What is the Healthiest Dog Food Brand?
The Healthiest Dog Food Brand will typically include meat or fish as its base, and not have cheap fillers or unecessary additives added to it which may negatively affect digestion & nutrtional value.
But do you know all about the sea of dog food brands (See our article here on best dry dog food) in the market and how many use unnatural ingredients in their formula? The worst disservice you can do to your loyal furry friend is to feed him toxic meals!
Finding a healthy food option for your pooch is something that many pet parents struggle with, especially when you consider how unregulated the pet food industry is.
That’s where we come in…to ensure that you don’t find yourself in the pitfall of gradually feeding your dog “poison” every day without even knowing.
If you want your pup’s coat to be shinier, his teeth stronger, and his weight in check, here are the healthiest dog food brands the market has to offer!
How Do You Choose a Healthy Dog Food?
Choosing a healthy dog food for your furry friend can prove to be a daunting task for many pet owners. There are is an endless list of options to select from, with both wet and dry dog food varieties available to you. Lately, there has been a paradigm shift in the way people shop for pet food from the supermarket and department store.
Among the current trends is that dog owners have embraced the notion that “grain-free” products are healthier for their dogs. Taking from their own experiences, some are reducing the carb content in their dog’s diet, forgetting that most pups require some carbs in their meals. These are uninformed assumptions that pet owners make but if you want the healthiest diet for your dog, ensure that it meets a certain bare minimum
The dog food should have a specific meat-type as the first ingredient
. These are usually indicated at the reverse side of the packaging and listed based on the volume and content inside the mixture. Considering that dogs are primarily carnivorous, the brand of dog meal you purchase should prioritize a high percentage of meat protein.
Cheap Fillers & Grains
It should not have any cheap fillers or grains. This is because even though your dog can eat small portions of carbohydrates, not all carbs are healthy for them.
For instance, grains and some varieties of commercial cellulose products contain starch in them that can lead to infections and bloating that is harmful to your dog.
The dog food brand you also buy from should be reliable enough and have a good reputation in the industry. You want to find a company that has not had any product recalls in the past, which points to possible failure to maintain the needed quality standards.
Artificial Additives & Preservatives
Finally, the pet food should not include any artificial additives, flavoring, coloring, or preservatives in their makeup. These types of foods generally offer low nutritional value and are common among the cheapest brands in the market.
Healthiest Dog Food Brand
Wellness Core Natural Grain Free
The Wellness Core Natural Grain-free is produced by the Wellness brand, a high-quality dog food maker that offers protein-focused dog meals. Your dog gets to enjoy healthy and delicious options like chicken, turkey, lean meat, and salmon.
One great thing about the Wellness team is the variety of formulae used in their dog food products, meaning you have the freedom to select a meal that your dog enjoys.
This also means that you won’t have to bore your pup with the same diet; you can switch between different healthy options to make his mealtimes interesting.
Some of the formulae used include wild game, reduced fat, large breed, puppy, small breed, and more to cater to any breed, age, or size of the dog that keeps you company at home. All mixtures from the Wellness brand are grain-free and don’t feature any by-products. This means they are 100% natural with ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, dog-friendly salmon oil, as well as real protein forces.
There are no meat by-products featured in the meals, and neither will you find soy, corn, wheat gluten, artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, etc. that can harm dogs with sensitive stomachs. Furthermore, the dog foods are added with probiotics, which are essential for your pup’s digestion.
These probiotics for canines will improve your pet’s overall health, in addition to benefiting from important nutrients such as calcium, chondroitin, and glucosamine to enhance joint and bone health.
Finally, you get fish and flax within the dog food blends, which are a rich source for omega fatty acids. This ensures that your dog coat remains fresh and shiny while his skin stays healthy. Overall, this is an excellent option if you’re wondering what is the healthiest dog food brand. It is just what you want to boost your prized poodle’s quality of life.
Orijen
This is a reputable dog food brand in the market that has garnered impressive reviews across several online forums thanks to the high quality in its products. Their food blends contain as much as 42% high-protein, as well as natural ingredients that offer unrivaled nutritional benefits to your precious pup!
Orijen Dog Food uses a variety of meat protein sources in their products. You can get as many as five different healthy meat types, with all utilizing boneless meat as the major ingredient.
The brand further includes non-traditional meat protein sources such as wild boar, which is suitable for any dogs with allergies.
But that’s not the only reason to settle for Orijen as your go-to dog food provider. The company offers natural animal sources with no artificial growth boosters or antibiotics to ensure that your dog’s health is not affected. All the food mixtures are also grain-free to protect breeds with stomach sensitivity issues.
Besides, you get extra essential ingredients such as probiotics, chelated minerals, and botanical additives to provide all manner of useful nutrients to your furry friend. Finally, all the ingredients used in the production of the dog meals are locally sourced, which should assure that you’re getting not only fresh but also the highest quality of meat and produce!
Acana
This brand comes from the same manufacturer that produces Orijen, so you can expect the same great quality that puts the latter among the best dog food brands in the market. The only thing is that Acana offers lower protein content and uses a grain ingredient. Nevertheless, this doesn’t automatically take away from the quality it offers, and neither does it undermine its integrity as an ideal food for your poodle!
Acana Dog Food uses named meat sources, potatoes, meat meals, and steel-cut oats to offer the carbohydrates required to keep your dog active. Even though there is a grain ingredient, this comes with high quality and is said to offer essential minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber. If you want a cheaper alternative to Orijen, Acana should be at the top of your considerations.
The company is also renowned for spearheading the concept of biologically appropriate dog meal diet, which focuses on more animal protein source with reduced carbohydrate content. There are several highlights of the Acana dog food brand that will make you want to try their products. For instance, the company uses a high-standard facility to process their dog mixtures, which means you get unparalleled hygiene and quality assured dog foods.
The main ingredient in the blends feature meat sources such as turkey, geese, chicken, ducks, rabbit, as well as flounder; all locally sourced from Canada. This tells you that the ingredients are fresh and ideal for dog food. They are also delivered straight from the farm into the facility to guarantee your canine companion high nutritional value with no added preservatives.
ZiwiPeak dog food
ZiwiPeak Dog Food is among the leading sources of wholesome meat foodstuffs you will find in the market today. Their offerings feature dehydrated dog foods, with ingredients mainly coming from named meat sources. With natural-air drying methods being employed to produce the food blends, there are no artificial preservatives featured in the manufacture of the dog food.
This means your dog gets to enjoy a chemical-free meal. Furthermore, the company is among the few to use mussels in offering chondroitin and glucosamine nutrients to enhance joint health. The canned food range is also produced BPA-free materials to ensure that your furry friend’s sensitivity issues are not triggered.
But there is still more on offer when you buy from the ZiwiPeak dog food brand. For instance, their products boast a high protein content and the first five ingredients always come from animal protein. These range from grass-fed cattle, as well as cattle with no artificial hormones or antibiotics used in the course of their existence.
Also, you won’t find any artificial ingredients in the dog meals and none of their products have been canceled; a testament to the high-quality standards the company adheres to.
Overall, ZiwiPeak only produces dehydrated dog food products, which means a small portion can offer a greater amount of nutrients per serving compared to wet dog food.
Eagle Pack dog food
The Eagle Pack brand is a great source of proteins and other nutrients for your pet. It is a healthy option for products that don’t include allergic ingredients in their process. What’s unique about their blends is that they are made with input from professional dog trainers and veterinarians, which should guarantee that your prized pup is getting the safest and healthiest dog food option available.
The dog meal formulae also come with probiotic ingredients in them to facilitate digestion for your pet friend. Unfortunately, the Eagle Pack brand is, to an extent, a specialty product as you won’t find it on your average grocery or department store shelf. But if you manage to get your hands on it, the effort will all be worthwhile when you consider the quality you get.
Top on the list of highlights is that the manufacturer uses high-quality meat protein sources like lamb, turkey, beef, and chicken to ensure that your hungry pooch enjoys a variety of tastes. Also, the products do not feature any artificial preservatives, flavorings, colorings, or animal by-products. This makes them ideal for a dog with sensitive stomachs.
You’ll also want to know that Eagle Pack has never had products being recalled from the supermarket shelves, which is a common thing with dog food products today. This is thanks to high standards of quality control that the manufacturer abides by. Lastly, the inclusion of high-value carbohydrate sources like barley, brown rice, and oatmeal for your dog’s energy needs.
Primal dog food
Primal Dog Food will be a great choice for moms and dads that are looking for a raw dog meal to feed their canine cohabitants. All the ingredients used to process the dog food are not only organic but also locally grown and sourced to make sure that customers get fresh and healthy meals to take to their caring quadrupeds.
The company further offers a diverse range of raw meal products, including raw mixes, formulae, and frozen grinds to offer your pup the healthiest diet yet. Additionally, these products are processed in human-grade facilities to assure you that your pet won’t have any issues after consumption. Other beneficial features include a rich range of dry dog food meals, as well as organic chew bones that your dog will enjoy.
You only find organic ingredients in the food blends with added fruits, herbs, and vegetables rich in antioxidants to conserve the food. Lastly, a balanced diet for your poodle is assured with the inclusion of healthy additional ingredients such as sunflower seeds, organic coconut oil, celery, kelp, collard greens, pumpkin seeds, cider vinegar, and much more.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering what is the healthiest dog food brand, the reviewed products above will make a great option for your dog. The majority do not contain any artificial additives in their makeup and maximize the ingredients to keep your furry companion healthy and happy.
FAQ
Should I Choose Raw or Dry Dog Food Diet?
It comes as no surprise that raw, natural protein sources are the centerpiece of the healthiest diets that your dog can eat. But given that many pet owners can’t afford the time to start and continue preparing a raw diet for their pups, they will end up relying on the packaged products available in the market. This may range from dry kibble to wet dog meals packed in individually portioned or bulky bags.
Because of cost and convenience, most pet owners will go for dry food. However, these are not always the healthiest option for your dog. Typically, they are cooked at high temperatures that can produce carcinogens, as well as contain ingredients such as protein meal and corn that may be hard for dogs to digest.
What is the Best Composition of a Healthy Raw Dog Food Diet?
Raw food proponents claim that their pets had more energy and developed healthier fur after being introduced to a raw diet. The bones in raw diets help to enhance your dog’s dental health and the meat is richer in nutrients, leading to smaller droppings. However, it can be hard to meet all your pet’s nutritional needs with an exclusively raw diet.
There are several conflicting opinions when it comes to the ideal makeup of a raw dog food diet. Nevertheless, some experts recommend 80% meat/ligaments/sinew and fat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and the rest 5% should contain other relevant products.
How Much Dry Dog Food is Healthy for My Pet?
A medium-sized dog breed will typically require between 1 and 2 cups of dry dog food in a day to maintain a healthy weight. However, you can choose to give your dog a single meal in a day or divide the meal into two portions offered twice a day. Meanwhile, older dogs only need to eat once in a day, whereas smaller dogs and puppies will thrive with two smaller meals.
