2017 Whole Dog Journal Approved Dry Dog Food List
Searching for a safe and also healthy dry pet food can be a obstacle! Pet food labels are perplexing as well as leave essential information out. So we did the research for you as well as compiled our listing of Best Dry Dog Foods For 2022.
PET DOG FOOD REVIEW CRITERIA
Each food in this checklist has been reviewed based on the component top quality as well as component safety by DogFoodReviews.com. It’s great to look at how much healthy protein as well as fat remains in a food, however at the end of the day, the food needs to be risk-free for your pet dog to consume (and many foods include ingredients that are fairly hazardous). Each food’s score is an standard of the ingredient top quality and the active ingredient security.
Here are some of the standards we try to find:
DOG FOOD INGREDIENT QUALITY
- Does the food have excessive carb?
- Are plant resources used to enhance protein content?
- Does it contain unrevealed animal healthy protein?
- Are there extreme vitamins and minerals added?
- Are complimentary amino acids included in balance poor quality proteins?
- Does it have refined or seed oils?
PET FOOD INGREDIENT SAFETY
- How much processing is involved in making the food?
- Does the food contain rice?
- Does the food have known genetically changed foods?
- Does the food include foods recognized to be high in chemicals?
- Does the food have natural taste?
Each food is fairly examined making use of these criteria. You can view the complete Evaluation Criteria utilized to examine the dog foods.
This is NOT a paid list as well as there are no associate web links. We’ve partnered with Dog Food Reviews to make sure canine proprietors have impartial, unbiased standards to help them pick the best dry pet dog food on the market.
Now that you recognize just how we assess the foods, allow’s locate the best completely dry pet dog food for 2022. The foods evaluated consist of air-dried, cold-pressed and baked foods, along with even more traditional kibbles.
# 1: THE NEW ZEALAND NATURAL PET FOOD CO.
WOOF AIR-DRIED best completely dry dog
food WILD VENISON RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Venison, Lamb, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Heart, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Ground Lamb Bone, Bok Choy, Carrot, Blueberries, Cranberries, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. offers 3 air-dried pet dog food recipes with an typical rating of 9/10. The Wild Venison and Beef rating 9.5/ 10, while the Chicken weighs in at 9/10. Each food loses an component safety factor for moderate handling, but this relates to all air-dried foods. Overall, baked as well as air-dried foods may be much less processed than kibble, which is thought about an ultra-processed food.
Much better Bones is normally air dried out bones from grass-fed Australian livestock. It’s the secure and also natural method to stabilize your canine’s raw or residence prepared meals.
The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. Air-Dried food line standards 47% protein as well as 11% carbohydrate, as determined.
When it comes to ingredient high quality, the resource of carb comes from foods like bok choy as well as carrots, which are reduced in starch and are not high-pesticide or GMO crops. The food likewise has a variety of meats and also organ meats, which supply naturally occurring vitamins and minerals . There are some added minerals, yet they are high top quality and there are fewer than 5 added, providing this food a ideal score for component high quality.
There are no lost factors for this, coconut oil is added to this food. It’s worth noting that coconut oil has actually been connected to enhanced digestive tract permeability and swelling in dogs in some studies.
The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. is a tiny firm that utilizes active ingredients that are in your area sourced from New Zealand. The business additionally provides freeze-dried foods as well as deals with .
At the time of creating, The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. has actually not been remembered.
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# 2: ZIWI PEAK ORIGINAL AIR-DRIED
ziwipeak dog food review CHICKEN RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart, New Zealand Green Mussel, Chicken Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Ziwi Peak supplies 6 air-dried dog food recipes in their Original line, with an typical rating of 9/10. Each food sheds an active ingredient security factor for moderate handling, but this puts on all air-dried foods. Overall, baked and air-dried foods might be much less refined than kibble, which is taken into consideration an ultra-processed food
. Ziwi Peak’s Provenance Air-Dried food line averages 33% protein and 4% carb, as computed. Foods which contain less than 15% carb will certainly not lose points for excessive carbohydrate material and this food definitely is low in carbohydrates. The Original line is relatively high in fat with an standard of 24%, as well as it’s a bit reduced in protein than some competing brand names.
When it comes to ingredient quality, the carb resource comes from high and low-starch high quality active ingredients like inulin from chicory and kelp. The food likewise consists of a variety of meats as well as organ meats, which offers naturally occurring minerals as well as vitamins . With that claimed, there are a handful of included vitamins and a number of included minerals, which costs the food an ingredient high quality point.
Ziwi Peak originated as a smaller brand name yet has been gotten by FountainVest Partners, a large exclusive equity company based in China. This is not straight relevant to product top quality, larger firms tend to have more of an responsibility to their capitalists as well as product high quality tends to decline in larger firms.
Ziwi Peak has actually not been recalled at the time of writing.
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# 3: ZIWI PEAK PROVENANCE AIR-DRIED.
best completely dry pet food.
CHICKEN RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Whole Kahawai, Duck, Chicken Heart, Turkey, Chicken Necks, Chicken Liver, Whole Eggs, New Zealand Green Mussel, Chicken Bone, Lecithin, Duck Bone, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Dried Apple Pomace, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Turkey Gizzard, Turkey Liver, Turkey Bone, Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Turkey heart, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Ziwi Peak provides 3 air-dried pet dog food recipes in their Provenance line, with an ordinary rating of 8/10. The Provenance line averages 38% healthy protein and also 1% carb, as determined.
When it pertains to component top quality, Provenance loses factors for a large number of included minerals as well as vitamins , which are substandard to food-based micronutrients and can indicate reduced quality active ingredients. Keeping that stated, the included minerals are are natural as well as high high quality.
When it concerns ingredient security, air-dried foods are reasonably processed, so there will be a tiny penalty there. Some recognized high-pesticide plant active ingredients like apples likewise make an appearance, but additionally down the ingredient panel so they’re much less of a issue.
In general, this is a high fat/low carb food with good quality components.
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# 4: ZEAL CANADA AIR-DRIED.
best completely dry pet food.
HEN RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Chicken tender, Chicken liver, Bamboo fiber, Dicalcium phosphate, Pumpkin Powder, Salt, Coconut oil, Yeast essence, Yucca Schidigera remove, Parsley, Calcium Carbonate, Green lipped mussel, Magnesium Sulphate, Rosemary essence, Choline, Zinc proteinate, Riboflavin, Selenium yeast, Manganese Proteinate, Copper proteinate, Potassium chloride, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Thiamine, Pantothenic acid, Niacin, Folic acid, Vitamin B12, Pyridoxine, Calcium iodate.
Zeal Canada provides 5 air-dried canine food dishes, with an average score of 7.8/ 10. Like all air-dried foods, each food loses an active ingredient safety point for modest handling. While baked and air-dried foods might be less refined than kibble, which is thought about an ultra-processed food, there is still refining and a likely succeeding loss of phytonutrients.
Zeal Canada’s Air-Dried food line averages 38% protein and 12% carb, as computed. Foods that include less than 15% carbohydrate will certainly not lose factors for too much carbohydrate web content.
When it involves active ingredient quality, the carbohydrate resource is reduced in starches like grains, beans and also potatoes , which is desirable. This food does contain bamboo fiber, which is likely a lower quality source of fiber. The foods likewise have lecithin from sunflower, which is a high-pesticide crop– but keeping that claimed, it totals up to a little percentage of the food. Some foods also have a range of body organ meats, which supplies naturally taking place minerals and also vitamins . With that said said, there are several included nutrients , which sets you back the food ingredient high quality points. The included minerals are high top quality and also organic.
Passion is a relative newcomer to the pet food market and also claims their foods are in your area sourced. The food is made in Canada.
Zeal has not been recalled at the time of writing.
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# 5: SUNDAYS FOR DOGS.
best completely dry pet food.
HEN RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Eggs, Millet, Oat, Pumpkin, Kale, Ground Bone, Fish Oil, Sea Salt, Flaxseed, Parsley, Turmeric, Chicory Root, Kelp, Mixed Tocopherols, Ginger, Blueberries, Carrots, Apples, Tomatoes, Shiitake Mushrooms, Broccoli, Oranges, Cranberries, Spinach, Beets, Tart Cherries, Strawberries.
Sundays provides 2 air-dried canine food recipes: hen and also beef. The food standards 17% fat, which makes it reduced in fat contrasted to various other air-dried foods.
The carb source for the Beef Recipe is quinoa when it comes to active ingredient high quality. This is not a high chemical plant, although it is high in starch and protein. The Chicken Recipe features two well-known high-pesticide foods in the top 5 components: millet as well as oats. Both of these crops are usually spray-dried with Roundup right before harvest, that makes the chemical web content of the food possibly extremely high. Substantial ingredient security factors will be shed for the top 5 ingredients in the Chicken Recipe.
Rounding out ingredient quality, the Beef Recipe has fish oil but the type and also varieties of fish is not called– as well as this will certainly cost a factor. Healthy protein resources should always be named and also not common, or else it can be thought the component is reduced high quality.
What we do like is that the food consists of no added minerals or vitamins , which suggests the active ingredients are or else premium quality.
Besides the high-pesticide foods in the Chicken Recipe, there are no added points shed, except for the moderate quantity of processing for air-dried foods.
Although there are no lost points for this, it should be kept in mind that Sundays contains glam ingredients. While it’s desirable to have included foods like blueberries, broccoli and mushrooms, these ingredients all appear after salt on the label, that makes it highly likely that they are only existing in trace quantities.
Sundays is a tiny, store brand name that’s owned and formulated by vet Tory Waxman. The food is made in a USDA kept track of kitchen in Ohio.
Sundays has actually not been remembered at the time of composing.
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# 6: CARNA4 BAKED AIR-DRIED.
best completely dry pet dog food.
Carna4 uses 6 foods in their Baked Air-Dried line. The line supplies an ordinary score of 7.3/ 10.
Carna4 averages 28% healthy protein as well as 35% carbohydrate, which is taken into consideration relatively high in carbohydrate material and costs the food some active ingredient top quality factors. The food standards 15% fat.
Sprouted grains are additionally a lot more digestible for dogs as well as probably a higher top quality component. Non-organic, high-pesticide apples additionally appear in some of the foods. Both of these foods are better down the component checklist and there are no genetically customized or high-pesticide foods in the leading 5 active ingredients.
Carna4 is one of a handful of dry foods that does not include any kind of included minerals or vitamins , which indicates better active ingredients and also less processing.
There are no added points lost, with the exception of the moderate amount of processing for air-dried foods.
Carna4 is an additional small, shop brand name and it’s the second Canadian business on our checklist. Carna4 is produced in an EU certified human bakery in Quebec.
Carna4 has not been remembered at the time of writing.
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# 7: NATURE’S LOGIC DISTINCTION GRAIN-FREE.
best completely dry dog food.
BEEF RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Beef, Beef Meal, Millet, Pork Fat ( maintained with Mixed Tocopherols), Menhaden Fish Meal, Spray Dried Pork Liver, Pumpkin Seeds, Yeast Culture, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract.
Nature’s Logic is the highest ranked kibble n our Top Dry Dog Food checklist. Their Distinction Grain-Free line supplies 3 foods with an ordinary score of 7.3/ 10.
Nature’s Logic Distinction Grain-Free averages 32% protein and also 29% carbohydrate, which is considered higher in carbohydrate web content and also sets you back the food an ingredient quality point. The food averages 15% fat.
When it involves active ingredient high quality, the carb source is pudding origin, which is not a high-pesticide crop. Nature’s Logic is special for a kibble in that it contains no added vitamins or minerals , which maintains its component quality rating quite high. Nevertheless, it needs to also be kept in mind that it is formulated using feeding tests as well as not formulated to fulfill AAFCO minimal demands.
When it involves active ingredient safety, this is a kibble and includes meals, making it an ultra-processed food. Extruded foods are heated 4 separate times throughout production, which will certainly cause major losses in some energetic enzymes, vitamins, amino acids as well as phytonutrients. Studies also show that ultra-processed foods are connected to a higher price of all-cause death in humans, so the food does shed some safety and security points below.
There are also some high-pesticide active ingredients in the food (kale and spinach), but they appear additionally down the label as well as are not in the top 5 ingredients.
Overall, this is our greatest ranking kibble and the just truly ultra-processed kibble that’s free of included minerals and vitamins .
Nature’s Logic began as a little firm win Lincoln, Nebraska and also was obtained in 2021 by Mid America Pet Food, which produces Victor, Wayne Feeds and also Eagle Mountain. MAPF manufactures their product in Mt. Pleasant, Texas as well as it’s presumed Nature’s Logic is currently made in that plant.
Nature’s Logic has not been recalled at the time of composing.
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# 8: NATURE’S LOGIC DISTINCTION.
best dry dog food.
BEEF RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Beef, Beef Meal, Millet, Pork Fat ( protected with Mixed Tocopherols), Menhaden Fish Meal, Spray Dried Pork Liver, Pumpkin Seeds, Yeast Culture, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract.
With 4 dry foods, Nature’s Logic’s Distinction line has an ordinary rating of 6.9. The foods in this line are similar to the Distinction Grain-Free line, with an average of 32% healthy protein, 30% carb as well as 13% fat.
The food is greater in carbohydrate than we wish to see, however still lower than several similar kibbles. Like all Nature’s Logic foods, this line sports entire food nourishment without included vitamins or minerals .
Like the Distinction Grain-Free Line, Distinction is a kibble and also is ultra-processed. It’s additionally worth noting that it consists of meal as its second ingredient, which is one more ultra-processed ingredient. For kibble shoppers that can not manage air-dried, Nature’s Logic is at the top of our checklist.
Apart from the processing, the food security rating is dramatically influenced by the addition of millet as the carb resource. Like many grains, millet is typically spray-dried with Roundup before harvest, making this a very high pesticide (herbicide) food. Organic millet would dramatically improve the score of this food.
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# 9: ORIJEN ORIGINAL DRY DOG FOOD.
best dry dog food.
REGIONAL RED INGREDIENTS: Beef, Wild Boar, Goat, Lamb, Lamb Liver, Beef Liver, Beef Tripe, Wild Boar Liver, Mutton, Whole Mackerel, Pork, Goat Meal, Beef Meal, Lamb Meal, Mackerel Meal, Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Beef Kidney, Pork Liver, Herring Meal, Mutton Meal, Whole Green Peas, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Navy Beans, Whole Chickpeas, Natural Pork Flavor, Beef Fat, Pollock Oil, Pork Kidney, Lentil Fiber, Pea Starch, Whole Yellow Peas, Lamb Tripe, Wild Boar Heart, Dried Kelp, Whole Pumpkin, Whole Butternut Squash, Collard Greens, Whole Apples, Whole Pears, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Dried Chicory Root, Turmeric, Sarsaparilla Root, Althea Root, Rosehips, Juniper Berries, Citric Acid (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product.
Orijen deals 9 completely dry foods in their original line. The line has an average score of 6.9 and also standards 38% healthy protein, 20% carb and also 17% fat.
This food scores fairly high since of its lower carb material when it comes to active ingredient high quality. There are a SMALL number of added minerals and vitamins , however the minerals are top quality and natural. The food also features a great range of healthy proteins and liver.
Like every kibble, Orijen is ultra-processed. Extruded kibbles are warmed 4 different times throughout manufacturing, which will trigger significant losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids as well as phytonutrients. Researches likewise reveal that ultra-processed foods are connected to a higher rate of all-cause mortality in humans, so the food does shed some safety and security factors here.
There are several high-pesticide active ingredients in the food, including lentils, apples, chickpeas and peas and also this lowers the ingredient security score. The food additionally includes all-natural taste, which is frequently animal absorb or MSG. All-natural taste is a low quality component with minimal safety researches.
Orijen has the very same ordinary score as Nature’s Logic Distinction, it’s bumped right into 9th location due to the natural taste. This is unfavorable considering that the food is reduced in carbohydrate and also greater in healthy protein. Both are sensible choices for a kibble.
Orijen is made by Canadian firm, Champion Petfoods. It’s made in-house in both Canada as well as the United States. It uses primarily ultra-processed kibble, however additionally has a canned and also freeze-dried line.
To date, Orijen pet dog food has not been recalled in Canada or the United States.
It deserves nothing that their parent business, Champion Petfoods had actually two lawsuits submitted versus it.
In 2020, Animal Equality questioned Champion’s case that the trout in the ACANA line was wild caught when it was determined by the AE company as farmed fish. The fit was fixed with Champion Petfoods changing their advertising and marketing insurance claims and also promising far better transparency in its fish sourcing.
Also in 2020, the Organic Consumers Association filed a claim against Champion Petfoods for deceptive advertising under both the ACANA and also Orijen trademark name. The organization declared that declarations such as “free-run” chicken were deceptive. This case has actually likewise been solved with Champion Petfoods making changes to their product packaging and also advertising and marketing.
It’s fine to look at exactly how much healthy protein and also fat is in a food, but at the end of the day, the food needs to be risk-free for your dog to eat ( and also numerous foods include ingredients that are rather hazardous). Like all air-dried foods, each food sheds an ingredient safety and security point for moderate processing. The foods additionally consist of lecithin from sunflower, which is a high-pesticide plant– yet with that claimed, it amounts to a small portion of the food. Researches also reveal that ultra-processed foods are connected to a higher rate of all-cause death in humans, so the food does shed some security points below.
Researches likewise reveal that ultra-processed foods are connected to a higher price of all-cause mortality in people, so the food does shed some security factors below.