we asked veterinarians and animal nutrition experts what to prioritize when choosing a nutritious dog food. Then we researched hundreds of recipes to compile this list of healthy dog food, including affordable canned food and kibble and fresh pet food. Our recommendations are based on each food's nutritional adequacy, calorie content, and ingredients. One of our top picks, Wellness Complete Health Lamb and Barley Recipe, is a dry food for adult dogs. It has a healthy balance of protein, fat, and fiber, plus beneficial ingredients like omega fatty acids from fish oil for brain and joint health.
All of our picks meet the standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which means 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).
Read more about how Business Insider Reviews researches and tests pet products.
Best dry: Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb and Barley Recipe - See at Chewy
Best wet: Hill's Science Diet Adult Beef and Barley Entree - See at Chewy
Best fresh: Just Food for Dogs - See at Chewy
Best for sensitive stomachs: Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon and Rice - See at Chewy
Best dry for puppies: Wellness Complete Health Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal, and Salmon Meal - See at Chewy
Best wet for puppies: Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Healthy Growth Chicken and Vegetable - See at Chewy
Best dry for seniors: Merrick Senior Real Chicken and Brown Rice - See at Chewy
Best wet for seniors: Hill's Science Diet Adult 7+ Chicken and Barley - See at Chewy
Best for small breeds: Nulo Frontrunner Small Breed Turkey, Whitefish, and Quinoa - See at Chewy
Best for large breeds: Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Deboned Chicken and Brown Rice - See at Chewy
Best grain-free: Merrick Real Duck and Sweet Potato - See at Chewy
Best limited ingredient: Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet Duck and Oatmeal - See at Chewy
Best low fat: Nutro Ultra Weight Management with Chicken, Lamb, and Salmon - See at Chewy
Best high fiber: Nutro Healthy Weight Chicken and Brown Rice - See at Chewy
The best dry dog food is convenient, practical, and affordable. Prices are lower because you're not paying for the water that's in higher moisture wet foods, says Dr. Megan Shepherd, a veterinary nutritionist and adjunct professor of nutrition at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Calorie and nutrient content in kibble varies, but the AAFCO minimum for protein is 18% for adult dogs. Pet dogs are omnivorous and don't need super high levels of protein, so look for a moderate amount of protein. Protein quality and digestibility are most important, says Kelly Swanson, director of the nutritional sciences division at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Animal Sciences.
The best dry 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 food have all the essential nutritional qualities plus healthy extras. Our pick from Nature's Logic has also undergone feeding trials, which are tests to ensure 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.
Editor's note: Shepherd is now a scientific communications nutritionist for pet food company Royal Canin. She spoke with us in October 2021 before she began working for Royal Canin, so we do not view her contributions to this article as a conflict of interest.
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.
There's a relationship between price and quality when it comes to the best dog food. Ultra-cheap foods 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 picks and makes sense for your dog's life stage, you're good to go.
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 dried beet pulp. It also contains fish oil for omega fatty acids. Its nutrition breakdown of 24% protein, 14% fat, and 5% fiber is ideal for normal, active-weight dogs. One cup contains 370 kcal.
Some dogs prefer the taste or texture of wet food, Richardson says. These foods may also be easier to digest because they may be less processed and contain fewer preservatives. Just avoid 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 all-meat food as a delicious meal topper for kibble or stuff it in some of the best dog toys like the Kong Classic.
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.
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.
Pet guardians have shown increased interest in fresh food, Richardson says. That may be partly due to marketing promoting 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 guide to the best fresh dog food.
JustFoodForDogs offers six gently cooked recipes, variety packs, and seasonal and limited-time recipes, all backed by industry-leading research.
Nom Nom ships easy-to-serve preoportioned fresh meals and offers an excellent two-week trial.
The Farmer’s Dog is a well-established fresh dog food company offering four grain-free recipes in portions customized for your pet.
Not every dog has a cast-iron gut. Dogs with allergies may experience digestive issues like diarrhea or vomiting. If you suspect your dog has an allergy or sensitivity, a trip to the vet should always be your first stop. But foods specially formulated for sensitive stomachs may be worth a try.
Sensitive stomach foods are usually low in fat and contain easy-to-digest carbohydrates, like white rice or whole wheat, says Dr. Korinn Saker, associate professor of clinical nutrition at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. They may also contain more processed protein sources, like chicken meal. "You want ingredients that are in a processed form so that the cells in the GI tract don't have to do as much in terms of digestion," Saker says. Ingredients like chicken meal are already processed, so it may be easier for your dog to absorb the nutrients.
Our recommendations for the best dog foods for sensitive stomachs include meat and fish meals, rice, prebiotics, and probiotics, which may support gut health.
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.
good wet dog food 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.