Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food
Searching for a safe as well as healthy and balanced dry pet dog food can be a challenge! Pet food tags are confusing and also leave important details out. We did the legwork for you and compiled our checklist of Best Dry Dog Foods For 2022.
PET FOOD REVIEW CRITERIA
Each food in this checklist has been examined based upon the ingredient high quality and also active ingredient security by DogFoodReviews.com. It’s great to look at just how much protein and fat remains in a food, yet at the end of the day, the food requires to be secure for your canine to consume (and numerous foods have components that are rather harmful). So each food’s score is approximately the component high quality as well as the ingredient security.
Below are some of the requirements we search for:
PET DOG FOOD INGREDIENT QUALITY
- Does the food contain too much carb?
- Are plant sources utilized to increase protein material?
- Does it have unnamed animal healthy protein?
- Are there too much nutrients added?
- Are totally free amino acids added to stabilize poor quality proteins?
- Does it consist of refined or seed oils?
CANINE FOOD INGREDIENT SAFETY
- Just how much handling is associated with making the food?
- Does the food consist of rice?
- Does the food consist of recognized genetically changed foods?
- Does the food consist of foods recognized to be high in chemicals?
- Does the food consist of natural taste?
Each food is objectively evaluated using these requirements. You can view the full Evaluation Criteria utilized to evaluate the canine foods.
This is NOT a paid checklist and also there are no affiliate links. We’ve partnered with Dog Food Reviews to make sure pet dog proprietors have unbiased, objective standards to help them choose the best completely dry pet dog food on the market.
Now that you know just how we examine the foods, allow’s locate the most effective completely dry pet food for 2022. The foods evaluated consist of air-dried, cold-pressed and baked foods, in addition to even more traditional kibbles.
# 1: THE NEW ZEALAND NATURAL PET FOOD CO.
BARK 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 dog food recipes with an ordinary rating of 9/10. The Wild Venison as well as Beef rating 9.5/ 10, while the Chicken weighs in at 9/10. Each food loses an active ingredient security factor for moderate handling, yet this relates to all air-dried foods. On the whole, air-dried and baked foods might be much less refined than kibble, which is taken into consideration an ultra-processed food.
Better Bones is naturally air dried bones from grass-fed Australian cattle. It’s the safe as well as natural method to stabilize your canine’s raw or house cooked meals.
The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. Air-Dried food line averages 47% protein as well as 11% carb, as determined.
When it concerns component top quality, the resource of carbohydrate originates from foods like bok choy as well as carrots, which are reduced in starch and are not high-pesticide or GMO crops. This is definitely more suitable to the beans and grains usually discovered in completely dry foods. The food additionally includes a range of meats and organ meats, which give normally occurring minerals and also vitamins . There are some included minerals, yet they are top quality as well as there are fewer than 5 included, giving this food a perfect score for active ingredient high quality. The exemption is the Chicken Recipe, which includes 5 included vitamins. This provides it a score of 9/10.
There are no shed factors for this, coconut oil is included to this food. It’s worth noting that coconut oil has actually been linked to boosted gut leaks in the structure as well as inflammation in canines in some research studies.
The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. is a little business that makes use of active ingredients that are in your area sourced from New Zealand. The firm also supplies freeze-dried foods and also deals with .
At the time of writing, The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. has not been recalled.
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# 2: ZIWI PEAK ORIGINAL AIR-DRIED
ziwipeak dog food review HEN 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 uses 6 air-dried dog food dishes in their Original line, with an average rating of 9/10. Each food sheds an component safety point for moderate handling, yet this applies to all air-dried foods. On the whole, baked as well as air-dried foods might be less processed than kibble, which is considered an ultra-processed food
.
The carb resource comes from low-starch and also high top quality ingredients like inulin from chicory and kelp when it comes to component top quality. Both are low in starch and also are low pesticide or GMO crops. Both are healthy enhancements. The food likewise consists of a range of meats as well as body organ meats, which gives naturally taking place minerals and also vitamins . With that said said, there are a handful of added vitamins and also a number of included minerals, which sets you back the food an component quality factor. The included minerals are high quality and natural.
Ziwi Peak stemmed as a smaller brand but has actually been acquired by FountainVest Partners, a large private equity firm based in China. This is not directly relevant to item high quality, larger companies often tend to have more of an responsibility to their capitalists and product quality has a tendency to decrease in bigger firms.
Ziwi Peak has actually not been remembered at the time of writing.
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# 3: ZIWI PEAK PROVENANCE AIR-DRIED.
best completely dry pet food.
HEN 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 supplies 3 air-dried pet dog food dishes in their Provenance line, with an ordinary score of 8/10. The Provenance line standards 38% healthy protein and 1% carb, as determined. The fat material standards 32%, which gets on the high end. Ideally, there need to be two times as much protein as fat but there are no factors shed here.
When it involves ingredient quality, Provenance sheds factors for a a great deal of included minerals and vitamins , which are substandard to food-based trace elements and also can suggest reduced high quality active ingredients. Keeping that stated, the added minerals are are natural and also high top quality.
When it pertains to component safety and security, air-dried foods are moderately refined, so there will be a tiny fine there. Some well-known high-pesticide crop ingredients like apples additionally make an look, but better down the ingredient panel so they’re much less of a worry.
In general, this is a high fat/low carb food with top quality components.
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# 4: ZEAL CANADA AIR-DRIED.
best completely dry pet dog food.
POULTRY RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Chicken tender, Chicken liver, Bamboo fiber, Dicalcium phosphate, Pumpkin Powder, Salt, Coconut oil, Yeast essence, Yucca Schidigera extract, Parsley, Calcium Carbonate, Green lipped mussel, Magnesium Sulphate, Rosemary extract, 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.
Passion Canada provides 5 air-dried pet food dishes, with an typical rating of 7.8/ 10. Like all air-dried foods, each food sheds an ingredient safety factor for moderate handling. While baked as well as air-dried foods may be much less processed than kibble, which is taken into consideration an ultra-processed food, there is still processing as well as a possible succeeding loss of phytonutrients.
Zeal Canada’s Air-Dried food line standards 38% protein and also 12% carbohydrate, as calculated. Foods which contain less than 15% carb will not lose points for excessive carbohydrate content. Both the Salmon as well as Turkey recipes consist of a bit much more than 15% carbohydrate, which will certainly bring their scores down a little bit. This is still far better than a lot of kibbles, which balance greater than double this quantity.
The foods additionally include lecithin from sunflower, which is a high-pesticide plant– but with that claimed, it amounts to a little percentage of the food. Some foods also include a selection of body organ meats, which supplies naturally happening vitamins as well as minerals . With that said, there are numerous included minerals as well as vitamins , which costs the food ingredient top quality points.
Zeal is a loved one novice to the pet food market as well as declares their foods are in your area sourced. The food is made in Canada.
Zeal has not been recalled at the time of composing.
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# 5: SUNDAYS FOR DOGS.
best completely dry dog food.
CHICKEN 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 uses 2 air-dried canine food dishes: hen and beef. The food averages 17% fat, which makes it reduced in fat compared to other air-dried foods.
The Chicken Recipe features two known high-pesticide foods in the leading 5 components: millet and oats. Both of these crops are normally spray-dried with Roundup right prior to harvest, which makes the pesticide web content of the food potentially really high.
Rounding out active ingredient high quality, the Beef Recipe includes fish oil however the type and also species of fish is not called– and also this will certainly cost a factor. Protein sources need to always be named and not generic, otherwise it can be presumed the active ingredient is lower high quality.
What we simulate is that the food includes no included vitamins or minerals , which indicates the ingredients are otherwise premium quality.
Apart from the high-pesticide foods in the Chicken Recipe, there are no extra points lost, except for the moderate amount of handling for air-dried foods.
Although there are no shed factors for this, it must be kept in mind that Sundays includes glam ingredients. While it’s desirable to have included foods like blueberries, broccoli and also mushrooms, these active ingredients all show up after salt on the tag, that makes it highly likely that they are only existing in trace quantities.
Sundays is a small, store brand name that’s possessed as well as created by veterinarian Tory Waxman. The food is made in a USDA kept track of cooking area in Ohio.
Sundays has not been remembered at the time of composing.
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# 6: CARNA4 BAKED AIR-DRIED.
best completely dry dog food.
Carna4 supplies 6 foods in their Baked Air-Dried line. The line offers an ordinary score of 7.3/ 10.
Carna4 standards 28% protein and 35% carb, which is thought about relatively high in carbohydrate material as well as sets you back the food some active ingredient quality points. The food standards 15% fat.
The carb source for Carna4 originates from organic sprouted barley seed. While barley is a high pesticide plant, the barley is grown and natural so it will not be spray-dried with Roundup like a lot of barley plants are. Sprouted grains are also a lot more digestible for dogs as well as arguably a higher quality ingredient. A few of the dishes do include natural rice, which can be high in arsenic. Non-organic potatoes also make an appearance and are a high-pesticide, genetically customized plant. Non-organic, high-pesticide apples likewise show up in some of the foods. Both of these foods are additionally down the ingredient list and there are no genetically customized or high-pesticide foods in the top 5 components.
Carna4 is just one of a handful of completely dry foods that does not consist of any included vitamins or minerals , which shows better components and also much less processing.
There are no added points shed, besides the moderate quantity of processing for air-dried foods.
Carna4 is one more little, shop brand as well as it’s the 2nd Canadian company on our list. Carna4 is manufactured in an EU accredited human pastry shop in Quebec.
Carna4 has not been remembered at the time of composing.
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# 7: NATURE’S LOGIC DISTINCTION GRAIN-FREE.
best completely dry canine 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 listing. Their Distinction Grain-Free line uses 3 foods with an typical rating of 7.3/ 10.
Nature’s Logic Distinction Grain-Free standards 32% healthy protein and 29% carbohydrate, which is taken into consideration higher in carbohydrate material and sets you back the food an ingredient high quality point. The food averages 15% fat.
When it involves component quality, the carb source is tapioca root, which is not a high-pesticide crop. Nature’s Logic is distinct for a kibble in that it consists of no included minerals or vitamins , which keeps its ingredient top quality rating rather high. However, it needs to also be kept in mind that it is formulated making use of feeding tests and not created to satisfy AAFCO minimum needs.
When it pertains to ingredient safety, this is a kibble as well as includes meals, making it an ultra-processed food. Extruded foods are warmed 4 separate times throughout manufacturing, which will cause major losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Research studies likewise reveal that ultra-processed foods are linked to a greater price of all-cause mortality in people, so the food does lose some safety and security points below.
There are additionally some high-pesticide components in the food (kale as well as spinach), however they show up even more down the label and are not in the top 5 components.
Overall, this is our greatest ranking kibble and the only really ultra-processed kibble that’s without included minerals and vitamins .
Nature’s Logic began as a tiny business win Lincoln, Nebraska and was acquired in 2021 by Mid America Pet Food, which produces Victor, Wayne Feeds and Eagle Mountain. MAPF produces their item in Mt. Pleasant, Texas and it’s assumed Nature’s Logic is currently produced because plant.
Nature’s Logic has not been remembered at the time of composing.
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# 8: NATURE’S LOGIC DISTINCTION.
best dry pet dog food.
BEEF RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Beef, Beef Meal, Millet, Pork Fat (preserved 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 score of 6.9. The foods in this line resemble the Distinction Grain-Free line, with an average of 32% protein, 30% carb and also 13% fat.
The food is greater in carbohydrate than we wish to see, but still lower than lots of equivalent kibbles. Like all Nature’s Logic foods, this line sports whole food nutrition without added vitamins or minerals .
Like the Distinction Grain-Free Line, Distinction is a kibble as well as is ultra-processed. It’s also worth noting that it contains dish as its second component, which is one more ultra-processed component. For kibble consumers that can’t pay for air-dried, Nature’s Logic is at the top of our list.
Besides the processing, the food safety and security score is dramatically influenced by the inclusion of millet as the carbohydrate source. Like the majority of grains, millet is commonly spray-dried with Roundup prior to harvest, making this a really high chemical (herbicide) food. Organic millet would considerably improve ball game 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 dry foods in their original line. The line has an average score of 6.9 and also standards 38% protein, 20% carb and also 17% fat.
This food ratings moderately high due to the fact that of its lower carb material when it comes to active ingredient quality. There are a SMALL number of included minerals and also vitamins , yet the minerals are top quality and organic. The food also includes a wonderful range of proteins and liver.
Like every kibble, Orijen is ultra-processed. Extruded kibbles are heated four different times during production, which will cause significant losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and also phytonutrients. Research studies additionally reveal that ultra-processed foods are linked to a higher price of all-cause death in people, so the food does shed some safety and security points here.
There are several high-pesticide active ingredients in the food, consisting of lentils, chickpeas, peas and also apples as well as this minimizes the component safety rating. The food also contains natural taste, which is usually animal digest or MSG. All-natural taste is a poor quality ingredient with limited safety and security research studies.
Orijen has the very same typical score as Nature’s Logic Distinction, it’s bumped right into 9th place due to the natural taste. This is unfavorable since the food is lower in carbohydrate and greater in healthy protein. Nonetheless both are reasonable selections for a kibble.
Orijen is made by Canadian firm, Champion Petfoods. It’s produced internal in both Canada as well as the United States. It supplies mainly ultra-processed kibble, yet also has a freeze-dried and also canned line.
To date, Orijen dog food has not been remembered in Canada or the United States.
It is worth absolutely nothing that their moms and dad firm, Champion Petfoods had 2 claims filed against it.
In 2020, Animal Equality doubted Champion’s claim that the trout in the ACANA line was wild caught when it was recognized by the AE company as farmed fish. The match was settled with Champion Petfoods changing their advertising claims and also appealing better transparency in its fish sourcing.
Also in 2020, the Organic Consumers Association filed a claim against Champion Petfoods for deceptive marketing under both the ACANA and Orijen trademark name. The organization affirmed that declarations such as “free-run” hen were misleading. This situation has actually also been solved with Champion Petfoods making changes to their packaging and also marketing.
It’s fine to look at just how much healthy protein as well as fat is in a food, but at the end of the day, the food requires to be secure for your pet to eat ( and also many foods contain components that are fairly hazardous). Like all air-dried foods, each food loses an ingredient safety and security point for modest processing. The foods additionally include lecithin from sunflower, which is a high-pesticide plant– however with that stated, it amounts to a small percent of the food. Studies likewise show that ultra-processed foods are linked to a higher price of all-cause death in people, so the food does shed some safety and security factors here.
Research studies also reveal that ultra-processed foods are connected to a higher rate of all-cause death in people, so the food does lose some security points below.