Even experienced dog owners struggle to navigate the huge variety of dog food that overflows pet store and supermarket shelves. Manufacturers claim their products are high quality, adorning the packaging with advertising slogans and awards won years ago. But demand drives supply: every year, more brands appear, making them increasingly hard to track.
And really, how do you choose the best dog food? After all, you want it to be useful, tasty, safe, and inexpensive. In this matter, we should be guided by the principles of healthy eating. That is, you should always check the composition to ensure it contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals in amounts that match the pet’s needs, age, sex, breed, diseases, activity level, and living conditions. It should be a complete and balanced diet.
The more natural the food and the more meat in it, the healthier and tastier it is. But composition also affects the price, because high-quality dog food costs much more than food made with waste and bone meal. Of course, no manufacturer will hide their products’ shortcomings behind beautiful packaging. Buyers only need to understand the types and features of different foods to choose the right one.
Alleva
Alleva is an elite Italian dog food brand for dogs that need a balanced diet. The manufacturer does not conduct experiments on laboratory animals, selects ingredients responsibly, and cooks all food only by steaming to preserve nutrients. The company has three main lines:
- NeoBreeder is for professionals who breed pedigree dogs. This food uses slow-grain ingredients and comes in large packages.
- Equilibrium is an optimally balanced formula with meat, brown rice, berries, and vegetables. It contains a complex that supports joint health in active dogs.
- Holistic diets are as close as possible to a dog’s natural diet. They contain no grain products and instead use plant-derived phytonutrients. At the same time, they contain at least 77% meat.
Acana
Champion Petfoods, a Canadian company, owns the Acana brand. It sells pet food made from regional ingredients. The body digests fresh meat well, and various herbs, vegetables, and fruits normalize intestinal function. The manufacturer balances the formula and adds essential additives, including probiotics, minerals, and vitamins for dogs.
Acana’s main rule is not to limit itself to one type of meat. That’s why you can find chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb, and other high-protein ingredients. The food contains no wheat, tapioca, corn, soy, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors that may cause allergic reactions.
Barking Heads
Barking Heads is a British manufacturer of premium pet food. Three passionate dog breeders founded the company in 2009, knowing exactly what their favorite pets needed. The brand’s products are known for being natural, safe, and high quality. Its composition includes:
- Minerals and vitamins: their balance determines the pet’s health.
- Slow carbohydrates provide sustained energy throughout the day.
- Dietary fiber for better intestinal function
- Fatty acids, especially omega-3 and omega-6, support healthy skin and coat.
- Premium proteins are a variety of meats that form the basis of the diet
- The probiotic complex depends on the dog’s age.
Beneful
The American company Nestlé Purina PetCare produces many brands of wet and dry pet food. One of them is Beneful, which was introduced in 2001. In 2012, it ranked fourth in global sales.
While many of the manufacturers on this list specialize in products for different types of animals, Beneful sells only dog food. That is, more than 20 years of continuous work have been dedicated to perfecting the diet, searching for ideal formulas and the best ingredients.
Brit
Czech company Vafo Praha Ltd. produces food under the Brit brand name. Its range includes lines for animals with weight problems, as well as show dogs, puppies, and adults of various breeds.
Brit Premium contains at least 40% poultry meat. The remaining ingredients are fruits and herbs. We prepared a beneficial extract from these ingredients to support digestion. In addition, the product contains prebiotics, organic ingredients, macro- and microelements, and a balanced vitamin complex.
This premium, fully fed food is specially designed for dogs with allergies. It is based on natural rabbit, duck, lamb, and fish meat. Plant components are used as additives that support health and immunity.
Canagan
Canagan is a British brand of high-quality dog food that contains no grain products. The diet is based on meat, vegetables, berries, and herbs sourced from local farmers. These include:
- high-protein venison;
- certified lamb without growth hormones;
- fresh chicken;
- hand-harvested Scottish salmon;
- antioxidant-rich yams;
- seaweed, rich in iodine;
- chamomile, which has a positive effect on the nervous system;
- cranberries, rich in vitamin C;
- Calendula, which strengthens the immune system.
Together, they provide the animals’ complete nutritional needs. Canagan’s recipes have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, the UK’s most prestigious award.
Eukanuba
Paul Faulkner Eames founded Eukanuba Food in 1969. Its unusual name means “something supreme” or “peak,” indicating the exclusivity of new products.
From 1999 to 2014, the brand was owned by Procter & Gamble but is now owned by the American company Mars, Incorporated. Meanwhile, Spectrum Brands produces Eukanuba products for the European market.
The line includes approximately 20 types of dog food for different breeds and age groups. They contain pure meat and various meat by-products, such as intestines, stomachs, fatty tissue, bones, blood, and other components. They do not contain hooves, teeth, horns, or hair.
Farmina
Farmina is the flagship brand of Farmina Pet Foods, which opened its first factory in 1965. Products for dogs and cats were then added to the range. They are based on unique formulas that account for pets’ physiological needs.
Farmina created Vet Life diets, which work well alongside medications to treat urolithiasis, diabetes, and obesity. But there are also everyday foods designed to meet the individual needs of puppies and adult dogs.
GO!
Petcurean Pet Nutrition, a Canadian manufacturer of premium pet food, owns the GO! Brand. These are whole-grain and grain-free diets that meet high-quality standards. The meat base can include salmon, trout, duck, turkey, chicken, and lamb, along with organic fruits and berries.
The balanced composition meets dogs’ daily requirements for essential vitamins and minerals. Formulas are designed for different ages, breeds, and veterinary recommendations.
Grandorf
Under the Grandorf brand, dry and canned food is produced. The former is produced by the Belgian company United Petfood Producers NV, and the latter by the Italian concern Monge & C. S.p.A. The brand’s products are positioned at the top of the superpremium segment.
Feeds “Grandorf” belong to the holistic category; that is, their composition includes at least 70% pure animal protein. At the same time, the manufacturer does not use chicken; instead, he uses hypoallergenic meats that are not known to cause digestive problems. They contain all essential amino acids.
Other potentially dangerous ingredients are also banned:
- GMOS;
- artificial additives;
- gluten;
- eggs,
- potatoes;
- legumes;
- beets;
- corn.
Hill’s
Hill’s is the primary brand name of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. of America, a Colgate-Palmolive company. The company began in 1907, when it opened a facility to dispose of farm animal carcasses. Nearly 20 years later, it was used to launch the production of dog food. All recipes used horse meat as the main ingredient.
Modern Hill’s products result from years of work on daily and dietary diets. They are designed to support the treatment and prevention of various diseases that require dietary adjustments. Veterinarians recommend a balanced diet to address coat problems, internal organ issues, joint problems, and musculoskeletal issues.
The products include a wide variety of meats, as animal protein is a key component of a healthy diet. The remaining ingredients serve as additives that improve intestinal function.
Kennels’ Favourite
“Kennels’ Favourite” is a trademark of Prof Pet Corporation. The products are positioned in the super-premium category and are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of dogs of different ages. They contain vegetable and animal ingredients with a balanced ratio of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Mera
Mera food is produced in Germany in strict accordance with European quality standards. It uses carefully selected local ingredients. The range includes products with different nutrient ratios. They are designed for young, adult, and old animals and tailored to their individual needs:
- activity level;
- allergies;
- individual intolerance to the components;
- The need for a special diet.
The third-generation family company continually experiments with recipes and uses high-quality meats, including turkey, beef, chicken, lamb, herring, and salmon. A key part of its know-how is using insect protein in food. It is intended for the most sensitive dogs with food intolerance.
Monge
The Italian company Monge & C. S.p.A. has a flagship brand, Monge. It draws on more than 70 years of experience developing and producing high-quality dog food for a wide range of breeds. Thanks to advanced technology and careful ingredient selection, the company avoids artificial additives. Each balanced diet is based on certified meat and safe vegetable components.
The main lines of the brand are:
- Monge Natural Superpremium with a lot of meat and practically no grains;
- VetSolution with melon juice concentrate and xylooligosaccharides;
- Monge Gift (snacks) with animal protein and vegetables;
- BWild with high meat content (at least 65%), prebiotics, and spirulina.
All products provide a full range of minerals and vitamins and meet diverse nutritional needs. For example, there are separate products for dogs with allergies, puppies, obese animals, and active animals.
Nutram
Nutram is a premium Canadian pet food brand. It is owned by Nutram Pet Products, which was originally a division of Maple Lodge Farms but was later absorbed by Elmira Pet Products Ltd. The manufacturer collaborates with holistic experts and veterinary nutritionists to develop the best formulas that maximize nutrient absorption.
Orijen
Orijen food is designed to be as close to a natural diet as possible and contains only the nutrients your dog would get from nature. This is how pets stay healthy and well-groomed: even a beautiful, shiny coat depends on the quality of their nutrition.
Different types of meat, with small amounts of vegetables, fruits, and medicinal herbs added, meet the dog’s needs while accounting for its adaptation to high-protein foods. The animal protein base consists of:
- poultry;
- fish;
- red meat.
These are fresh ingredients sourced from local suppliers. Fishermen provide the company with flounder, hake, mackerel, pike, trout, and other freshwater and ocean fish. Canadian farmers raise ducks, turkeys, chickens, deer, goats, piglets, lambs, prairie buffalo, wild boar, and steers.
Primordial
The Primordial line of dogs has won multiple Quality Awards. It was once awarded for utility; veterinarians recognized its effectiveness in preventing various diseases. The second award was given in the grain-free food category. The lack of grains is another advantage, as these plant products aren’t suitable for dogs.
But Primordial offers a variety of meats: red, white, and fish. The Italian company Mister Pet, which owns the brand, uses selected, high-protein ingredients with virtually no fat or cholesterol. A wide range of products lets you find a suitable diet for pets with allergies.
Profine
Profine is a brand of the Czech family company Vafo Praha. Its products are positioned as super-premium-class food with a balanced composition. It is said to boost immunity thanks to medicinal herbs such as sage, basil, and fennel. Combined with seaweed, they support digestive health.
Salmon oil and shrimp help keep hair in good condition because they are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They also improve the skin’s condition. Fish, lamb, and chicken are the main sources of animal protein. These ingredients help maintain energy throughout the day and provide animals with all the necessary minerals and vitamins.
Purina Pro Plan
Another Nestlé Purina Petcare brand is Purina Pro Plan, developed in collaboration with veterinarians and expert nutritionists. This line offers complete nutritional food complexes for dogs of different breeds, ages, and sizes. They contain nutrients selected at the right concentrations for maximum benefit. Provided with essential vitamins and minerals from childhood, pets grow up healthy, happy, and active.
1st Choice
1st Choice is owned by a Canadian family company of the same name, formerly known as PLB International. The company began producing these dog foods in 1990. Formulas are tailored to different needs, including options for animals with allergies, those who are overweight, those with problematic hair, and those susceptible to various diseases. The formulas are necessarily free of the following:
- soy;
- corn;
- wheat;
- meat industry waste.
1st Choice’s accomplishments live up to the brand name. It was the first in North America to produce a premium food product based on fresh chicken meat. In 2003, it was the first to receive certification from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.