Canine Caviar LID All Life Stages Dog Food
Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient Diet Free Spirit Holistic Entrée All Life Stages Dry Dog Food is perfect for dogs who require single-source proteins. This limited-ingredient diet uses only the essential ingredients without lowering nutritional quality.
This recipe is geared toward medium to large-breed puppies, crafting the additive necessary for optimal growth. It also supports mothers from conception through the nursing stage.
Rather than ground meat, this product has dehydrated chicken as the main protein source. In the bag, there is 27% crude protein, 17% crude fat, and 5.7% crude fiber. There are 599 calories per cup, which is quite a lot, so make sure you follow the exact of the suggested servings.
This recipe is free of gluten, GMOs, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and animal by-products. By reducing all of these potentially harmful additives, you get only the basic goodness your puppy or adult dog needs.Pros
Cons
Best wet dog food for adults
Some dogs really prefer the taste or texture of wet food, says veterinarian Jamie Richardson, chief of staff at Small Door Veterinary in New York City. Of course, pet parents want their dogs to enjoy their meals, so it makes sense that this is a popular choice.
Other pros of wet food are that it tends to have a longer shelf life before its opened, and according to Richardson, some wet foods may be less “processed” or contain fewer preservatives, which can make them easier to digest.
Luckily, the same nutritional standards apply to both dry and wet food. But comparing their labels isnt exactly apples to apples because wet food has much more water content. So in order to understand how a wet foods nutrition compares to a dry food, you need to look at the percentages of protein, fat, and fiber on a “dry matter basis.” Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University has some handy instructions on how to calculate that yourself. Another option: Call the brand that makes the food or ask your veterinarian for help. For the foods we recommend in this guide, we contacted the manufacturer to get all the info.
Heads up: Keep an eye out for wet dog food thats made from 100% meat. These wont provide complete, balanced meals for your dog. “Dogs have evolved from wolves to become obligate omnivores,” explains Dodds. They need to eat more than just meat in order to be healthy. That doesnt mean these foods are totally off-limits though. Consider them as supplements. You can even use small quantities of meat-only wet foods as delicious toppers to your dogs dry food.
After doing our research, we chose wet foods that meet the same AAFCO complete and balanced standards that apply to dry food. Its worth noting, though, that wet food often has more protein and fat and fewer carbohydrates. So before you swap dry food for wet food, its a good idea to talk to your vet so you can be on the lookout for any issues with digesting a lot of protein or fat.
Our picks for adult wet dog food:
This wet food has protein sources of chicken, chicken and turkey broth, and chicken liver. Brown rice, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin round out the list, plus flaxseed for omega fatty acids. It contains 48% protein, 28% fat, and 1.5% fiber and 320 kcal per 12.5-ounce carton, which is about 25.6 calories per ounce.
At the front of the ingredients list are lamb broth, lamb, beef, and beef liver as protein sources. Carbohydrates include brown rice, apples, carrots, and spinach. This food consists of 41% protein, 26% fat, and 1% fiber. A 12.5-ounce can contains 359 kcal, or about 29 calories per ounce.
This limited ingredient food has a single protein source (turkey) and two carbohydrates (brown rice and oatmeal). A limited-ingredient food may be good for dogs with allergies that need to avoid certain ingredients. It contains 36% protein, 27% fat, and 6% fiber. A 12.7-ounce can is 402 kcal, or about 32 calories per ounce.
“An increasing number of pet owners are asking us about fresh food for their pets,” Richardson says. That may be partly due to marketing, which has helped pet owners learn about the benefits of feeding your dog a fresh diet. Usually, these foods are minimally processed, made with wholesome, gently cooked ingredients, and often, theyre preservative-free.
Of course, because these foods are a bit fancier, they tend to be on the pricier side. Lots of fresh pet food brands are subscription-based, meaning they deliver fresh, individually customized meals right to your doorstep. So while you might end up spending more on this type of dog food, its also super convenient.
If youre wondering how to choose a fresh dog food, the standards are much the same as for dry and wet food, Richardson says. It should have an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy and be appropriate for your dogs size, life stage, breed, and activity level.
You should aim to buy fresh dog food from a reputable manufacturer that ensures good quality control. Its also key to look for the same types of ingredients you would in other types of dog food: meat sources of protein, whole grains, fruits, and marine sources of fats — with bonus points for healthy extras like omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Weve tested all of our fresh food picks and can vouch for their quality.
Our picks for fresh dog food:
Just Food For Dogs makes a variety of fresh, shelf-stable, and custom meals. Its fresh-frozen turkey and whole wheat macaroni contains ground turkey, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cranberries, and cod liver oil for omega fatty acids. It consists of 35% protein, 13% fat, and 3% fiber (dry matter basis). The brand conducts feeding trials and uses human-grade ingredients and no preservatives. Save 35% on your first purchase and 5% on recurring autoship orders.
The Farmer’s Dog turkey recipe includes chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, parsnips, and spinach and omega fatty acids for fish oil and is made from human-grade ingredients without preservatives. It contains 38.2% protein, 26.2% fat, and 2.1% fiber (dry matter basis). This food is grain-free. The FDA continues to investigate a potential link between dogs fed grain-free diets and the development of dilated cardiomyopathy, so talk to your veterinarian before feeding your dog this food.
Ollie’s chicken recipe includes chia seeds, carrots, peas, spinach, and blueberries, plus omega fatty acids from fish oil and cod liver oil. It’s also free of preservatives. It contains 37% protein, 11% fat, and 7% fiber (dry matter basis). Save 50% on your first box.
Theres definitely a relationship between price and quality when it comes to dog food. So its not a great idea to buy the absolute cheapest dog food you can find. Thats because ultra-cheap dog foods tend to be filled with lower-quality ingredients to bulk them up and keep their prices down.
“But its important to remember that there are many more affordable dog foods that are perfectly good options,” Richardson notes. Translation: You definitely dont need to break the bank to feed your dog a healthy diet.
There are plenty of high-quality dog foods available at lower prices. As long as a food meets AAFCO complete and balanced standards like the options listed below and makes sense for your dogs life stage, youre good to go.
Our picks for budget dog food:
Chicken meal and turkey meal are the main ingredients in this dry dog food. It also includes brown rice, oatmeal, barley, peas, and apples. Salmon oil is added for omega fatty acids. With 26% protein, 14% fat, and 3.5% fiber, we recommend this food for moderately active, normal-weight dogs. One cup contains 376 kcal.
The main protein sources in this recipe are deboned chicken and chicken meal. Standout carbohydrates include brown rice, barley, oatmeal, peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, and cranberries. Healthy extras include omega fatty acids (flaxseed) and glucosamine. We recommend it for moderately active, normal-weight dogs, with 24% protein, 14% fat, and 5% fiber. One cup is 378 kcal.
Chicken and chicken meal lead the list of ingredients and other ingredients include pearled barley, peas, oat groats, brown rice, carrots, and flax seed. It also contains fish oil for omega fatty acids. Its nutrition breakdown of 23% protein, 13% fat, and 5% fiber is ideal for normal, active-weight dogs. One cup contains 370 kcal.
Theres a lot of buzz about grain-free diets, but its important to know that theyre not necessarily better for your dog. If your dog happens to be allergic to or intolerant of certain grains, then a grain-free food might be helpful.
These foods arent carbohydrate-free despite common miconceptions. Instead, the carbs in grain-free dog foods come from non-grain sources like white potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and tapioca.
Also, its key to talk to your veterinarian before switching your dog to a grain-free diet. The FDA continues to investigate a potential link between dogs fed grain-free diets and the development of a heart condition called non-hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy, which can be fatal in a matter of months, according to Richardson. Because of this, some vets are strongly opposed to grain-free diets in general. They believe the risks of feeding a grain-free diet simply outweigh any potential reward. In a study published in the journal “Scientific Reports” in August 2021, researchers at Tufts University found that peas are a common ingredient in the DCM-associated foods they examined, but research is ongoing and conclusions can not be drawn at this time.
The grain-free recommendations below are made from whole meats and healthy bonus ingredients like omega fatty acids and glucosamine. Like all the other picks in this guide, theyre also AAFCO complete and balanced. Even better, Orijen Fit and Trim and Purina One True Instinct have been tested in feeding trials to ensure theyre easy to digest, palatable, and a good nutritional choice in the long term.
Our picks for grain-free dog food:
This grain-free dog food contains protein sources from free-run chicken, wild-caught flounder, free-run turkey, wild-caught Atlantic herring, and cage-free eggs. It also includes pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, kelp, kale, spinach, carrots, apples, and pears, plus omega fatty acids and probiotics. This food has undergone feeding trials and is a good choice for active, normal-weight dogs. It consists of 42% protein, 13% fat, and 8% fiber and 402 kcal per cup.
Cage-free chicken and chicken meal are in this grain-free recipe along with peas, carrots, apples, and cranberries. Probiotics and omega fatty acids from herring meal and menhaden fish meal are added. With 37% protein, 20% fat, and 3% fiber and 518 kcal per cup, we recommend it for highly active, normal-weight or underweight dogs.
This grain-free food contains beef, chicken meal, and sweet potatoes, plus healthy extras like omega fatty acids and glucosamine. It has undergone feeding trials and consists of 30% protein, 17% fat, and 4% fiber. With 386 kcal per cup, we recommend it for moderately active, normal-weight dogs.
Best dry dog food for puppies
If youre wondering whether your puppy really needs a special food just for younger dogs, the answer is yes! Puppies need more calories, more fat, and a different vitamin and mineral balance to support healthy growth, Shepherd explains. Typically, puppy food is made for dogs under 1 year of age.
Though there arent any official AAFCO nutrient standards specifically for small and large breeds, some puppy foods are made specially for dogs of different sizes. “Balancing the nutrient needs of dogs given their wide size variety and ages is wise and common sense,” says Dodds. For instance, large breed puppies need a special ratio of calcium to phosphorus for their growing big bones, and they can benefit from supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin to help keep their joints healthy, according to Shepherd. On the flip side, puppy foods for smaller breeds often have smaller kibble pieces for smaller mouths. They may also be a bit higher in calories, since smaller breeds can have higher metabolisms.
If you want to make sure a food is appropriate for puppies, check the label for an AAFCO complete and balanced statement that says its intended for growth for all life stages. Some foods might also specifically state that theyre for younger dogs. Keep an eye out for any food that says “maintenance” on the package. These are meant specifically for adult dogs, so they wont be right for a puppy.
Below, youll find three different puppy foods, one for small breeds, one for large breeds, and one for any size breed. Feeding trials have been done on both Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Puppy and Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free Food.
Our picks for puppy food:
Turkey, chicken meal, and salmon meal are the main proteins in this food that has undergone feeding trials. The list of carbohydrates includes oatmeal, barley, brown rice, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples. It also contains probiotics and omega fatty acids from salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, and salmon oil. The nutritional breakdown is 28% protein, 19% fat, and 4.25% fiber and 489 kcal per cup.
Orijen’s grain-free food for large puppies counts free-run chicken and turkey, whole wild-caught fish and cage-free eggs among its protein sources. Standout carbohydrates include pumpkin, butternut squash, kelp, kale, spinach, carrots, apples, and pears. Omega fatty acids and probiotics are added as healthy extras. This food has undergone feeding trials and contains 38% protein, 16% fat, and 6% fiber and 446 kcal per cup. The FDA continues to investigate a potential link between dogs fed grain-free diets and the development of dilated cardiomyopathy, so talk to your veterinarian before feeding your dog this food.
Chicken and chicken meal are the main protein sources in this recipe. Carbohydrates include brown rice, barley, oatmeal, apples, and carrots and there are healthy extras including omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin. It consists of 28% protein, 16% fat, and 3.5% fiber and 406 kcal per cup.
Dry food isnt the only option for puppies. Wet food is another tasty option and offers several advantages for puppies. “Wet food can help puppies transition from a liquid diet (the dams milk) to solid food,” says Shepherd. She adds that this transition, which should begin before a puppy is fully weaned, helps puppies accept solid food and learn how to drink water.
Wet food is also easy for puppies to eat. Without sturdy adult teeth, young puppies can struggle to munch on dry kibble, making wet foods soft and moist texture ideal. In addition, wet food is packed with flavor, providing tasty enticement for a picky or hesitant eater. However, Shepherd recommends consulting your veterinarian if your puppys appetite is poor as there may be an underlying condition.
When reading a label for wet puppy food, look for the AAFCO statement that says the food provides complete and balanced nutrition for growth or all life stages. Also, remember that wet food tends to cost more than kibble and needs to be refrigerated and used within a few days to prevent spoiling.
Wet food certainly has its benefits for puppies, but its not a necessity. “The decision to feed dry versus wet food is very individual, depending on the individual puppys needs and owners desires and resources,” says Shepherd.
The wet foods for puppies we selected all meet the AAFCO standards for growth or all life stages. They also include plenty of vitamins and minerals and other healthy ingredients to support brain development and immune health in puppies.
Our picks for wet puppy food:
Chicken and salmon are the main protein sources in this food. The salmon provides omega fatty acids for proper brain development. Other healthy ingredients include ground flaxseed, sweet potatoes, apples, and bananas. The nutritional breakdown is 39% protein, 27% fat, 2% fiber, and 434 kcal per 12.5 oz. can, or about 35 calories per ounce.
Chicken is the main protein source for this food. Healthy carbohydrate sources include peas, sweet potatoes, and brown rice. This food also contains plenty of other wholesome ingredients, including oatmeal, blueberries, and flaxseed. This food’s nutritional breakdown consists of 39% protein, 30% fat, and 3% fiber, with 422 kcal per 12.5 oz can, or about 34 calories per ounce.
This puppy food has chicken and pork as the main protein sources. Brewers rice flour and beet pulp provide carbohydrates. Other healthy ingredients include antioxidants and vitamin E to support immune health. It also contains pork and chicken byproducts, which may sound unappealing, but these are what is left over after initial food processing and are safe and nutritious. The nutrient profile for this food is 35% protein, 8.94% fat, and 21.36% fiber, with 417 kcal per 12.5 oz. can, or about 31 calories per ounce.