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Searching for the best dog food to feed your pup can feel like a daunting task due to the flood of different foods on the market, but every dog parent wants what’s best for their dog. So we’ve made a list of the foods our doggies love to devour, and the pups have insisted we share it will all the dog parents out there! So, to make life a little easier, here are our favorite dog foods, broken down by fresh food, kibble and raw.
Finding the Best Dog Food
Before you get to scrolling, though, here are some tips from Dr. Lorie Huston, DVM, for choosing the best dog food for your pup:
- Look for foods that follow the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods.
- Read the entire ingredients list, checking for any of your dog’s allergens or diet restrictions.
- Ensure the food has undergone feeding trials.
- Study the guaranteed analysis to ensure the content is suitable for your pup’s needs.
- If you’re not sure what food is ideal for your dog, seek your vet’s opinion.
Now, let’s look at the six best dog foods that will help keep your dog happy, healthy, and full!
Best Dry Dog Foods
Redbarn
- First 5 ingredients are high-quality animal proteins
- Ocean, Land, & Sky Recipes available in whole grain & grain-free options
- Made In the USA with globally sourced ingredients
- 24% - 29% crude protein, depending on the recipe
- Every scoop supports healthy organs & a beautiful, shiny coat
Redbarn knows your dog loves meat, and they love your dog, so they make sure every recipe includes high-quality animal proteins in the first five ingredients. And because they hand-select only the healthiest ingredients, you can bet their foods are free from artificial chemicals and preservatives. Every scoop supports healthy digestion and skin while giving your dog a beautiful, shiny coat. Redbarn foods also help your pup maintain heart health. Plus, your dog will think every mealtime is a treat thanks to tasty recipes made with poultry, beef, and seafood.
For over 25 years, Redbarn has been a family-owned business that makes their food right here in the USA. And buying food from Redbarn means supporting worthy causes as this company with heart donates food, treats, and chews to shelters, rescue groups, and pet-related organizations to help support animals in need.
Deals and Offers: Sign up with your email and get 10% off your order
AAFCO Statement: Redbarn embraces AAFCO guidelines because it’s what’s right for our dog and cat pet parents.
Located: Long Beach, CA
Muenster Milling Co.
- Recipes crafted with pasture-raised beef, cage-free chicken, wild-harvested elk & venison
- Minimally processed and shelf-stable
- Always free of artificial preservatives, binders, & fillers
- Offers customizable dog food options
- Sourced and cooked in Muenster, Texas
By removing water from raw meat at -60º F, Muenster Milling Co, offers a dog food option that’s minimally processed, shelf-stable, highly nutritious, and always free of artificial preservatives, binders & fillers. Their freeze-drying process ensures the protein, fat, and nutrients stay in, creating a tasty food full of bioavailable nutrients and vitamins derived from organ meats & organic amino acids. And this family-owned company uses meats that are farm-raised, cage-free, or wild-harvested to deliver a meal that helps reduce inflammation, skin issues, and stomach sensitivities. This nutrient-dense food option offers the choice of kibbles, meatballs, food toppers, or bites. Let your dog eat like their ancestors!
Plus, Muenster also gives you the option of customized food blends for your best friend. You can use their custom dog food wizard or build your own by selecting a formula, size, and options such as animal or plant-based fats, probiotics, freeze-dried raw meats, and protein boosters. Then, name your mix and set your frequency for the perfect diet to meet your dog’s needs.
Deals and Offers:
New Customers enjoy 25% off the first $100. Use code WELCOME25.
50% off your total basket when you customize any bag of dog food. Use code NC2021C50.
AAFCO Statement: Muenster Pet Foods are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages including large breed puppies.
Located: Muenster, TX
Related: 12 Best Dog Foods For Allergies
Spot & Tango
- Made with the highest quality, human-grade ingredients
- Two types of fresh food: traditional fresh frozen & shelf-stable UnKibble
- Formulated by veterinary nutritionists and AAFCO certified
- Take a 5-minute quiz to receive a custom meal plan
- Delivered fresh, directly to your door with free shipping
Spot & Tango offers an affordable fresh food option that resembles kibble, but only uses fresh, whole ingredients. UnKibble offers recipes made with fish, beef, and chicken that use 100% fresh, whole human-grade ingredients and are formulated by veterinarians and animal nutritionists. Unlike kibble, UnKibble contains no meat meals or powdered “mystery meats” and is gently dried at low temps. And with Spot & Tango, you’ll never find artificial preservatives, fillers, or additives in any of their recipes.
Plus, when you get started with Spot & Tango, you’ll fill out a questionnaire about your dog, and the brand will create a personalized meal plan based on your pup’s nutritional needs. Once you set up a meal plan for your dog, this unique dry fresh food will be shipped directly to your door. Just open the box and serve to make mealtime your dog’s favorite time of the day!
Deals and Offers: 50% off your first order
AAFCO Statement: Spot & Tango is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages.
Located: Allentown, PA
Raw Paws Grain-Free Kibble for Dogs
- High-protein, nutrient-rich formulas
- Free from grain, soy, corn, & artificial preservatives, colors & flavors
- Complete & balanced to AAFCO standards
- Enhanced with antioxidants, amino acid profiles, and omega fatty acids
- Probiotics and prebiotic fiber for digestive health
- Made in the USA
Raw Paws Grain Free Kibble for Dogs offers the convenience of kibble while bringing your dog premium nutrition and amazing flavor. And when you feed your pup this high-protein, nutrient-rich formula, you’ll gain peace of mind knowing your dog is receiving a diet packed with quality meats like chicken and beef and whole foods such as sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, peas, and potatoes. Plus, with added probiotics and natural prebiotic fiber processed under strict human-grade standards, you can give your pup the gift of optimal digestive health. It’s also supplemented with antioxidants, amino acid profiles, and omega fatty acids that promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. Feeding your pup this nutrient-rich dry food will add to their energy, organ function, overall health, and vitality. Order online and get free shipping on orders over fifty dollars.
Deals and Offers: Save 15% on your first auto-ship order. Use coupon code AUTO for the 1st order. Save 10% on all future auto-ship orders!
AAFCO Statement: Raw Paws strives for AAFCO excellence with their blends of 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ.
Located: Indianapolis, IN
Best Fresh Food for Dogs
Raised Right
- Whole food recipes formulated by veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker
- Variety of limited ingredient recipes that are high in protein & low in carbs
- Made in a USDA-inspected facility with human-grade ingredients
- Every single batch they cook is lab safety tested for pathogens
- Offers sample boxes in addition to custom meal plans
Raised Right is a family-owned human-grade dog food company that works with veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker and pet food formulation expert Steve Brown to formulate limited-ingredient recipes that are high in protein and low in carbs. Most of their recipes have less than 2% carbs because they don’t use any high-carb fillers like potato, rice, oats, yam, pasta, barley, parsnips, corn, or wheat. Additionally, they were able to formulate their adult dog recipes to meet AAFCO’s requirements for a complete & balanced diet by using ONLY whole foods without having to add any synthetic vitamins or minerals. All of their adult dog recipes have 10 ingredients or less, with some having as few as just 7 or 8 ingredients!
Raised Right can proudly make the human-grade dog food claim as every ingredient in their food has passed the same standards necessary for human consumption, and all their food is lightly cooked in a USDA-inspected human-grade facility. Every single batch they cook gets lab safety tested for pathogens like E.coli, listeria, and salmonella to help ensure their food is safe for dogs to eat. They have a hold-release program where they don’t ever ship their food unless it passes the lab safety test. For transparency, they post the test results from each batch on their website for everyone to see, along with a map tracing each ingredient to its source. With Raised Right, you can enjoy peace of mind with every bite.
Deals and Offers: Sign up for Raised Right’s email list to receive 20% off your first Full Box (16 Bags)
AAFCO Statement: Raised Right has formulated limited-ingredient whole food recipes that are complete & balanced specifically to each dog’s stage-of-life per AAFCO standards, as they offer both adult dog recipes & puppy growth recipes.
Located: Rye, NY
For more great options for puppies, see our list of the 10 Best Puppy Dog Foods.
PetPlate
- Human-grade, vet-designed recipes made with real ingredients
- Cooked gently in small batches in USDA-approved kitchens
- Nutritionally balanced meals offered in a wide variety of recipes
- Every meal is hot-filled to ensure safety & flash-frozen for optimal freshness
- Join their subscription service & always have dinner fresh & ready for your pup
PetPlate is taking back the term “dog food” with human-grade, vet-designed entrees designed to deliver essential nutritional solutions with unmatched quality. Their perfectly balanced meals are rooted in science and optimized at every level to give dogs the flavors they crave and the nutrients they need. With a wide variety of recipes, even the pickiest pup will be happy to find PetPlate in their bowl. And because PetPlate believes in real, top-quality dining experiences, they gently cook their recipes in small batches in USDA-approved kitchens.
Make doggy dinnertime a snap by setting up a subscription with PetPlate. You’ll tell them about your dog, and they’ll create a meal plan that makes sense for both of you. Then, they’ll ship the right amount of food to your doorstep, so you never have to worry about running out. Each meal is perfectly portioned to give your pup the right amount of nutrients they need to be happy, nourished, and full.
Deals and Offers: Save 60% off your first PetPlate box with code HEARTDOGS60
AAFCO Statement: All six of PetPlate’s entrees meet the standards and guidelines established by the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee and the AAFCO.
Located: New York, NY
Ollie
- Minimally processed ingredients with no added hormones or antibiotics
- Slow-cooked at low temperatures in small batches
- All recipes are free from corn, wheat, and soy
- Made in US facilities from carefully sourced, human-grade ingredients
- Vet-formulated balanced recipes for all life stages
Ollie can always be trusted to deliver high-quality nutritious meals containing only carefully sourced ingredients from trusted farms. And because these dog food experts slow-cook foods at low temperatures in small batches, their recipes maintain maximum nutrition from human-grade, high-quality chicken, beef, turkey, and lamb, as well as superfoods such as fish oil and chia seeds. Fresh fruits and veggies also provide a wealth of health benefits and yummy taste too!
With Ollie, you’ll get clean and balanced nutrition that never contains any by-products, fillers, artificial flavoring, or preservatives. And when you buy a meal plan, you can set a regular schedule that sees vacuum-sealed food packages delivered right to your door, so your pup always has a fresh meal at the ready. Ollie recipes are veterinarian formulated and made in the USA.
Deals and Offers: Get 70% OFF your starter box! Try now!
AAFCO Statment: A board-certified veterinary nutritionist helped Ollie formulate their balanced and complete, human-grade recipes, abiding by the AAFCO standards.
Located: New York, NY, and Reno, NV
Take a look at a complete list of the Best Fresh Dog Foods!
Best Raw Food for Dogs
Raw Paws Pet Food
- Recipes contain only meat, bone, & organ sourced from small family farms
- Small batches cooked weekly for the freshest dog food experience possible
- Eco-friendly foam cooler with dry ice keeps food frozen for shipping & delivery
- Create free meal plans with raw feeding experts
- Woman-Owned Business based in the U.S.A.
In an effort to keep dogs close to their ancestral diets, Raw Paws recipes contain just meat, bone, and organs sourced from healthy, happy animals who live on small, family farms. And Raw Paws prepares small batches every week, which means your dog is getting the freshest of the fresh! Plus, you can create a free meal plan for your dog with the help of raw feeding experts.
You can give your pup a rich and real diet from bones and chicken feet to prepared raw meals with Raw Paws’ full selection of food options, treats, chews, and supplements.
Deals and Offers: Save 15% on your first auto-ship order. Use coupon code AUTO for the 1st order. Save 10% on all future auto-ship orders!
AAFCO Statement: Raw Paws strives for AAFCO excellence with their blends of 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ.
Located: Indianapolis, IN
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Grain-Free Dog Food Healthy?
Grain-free dog food isn’t automatically healthier than food with grains. Unless your dog has an allergy or sensitivity to grains, they don’t need grain-free dog food.
When Was Dog Food Invented?
The first commercial dog food was created around 1860 in England. Before that, people regularly fed their dogs table scraps, especially leftover bread.
When Does Dog Food Expire?
Unopened dry dog food lasts about 18 months after it’s made. Once the food bag is opened, it should be used within 6 weeks. Wet, fresh, and raw dog food have shorter shelf lives and will need to be ordered more often.
How Long Does Kibble Last Once Opened?
Once opened, a bag of dry dog or cat food (often referred to as kibble) should ideally be used within four to six weeks. However, this can vary depending on the specific brand, as some kibbles may contain preservatives that extend their shelf life. To help maintain its freshness, it’s recommended to keep kibble in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. Additionally, sealing the bag or storing the food in an airtight container can help keep it fresh longer. If you notice any changes in the food’s color, smell, or texture, or if your pet refuses to eat it, it’s best to discard it as these can be signs that the food has spoiled.
What Dog Food Should Puppies Eat?
Most puppies should eat a formula that’s specifically designed for puppies because it contains ingredients that are necessary for their growth and development. Once dogs reach 9 to 12 months old, they can start eating adult food instead.
Should You Put Dog Food in a Plastic Container?
Dog food can be moved into an airtight container, but it stays freshest when it’s kept in its original bag. The dog food bag is designed to keep kibble fresh, so if you want to put the food in a plastic container, put the bag with the food inside into the container.
Can Cats Eat Dog Food?
Dog food isn’t dangerous to cats, but you shouldn’t serve it instead of cat food. Cats and dogs have different nutritional needs, so their food formulas are different. Dog food doesn’t usually have enough protein, fat, and minerals for cats.
Conclusion: The Best Dog Foods
All of these dog foods are high-quality options for optimal nutrition, but what it boils down to is what your dog needs in their diet as well as what they enjoy eating. After all, dining should be about more than bland bits; it should be a tasty experience that brings pleasure and health benefits!
With this list of the best dog foods and your pup’s needs in mind, it’s time to get shopping!
Related: Best Dehydrated Dog Foods
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