Are you looking for the best and highest quality dry dog food? After months of research, feeding dozens of products, studying the ingredients, and consulting with professional nutritionists and veterinarians, we believe that these top products are best suited for you.
Below you’ll find detailed reviews and important information for choosing the right dry dog food for your needs.
Our Top Picks
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How we test 🐶
During testing, we paid close attention to the ingredients, composition, and labeling. Some key points included: meat content, feeding recommendations, ingredients, and composition.
We also placed great importance on the precise quantity of meat, vegetables, and fatty acids. Additionally, we looked into what could be safely omitted from the composition.
Our first focus was on the composition. We checked for a high meat and protein content. The proportions of vegetables and fruits were also scrutinized.
Furthermore, we examined the other ingredients: fatty acids, oils, herbs, and vegetables caught our attention. You can read our very detailed test criteria for dry food here.
Who is this test for?
The test is suitable for all dog owners who are looking for good dry food for their dog. The pet supply market offers an almost overwhelming assortment of dry food for dogs. Dry food types differ not only in terms of ingredients and composition but also in terms of dog breed and age. Young dogs have different dietary needs than an old dog considered a senior.
For optimal dog nutrition, a good mix of dry and wet food should be used. Ideally, both types of food should be from the same brand to achieve a perfect combination. Each dog has its own eating habits and needs. For this reason, dry food should always be selected according to your dog’s requirements.
In addition to ingredients and components, flavor and meat content are crucial. A dog needs a high meat content because meat is part of their natural diet. However, vegetables and herbs are also part of a balanced diet. So, good dry food should contain a good amount of meat, vegetables, and herbs. Avoiding meat meal, sugar, grains, or artificial additives is also important.
How we selected
There are dozens of dry food brands and varieties available for purchase in retail stores or online. No wonder you’re here today to learn about the best dry dog food for adult dogs in this test.
We first consulted with experts and veterinarians to determine the key points when choosing the best dry food. Then, we compared over 100 products in our online research. Products with very poor ingredients were removed from our list first.
Next, we examined the composition of the products, ensuring an adequate amount of proteins, fats, and vegetables in the food. Lastly, we prioritized transparent labeling.
We stand on the side of the consumer and want you, as the buyer, to feel confident about what your dog is eating at the end of the day. Beforehand, we read reviews on popular dog shops to incorporate other opinions as well.
At the end of our research, we identified 25 brands that we ordered and fed to dogs. We examined these products in a practical test.
Below, you’ll find answers to your questions regarding dry food for specific dog sizes and ages. You can also look forward to the remaining 20 varieties tested individually! Find your perfect dry food.
What to Look for in Good Dry Food?
First and foremost, good dry food should contain quality ingredients. Before purchasing dry food, you should familiarize yourself with the ingredients. Manufacturers often try to make all ingredients sound positive on the packaging.
Your dog not only needs high-quality proteins but also muscle meat and sources of protein. Additionally, trace elements, carbohydrates, and vitamins should be included. Typically, it doesn’t matter whether the ingredients are dry or fresh.
However, you should look for gentle processing, which preserves important nutrients. As a rule of thumb, ensure that dry food is free from flavor enhancers, colorings, preservatives, and artificial additives.
Advantages of Dry Food
Dry food has several significant advantages. Right after purchase, dry food is ready for consumption and can be portioned without much effort. With a wide range of flavors, every dog can find its favorite dry food.
In the realm of dry food, there is not only specialized food for puppies but also for seniors, allergy sufferers, or overweight dogs.
It consists of hard kibbles, ideal for chewing muscles and simultaneously cleaning teeth while chewing. This protects teeth from tartar and cavities. Additionally, the size and hardness of the kibbles prevent swallowing.
The food can be mixed with a little water to soften it, allowing even older dogs to eat it easily. Dry food is satiating and can generally be given as a complete diet.
Difference Between Wet and Dry Food
The most significant difference between wet and dry food is the water content. While dry food contains only 3% – 12% water, wet food has a water content of 60% – 84%. This also affects shelf life: dry food lasts much longer than wet food.
With the zip closure, which is present on almost every bag of dry food today, it can be quickly and hermetically sealed. Dry food remains edible for about three months after opening. In contrast, wet food must be refrigerated after opening and has a maximum shelf life of three days.
Furthermore, dry food is much more energy-rich. The area around the food bowl stays clean because the dog avoids slobbering. Dry food cleans teeth much better and removes plaque effectively. However, dry food alone is not sufficient for dental care.
Ingredients and Composition
A good dry food contains vegetables. Vegetables are necessary for their nutritional benefits, especially for gut health due to their soluble fiber content. Although not directly utilized by your dog, soluble fibers can be utilized by gut bacteria.
Insoluble fibers in vegetables are also beneficial for your dog, preventing constipation and promoting bowel movements. Vegetables also contribute to a high energy content, making various types of vegetables perfect energy sources. They also ensure optimal vitamin supply.
However, there are vegetables that should not be present in any dry food: these include garlic, onions, uncooked legumes, raw vegetables, and certain types of cabbage.
Meat should also be present in good dry food. However, not all meats are the same: there are two categories, fatty and lean meats. Beef falls into the fatty category, while chicken falls into the lean category. Additionally, fats and fatty acids are included.
Dry food with beef can be given to dogs with high energy needs.
Disadvantages of Dry Food
Some types of dry food can be stored for up to two years. However, it’s essential to examine them closely, as few products without additives remain edible for that long.
Additionally, some manufacturers process meat parts that are no longer consumable by humans. Bone meal, carcass meal, and meat meal may be present in poorly labeled products. These may include feathers, skin, entrails, or claws. Dry food often contains feed grains, but don’t worry, we’ve found many grain-free options. Although a small amount of grain is not necessarily bad.
Another drawback can be the kibble itself. While it’s quite hard and suitable for chewing behavior, it only partially cleans the teeth.
When chewing the kibble, the dog produces only limited saliva, causing the kibble to be swallowed quite hard and potentially causing discomfort in the stomach. Therefore, adequate water should always be available.
Tip: Ideally, you can moisten the dry food with water.
🍖 How important is the meat content?
Dry food with a high meat content is considered a species-appropriate diet for dogs. Since their ancestors primarily consumed meat, you should also prioritize a high meat content when purchasing dry food. Our dogs are, after all, carnivores.
To meet the daily requirements for vitamins and nutrients, dry food should contain a good amount of muscle meat.
Meat is rich in protein, which is beneficial for the digestive system. Therefore, it’s the most important ingredient for our dogs.
What differences are there in size & age of a dog?
Small dog breeds should only be given as much food as their bodies need. Excess energy intake can lead to obesity more quickly than in other breeds. Additionally, this depends on the breed. For example, a pug is much more susceptible to obesity than a naturally more active Jack Russell.
Packaging typically provides average values that serve as a basis for the correct amount of dry food. However, be aware that a small dog also has a smaller stomach. Therefore, initially follow the instructions. The more active your dog is, the more they can eat.
For medium-sized dogs, exercise is crucial. An active dog requires more food than one who spends the whole day indoors and moves infrequently. Therefore, the ingredients should be tailored to those of a large dog. We determined our overall winner based on the criteria for a medium-sized dog.
A large dog consumes relatively more food. They have different needs. Their musculoskeletal system is under much greater stress, so joint health and naturally vitamin-rich nutrition should be prioritized.
Seniors have different needs than a young dog. Dry food should focus on easy digestion and soft kibble.
A good mix of meat, vegetables, and vitamins ensures that the senior remains healthy and active even in old age. It’s important that the dog was not overfed beforehand.
Puppies need dry food with high energy values. Although a puppy sleeps a lot at the beginning, their body requires a lot of energy for growth during this time. Easily digestible food is especially advantageous during the puppy stage.
Grain-free, cold-pressed, hypoallergenic
Grain-free dry food completely avoids grains, which are usually unnecessary fillers used by budget brands. For us, dry food with simple wheat as an ingredient is an absolute negative criterion. There are better ingredients such as vegetables or potatoes for carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Cold-pressed dry food is manufactured using a special process. The dried and ground raw materials are pressed under high pressure, without using heat. Pressure generates heat of 176°F (80°C), shaping the ingredients into a certain form during pressing.
Hypoallergenic dry food contains no allergenic substances and is the absolute recommendation for very sensitive dogs. For allergic dogs, we recommend sensitive dry food. It is easily digestible and still contains high-quality ingredients. It’s important that all necessary nutrients are included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best dry dog food on the market?
In the list above, we’ve selected the currently best recommendations for you. This list is constantly updated. Here, you’ll find grain-free and/or cold-pressed varieties as well as hypoallergenic food, along with our tip for the best value for money.
Should I soak dry food?
Dry food doesn’t need to be soaked. However, some dogs like it, and it may be worth a try. Alternatively, there’s also semi-moist dry food. More on this in the lower report.
Is dry food or wet food better?
Compared to wet food, dry food has the advantage of storage and durability, which is very convenient for modern lifestyles. However, when it comes to quality and freshness, dry food doesn’t perform as well compared to wet food or even raw feeding. Here, you can find more on raw feeding and wet food for dogs.
What is Trofu food?
Have you heard the term Trofu? It’s just a short term for dry food. Dry food consists of dried foods, which, due to water removal and drying, are longer-lasting than regular wet food.
What is the best dry food for allergies?
For allergies, a short ingredient list is helpful, preferably with an exotic meat variety. Our recommendation above consists of rabbit meat and is very suitable for most allergic dogs. However, before that, you should check with your veterinarian to determine exactly which foods your dog is allergic to. In most cases, that’s the best option.
