2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST DOG FOOD BRANDS
Why Is It Important to Choose Top Rated Dog Food?
Your dog is like a part of your family, and it’s important to ensure they’re getting the proper nutrition that comes from top dog food brands.
Why is nutrition so important for dogs?
Just as what we eat is essential for good health and optimal well-being, the same goes for animals. Our pets need the right balance of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, and the best dog food can account for the needs of dogs and formulate food products that address those needs.
Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Dog Food Brands
When you take the time to read dog food reviews and find the best dog food brands, you’re ensuring your pet is getting the appropriate nutrition to build, maintain, and repair muscles, as well as teeth and bones.
When you choose top dog food brands with optimal formulations, you’re also helping your dog keep up their energy in a healthy way, and to strengthen their body against potential diseases.
The following is a list of dog food reviews of the best dog food brands, to help guide you as you choose the best dog food and conduct a dog food comparison to make sure you’re fueling your dog in the best way possible.
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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Dog Food Brands
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the dog food names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that brand):
Top 6 Best Dog Food Brands | Brief Comparison
Top Dog Food Brands | Key Products | Key Features |
| Blue Buffalo | Product lines include Blue Life Protection Formula, Blue Freedom, and Blue Wilderness | Includes cold-sourced LifeSource Bits, which are vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants |
| Canidae | Grain Free PURE formulas, Grain Free PURE Petite formula, Under the Sun with farm-fresh ingredients | Canidae offers limited ingredient foods for dogs with sensitivities |
| Nutro | Original, Weight Management, High Endurance | Company is part of the American Feed Industry Association |
| ORIJEN | Six Fish, Regional Red, Tundra, Fit & Trim, Senior | Created from fresh-sourced foods based on the evolutionary needs of dogs |
| Stella & Chewy’s | Freeze-dried patties including Stella’s Super Beef and Duck Duck Goose, Frozen Patties, and Meal Mixers | Made from top-quality ingredients such as grass-fed chicken and wild-caught salmon |
| Taste of the Wild | Appalachian Valley Small Breed Canine Formula, Pacific Stream Puppy Formula, Southwest Canine Formula with Wild Boar | Made with ingredients like bison, venison, lamb, quail, and duck |
Table: Top 6 Best Dog Food Brands | Above list is sorted alphabetically
How Should You Compare the Top Rated Dog Food?
Many dog owners feel overwhelmed and confused when it comes to making a dog food comparison of the top dog food brands to find the best dog food for their pet. There are many factors to consider when looking at dog food reviews and choosing dog food brands, but a few of the top considerations to keep in mind include the below:
The best dog food brands don’t just include meat because dogs aren’t only carnivores. While the majority of the composition of dog food should typically come from meat, it’s also important these foods include healthy optimal grains, vegetables, and fruits to ensure that your dog gets a high-quality diet.
Pet owners should learn what to look for on labels of dog food brands. Some of the things you should look at first include ingredients, as well as specific labels such as “complete and balanced.” The Associate of American Feed Control Officials is an organization with rigid requirements to make sure dog food is complete and balanced.
There is a reason good dog food brands are divided into categories including options for small and large breed dogs, so pay attention to these labels as well. Large breed dogs tend to have different health issues than small dogs, so they might need specific types of food.
For example, larger dogs are more likely to develop musculoskeletal problems, so they might need different nutrient levels to combat that.
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These are just a few of the top concerns to keep in mind when you read dog food reviews and dog food ratings and choose the top-rated dog food for your pet.
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AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology
What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services and products that are ranked on its various top rated lists?
Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.
Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Dog Food Brands
Below, please find the detailed review of each of the top dog food brands. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these dog food brands to score so well in our selection ranking.
Blue Buffalo Review
Blue Buffalo is a leading provider of the best dog food, as well as cat food. Blue Buffalo is one of the top dog food brands with some of the best-rated dog food products that start with natural, healthy ingredients and formulations. Blue Buffalo was started by pet owners when their own dog, Blue, was facing health issues.
Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top Dog Food Brands
Specifics of why Blue Buffalo is included on this list of the best dog food and dog food reviews are highlighted below.
Nutrition Philosophy
One of the reasons Blue Buffalo is included in this dog food comparison of the best dog food brands is because they put so much attention on ensuring they provide the optimal level of nutrition. According to this best-rated dog food brand, Blue Buffalo includes balanced ingredients for holistic nutrition.
The food is made up of six nutrient classes: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water.
Source of Ingredients
Something that’s particularly unique about Blue and one of the reasons they’re included on this list of dog food ratings and dog food reviews is their belief that not only does food need to be well-balanced to meet the nutritional needs of dogs, but ingredients also need to be sourced based on quality.
For example, using real chicken meat provides better nutrition than using poultry by-product meal.
There are small differences in how ingredients are sourced that Blue feels help them excel among dog food brands.
All of the proteins are from high-quality sources and include chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, fish, and egg, so they have complete amino acid profiles.
LifeSource Bits
Another way Blue distinguishes itself among dog food brands is through the inclusion of an exclusive offering called LifeSource Bits. LifeSource bits are added cold-pressed vitamins and minerals. They’re cold-pressed rather than being cooked, which helps preserve their potency and ensure animals get the full benefit of all included vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The blend of LifeSource Bits included in each dog food formulation is selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists, and they are designed to boost your animal’s immune system, help them maintain an ideal oxidative balance, and provide them the support they need at each stage of their life.
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Canidae Review
Canidae is one of the leading dog food brands on this dog food comparison that’s described as “pet food made by pet people.” Canidae was started in Southern California in 1996 in a feed store, and while it has grown in that time, the company is still family-owned and independent.
Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of 2017’s Best Dog Food Brands
Below is an overview of why Canidae is included on this list of dog food reviews of top rated dog food.
All Life Stages
Canidae is an innovative leader among top dog food brands, and they work to make life easier for pet owners and healthier for dogs. One of their exclusive product offerings is called All Life Stages. This is a line of recipes that is formulated by vets and is optimized for dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes.
The goal with this best dog food product is to make it simpler for homes that have multiple dogs. It’s formulated for all life stages with premium ingredients and optimum protein so that it’s nutritionally dense rather than being packed with fillers.
Image Source: Canidae
Quality Ingredients
Like the other dog food brands on this ranking of top rated dog food, Canidae focuses only on using quality ingredients including fresh meat, poultry, and fish.
The company sources fresh, wholesome ingredients, and these foods are also packed with fruits, vegetables, and items like legumes to ensure their food is not only healthy but also tastes good to dogs.
Limited Ingredient Diet
Canidae, like the other dog food brands included in this ranking of the best dog food brands, offers a wide variety of options, but one of the food lines that makes them stand out, in particular, are their Grain Free PURE Formulas.
These are designed for dogs with a limited ingredient diet, or with sensitivities. Each of these best-rated dog food products is made with a limited 7 to 10 key ingredients that are easily recognizable. Formulas include whole ingredients such as meat or fresh fish, and then things like sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and lentils, rather than having corn, wheat or soy.
Nutro Review
Nutro is one of the top dog food brands on this list of the best dog food reviews. Nutro designs natural food for dogs based on their life stage, breed size, and health condition, and they feature a full line of products including canned dog food, dry dog food, treats, and biscuits.
Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of 2017’s Best Dog Food Brands
Features of the Nutro brand that resulted in its inclusion on this list of the best dog food reviews of good dog food brands are highlighted below.
Natural Ingredients
Nutro, one of the leading dog food brands on this list of dog food ratings, includes no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The formulas are also free of chicken by-product meal, corn, corn gluten meal, wheat, rice, flour, and soy protein.
The ingredients that are included in the products offered by Nutro are real animal proteins and whole grains and fiber. Real animal proteins are the number one ingredient in all of this best-rated dog food.
Safety & Quality
Nutro doesn’t just focus on creating the best dog food with quality, natural ingredients. This leader among the top dog food brands is also committed to creating food that’s completely safe.
The company conducts more than 600 quality checks each day in their pet food facilities located in Lebanon, Tennessee, Victorville, California, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Quality experts work on-site to ensure all certifications and safety standards are met, they have a dedicated sanitation expert in their facilities, and all facilities are inspected by the Food and Drug Administration.
American Feed Industry Association
The Nutro company has partnered with other pet food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers from the American Feed Industry Association to create an entirely independent, third-party certification program specifically geared toward pet food and manufacturing safety.
The program is called The Assured & Approved Pet Food Manufacturing Facility Certification Program.
This program goes well beyond existing regulations in the pet food industry and creates the highest level of standards to ensure the utmost in safety. The program is voluntary and is designed to be a reliable way to measure standards for pet food companies.
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ORIJEN Review
ORIJEN describes itself as “biologically appropriate” food for dogs and cats, designed according to their evolutionary needs. ORIJEN offers a wide variety of dry and canned dog foods, and many of the products available from this pick for one of the top dog food brands are award-winning.
Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Dog Food Brands
Details of ORIJEN, one of the best dog food brands, are below.
Biologically Appropriate
As mentioned above, ORIJEN foods are created with something called the Biologically Appropriate philosophy. This means these foods are designed to replicate the quantity, freshness, and variety of meats that dogs are evolved to eat.
Modern dogs, despite years of breeding, have the anatomical capacity for a meat-based diet. Principles of Biologically Appropriate food from ORIJEN include:
- Rich in meat and protein
- Fresh meat inclusions
- A variety of fresh meats
- WholePrey Superfood for Dogs and Cats
- Carbohydrate and glycemic-limited
ORIJEN WholePrey
As mentioned above, WholePrey is a concept exclusive to ORIJEN. This means that in nature there is no need for mineral supplements since animals in nature can meet their full nutritional needs naturally. That’s something that’s considered in the creation of ORIJEN foods, which is why this is a best-rated dog food on this list used to compare dog food brands.
ORIJEN incorporates meat, organs, and cartilage in ratios that are designed to mirror Mother Nature, providing complete nutrition, instead of including a lot of synthetic ingredients.
Fresh and Regional Ingredients
Also unique to ORIJEN, one of the best dog food brands on this dog food comparison, is their dedication to creating products with food that’s fresh and regionally sourced.
The kitchens for ORIJEN are located on the farm and ranchlands of Alberta, and they choose ingredients that are responsibly farmed, fished, or ranched by trusted local sources.
The fresh meats used in ORIJEN are actually fit for human consumption, and according to the company, these products usually travel from farm to kitchen within three days, and into ORIJEN food within two days.
Stella & Chewy’s Review
Stella & Chewy’s is a pet food brand that is built on the concept that choosing the best dog food and good dog food brands is one of the most important decisions you can make as a pet owner. They also strive to create the best dog food that’s based on the same diet pets would have in the wild, and the company has a long-standing dedication to contributing to the overall health and well-being of pets.
Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as a Top Rated Dog Food
Below are some of the key reasons Stella & Chewy’s is one of the top rated dog food brands on this list of dog food ratings and dog food reviews.
Safety
Among all the good dog food brands covered on this list of the best dog food reviews to compare dog food brands, there is a commitment to safety. Stella & Chewy’s is no exception. This leader among the top rated dog food brands makes all of their products at an FDA-inspected plant in Milwaukee.
They work closely with a network of carefully selected suppliers, and each of their suppliers has filed guarantee letters showing their ingredients are wholesome and high quality.
Also, all the products from Stella & Chewy’s are manufactured using the SecureByNature food safety process.
High-Quality Ingredients
One of the things all the dog food brands on this list of top rated dog food have in common is the use of top-quality ingredients, and Stella & Chewy’s is no exception here either. This best dog food brand uses premium meats, such as grass-fed beef from North America, cage-free chicken from North America, and wild caught fish from North America.
All the fruits and vegetables are seasonally sourced and organic, and minerals and vitamins are added to ensure pets get balanced nutrition.
Superblends
One of the unique and innovative products available from Stella & Chewy’s are their new Superblends. These are chunks of freeze-dried pet superfoods that are raw and designed to replicate what dogs would eat in nature. These Superblends are made up of 90% meat, bone, and organs. They are unprocessed, and they are grain and gluten-free.
They’re packed with healthy nutrients and antioxidants, and they are also high in fiber and Vitamin C.
Image Source: Stella & Chewy’s
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Taste of the Wild Review
Taste of the Wild is pet food described to provide what the company calls a “taste of the wild.” This pick for one of the top rated dog food brands on this list of good dog food brands and the best dog food reviews creates grain-free pet formulas and uses high-quality ingredients.
Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top Dog Food Brands
The following are some of the reasons Taste of the Wild is included on this list of dog food reviews and dog food ratings.
Canned Formulas
Taste of the Wild is one of the best dog food brands, and they offer both canned and dry dog food products, which you’ll notice as you compare dog food brands.
The canned formulas include High Prairie Canine Formula with Bison in Gravy, Pacific Stream Canine Formula with Salmon in Gravy, and the Sierra Mountain Canine Formula with Lamb in Gravy.
Each of the canned formulas is rich in some of the most desirable meats that are not only good for optimal nutrition but also taste.
Ingredient Transparency
When you start researching dog food brands and comparing dog food reviews, you’ll notice that ingredient transparency is very important. If dog food brands try to hide their ingredients or use long, unrecognizable words to describe them, it’s usually a red flag.
The ingredients used to create Taste of the Wild foods are clearly displayed on packaging and also on the company’s website.
They’ll include ingredients such as lamb, chicken, fish, beef, sweet potatoes, peas, and other vegetables and fruits.
Primary Ingredients
In addition to ingredient transparency, the Taste of the Wild company also includes only components designed to meet the unique needs of pets. Some of the primary ingredients used in Taste of the Wild, one of the top rated dog food brands, include:
- Antioxidants to protect your pet from free radicals
- Blueberries and raspberries
- Chelated minerals to promote easy absorption of minerals and nutrients
- DHA to support brain development
- Dried chicory root to help maintain optimal probiotic bacteria in the intestines
- Garbanzo beans
- Potato fiber to help with healthy digestion
- Probiotics to help maintain healthy digestive and immune systems
Conclusion—Top 6 Best Dog Food Brands
If you love your dog and want it to be healthy and happy, choosing a top rated dog food is important. That’s why we created this list of the best-rated dog food and best dog food reviews.
Some of the factors considered when choosing the best dog food brands on this list to compare dog food brands included:
- Dedication to safety
- The use of quality ingredients
- Formulations designed to mimic the natural diet of dogs
- Reputation of the dog food brands
- Innovation in products and use of ingredients
Each of the names on this dog food comparison of top-rated dog food excels in all of these areas, and often many others as well.
AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer:
Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info.
Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.
