The best dog food brands
Every dog has its own needs, and the best diet for dogs will vary depending on size, breed and more. If you just got a new pup, or your dog is refusing to eat their dinner, check out the best dog food brands below.
Best human-grade dog food: Lucky Dog
Lucky Dog is one of the best dog food brands for your pooch. Holistic house call veterinarian Patrick Mahaney, VMD, fed his dog, Cardiff, Lucky Dog because he was seeking a human-grade, cooked, whole food option. Cardiff suffered from immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) and passed on when he was 11 1/2 years old, but Dr. Mahaney says Cardiff had a better quality of life by eating Lucky Dog. “Cardiff thrived and seemed to recover more rapidly than anticipated from his first and three subsequent IMHA episodes while eating Lucky Dog Cuisine.” Dr. Mahaney has seen significant improvements in his patients with various health conditions once they transition from processed dog food to Lucky Dog Cuisine. Here are some human foods that your dog can enjoy, too.
Best grain-free dog food: Wellness Natural Pet Food
Danielle Bernal, DVM, is an on-staff veterinarian for Wellness Natural, but even if she wasn’t, she would be feeding it to her 16-year-old Border Collie, Megs. Dr. Bernal gives the credit to Wellness CORE because it has significantly improved Megs’s canine atopic dermatitis, a condition that made her skin red and so itchy that she needed daily meds to control it.
“The Wellness CORE Ocean formula helped her avoid key allergens like grains and allergenic proteins, but because it provides rich sources of natural omega fatty acids from increased amounts of salmon, it helped her skin inflammation,” says Dr. Bernal. In just three months, Megs regained her soft coat and color and now only needs meds once a month for the occasional flare-up. Take a look at these homemade dog treats you can make for your pup.
Best vegan dog food: GATHER Endless Valley
Jennifer Adolphe, PhD in companion animal nutrition from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, created GATHER Endless Valley for vegan consumers with premium, certified ingredients. “Consumers are not only interested in what they can personally do to promote more sustainable practices, but are actively seeking ways to can get their dog involved, too,” Dr. Adolphe says.
Her 8-year-old Australian shepherd, Chip, eats up the protein-rich blend of peas, organic barley, organic oats and lentils. “Additionally, Endless Valley provides another dietary option for people who have dogs that experience adverse food reactions and may benefit from a diet without meat,” she notes. Make sure you know how to recognize the signs of food poisoning in your dog.
Best freeze-dried dog food: Nature’s Blend
Veterinarian Marty Goldstein, DVM, has his own furry entourage to display the benefits of the dog food he created. Joey, Tara, Redford and Tilly are a healthy, energetic mix of breeds and ages that eat Nature’s Blend, a premium freeze-dried dog food Dr. Goldstein created after more than 40 years of studying pet nutrition. “Its ingredients are of the highest quality; it has zero negative additives, chemicals, preservatives or fillers. It is predominantly high-quality whole meats, which is how they ate in the wild—not byproducts or synthetics,” says Dr. Goldstein. These are the 11 summer foods you should never share with your dog.
Best dog food for larger breeds: Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed
Katharine Kancer, DVM has a big mouth to feed. Her Bernese mountain dog, Ella, chows down on Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed. “This specific food is complete and balanced with the nutrients she needs at this point in her life stage and is formulated for large breed dogs, which have slightly different nutrient requirements,” says Dr. Kancer. For example, she says adult, large and giant breed dogs benefit from having more glucosamine, chondroitin and omega-3 fatty acids in their diets to help their joints. Don’t miss these everyday habits of great dog owners.
Best whole food diet dog food: The Farmer’s Dog
New York City veterinarian Jonathan Block, DVM, of the Worth Street Veterinarian Center feeds his dog, Neshi, The Farmer’s Dog, a whole food diet crafted from human-grade ingredients. “The Farmer’s Dog has taken the extra measures to make sure all of their formulas are perfectly well-balanced according to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), a non-profit group that sets standards for pet foods in the United States.” The improved nutrient bioavailability helps his aging dog’s energy levels, body conditions, mobility and overall health. Read up on why your dog can have funky breath, and how to fix it.
Best dog food for dogs with dietary needs: Nutro
The pack of Los Angeles-based veterinarian Jeff Werber, DVM, includes four dogs with a variety of dietary needs, so he feeds them Nutro. “I like the brand because its varieties contain quality, real, recognizable ingredients that serve a purpose and meet my dogs’ nutritional needs,” says Dr. Werber. More importantly, Nutro satisfies all his dogs’ taste buds—not an easy feat when you have four pups to please. He uses the senior variety formula for Herbie and Pierce, Tommy eats the adult formula, and Denzel dines on the limited ingredient variety because he has a chicken sensitivity. Here are some tips for going on a road trip with your dog.
Best rigorously tested dog food: Ollie
New York City veterinarian Imogen Slome, DVM, believes natural and fresh diets are best for people and dogs, including her pit bull, Sosa. “As a vet, I’m also extremely cognizant about food safety! There are so many recalls in the pet food industry, so what I like about Ollie is the rigorous testing they do on every batch for food safety, as well as nutritional adequacy,” says Dr. Slome. Sosa, like many pit bulls, has sensitive skin and skin allergies, so Dr. Slome feeds her a single ingredient protein, Ollie Turkey, to keep skin issues under control. Take a look at these 13 doggie gifts that will get their tails wagging.
Best lightly cooked dog food: The Honest Kitchen
Sarah Wallace, DVM, a veterinarian and nutrition expert for Fuzzy Pet Health, adopted Birdie, a rat terrier mix, from a shelter. She was found half-starved, but luckily Birdie eats a higher quality diet now. Dr. Wallace feeds her The Honest Kitchen because it is lightly cooked food. “I would never feed a raw food because I know how bad it feels to have food poisoning from bacterial contamination in my food; I want to minimize my dog’s chance of getting food poisoning by feeding her cooked food.” According to Dr. Wallace, lightly cooked dog food is more digestible than kibble, meaning it absorbs more vitamins, minerals, essential fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Check out these tips for keeping your dog cool this summer.
Best big brand dog food: Beneful
Michael J. Anacker, DVM, a veterinarian at the Hodes Veterinary Group in Mine Hill, New Jersey, currently feeds his two labs, Munch and Chewi, Beneful. But he’s not loyal to just one brand. If there’s a good deal on a brand or a patient returns food to the clinic because the pet didn’t like it, then he’ll use that too, as long as the food is from a trusted dog food company. “My philosophy is that all of the major pet foods are good quality foods with only subtle differences,” he says. “The larger companies are forever improving their foods and trying to beat their competitors. Therefore, if there is something wrong with a competitors’ food they would call them out on it ASAP.” This is what you should do if your dog accidentally eats chocolate.
Best dog food for those with joint problems: Hills J/D Mobility
If your dog has joint problems, this food is one of the best dog food brands for them. With a Masters in animal science focusing on animal nutrition, Andrea Antonelli, another veterinarian at Hodes Veterinary Group has specific criteria when it comes to feeding her dogs. Some breeds like her German Shepherds are prone to joint problems, and the Hills J/D Mobility formula fits the bill for her three shepherds, Thor, Blitz and Boris, along with her pitbull, Slyvia. “I will only feed my dogs food from companies that will give me a fed and dry matter percentage.” “Fed” is the moisture content in the food, and “dry” is the actual amount of nutrients minus moisture. “I want to know exactly what is going in my dog’s mouth.” Next, read up on how to make a doggie gift bag for your pet.
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The post The Best Dog Food Brands Veterinarians Feed Their Own Pets appeared first on Taste of Home.
Lisa Marie Conklin