Best Food to Keep Your Dog Healthy
It’s important for owners to find healthy food options for their dogs. In addition, healthy foods provide dogs with the nutrition they need to lead a long, happy life.
A dog’s overall quality of life improve with healthy dog food with high-quality ingredients. In addition, their coats will shine, their teeth healthy, and their weight in check.
Healthiest Dog Food: Quick Picks
- 1: The Farmer’s Dog [Fresh Dog Food]. Freshly cooked human-grade dog food customized uniquely for your pooch (+ get 50% for new owners).
- 2: Caru Daily Dish . Food is from 100% human grade ingredients right here in the USA.
- 3: Wellness Core Grain-Free [Best Kibble] A high-quality grain-free kibble with real meat as the first ingredients, plus plenty of probiotics and omega fatty acids.[Available from Chewy ]
- 4: Blue Buffalo Life Protection [Best Budget Pick] A more affordable grain-inclusive kibble with meat as the first ingredient, leaving out soy, wheat, corn, and chicken by-products. [Available from Chewy ]
- 5: Canidae Pure [Best Limited Ingredient] High-quality limited-ingredient diet featuring 10 ingredients or less (with meat as the 1st ingredient). Ideal for dogs with food allergies or stomach issues. [Available from Chewy]
Key Ingredients of Healthy Dog Foods
Each owner may have his or her own preference when it comes to important ingredients for their dog’s food. While some may agree that real meat is best, others will focus on finding food with no fillers.
Also check out: Best Dog Food Delivery Companies You Should Try Today
Overall, there are some key ingredients to look for when choosing healthy dog foods for your pet.
- Real Meat Options. Finding dog food with real meat is ideal. Canines are carnivores and require meat to satisfy not only their hunger, but also their natural instincts. The label should not simply state that it contains meat or poultry, and should instead verify what type of animal the meat is coming from, such as lamb, chicken, or beef.
- No Fillers. Fillers include things like cereal by-products, corn bran, and peanut hulls, among others. These fillers may fill a dog up quickly, but they add very limited nutritional value.
- No Artificial Preservatives. It is unhealthy to consume, and plays a major role in many health problems for pets.
- Vegetables. Dogs need vegetables just as humans do. It is best to look for a dog food that lists some type of vegetable within the first few ingredients.
The best brands of dog food offer key ingredients, and do not possess the typical filler options that many popular brands on the market have.
Top Healthy Dog Food Picks
These brands are the healthiest dog foods on the market today. We’ll detail the main features and highlights of each dog food brand, along with the pros and cons.
Altogether, ultimately, the healthiest dog food will be the one that works best for your canine. There is no single “healthiest” dog food brand, as each individual dog reacts differently to different dog foods.
Nevertheless, every dog is different, and finding the best food for your dog will likely be a process of trial and error.
We suggest starting with this list of the healthiest dog foods available, and see which works best for your four-legged friend!
1. The Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog is a fresh dog food company that delivers quality, custom-made dog food. Food is customized based on your dog’s activity level, age, and a variety of other data points that are collected with a quick online survey when you sign up.
Our Rating:
The Farmer’s Dog is one of the original fresh dog food companies, so they’ve been at this a while! Food comes in pre-portioned baggies to make feeding time easy! This is an especially good food to try if your dog is a picky eater!
2. Caru Daily Dish
Food is made from 100% human grade ingredients right here in the USA.
Each recipe below includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage: Growth, Maintenance, All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Caru’s Tetra Pak® cartons protect freshness and taste without having to use preservatives. They are BPA-free and from up to 70% recycled paper.
I’m not going to lie — I was skeptical at first. I’m all about recycling and minimizing waste (we even started composting in our new backyard). The little plastic can-lid sealer things (technical term) I’ve been collecting from conferences make mealtime so easy — but not as easy as the carton does. You can simply re-fold the top — no extra lid necessary!
It Is Human Grade
Caru’s Daily Dish Stews are 100% Human Grade. Yes, you read that right. They offer the only ready-to-eat dog food that is made with 100% human grade ingredients and is prepared in a human food grade facility. These stews contain zero genetically engineered ingredients, no added flavors or colors, and absolutely zilch carrageenan, xanthan, guar, other gums, or Chinese ingredients. That means your dog is probably eating better than me!
3. Wellness Core Grain-Free
Go back to the basics of wholesome nutrition with Wellness CORE Grain-Free Original Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal & Chicken Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food!
This delectable grain-free recipe is crafted with protein sourced from real chicken and turkey to provide your canine companion with the protein-focused nutrition he needs. In addition, made with antioxidants, omega fatty acids, glucosamine and probiotics, this nutrient-dense food serves as a perfectly balanced diet for adult dogs. Best of all, Wellness continues to stand by their promise to keep animals well in all ways by excluding undesirable ingredients including meat by-products, wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives!
4. Blue Buffalo Life Protection
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula was created for the holistic health and well-being of adult dogs. In addition, all formulas start with real meat, whole grains, garden veggies and fruit, plus added LifeSource Bits, a precise blend of nutrients that have been enhanced with a Super 7 package of antioxidant-rich ingredients. This Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe features delicious, protein-rich deboned chicken and other natural ingredients for a healthy meal your dog will love.
Key Benefits:
- Essential, high-quality protein for healthy muscle development, and carbs for energy for an active life.
- Calcium, phosphorus and essential vitamins for strong bones and teeth.
- Glucosamine is added for joint health and mobility support.
- Vitamins, chelated minerals and antioxidants contribute to your pup’s immune system health.
- No corn, wheat, soy or chicken (or poultry) by-product meals.
5. Canidae Grain Free Pure
Canidae Grain Free Pure comes from a highly reputable dog food brand, vet-formulated to provide nutrition to your pooch without using corn, wheat, soy, or by-product meat in their food.
Spawn a new love for mealtime with the tasty, clean flavor of CANIDAE PURE, Limited Ingredient, Grain Free Premium Dry Dog Food. Formulated with just eight wholesome ingredients to nourish all canines. Wholesome veggies provide him with a powerhouse of nutrition, while a blend of probiotics, antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins and minerals support his vital systems and promote ongoing good health. With never any fillers or problem additives including corn, wheat, soy, grain or artificial ingredients!
Key Benefits
- Made with 8 real food ingredients for complete and balanced nutrition.
- Contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
- Fortified after cooking with Canidae’s HealthPLUS blend of probiotics, antioxidants and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.
- Made from a simple, whole food recipe at Canidae’s Texas facility.
