Top Dog Food Brands in 2019
15 Top Dog Food Brands in 2019(Best Dry Dog Food)
This top dog food brands list has only dry dog foods (grain-free and well-balanced) varieties.
For these dog food reviews and ratings, we've used adult dog food recipes/formulas. If you're feeding a puppy or senior dog, simply pick their puppy/senior formula, since they rank closely in rating.
1Merrick Grain Freeby Merrick
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 43%
- Fat: 19%
- Carbohydrates: 30%
- Fiber: 3.9%
- Calories: 381 kcal/cup
Description: Merrick Grain Free dog food ranks high on the list of top dog food brands as it fits most of our ranking criteria, with high quality ingredients and little to no controversial items on the list. Depending on the formula you pick, the first ingredient will always be real protein source (chicken, lamb, duck, buffalo, etc.) Some healthy additives like a balance of omega-3s and omega-6s with additional glucosamine and chondroitin makes this a decent choice.
Merrick Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
2Nature’s Variety Instinctby Nature's Variety
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 39%
- Fat: 22%
- Carbohydrates: 31%
- Fiber: 3.9%
- Calories: 499 kcal/cup
Description: Nature's Variety Instinct Grain Free dog food formula is yet another high quality brand that's a popular choice among pet owners who understand the importance of using different criteria for vetting their top dog food brands. The company is known for producing great quality pet food always with added omega-3 and omega-6, vitamins and minerals and never artificial preservatives, colors or flavorings. The ratio of high amount of protein and ultra-low amount of carbohydrates makes this a perfect grain free choice.
Nature’s Variety Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
3Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canineby Taste of the Wild
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 32%
- Fat: 17%
- Carbohydrates: 43%
- Fiber: 5.6%
- Calories: 370 kcal/cup
Description: Taste of the Wild dry dog food is arguably the most popular top dog food brand on the market today. They use a simple formula that closely follows (yet not to the extreme) the ancestral diet of dogs, and prioritize high protein and extremely low carbohydrate recipes. Their Bison and Venison formula is the most well-known that contains high quality protein source as the first ingredient, with the rest of the food supplemented with low calorie healthy additions such as vegetables and fruits.
Taste of the Wild Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
4Wellness Core Natural Grain Freeby Wellness Core
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 38%
- Fat: 13%
- Carbohydrates: 41%
- Fiber: 6.7%
- Calories: 421 kcal/cup
Description: Wellness Core Natural Grain Free dry dog food is another extremely popular brand that hasn't been poisoned by the multinational corporations gobbling up natural dog food manufacturers that still care about producing high quality dog foods. It ranks high on our top dog food brands list due to its continued dedication and promise to provide reduced fat, low carbohydrate and high amount of good quality protein pet foods. Always made in the USA, this is never a bad choice as long as your dog loves the taste.
Wellness Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
5Canidae Grain Free PUREby Canidae
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 33%
- Fat: 13%
- Carbohydrates: 45%
- Fiber: 4.4%
- Calories: 509 kcal/cup
Description: Canidae Grain Free Pure dry dog food formula has been around for a while but deserves a lot more attention that it has received to date. This company similar to the other top dog food brands I've mentioned above follows a very simplistic formula to manufacture pet food with high quality protein sources, no additives or unnecessary carbohydrate fillings, with an addition of vital vitamins and minerals. Their PURE recipe is especially great for dogs with sensitive stomachs and is one of the most popular choices.
Canidae Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
6Orijen Six Fishby Orijen
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 42%
- Fat: 20%
- Carbohydrates: 30%
- Fiber: 5.7%
- Calories: 449 kcal/cup
Description: Orijen Grain Free dry dog food is arguably one of the highest quality foods, but it's also one of the most expensive brands out there as well. It's often ranked as the number one choice by veterinarians and canine nutritionist. The company haven't changed much in all the years they've been in the industry, and their recipe is very simple (read: great). The most popular option is the Six Fish recipe that has been formulated to be biologically appropriate for dogs, but at the price, not every dog owner can afford it.
Orijen Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
7Castor and Pollux Organixby Castor & Pollux
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 30%
- Fat: 16%
- Carbohydrates: 46%
- Fiber: 5.6%
- Calories: 383 kcal/cup
Description: Castor & Pollux Organix dry dog food is one of the few organic top dog food brands among the popular, well-known companies that can still pride themselves for high quality. Their main ingredient is usually real chicken, followed by brown rice and the addition of flaxseed oil and other minerals, which is the most popular option in their line. They're not grain-free, so if your canine has no problems with a few extra carbohydrates, this USA-made organic dog food brand is easily the best dog food of the non grain-free variety.
Castor & Pollux Organix Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
8Iams Healthy Naturalsby IAMS
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 28%
- Fat: 18%
- Carbohydrates: 46%
- Fiber: 4.4%
- Calories: 485 kcal/cup
Description: Iams Grain Free Healthy Naturals dry dog food is quickly climbing up the ranks to join other popular top dog food brands and their companies as more pet owners are choosing this do good. You can find either grain-free or non grain-free formula, and they have an outstanding ratio of protein to fat to carbs. Some of their popular formulas will contain a rich blend of the most vital minerals and vitamins for dogs, and the company prides themselves for never including any wheat, soy or meat byproducts (a popular option for many others) in their recipes.
Iams Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
9Horizon Legacyby Horizon
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 38%
- Fat: 17%
- Carbohydrates: 38%
- Fiber: 3.9%
- Calories: 420 kcal/cup
Description: Horizon Legacy dog food is one of the least popular top dog food brands on this list, and that's very unfortunate. Their Salmon recipe in particular is made of extremely ultra healthy and natural ingredients, and 80% of which is simply high quality salmon (this is very rare among most dry dog foods). This is a non grain-free formula, but the little amount of included carbohydrates have all the necessary nutrients for the dogs with no useless fillings. The reason it's not as popular as other dog foods is their price.
Horizon Legacy Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
10Victor Active Dog & Puppyby Victor Dog Food
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 36%
- Fat: 18%
- Carbohydrates: 38%
- Fiber: 4.2%
- Calories: 397 kcal/cup
Description: Victor Dog Food Grain Free dry dog food is not yet popular among pet owners as the company hasn't been around as some of the mentioned famous top dog food brands above, but their dedication to manufacturing high quality dog food can already be noticed. This formula specifically contains three protein sources as their main ingredients – beef, chicken and pork – with very little carbohydrate fillings. The rest of the food is complimented with everything else needed for dogs: omega-3 and omega-6, vitamins and minerals.
Victor Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
11Bully Max High Performance Super Premiumby Bully Max
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 33%
- Fat: 22%
- Carbohydrates: 37%
- Fiber: 4.2%
- Calories: 535 per cup
Description: Bully Max High Performance dog food is the newest company of all those mentioned on top dog food brands list here. While we're still monitoring them for how they will continue to perform as the company grows, so far they've been manufacturing high quality performance dog food usually marketed for pit bulls (although there's no reason other dog breeds cannot use this). This best dry dog food doesn't include any wheat, soy, corn and is primarily meat-based. It's a high calorie dog food which is perfect for canine weight loss.
Bully Max Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
12Pinnacle Peak Protein by Pinnacle
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 47%
- Fat: 24%
- Carbohydrates: 21%
- Fiber: 6.1%
- Calories: 373 kcal/cup
Description: Pinnacle Grain Free dog food is yet another unpopular option among out top dog food brands picks, and it's mostly their cat foods that are known to pet owners. Nevertheless, the company manufactures a great recipe for dogs that contains no grains with their primary ingredient a high quality, natural, real turkey, salmon or duck. Their recipes also often include sweet potato, pumpkin or quinoa seeds for added nutrition and the necessary vitamins and minerals to complete the formula.
Pinnacle Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
13EVO Small Biteby EVO
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 47%
- Fat: 24%
- Carbohydrates: 21%
- Fiber: 2.8%
- Calories: 516 kcal/cup
Description: EVO Grain Free dog food has been recently breaking into the market, and they have first done so successfully with their canned dog foods. Now bringing one of the best dry dog food brands, their recipes will not disappoint – no grains, extremely low levels of carbohydrates, high protein and great protein to fat ratio. More than 80% of their formula will usually contain high quality protein source, quickly following but a small amount of fruits and veggies to ensure an ample supply of vitamins and minerals.
EVO Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
14Farmina Natural & Delicious by Farmina
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 41%
- Fat: 20%
- Carbohydrates: 31%
- Fiber: 2.9%
- Calories: 436 kcal/cup
Description: Farmina Natural & Delicious Grain Free dry dog food is mostly a popular choice of puppy food, but their adult dog food formula and/or all life stages recipe are just as great. However, their higher prices prevent the company from becoming more popular among pet owners. When it comes to ingredients, the company is mostly focused on grain free and gluten free formulas with high level of natural, good quality, fresh protein sources and a small amount of fiber and carbohydrates.
Farmina Dog Food Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
15Weruva Caloric Melodyby Weruva
Video: Weruva Dog Food Review (2017)
Dry matter content:
- Protein: 41%
- Fat: 15%
- Carbohydrates: 36%
- Fiber: 5.9%
- Calories: 360 kcal/cup
Description: Weruva Caloric Melody dry dog food is another young company that has broken onto the scene and into our list of top dog food brands as one of the best dry dog foods with high quality ingredients. They are not yet well-known but if they continue to include grass-fed lamb (extremely rare in dog foods) and focus on certified GMO-free ingredients (also rare), they should quickly gain more popularity. The company is very transparent and open about the sourcing of ingredients, but their prices are still very high.
Weruva Caloric Melody Reviews: Read what dog owners say on Amazon
Understanding Dog Nutrition and Top Dog Food Brands
When it comes to picking the best dog food for your specific canine, ideally, you want to be able to choose your own top dog food brands based on your dog's age, breed (to an extent), health condition and other unique requirements that only you will know about.
In order to do that, you need to understand the basics of dog nutrition. Without you having some grasp of how to feed your specific dog, no top rated dog food lists will do you any good. That makes all dog food reviews, rankings and analysis like those on this list or Dog Food Advisor reviews only slightly helpful.
I have already mentioned above the criteria that is best to use when picking top dog food brands. On top of that, you can also further educate yourself on the topic of canine nutrition and use reputable resources. With this information, you'll understand better why some top rated dog food brands rank higher or lower.
There's a lot of misinformation on dog foods out there.
I've been in the pet food industry for several years now, and have been writing about dog foods for over a year. I've seen a lot of the advice about feeding dogs and all the top 10 dog food brands rankings out there. With so much misleading and false assumptions, and plainly wrong advice floating around the internet, it's important to use the most accurate, up to date information, reputable resources and well-referenced data to pick the best dog food for your pet.
Unfortunately, it's way beyond the scope of this article to delve deeper into understand top rated dog food brands at the very core, but I would suggest looking at research as your first point of reference. A few studies to assess nutritional adequacy of dog food brands:
- Nutritional Sustainability of Pet Foods
- Pet Food Safety: Dietary Protein
- Raw food diets in companion animals
If you're able to pay for it, there's another important paper on the topic (behind the paywall) called The Effect of Ingredients in Dry Dog Foods by Malathi Raghavan, DVM, PhD, et al. (google it).
A couple of good and short guides to understand dog nutrition and the way to distinguish top rated dog food brands from false advertising, which will ultimately help you choose your own top dog food brands for your specific dog, can be found here and here. The devil is in the details, so read carefully.
When collecting information about canine nutrition and picking out top rated dog food brands, make sure to only use reputable resources. Government sites may or may not be a good point of reference, because I've seen them provide wrong information at times. University veterinarian run sites are usually my favorite point of reference as well as veterinary and medical journals, which is what I used to come up with the above list of top dog food brands.
Just to be clear, in this article we have chosen the best dry dog food brands. All of the above mentioned top dog food brands are the leaders in the market not due to low price and mass production, but because they spend a lot of resources in formulating appropriate and healthy dog foods for general dog population.
If dry dog foods is not what you were looking for, here's a list of other top rated dog food brands that are more specific to your situation and for individual cases:
- Best Sensitive Stomach Dog Food
- Vet Recommended Dog Food Brands
- Best Hypoallergenic Dog Food
- Best Dehydrated Dog Food
- Best Wet/Canned Dog Food
- Best Grain Free Dog Food
- Best Puppy Dog Food
- Best Senior Dog Food
If overall dry top dog food brands is not what you're out for, then you'll find more appropriate dog foods in the above articles. Dry kibble is the most popular choice among pet owners, so you can probably find the best dog food brand for your canine among the fifteen choices I've mentioned above. Alternatively, take a look at the vet recommended dog food brands article for some tips from Dr Debora Shores, DVM.
With all the above information at hand, you should easily distinguish between poor quality dog foods and top dog food brands that will best suit your specific dog at his stage of life (age) and condition. Remember to use some common sense and further research before picking out any of the top rated dog food brands, since it all depends on your individual dog. Use my suggested formulas or simply search for second and third opinion. I'm a firm believer in gathering a lot of reputable information and deducing from that.
Very good points you wrote here..Great stuff...I think you've made some truly interesting points.Keep up the good work. pet food reviews
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