The Best Dog Food of 2024

A blended recipe of chicken, lamb and salmon goes into this multi-protein dry dog food. One of our pet pro's dogs has been eating this food brand since puppyhood and still loves it.

Like other dry dog food, "the crunch texture can help promote dental health," says Dr. Caos. "The mechanical action of chewing kibble can help reduce tartar buildup and maintain healthier teeth and gums while the abrasive action of chewing can help scrape away plaque." Aside from maintaining those pearly whites, this kibble is complete with what the brand maintains are "superfoods" including grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables along with the protein (each cup has at least 22% crude protein). It's pricier than most traditional supermarket brands but a little less costly than other premium brands, and it has many reviewers singing its praises.

We're showing Nutro's dry food for large breeds, but the brand also offers Ultra versions for small dogs, weight management, puppies and senior dogs as well as wet food and a limited-ingredient option for dogs with sensitive stomachs. We like that you can find Nutro online including on Amazon, in pet stores including PetSmart and in mass retailers like Walmart.

There are more affordable classic dry dog foods on the shelves, but for premium ingredients at a reasonable price we like Blue Buffalo. Deboned chicken is the first ingredient, followed by chicken meal, brown rice, and a mix that includes barley, oatmeal and many fruits and vegetables. The brand includes vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help boost a dog's immunity. On Amazon it gets more than 30,000 five-star reviews, with many reviewers calling it their dog's favorite.

Blue Buffalo is available many places including online, in pet stores, at supermarkets and in mass-retail chains. This link is to the adult chicken formula; there's also Baby Blue puppy food.

Fresh dog food must be refrigerated or frozen when it arrives through the mail, and it's more expensive than traditional kibble. Unfortunately you can't get a grasp on the exact monthly cost until you give it a try, since it varies depending on your dog's size and needs.

The brand says that plans start at less than $4 a day for small dogs, and average $8 a day between all breeds. Try now to get a plan customized for your pup! Our experts love how easy it is to personalize this dog food for your pet. In fact we've named it our favorite dog food delivery service and best dog food subscription box. You start by filling out a survey about your dog with their breed, weight and age, plus information about their activity level and any food sensitivities.

Then instead of you having to hunt down a food that's right for your pup, Ollie will cook and mail appropriate homemade meals, in flavors like chicken, turkey, pork and lamb. Choose from three different plans: the full fresh plan, the mixed bowl of half fresh and half Ollie kibble, or just a half-order of the fresh plan if you already have a dry dog food you like.

One of our analysts used Ollie for her finicky pup and particularly liked how easy the web site and app are to use, noting that you can change the delivery date or location. "I also love the compact packaging that doesn’t take up too much space in the freezer," she adds. "Food-wise, my super-picky Shiba seemed to like Ollie's fresh food much more than she ever liked kibble."

This popular meal service for dogs was founded back in 2015 with the idea that dogs, especially ones with food sensitivities, could thrive with homemade meals made of easily recognizable ingredients. The Farmer's Dog is particularly good for pets with sensitivities or allergies. The extremely detailed sign-up quiz helps you zero in on everything you need to consider to find the best formula for your dog, from their body condition (skinny, just right, rounded or chunky) to their activity level, pickiness, current food, health issues (including allergies and sensitivities) and whether or not they require a prescription diet.

Once you've filled out all of that information, The Farmer's Dog will provide you with a recommended plan including up to three flavors of freshly prepared dog food that they then flash-freeze. (We named them the best frozen dog food delivery service.) Protein can include chicken, beef, turkey or pork. Interestingly, they'll also sell you just the raw ingredients and teach you recipes if you want to try to DIY your dog's food at home.

Either way, their subscription is likely to be more expensive than store-bought food, and less convenient since you'll have to be home to receive your delivery and get it into the fridge or freezer. The brand says that plans start at $2 a day. To illustrate how costs can range, the web site gives an example of a 11-pound Yorkshire terrier whose fresh food plan is $2.80 a day and a 75-pound Labrador retriever mix whose fresh food plan is $10.39 a day. Fans say it's worth it if their dog thrives on it.

Dr. Conrad highly recommends this brand since she finds it to be one of the "most nutritionally balanced" options on the market. Omega-6 fatty acids help keep a dog's skin and coat healthy and shiny, while EPA and DHA (found in the salmon and fish oil) help promote heart health. It also features natural prebiotic fiber to help improve digestive health by cultivating helpful intestinal bacteria, so it's good for a dog with a sensitive stomach.

When reading the ingredient list, you'll see this option mainly relies on fish proteins, with a variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamin-E and vitamin-A supplements as well as choline chloride to keep pup's liver healthy. It is also poultry-free, which can be a taste preference for some picky pups.

There are many other Pro Plan varieties for dogs of different sizes and with different issues. Just a few include a high-protein mix with beef, a weight management formula for large dogs and a puppy formula. Purina is a well-known mass-market brand available online, in pet stores, in grocery stores and in large retail chains. If you need to pay less, you can also check out the Purina One line.

Though most dogs don't need a grain-free diet, your vet might recommend one if your dog has shown sensitivities or allergies to grains.

"Every dog is unique, and their nutritional needs may vary," Dr. Caos explains. "While some dogs thrive on grain-free formulas, others may do well on diets containing grains." This beef-and-sweet potato recipe is packed with 32 percent protein and is formulated for all breeds. It also includes omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and shiny fur, and glucosamine and chondroitin that help keep joints and hips healthy. Deboned beef is the first ingredient, followed by lamb meal, salmon meal and then sweet potatoes.

There are relatively limited number of grain-free varieties in the Merrick line but they do sell grain-free dog food for puppies. Also popular: The Merrick grain-free wet dog foods, such as a canned steak dinner. The brand is widely available online, in pet-food stores and at some mass retailers.

There are a few reasons you might want to opt for wet dog food like this one by Wellness, according to Dr. Caos. For dogs with existing dental issues that may have trouble chewing hard food, and for dogs that don't seem to drink enough water throughout the day, the high moisture content makes this type of food easier to chow down on and helps keep dogs hydrated. Dr. Caos also notes that wet dog food can be more appealing to pets due to its "softer texture, stronger smell and richer flavors."

Canned food tends to be a bit more expensive than dry kibble, but it's a less expensive option than fresh. Cans are heavy and you'll need to store unused portions of an open can in the fridge. But unlike with fresh dog food, canned food is shelf-stable and can last a good long while unopened. The main protein source in this one is lamb and beef, but it also features a variety of added vitamins and supplements to help promote your pet's healthy immune system, digestion and strong bones.

Other flavors include turkey and even a venison and salmon mix, and you can buy Wellness dog food in many stores, including PetSmart and Walmart, and on many web sites, including Amazon and Chewy.

Hill's Science Diet is another one of the dog food brands that Dr. Conrad specifically recommends due to its "nutritionally balanced" formula that's great for many different types of dogs.

This version for small and mini breeds is especially popular with pet owners, with more than 22,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. It's got extra-small kibble made for tiny jaws and is formulated with omega-6 and vitamin E for a shiny coat and healthy skin. Chicken meal is the first ingredient and its main source of protein, but there's also rice, whole grain wheat, soybean, barley and corn in the mix.

This one is meant for adult dogs ages 1 to 6. If your small dog tends to get chunky there's also a weight management formula, one for small dogs with a sensitive stomach and there's a senior formula for small dogs ages 11 and older. There's a different adult formula for dogs who fall into the middle ages of 7 to 10 — the brand's age labeling is a bit confusing. Hill's Science Diet is sold primarily at pet stores, veterinarian offices and online.

Hyper-specific formulas are a hallmark of the Royal Canin brand, which offers dozens of blends so you can find the one that best matches your dog's size and age. This variety, for large adult dogs 56 to 100 pounds, is made of bigger kibble pieces for their strong jaws. It's a chicken formula (like almost all Royal Canin dog food) that's also packed with antioxidants, vitamins and omega fatty acids for your big dog's shiny coat, bone health and joint support.

What if your dog is extra large? There's also a formula for giant breeds who weigh over 100 pounds. Royal Canin also tailors meals for specific breeds like its Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever and Rottweiler formulas. The shape of the kibble changes for each one! Finally, if your future biggie is small right now small, the brand has large breed puppy food. This brand is pricey and though it's sold at pet stores, veterinarian offices and online, it's not usually in grocery stores or mass-retail chains.

Raw dog food seems to be all the rage, with marketing that seems to say the closer dog food is to a fresh kill, the more appropriate it is for your dog. The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) cautions against handling and serving actual raw protein to your pup, because it can give you or your pet a foodborne illness.

We think a freeze-dried raw dog food, like these Meal Mixers from Stella & Chewy's, is a smart way to go if you want to try the trend without the danger of preparing raw meat yourself. (Plus, it's shelf-stable!) They are single-sourced high-protein pieces, 40 percent crude protein, and the brand suggests you mix it with your dog's regular kibble. That way your pet gets the added taste and a blast of protein.

"My dog loves everything Stella & Chewy," reports one of our Lab leads. Because each bag is essentially about 95 percent meat, they are expensive. This 35-ounce pouch is about the same price as many 30-pound bags of dry dog food. So it really is just meant as a topper, as the brand says, to "kickstart your kibble." A slightly less-expensive alternative is the brand's dinner dust that you shake onto dry dog food like a seasoning. Stella & Chewy's is sold in pet stores and online.

One of our Lab pet parents loves using the Nom Nom web site to regularly receive meals for her large dog. But another prefers to only use the fresh food sometimes as a meal topper. If you're just fresh-food curious or only want to serve homemade dog food as a treat or topper, we like that you can pick up seven pouches of Nom Nom dog food through web sites including Chewy and at stores including PetSmart.

Nom Nom offers four ready-cooked flavors plus a variety pack. You receive them frozen and will want to put them in the fridge if you'll serve them soon or freezer if you're saving them for a special occasion. Each recipe includes protein, veggies and vitamins. What you're missing out on by just picking up these pouches is having the brand tailor a recipe for your dog's special needs. For that, you'd want to move to a subscription through nomnomnow.com.