The 5 Best Dog Food Brands,

By = Gulzar

Published On

11/02/2023

The right dog food provides balanced nutrition and dietary support for a dog's current needs, and those needs can change throughout their lifetime. Whether dry or wet, the food you put in their bowl should also appeal to their testbeds, using ingredients that are nutritious and digestible.

“There are numerous aspects to consider when evaluating dog foods,” Dr. Jennifer Frione, DVM, of Lakeside Animal Hospital told The Spruce Pets. “Factors to look at include the pet food label, ingredients, guaranteed analysis, the pet's age, and the pet's medical state or conditions.”

We evaluated a wide range of dog food brands, seeking advice from veterinarians and selecting products that adhere to the standards set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the leading non-profit organization guiding state, federal, and international feed regulators to safeguard pet food.

We also sought feedback from 407 dog parents, polling them on the brand of dog food that works for their household, while gleaning additional insights for dogs of all sizes, ages, and breeds. You can learn more about our polling methodology below our recommendations, under the heading How We Found The Best Dog Food Brands. We also have additional tips on how to evaluate dog food brands for yourself in the What To Look For section, below.

1.Best RefrigeratedFreshPet Dog Food

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The preserving power of a refrigerator is the only preservative used to keep each serving of FreshPet food ready for your canine to consume, and we've found that it's more likely appeal to picky eaters. Plus, the brand's quality ingredients received high marks among our home testers putting FreshPet on par with our Best Overall pick, Hill's Science Diet.

All recipes are made with human-grade ingredients, including farm-raised chicken, fish, beef, eggs, fruits and vegetables, all sourced and manufactured within the United States. FreshPet offers the freshness, flavor, and nutritional value of making home cooked meals for a dog all conveniently packaged in a resealable bag or a slice and serve roll.

For large dogs, a resealable bag offers five pounds of food with protein-rich chunks, and for smaller dogs, each one pound bag is full of smaller-sized nutritionally balanced morsels. The sausage-shaped roll is easy to slice and cut into pieces that align with your dog's size, but it's also soft and easy for them to chew.

Within Fresh Select's dog food offerings, there are grain-free recipes and puppy-specific formulations, but it can be more difficult to find some of the flavors. And for large breed dogs, feeding your dog FreshPet will likely be more expensive than dry or canned food which typically has a longer shelf life. FreshPet food must be refrigerated at all times, and once a packaged is opened, it should be consumed within seven days.

Life Stage: Puppy, adult | Food Type: Refrigerated | Breed Size: Small, medium, large

2.Best For Puppies Purina Pro Plan Puppy Food

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Giving a puppy the proper nutrition will help them grow into a healthy adult, and Purina Pro Plan offers a curated selection of puppy food designed to meet the evolving needs of a developing dog. More than 50 dog parents in our testing collective fill their dog's bowl with a recipe from this brand citing their vet's recommendation as the lead determining factor in their choice.

Both large and small breed size formulas are packed with protein to meet caloric expenditure of an the energetic puppy as they learn and explore. For strong bones, teeth, brain, and vision development, each serving provides calcium, phosphorous, and DHA, which is derived from fish oil. Antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals are also included in each serving to keep the immune system and digestive track functioning properly.

Purina Pro Plan is budget-friendly, readily available, and comes in a variety of flavors puppies enjoy with meat or fish as the first ingredient. But recipes often include by-product meals, corn gluten meal, and/or pea protein. The latter of which (pea protein) is suitable for dogs in small doses and is primarily used in Purina Pro Plan's Sensitive Skin and Stomach recipes.

Life Stage: Puppy, adult, senior | Food Type: Dry, wet | Breed Size: Small, medium, large

3.Best Whole Grains; Fromm Family Pet Food

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All dog food from Fromm Family Pet Food provides probiotics for digestive regularity, omegas for a shiny coat, amino acids for proper muscle function, and high-quality complex carbohydrates for energy and fiber. All recipes are always free of fillers, such as artificial flavors, corn syrup, and white flour, which provide no nutritional value but are commonly added to dog food to cut costs.

Fromm Family Pet Food has been making food for dogs using human-grade ingredients since 1904. The business continues to be family owned and operated out of Wisconsin sourcing meat, fish, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables from fully vetted farms.

This brand offers wet and dry dog food for puppies, adults, and seniors with recipes and textures formulated to address the needs of small breeds and large breeds along with weight management, food sensitivities, and protein preferences. Fromm dog food is typically carried by speciality pet food stores, so for some it might be more laborious to find.

Life Stage: Puppy, adult, senior | Food Type: Dry, wet | Breed Size: Small, medium, large, giant

4.Best Organic;Castor & Pollux Dog Food

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The Castor & Pollux brand of dog food offers two lines, Organix and Pristine, both of which are composed of wet and dry dog food recipes that are free of artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors.

The Organix line is made with USDA certified organic ingredients in a certified organic kitchen in the United States. For wet and dry Organic dog food, the first ingredient is always organic free-range chicken or turkey. Castor & Pollux works closely with third-party certification experts to guarantee all of the ingredients in their Organic dog foods are produced without chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, artificial preservatives, added growth hormones or antibiotics.

The Pristine line is made with responsibly raised, caught, or grown ingredients and the first ingredient is always meat or poultry raised without any antibiotics or hormones, or wild caught fish. This line also incorporates USDA organic fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Each batch of Castor & Pollux dog food is quality tested, and within their two lines, there are specific recipes for puppies, adults, and seniors along with specialized variations for small breeds and for dogs with food sensitivities, including grain-free and potato-free recipes.

Life Stage: Puppy, adult, senior | Food Type: Dry, wet | Breed Size: Small, all

5.Best for Large DogsRoyal Canin Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

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Royal Canin has dog food formulated to address the needs of large dogs (56-100 pounds) and giant dogs that weigh over 100 pounds. Due to their size, bigger dogs tend to put a lot of stress on their heart and their joints so giving them food designed to support their needs with taurine, glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega fatty acids (EPA and DHA) enhances their overall well-being.

Royal Canin has been using science-led nutrition for over 50 years to create pet food. They offer a vast range of wet and dry food for dogs with flavors, aromas, and textures dogs can't resist. In addition to Giant and Large dogs, Royal Canin has formulas and variations for dogs of all ages, sizes, and to address specific health issues, like sensitive skin & coat, digestive aliments, and dental concerns. The brand also has formulas for select breeds designed to meet the specific needs shared among purebred dogs, including Golden Retrievers, Boxers, and German Shepherds.

The nutritionally balanced food typically uses meat by-product meal as the first ingredient which is still rich in protein and nutrients, but some pet parents prefer to avoid. And the size of each piece of kibble varies between batches of the same recipe.

Life Stage: Puppy, junior, adult, mature, senior | Food Type: Dry, wet | Breed Size: Very small, small, medium, large, giant

What to Look for in a Dog Food Brand

Intended Life Stage

Your dog’s age, size, lifestyle, and medical conditions should all factor into your choice of a dog food brand. A growing puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog, and a dog who is overweight shouldn’t be given the same food as a highly active sporting dog. If you’re uncertain about your dog’s life stage and particular food needs, talk to your vet to figure out what type of food will work best. 

Nutritional Adequacy Statement

“The Association of American Feed Control Officers (AAFCO) has developed specific guidelines for defining ingredients, testing, feeding trial protocols, and official terminology for dog foods,” explains Dr. Frione. “When choosing dog food, make sure it meets the standards outlined by AAFCO, which should be noted on the packaging.” 

This nutritional adequacy statement is typically found on the back of the bag underneath the guaranteed analysis, and it usually reads something like, “[Brand] is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance/adult dogs.” If you notice the food is labeled as “short-term," "intermittent," or "complementary,” it is not a complete source of nutrition for your dog. The AAFCO also has comprehensive guidance on reading dog food labels.

Veterinary Nutritionist Formulated

Another way to assess the quality of a dog food brand is by determining how its products are formulated. Dr. Frione and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) both recommend looking for a brand that employs a veterinary nutritionist, ideally with a Ph.D. in animal nutrition, as recipe development is a complex process that’s not taught in most veterinary school programs. 

Dry Food vs. Wet Food

A nutritional balance dog food can come in the form of dry kibble or wet food. The former is usually packaged in a bag and the latter is most often canned. One is not necessarily better than the other, but you may find one is preferred by your dog. In some cases, you may find it cost-effective to mix dry food and wet food. Before doing so, you should adjust the portion based on guidelines for your dog's weight to make sure you aren't overfeeding your dog.

How We Found The Best Dog Food Brands

To evaluate the incredible range of available dog foods, our research panel put together a comprehensive questionnaire, asking for dog owner's to describe the qualities that matter most to them when they choose a dog food brand. We learned what brands were recommended by veterinarians, and which had the most trustworthy list of ingredients. We also looked for high-value brands that can fit in people's budgets, and brands with wide retailer availability.

We also gathered details about a dog's size, breed, and age, which helped us make picks tailored to a wide range of dogs, since the best dog food for a senior French Bulldog won't be the best dog food for a Golden Retriever puppy.

In total, 407 respondents described how they and their dogs felt about the dog foods they used at home, using a combination of numerical scores and detailed feedback.