10 Best Dog Food Brands
January 18, 2009
Filed under Dog Food Tips, featured
After reviewing thousands of dog foods, we’ve come to realize that dog owners should add to the age old question of “What is the best dog food brand?” to ultimately ask “What is the best dog food brand for my dog?”
Dogs are starting to live longer and longer. Why? It’s due to the fact that pet owners are becoming more educated on what they feed their pets. In this post we are going to look at what we believe are the ten best dog food brands you can buy. We would like to mention that these are our recommendations and views and by no means the standard for all dogs, we would encourage you to browse our site and read through our various dog food reviews before making a decision.
Depending on your dog’s needs, age, lifestyle, allergies and other factors, the best food for your dog may be very different that the best brand for other dogs. At Dog Food Chat we strive to provide you with our recommendation, ratings and advice on finding right food to meet your dog’s needs. For please visit these pages to see a complete list of all our dog food reviews and dog food ratings .
The lists below are the brands that we feel consistently produce dog foods that contain the highest quality ingredients, in appropriate proportions. These dog food brands are also the ones that avoid preservatives and contain lower amounts of “filler ingredients”. The following list of the top 10 dog food brands and the “next best bunch of brands” are the dog foods that we have the most confidence in recommending and the foods that we most strongly consider when feeding our own dogs.
While doing research on the best brands of dog food, it is also important to remember to research and test what specific formula fits your dog the best. Each brand produces a wide variety of formulas based on age (puppy, adult and senior), dietary restrictions (grain free, low protein, weight loss, check out our hypoallergenic dog foods article) and preferences (type of meat, dry dog food or wet dog food). If your dog has special needs, it is even more important to factor in their restrictions and requirements when choosing the “best dog food for your dog”.
Lastly, we’d like to proactively address the comment we’ve received from many of our fans – “My dog has been on brand X for x number of years now and has been healthy and loves it, brand X isn’t on your list but I think it’s the best dog food out there!” We want to make clear that we are not trying to persuade anyone to switch out of a brand that works great for their dog if it’s not listed here. Every dog is different and will respond differently to each brand, there really is no one, two or 10 best universal brands and formulas. If you already have a brand that works wonders, that’s great news!
Without further ado, please see below for Dog Food Chat’s editor’s list of top ten best dog food brands. We encourage your comments, questions and feedback and hope that this site and our reviews are helpful to you and your dogs!
10 Best Dog Food Brands
- Orijen Dog Food
- Horizon Legacy Dog Food
- Acana Dog Food
- Artemis Dog Food
- Merrick Dog Food
- Taste of the Wild Dog Food
- Wellness Core Dog Food
- Instinct Dog Food
- GO Dog Food
- Fromm Dog Food
The Next Bunch of Best Dog Food Brands
- Timberwolf Dog Food
- Evangers Dog Food
- NOW Dog Food
- Precise Holistic Dog Food
- Nature’s Logic Dog Food
- ORGANIX Dog Food – Castor and Pollux Dog Food
- Solid Gold Dog Food
- Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dog Food
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Dog Food
- Kirkland Dog Food (honorable mention due to good value)
Thanks for the list, Jess. I’m sure it will be quite helpful to many. I live in Ohio, and Nature’s Domain is actually cheaper than you listed here–$27 for 35 lbs. of the Turkey and $30 for 35 lbs. of the Fish. You can get 40 lbs. of Kirkland from Costco for $20 to $25, depending on which kind you get. I think Diamond Naturals is pretty decent too, and it’s $30 or less for 40 lbs. If people have access to a Costco, the Kirkland is a wonderful bargain–and my dogs seem to love it and do well on it. Even their canned food is a bargain–24 cans for $16.99.
where does all the nutro food products go in this list?
I am really bummed !! My beloved breed is still No.2 ;(
http://www.today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41249142/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals?GT1=43001
Yea!!!! Labs are #1!!!! LOL.Don’t be sad Tony,ALL DOGS ARE AWESOME.Don’t tell Cooper,Springers didn’t make the top 10.SHHHHH.
Every time Tony see’s a lab he starts growling, I can’t figure out whats wrong.
Jess, I know why Tony growls at Labs.He’s Jealous!!! LOL.Cooper loves Beagles.Every time he sees a Beagle,he gets so excited,and wants to play.
The best food a dog could get is not bought in a bag at the store. It is table scraps. Most dog food has corn and other ingredients witch most likely will cause allergies in your dog’s life. I had a toy poodle who lived 23 years by eating table scraps. I also had a toy poodle before that who ate dog food and lived 11 years. Take this advice and give your dog a delicious, nutrient-filled and not costly, dog dinner.
I know that you get what you pay for….but why does the price climb dramatically as you climb the list?
Wellness Core Original dry kibble has changed formula and though they claim no difference my two Chows don’t like it anymore and one of them eats everything. I noticed a difference in smell too. It used to smell so good I’d say I’d eat it myself. Now it stinks like the cheap brands.
I have been looking at some of these brands. Not all of them have food for small breeds. Are the regular adult small enough for a miniature daushund (spell?) and a yorkie mix to eat?