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Best Dog Foods Reviewed for Taste & Quality
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Materials
When it comes to this kind of food, one of the most important aspects that we took into consideration was the ingredients and formula. Now, we wanted to pick out the healthiest options for puppy owners, so it would only make sense that as we reviewed each product, we looked for the right and healthy ingredients. Now, as we looked at each brand and canine food item, we looked for some of the following ingredients. If it contained even one of these, they were instantly removed from our list. Here are some of the most unhealthy ingredients to feed a puppy:
Corn
Wheat Gluten
Grain Meals
Meat Meals
BHA or BHT
Food Dyes
Rendered Fat
While they are not supposed to have a strictly human-based diet – you really want to make sure that each ingredient is something that you know. With that being said, if you look at each food product on our list, you can read their ingredient labels and recognize what your pet is eating. It’s all healthy! If you are ever curious or unsure about specific products, always consult with previous customers – they are a great source of information in their reviews.
Flavors
When evaluating different dog food products, it’s important to make sure that you do pick a type of food that is natural and smells nice for it. Now, we can all agree that, if you have ever fed your pet incredibly healthy food before that did not have a scent to it – they probably did not eat it. The truth is, as human beings, pets like a nice flavorful scent to their food. So, as we evaluated canine food product on our list today, we took the time to evaluate what type of flavor the food came in. Now, you might be wondering, how can you evaluate the flavor of the food unless you taste it, right? Well, what we did was take the time to look at what the company offered. From there, we looked at what previous customers were saying about the product and how their pets responded to the food. In this, we can say that each product on our list has received favorable reviews as far as flavor is concerned.
Safety Hazards
If you noticed in our last post, we did not talk at lengths about byproducts. A byproduct is a specific type of ingredient that canine food manufacturers will include in their formulas. When we evaluated each of our canine foods, we ensured that each company did not use any meal or grain byproducts. There has been a wealth of research over the course of the past 20 years confirming how unhealthy these items are. We wanted to let each consumer know that, when looking at canine foods, be sure that this ingredient is nowhere to be found in its profile.
The one last note that we wanted to discuss before moving onto the last section is something about allergies. More than ever before, more canine owners are beginning to notice that their pet may be allergic to specific types of foods. It’s critical that, at any point of the research face, you look to see what ingredients a company is using and whether it is allergic or not. At any point, if you do spot an ingredient, you should not be considering that item. What we can say about each product on our list is that we have not noticed a wealth of consumers or previous customers complaining about any allergies.
Value
When it comes to this type of food, the ingredient and formula take precedence over anything. You should never sacrifice the health of your pet. Now, we do understand that some food brands can charge a lot of money. With that being said, it’s important that when shopping for healthy puppy food products that you utilize the cost to value ratio. Now, the whole purpose of this ratio is to ensure that you are receiving your money’s worth for a purchase.
To do this, you need to first start looking at the price of a product and compare it to the rest of the competition. Keep track of how the price changes between each product. From there, look at the value and ingredients in each formula. Why is this product more expensive than another? Does this food contain a more nutrient-rich formula? Take the time to carefully look at the entire label. The rule of thumb with the cost to value ratio is that a consumer should never purchase a product when the cost of the product is higher than the value of it. If you are finding that in a canine food brand, move on! When it comes to this list, we can say that each product offers a great balance between cost and value, making each of these the best of the best.
Taste
Of course, it's important that your dog like the food, otherwise it's just a waste of money. No matter how healthy, meaty, or expensive the food may be, if your pet doesn't like the taste, then they won't eat it. So how do you know if Fido will like the taste of the food? You'll just have to try different flavors and see which one he takes to. We rated this criterion based on what reviewers said about how much their dog liked the food. Since every dog has their own taste, just like humans, so it would be wise to buy smaller portions at first so you're not left with a bunch of food your dog won't eat.
BEST DOG FOODS REVIEWED FOR TASTE & QUALITY
1. Taste of The Wild Grain Free
When it comes to an industry that has both a lot of products and a lot of skepticism, this natural dry pet food brand stays on top as one of the premier pet food brands out there. With their all-natural ingredients, we are eager to share with you, first on the list, Taste of the Wild Grain-Free High Protein Natural Dry pet Food, a dry food brand that your beloved German Shephard Shelby will love every time it is served. Let’s see why this brand is named one of the best.
Energy
The intention behind this pet food brand manufacturer is to lower the amount of unhealthy and fake ingredients that puppy foods include. These many ingredients not only hinder a puppy's healthy growth, but they also lower the energy of the animal. With that said, this brand is made with premium cuts of meat like wild boar, buffalo, smoked salmon, roasted bison, and other extremely healthy ingredients. With plenty of protein, this pet food manufacturer offers a jam-packed healthy punch in every bite.
Immune System Support
It goes without saying that puppies are very much like humans and require the same nutrients that humans get. However, there are numerous puppy foods that have low-grade nutrient content and in turn, affects the immune system of the puppy. Did you know that 70% of your pet’s immune system generates in the gut area? With this in mind, this premium pet food manufacturer produces healthy food that aids the digestive tract, allowing a dog's immune system to get better over time.
Cost and Value
When considering cost per value, many people will argue that this premium puppy food maker is ‘expensive’. However, can an individual really place a price on the health of their pet? We can say, without question that this is a premium puppy food brand offering plenty of value for all canines. Not only will your pet be highly satisfied and happy, but it will also reflect this new healthy state of being with more energy than ever before.
2. Wellness Core Natural Grain Free
Containing 80% more meat than store-bought dog food, this dog food manufacturer understands the importance of feeding our furry friends the best and healthiest ingredients. A healthy balanced dog food diet is the difference between a healthy and vibrant dog and a dog that feels tired all day. With that said, Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food is expertly crafted for dogs and the peace of mind of dog owners.
Carefully Balanced
The manufacturer of this dry dog food brand understands the importance of a healthy and balanced diet. A balanced diet for a dog is much like a human. This diet includes antioxidants, fatty acids that are healthy, probiotic, protein, vitamins, and minerals. This brand has mastered that blend with a variety of blends such as duck, turkey, and rabbit or chicken and beef. These ingredients are designed to prolong and enhance the livelihood of all dogs.
Reduce Fat Formula
Now, another important aspect of a dog’s diet is the number of healthy fats they are getting daily. If these healthy fats alongside nutrients and a lot of protein become excessive, your dog can begin getting chunky in no time. Therefore, the reduced fat formula is essential for a dog’s healthy and balanced daily diet. The reduced fat formula includes protein-rich and lower fat recipes that use real turkey and salmon oil to support and manage a dog’s healthy weight.
Cost and Value
Once again, the cost per value for a dry dog food such as this is heavily weighted on the number of nutrients, minerals, and how healthy the dog food is. Of course, the benefits are not just in the ingredients but the result of what consuming such healthy dog food does to a dogs body. Therefore, we can conclude that the cost per value for such an item is worth any dog lover’s consideration.
3. Diamond Naturals Senior
Just like humans, pets require a balanced and nutrient filled diet. However, commonly known puppy food brands have created a lot of skepticism in the food industry. Now, this is where Diamond has become known as a premiere and healthy pet food. The Diamond Naturals Senior Canine Food is not just a healthy choice for them, it is specially formulated for senior pets and their needs. With plenty of benefits, let’s see why it is known as one of the top premiere food manufactures.
Digestive Support
Much like humans, when they get older they need a specially formulated and balanced diet. With a blend of soluble and insoluble healthy fibers, this specially designed food recipe allows the pet to easily digest all nutrients and healthy vitamins. The digestive support recipe includes healthy digestive supporting ingredients such as chia seeds, dried kelp, coconut, and pumpkin. This alongside chicory root helps the pet’s digestive system for a healthier and happier pet.
Omega Fatty Acids
There are unhealthy fatty acids and there are healthy fatty acids in pet food, much like human food. With this in mind, this premium pet food brand includes extremely healthy and beneficial fatty acids such as flaxseed and fish. All of these healthy ingredients help your senior pet stay balanced, healthy, and enhances the dog’s coat and skin features. Because of benefits like this one, this dog food brand is highly touted and appreciated by numerous consumers.
Cost and Value
As the first one on this list, this dog food brand is considered more expensive than store-bought brands. However, the cost should only reflect the high amount of value that the pet will receive. A puppy cannot choose what they eat for breakfast or dinner, but a human can make the right choice of giving their puppy healthy food over the generic brands that cause health issues and digestive problems.
4. Merrick Grain Free
For more than 25 years, this premium food brand manufacturer has been providing happy dogs and pet owners all-natural pet recipes designed to enhance the livelihood and energy of the pet. Their belief is “recipes taste better than formulas.” With that said, we can stand in agreement with Merrick and their specialty Grain-Free Dry Dog Food designed for happy puppies by happy owners.
#1 Ingredient
If an individual were to go to their local supermarket or pet food store and read the first ingredient on food, almost every single food brand would show, “meat by-product” or some other form of by-product. It is known that the first ingredient is the most common. Therefore, this premier food brand stands firm in its idea that the #1 ingredient in food should be real deboned meat. Their specialty food is designed and cooked in their own USA kitchen with the finest ingredients.
Fresh Everything
Following the fact that this brand is from the United States, it is safe to say that all of their products are fresh and extremely healthy. Their award-winning recipes have leading levels of delicious and quality filled fruits and veggies alongside protein. These healthy ingredients include potatoes, blueberries, peas, and many other delicious fruits and veggies animals love.
Cost Per Value
As we have discussed in cost per value when it comes to food the belief that the healthier it is the more it cost rings true. The reason for this is that healthy food has plenty more benefits than conventional manufacture food items. The same is true for pet food. Therefore, if you happen to be a pet lover that wants the best for their pet, we highly encourage this specialty pet food brand that focuses on real ingredients and real value.
5. Blue Life Protection Formula
As one of the more well-known pet food brands out there, this manufacturer has stayed on top of the list of the healthiest puppy food brands out there. In fact, there Life Protection Formula is known as one of the best and most premium pet food brand out there. With plenty of benefits and jam-packed nutrients for your treasured family member, let’s talk about Blue, a quality pet food brand.
LifeSource Bits
Blue has been known to blend innovative technology with natural ingredients, always creating food that is healthy and packed with essential vitamins and minerals to enhance the livelihood of a puppy. With that said, LifeSource bits is considered a unique two-part food consisting of fine natural ingredients that enhance the vitamin scale of the food. The antioxidant-rich kibble this manufacture calls LifeSource Bits is included in many of their expert formulas.
Plenty of Flavors
When a pet food brand this notorious begins to pick up steam, they start supplying the demand for more food flavors. When the owners started using this dry food and realizing the positive effects it had on their pet, they started answering with even more flavors. Therefore, any individual can find their pet's favorite flavor among the many specialty flavors they have. These flavors include lamb and brown rice, chicken and brown rice, and even fish and oatmeal.
Cost and Value
When taking the cost per value into consideration, this brand of food has been known top tip-toe the fence between value and cost. However, the value always exceeds the cost by a large margin. With plenty of nutrient-rich and protein filled ingredients such as lamb and garden veggies, this dry food is considered one of the best to be on any pet's dinner platter.
6. Castor & Pollux Organix
We could not have concluded this list without including the crème de la crème of the pet food world. Castor & Pollux for a long time has reigned as the king of the organic canine food world. This title alone makes it a prestigious brand that only a few pet owners feed their dogs. Now, if you are considering this brand, it is vital to try the Organix Dry Pet Food lineup, a specially formulated dry food filled with all-natural essentials that every pet lover will enjoy.
Organic Chicken
Many brands use terms like “organic” and “all-natural” quite loosely. However, this brand of food stays true to the name by making organic free-range chicken the number one ingredient in virtually each of their products. With organic protein such as this one, a pet is receiving the healthy essentials that help promote vitality, healthy body functions and lively hood. With all of this in mind, the organic ingredients list includes peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, and many other ingredients.
Prestigious Brand
This brand of pet food is not particularly famous or a household name because they have managed to stay as an independent manufacturer providing quality food for owners that want the best for their puppy. With that said, this brand of food is heavily trusted and is known for its delicious flavors. Their prestigious brand title also extends towards a certified organic badge. Many veterinarians and doggy nutritionist will say that this brand is as best as it gets.
Cost and Value
As the last one on the list, we had to end this healthy list of the best food brands with a bang. However, the bang is not in the cost, it’s in the value. In fact, this particular brand of puppy food is known for value in every bite at a fraction of the cost. We can easily say that they will heavily enjoy the taste of this dry food and the owners will be highly amazed at the immediate energy and love their pet will show.
7. Hill’s Science Diet
We are eager to share with you another specialty dog food with plenty of healthy ingredients, jam-packed flavors and value. Now, as we have discussed before, certain pet foods are formulated for different types of pets. Senior ones require different ingredients than younger ones and the same is true for toy breeds and small puppies. Therefore, we want to add into the mix Hill’s Science Diet Small & Toy Breed Dry Food, specifically formulated for small puppies such as Papillons and Cavalier King Charles. With that said, we know your small furry friend will love this food.
Easy To Eat
Small doggies require everything to be, well, small! Therefore, the same is true for their food. Since small ones have smaller stomachs, frames, and mouth, it is vital that their food is fitted to their frame. Therefore, this all-natural food manufacturer focuses on providing kibble that is jam-packed with flavor and nutrients for any small food. All the small ones will highly enjoy the taste of this food brand.
Balanced Nutrition
Here is a fun and interesting fact about this particular puppy food manufacturer, they have over 220 veterinarians and scientists develop their premium products. A collection of this much knowledge has resulted in the perfect balanced nutrition recipe. All ingredients are high quality, include amino acids, and are all natural and formulated for the livelihood of each puppy.
Cost and Value
What makes this brand so unique is that all their ingredients are designed with small puppies in mind by specialists that have spent their whole life studying canines. Therefore, it is safe to say that each bite of this specially formulated toy and small breed dry food is jam-packed with nutrients and beneficial ingredients. With that said, another positive note about this food is that the cost is extremely low for such a healthy and balanced dry food brand.
8. Nutro Wholesome Essentials
Nutro is known for their trusted farmers and suppliers alongside making high-quality protein the #1 ingredient in all of their food. We are excited to share with you the Whole Essentials Dry Food from that gives a new meaning to “man’s best friend”.
Non-GMO
Many healthy food brands that market themselves as all organic tend to say there is no meat-by-product in their meals. However, the second ingredient tends to be “meat product.” Which is as equally dangerous as fake food. However, this brand stays true to their word of providing excellent and high protein food with non-GMO and fake products. With no artificial flavors, preservatives, soy or fake protein, corn, or color mixtures, this is known as one of the healthiest foods in the industry.
For All Dogs
This particular brand of healthy food has been around for years, with an extremely large selection of dog food sizes to choose from. For all type of pet owners and puppy lovers, this brand offers grain-free food, dry food for small and senior canines, limited ingredient food, and even dry food with grain for added texture. With such a wide variety, any pet lover can find the ideal food.
Cost and Value
With an all natural badge to match, one would expect that this particular dry food would be considered on the higher end. It is when it comes to value, but not cost. In fact, this food is considered one of the healthiest and most inexpensive foods available today. With a-grade ingredients, this food is expected to give your pet a boost of energy, vitality, and more. That is a price that owners are willing to pay!
9. Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain
As one of the biggest names in daytime television, Rachael Ray has extended her paws even to the canine food world. The Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Dry Food is known as one of the healthiest food options available in stores today. With a following that is extremely supportive, this food has been named one of the best and continues to surprise food lovers. Your puppy will be highly in love with this food, and here are two reasons why.
Real Ingredients
As we have come to know by now, Rachael Ray is an expert chef. Therefore, it makes sense that even when she is cooking for her pets she is cooking the healthiest meals with all real ingredients. These real and wholesome ingredients are fresh veggies, proteins like chicken and beef, and high-quality nutrient filled vitamins and minerals. This blend of all organic and real ingredients enhance the puppy food to the point that no pet can resist.
Zero Grain
Nothing is more disheartening than seeing rice or chicken by-product as the first ingredient in your puppy’s dry food. Therefore, it makes sense that this chef and media maven would go for quality, not quantity. This food is particularly marketed with a zero-grain badge to ensure dog lovers that there are no grains, glutens, or fillers in its food.
Cost and Value
As we have come to know from pet food brands that are all organic and extremely healthy is that their cost also ranges widely from typical pet food brands. Well, this dry food specifically formulated with no grains, and healthy ingredients is wonderful to give to your puppy. It is safe to say, that the value of this food enhances the life of all pets.
10. Purina One Smartblend True Instinct
Purina One is known as one of the most infamous manufactures of pet food all around stores and online. With this in mind, Purina One offers a large selection of pet food types and it is best to stick with their Smartblend True Instinct Formula, which offers more nutrient-packed recipes than alternative foods for the same cost.
SmertBlend
This particular food manufacturer has coined the smart blend formula by providing a healthy mixture of ingredients and nutrients. The healthier of the ingredients include chicken, beef, carrots, and peas for an all-around fulfilling experience your pet will enjoy. With that said, the blend of ingredients is designed for taste, energy, digestibility, and healthy skin and coat. More so, a dog owner might notice an added level of livelihood after a month of eating this formula.
No Fake Ingredients
This particular dry food brand from this manufactured is marketed as not having any poultry-by-product and meat meals or preservatives. With that said, it is always really important to check the ingredient profile on the back of all of the cans or the bag of puppy food.
Cost and Value
When considering cost per value, this pet food brand is considered the average price for many other dog food brands that are known to stores and online. However, this specialty formula costs a bit more considering the added ingredients and minerals and lack of unhealthy substances that many well-known dog food brands include.
Sources
- , Homes Alive, Pet Blog
- , I Heart Dogs, Pet Blog
- , My Sweet Puppy, Pet Blog
