The 8 Best Dog Foods

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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 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.

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!

Our Favorite Dog Foods to Fill Bellies with Healthy Goodness

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

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

Tailored Pet Nutrition

• Recipes tailored to your dog’s individual needs 
• Packed with quality chicken, salmon, bison, lamb, & other whole meats
• Made with farm-grown veggies & fruits, as well as protein & fiber-rich legumes
• Cooked in the U.S.A. in qualified facilities
• Auto-shipping options of 1, 3, or 6 weeks

Tailored Pet Nutrition believes that no two dogs are alike, and their nutrition shouldn’t be either. By taking a quiz about your dog and their specific nutritional needs, you can find the right recipe to help your pup look and feel their best. Each Tailored recipe is developed in collaboration with their team of leading veterinarians and canine nutritionists. And when ordering, you can choose one-time purchasing or select their subscribe-and-save option that offers shipping options of one, three, or six weeks.

You can bet these nutritious formulas are made with real, quality proteins and nutrient-rich fruits and veggies. Every batch is safely cooked in the USA, with high-quality ingredients sourced only from trusted suppliers worldwide. 

Deals and Offers: Get $10 off sitewide and free shipping on your first order with offer code SAVE10 at checkout!

AAFCO Statement: Tailored guarantees each recipe meets or exceeds the strict standards of the AAFCO.

Located: Meadville, PA

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

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 (Valid until January 31, 2023)

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

Nom Nom

• Contains no fillers, only quality proteins, veggies, vitamins, and minerals 
• Pre-portioned meals are based on your dog’s unique dietary needs
• Formulated by in-house Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists
  
• All foods are prepared, mixed, and packed with care in USA kitchens
• Shipped to you fresh, cold, and on your schedule

Instead of throwing all the ingredients in one giant vat that steams away so much nutritional content, Nom Nom gently cooks every meat and veggie individually. Then ingredients are mixed in batches to seal in vital nutrients and maximize digestibility. This difference in cooking is visible and can be felt by your dog! Ingredients and nutrition info are posted on their website, so you can see just what you’re feeding your best friend. Plus, every recipe is crafted by their Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists, guaranteeing your dog gets a well-balanced meal that meets all their nutritional needs. 

And with Nom Nom, every meal plan is based on your dog’s needs and the goals you hope to achieve through nutrition. Once you’ve created the best food plan for your pup, just sit back and wait for delivery. Nom Nom ships cold, fresh, pre-portioned meals anywhere in the lower 48 states on your schedule.

Deals and Offers: 50% off your first order and a two-week trial period 

AAFCO Statment: Balanced recipes exceed AAFCO standards for all life stages.

Located: Nashville, Tennessee, and the San Francisco Bay Area in C.A.

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

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 Fresh Dog Foods of the Year

Related: Best Dehydrated Dog Foods

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