dry dog foods

Top 10 Best Dry Dog Foods for Dog’s Health

It’s important to feed your dog a balanced diet. Dry dog foods are made from dried ingredients and provides all the necessary nutrients for a balanced meal. It is low in moisture content, which makes it ideal for your dog. It is a popular choice for owners looking to feed their pets a complete, balanced diet.

The dry dog food diet is very popular among pet owners because of its convenience, but it’s essential to know both the benefits and drawbacks to make the best decision for your pet. In an era with so many dog food brands that claim to be the best, it’s hard to decide which one is best.

This list of the top 10 best dry dog foods will help assist you in finding high-quality food that can offer all of the nutrients needed for your pup.

Best Dry Dog Foods - Top 10 Foods

Table of Contents

Why You Should Feed Your Dog Dry Foods?

Dry Dog Food Vs Wet Dog Food

Dogs need a higher fat and protein diet. Wet dog food often contains more carbohydrates than dry food and doesn’t contain all of the proteins that dogs need to thrive.

A recent study has shown that feeding your dog dry food can lead to a longer life expectancy. This is because dry food provides more nutrients than wet food and it also prevents dental problems because it does not stick to teeth as much as wet food does.

Dry dog food also has less water content so it can last longer than wet dog food which spoils quickly when exposed to air or moisture.

Benefits of Dry Dog Food

Dry dog food is a better option for your pet because it can:

  • Improve dental health and prevent tartar buildup.
  • Help avoid obesity, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.
  • Reduce the risk of diarrhea and vomiting.

The 10 Best Dry Dog Foods: A Complete Guide (PROS and CONS)

The Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Dry Dog Food for Your Pup

Taste of the Wild High Prairie

Taste of the Wild High Prairie

Taste of the Wild High Prairie is grain-free and made with buffalo as the first protein-rich ingredient. It also includes roasted venison and beef which are just two of the other ingredients. Your dog will get a lot of protein from this food. The healthier the diet, the less chance your dog has of developing allergies to any ingredient in this food. This food has a high amount of both protein and fat – 32% of the calories in dry dog food are from protein, and 18% are from fat.

PROS

  • High in protein and fat
  • It contains a variety of protein-rich ingredients
  • It also contains antioxidants
  • A probiotic blend is present
  • Omega fatty acids to enhance your pup’s coat
  • Free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, grain, and wheat

CONS

  • Includes pea protein which causes artificially raises the protein content

Purina ONE Smart Blend

Purina ONE Smart Blend

Dry dog food can be expensive and Purina ONE SmartBlend manages to pack all the quality for a low price. The ingredients in this food are chicken, and whole grains, which makes them nutritious. Omega-6 fatty acids are also included in this food and they can promote your pet’s health. Glucosamine has been included as well and it promotes healthier joints. This food is lower in protein and fat content, at 26% and 16% respectively.

PROS

  • Chicken is the first ingredient in this product
  • It contains Omega-6s fatty acids
  • Natural sources of glucosamine also present
  • It is an inexpensive product

CONS

  • It is low in protein and fat

Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Large Breed

Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Large Breed

With proper nutrition, large and giant breeds grow up to their full size. That’s why this puppy food aims to boost their growth rates and allow them to reach their full-size potential. This dog food contains farm-raised chicken as the first ingredient. It provides cheap, nutritious protein and is easy on your wallet. It includes 22 crucial nutrients that a puppy needs. These include omega-3, DHA, and more. All of these ingredients are vital to your pup’s healthy growth, so make sure they’re getting enough!

PROS

  • It is formulated for large breeds
  • It includes 22 key nutrients
  • It is an inexpensive dog food
  • Whole grains are present

CONS

  • It contains only 14% fat

American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

The first ingredient is salmon, which is deboned. There are also chicken and turkey in the mix and a variety of vegetable-based proteins. As a result, this dog food has 32% protein while being only 14% fat. It’s worth noting that the protein in vegetables isn’t as high-quality as animal protein. Blueberries, carrots, and dried kelp are all included in this dog food. They help with your pup’s immune system as well as their overall health by providing antioxidants and phytonutrients. Salmon and flaxseed oil are also included in this food to help maintain the health of your dog.

PROS

  • It contains 32% protein
  • It also contains antioxidants
  • Salmon oil and flaxseed are present
  • Salmon as the first ingredient

CONS

  • It is an expensive product
  • Low in fat dog food

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Rachael Ray Nutrish

It is made with farm-raised chicken as the first ingredient, free from by-product meal, fillers, wheat, artificial colors, or preservatives. It does have some grains but they are all whole grains. Grain is a rich source of nutrients, making it the perfect ingredient for dog food. Carrots and peas are also included. Peas might be of a lower quality due to a potential risk to dogs, but it’s not yet clear whether this is the case. Carrots are full of many important nutrients for dogs that might be lacking in their diet otherwise.

PROS

  • This dog food is free from fillers, artificial colors, and preservatives
  • Whole grain also included
  • Farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient

CONS

  • It is an expensive food
  • Low in protein contains only 26%

VICTOR Hi-Pro Plus

10K Runner

This dry dog food includes different sources of protein, such as beef, chicken, and pork. It is made for dogs with high physical needs. The 30% protein and 20% fat content in this food is perfect; it’s one of the best on the market too. With this product containing grain sorghum as the second ingredient, you would be wise to look elsewhere if you are grain-free and want to stick to a gluten-free diet.

PROS

  • A large variety of protein sources are present
  • 30% protein and 20% fat are present
  • It is a grain-free product

CONS

  • It is a very expensive product
  • Grain sorghum is present and it’s the second ingredient

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula

Compared to the other dog food brands out there, Blue Buffalo has a higher rate of serious recalls. It’s less safe than the others. Besides that this food has a lot of benefits like the deboned chicken and chicken meal which are the first two ingredients. Both of these are at least relatively high-quality. Brown rice is the 3rd ingredient on the list, so it makes up a small fraction of the food. It’s whole grain and is one of the better-quality grains. This food is a bit low in protein at 24% and only provides 14% fat. This makes it generally lower-quality than many of the other options on this list.

PROS

  • It contains deboned chicken as the first ingredient
  • It is free from corn, wheat, or soy

CONS

  • It is low in fat and protein
  • Recalls are common

Diamond Naturals All Life Stages

Diamond Naturals All Life Stages

Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food is suitable for all life stages. Adults & puppies will both benefit from its balanced nutrition and the variety of flavors that make it an attractive option for all ages. The only exception is large or giant breed puppies. It’s made with cage-free chicken, other protein sources like chicken meal, and grain products. There are several vitamins added such as fatty acids and antioxidants. They make it with no corn, wheat, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. The company follows strict safety procedures at its factories which significantly decreases the chances of recalls.

PROS

  • It contains chicken as the first ingredient
  • It is formulated for all life stages

CONS

  • It is high in grain
  • It is not suitable food for large breed puppies

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breeds is crafted for adult dogs in large sizes. Farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient, which is considered a high-quality ingredient. This food contains natural glucosamine and chondroitin, which can be great for your dog’s joints. The protein content of these dog foods is only around 21%, which is less than most of the other foods on this list. The fat content is only around 13%.

PROS

  • It includes farm-raised chicken
  • Glucosamine and chondroitin also present

CONS

  • It contains Low protein and fat
  • It contains low-quality ingredients
  • The high amount of grain is present

Hill’s Science Diet

Hill’s Science Diet

Hill’s Science Diet is a well-known brand and it’s often regarded as being high-quality. Although the first ingredient is real chicken, all of the other ingredients are low-quality. Cracked pearled barley, whole grain wheat, and whole-grain corn are very high on the list. The protein content is very low at 20% and the fat content is just 11.5%. Very few options on the market have a lower percentage for either of these, even for very affordable food.

PROS

  • It includes chicken as the first ingredient

CONS

  • It is an expensive food
  • Lots of grain are present
  • It contains low protein and fat

The Bottom Line

The importance of dry food for dogs can’t be ignored. Dry food provides the essential nutrients and hydration that your dog needs to be a happy, healthy pup. So, high-quality dry food is one of the best choices for dogs, but it’s not always an easy decision. I have discussed some of the best dry dog food brands and their pros and cons, which will help you, decide what brand would be best for your pet.

Nat Huang
Nat Huang

Founder of Keeswan.com. I love to write about striving forward and pursuing excellence, believing that hard work and pragmatism is the way to taste the manna of happiness and the fragrance of success in life.

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