The 9 Best Dog Foods

news7g06/21/2022

8 10 minutes read

iHeartDogs is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

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 kibble, fresh food, 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 nine 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

#1 – Jinx Premium Dog Food

First ingredients are always organic chicken and real salmon
Recipes include 20+ plant-based superfoods and active probiotics
Completely free of corn, wheat, and soy
Food recipes formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists
Subscription program available
Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Jinx makes our list of the best dog foods because their kibble is made from the cleanest ingredients. Their food formulas are designed for optimal nutrient absorption and include a high fiber content and patented probiotic for digestibility. And best of all, their number one ingredients are always organic chicken and real salmon.

Because of this clean approach to dog food, more than eighty percent of dog parents who feed their pups Jinx have noticed improved digestion. Jinx’s products include kibble, food toppers, treats, and dental chews, and every product listing on their website offers an ingredients list and recipe details, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Plus, every purchase helps feed a shelter dog. To date, Jinx has donated over 300k meals to shelter dogs.

Deals and Offers: Sign up for their subscription program to save 5% off every order and get free shipping on all orders over $35.

AAFCO Statment: Jinx kibble recipes are formulated not just to meet the minimum standards but to exceed AAFCO guidelines.

Located: Los Angeles, CA

Recalls: None

#2 – Tailored Pet Nutrition

Recipes tailored to your dog’s individual needs
Packed with real, quality proteins like chicken, salmon, bison, lamb, and other whole meats
Made with farm-grown veggies and fruits, as well as protein and 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 Statment: Tailored guarantees each recipe meets or exceeds the strict standards of the AAFCO.

Located: Meadville, PA

Recalls: None

#3 – Wysong

Unique holistic approach promotes health through proper nutrition
Food recipes are formulated to resemble the natural, carnivorous diet
Protein is sourced from trusted suppliers in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand
Eco-friendly practices promote a greener planet and healthier food
Four lines of kibble allow you to find the best food for your dog’s needs

More than thirty years ago, Wysong was started by a veterinarian with the specific purpose of preventing and reversing pet disease through proper pet feeding. Taking a holistic approach and the idea of the archetypal canine diet, they’ve created four dry food lines so you can find the best dog food for your best friend’s needs. The Original Diets, Optimize, Optimal Lines, and Pure Meats recipes are meat-based and fortified with a micronutrient spectrum. And their ingredients are raised or grown by trusted sources in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

Plus, Wysong practices advanced environmental principles such as recycling, energy efficiency, use of renewable resources, reduction of waste, and avoidance of toxins. This eco-friendly approach creates cleaner and healthier food for your dog.

Deals and Offers: 10% off Healthy Wysong Pet Foods with code 10OFFWYSONG.

AAFCO Statment: Wysong diets exceed the nutrient requirements set by AAFCO.

Located: Midland, MI

Recalls: In October 2009, Wysong issued a recall due to the presence of mold in some bags of Wysong dry extruded dog foods. The recall notice named five lots of Wysong Maintenance™, two lots of Wysong Senior™, and one lot of Wysong Synorgon™ as affected products. Wysong asked that customers contact them for product replacement or exchange at the store from which the food was purchased. Since that time, there have been no further recalls on Wysong dry dog foods.

Best Fresh Food for Dogs

#4 – HappyBond Power Food for Dogs

Recipes are made with human-grade, real ingredients
Foods are 70% protein paired with healthy veggies and grains
No preservatives, synthetic vitamins, artificial flavors, or additives
Sustainable and safe packaging in a reusable glass jar
360° transparency in the quality and source of ingredients, processing & packaging

HappyBond dog foods come in glass jars that let you see that this food looks so good, you could eat it! With no fillers, chemicals, additives, or artificial anything, recipes include seventy percent protein, with easy-to-see chunks of real turkey, chicken, beef, and sardines. The rest is just healthy veggies and grains. This fresh dog food is genuinely human-grade, so your pup might have to keep an eye on you to be sure you aren’t snacking on their dinner!

HappyBond is committed to 360° transparency, so you can always trust the quality of their ingredients, processing, and packaging. Check out their 100% meat treats, too.

Deals and Offers: Sign up with your email and get 15% off your first order.

AAFCO Statment: Recipes are balanced and complete when compared with AAFCO guidelines.

Located: Venice, CA

Recalls: None

#5 – 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 dog.

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 dog, 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 plus Free Shipping

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

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

Recalls: None

Best Raw Food for Dogs

#6 – Raw Paws Pet Food

Recipes contain only meat, bone, and 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 and 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 Statment: Raw Paws strives for AAFCO excellence with their blends of 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ.

Located: Indianapolis, IN

Recalls: None

#7 – RAW WILD Raw Dog Food

RAW WILD Raw Dog Food is 99.4% wild elk and deer
No growth hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, or fillers
Made without corn, grains, rice, or animal by-products
Family-owned company based in the U.S.A.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee

RAW WILD is sourced from nature, not a feedlot. Their raw dog food is made from 99.4% wild elk and deer straight from the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Because their protein sources are found in nature, RAW WILD is organic, all-natural, and never contains any growth hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, or animal byproducts. You also won’t find any grains or fillers either. Orders ship frozen via FREE FedEx Priority Overnight Service to arrive still frozen the next morning.

And if your dog has poop problems, check this out. Dogs that eat RAW WILD typically only expel a little handful of small, firm pellets twice a day. No more mushy piles!

Deals and Offers: One-time discount of 25% off. Free shipping on recurring orders to most states. #GOWILD

AAFCO Statment: Raw Wild Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for dogs for all life stages, including the growth of large-size dogs.

Located: Park City, UT

Recalls: None

#8 – TruDog

Food recipes contain 99% raw meat, vital organs, and meaty bone
100% USA raised and harvested beef that’s humanely processed
Sourced, harvested, and hand-packaged in the U.S.A.
Love Club loyalty program earns you points for every dollar spent
No refrigeration needed

TruDog uses only 100% USA-raised and harvested beef that’s freeze-dried for optimal nutrition and value. Recipes are 99% raw meat, vital organs, and meaty bone and never include grains, fillers, or any chemical additives found in many pet foods. TruDog also performs a nitrogen flush on their foods, which removes the oxygen to guarantee fresh raw food and treats that require no refrigeration. Plus, this process creates best-before dates of two years.

Creating a meal plan with TruDog earns you additional savings on every subscription order, and you’ll earn double TLC points in their Love Club, which can be redeemed on anything in their store!

Deals and Offers: Join TruDog’s Love Club and start earning rewards right away.

AAFCO Statment: TruDog’s products meet AAFCO guidelines and are certified as nutritionally complete meals for dogs, complying with the Alpha Prey Model diet and a Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods Diet for dogs.

Located: Milford, OH

Recalls: In February 2018, TruDog initiated a voluntary recall of a single lot of their 2.5-ounce packages of TruDog Treat Me Crunchy Beef Delight because testing on a retail sample from a single batch tested positive for salmonella contamination. No illnesses were reported. In April 2018, TruDog updated the recall to report the “withdrawal” of the affected lot from the market. This involved 400 cases in total. Since resolving the matter, there have been no further recalls on TruDog products.

#9 – We Feed Raw

Patties are made from only meat, organ, and bone
No fillers, grains, artificial ingredients, or colors
Complete & balanced raw meals are nutritionist formulated and vet approved
Sourced from USDA, human-grade meats
FREE cold-shipping nationwide

We Feed Raw is made up of meaty meat (muscle meat and associated connective tissue and fat), organ meat, and bone. There are no fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. Recipes also include a high-quality vitamin and mineral premix for an added boost of nutrition. And because they minimally process their foods, you can be sure their USDA-certified, human-grade meats are never cooked or heated, offering the highest digestibility. All proteins are sourced from small farms in the U.S. and New Zealand.

All recipes are formulated by a Ph.D. animal nutritionist, and vet approved. Creating an individualized meal plan will help you find the best dog food for your pup’s needs. We Feed Raw food is shipped frozen to your door, so all you have to do is thaw and serve.

Deals and Offers: We Feed Raw is the healthiest way to feed your pet, easily shipped to you! Save 20% off now on your first order!

AAFCO Statment: TruDog patties are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies (70lbs or more).

Located: Charleston, SC

Recalls: None

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!