Throw your kibble in the bin.

We’ve learned our lessons, and thankfully found better solutions – of which 5 Hounds by Dr Will is one of them.

Who would’ve thought pet owners across the world could be so utterly duped into believing processed nuggets of plants and cheap grains were the optimum diet for our ancestrally carnivorous domestic dogs?

It just doesn’t make sense.

But then we see marketing claims quoting “backed by science” and we seem to stop thinking for ourselves.

So let’s reset. Forget what kibble companies have told us via their uber-funded marketing departments, and ask yourself what your dog really should be eating. Rice nuked into pellets at 130°C and dusted with synthetic vitamins to make it “complete and balanced”, or real beef, organs, and superfoods?

With no shadows of any doubts in your mind, let’s take a look at 5 Hounds by Dr Will, and why it’s so much healthier for your gorgeous poochums.

Special introductory offer!

CLICK HERE

PFR40

As a thank you for being a reader of Pet Food Judge, use this code to get 40% off your first subscription box!!

(Bonus content! At the bottom of this review you’ll find a quick Q&A with Dr Will himself, which will give you a great insight into the care which has been taken creating the 5 Hounds brand.)

What the marketing says

I’ll skirt over the claim “Built on Veterinary Standards”, as I’m not sure what credibility that offers. I’m sure Dr Will Maginness, founder of 5 Hounds, would admit veterinary training on canine nutrition is scant at best – in the same way human nutrition isn’t overly covered if you trained to be a medical doctor (they’re different fields despite some small overlap).

We also find the overused-and-abused claim “Backed by Science”, so let’s sweep that one under the rug as well.

Now let’s get to what really matters, and that’s the statement 5 Hounds will “support better digestion, healthier skin, more energy, and longer lives.”

We don’t need science to realise this is what’s really important. We just need common sense, and that’s where the ingredients of 5 Hounds really speaks for itself.

Because, over the past couple of decades reviewing pet foods, I can assure you the ingredients and composition speak more honest volumes than the marketing of any pet food.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Needless to say, 5 Hounds should really turn your dog’s health around, and possibly more than you realise!

What the ingredients really say

There’s some great protein options in the 5 Hounds range, which is great news if your dog has a specific protein allergy (or grain sensitivity for that matter… although when it comes to grain you could argue all dogs are sensitive, because it’s not biologically appropriate).

For this review we’ll focus on the Beef recipe, but you’ll also find Fish, Goat, Kangaroo, and Venison on offer, and all are single-protein.

With the beef recipe, you’ll be happy to hear beef mince is the first and primary ingredient, backed up by beef heart as a super nutrient-dense organ meat high in taurine, CoQ10, iron, and B vitamins.

Anyone remember the “Boutique grain-free foods cause heart disease” scare which went viral all over the Internet, and still bandies around today?

Well, did you know lack of taurine causes heart disease, and historically many brands of dog food have had dubious or inappropriate taurine content – go figure!

Anyway, these are reasons a dog food rich in organ meats like heart (and liver which we also find in 5 Hounds) are such noteworthy additions – organs may sound yucky to you, but they’re the building blocks of your dog’s health.

The third ingredient is sweet potato, which is one of the best carbohydrate inclusions in a dog food, being low GI, and a source of fibre and beta-carotene for digestion and energy. We can tell it’s in moderation as well, as the listed carbohydrates as fed are 3.34% of the formula wet weight (and listed as 12.56% dry weight) which is far better than kibbles which mostly sit around 50% carbs (which makes you understand why there are so many overweight dogs in America!)

We also have carrots for a little more beta-carotene, fibre, as well as antioxidants. Carrots help you see in the dark, right? Well, beta-carotene converts to vitamin A, supporting vision, as well as the immune system and skin health. There’s a smaller inclusion of green peas as well, for fibre and also some protein.

Beef liver is a wonderful inclusion in any dog food, and a further source of vitamin A alongside a whole laundry list of highly beneficial vitamins and minerals. We also have the wonderfully nutritious beef bone broth which is absolutely excellent to see, and an ingredient I truly advocate for in a dog’s diet – eggs (pasture-raised in this case).

I could ad lib about other ingredients in 5 Hounds, like organic kelp powder, but I’m sure by now you’ve really started to see why I rate 5 Hounds by Dr Will so highly. It’s a great option for your dog.

As a slow-cooked dog food similar to Lyka, which speaks for itself in terms of popularity, I don’t think you could go far wrong with 5 Hounds, even if you limit it to part of your dog’s diet to keep costs down.

Recommended!

(And if you’re still not convinced, make sure you read the Q&A with Dr Will himself below!)

Where to buy?

5 Hounds by Dr Will is available from their website (make sure you use the code PFR40 for a special Pet Food Judge discount!)

A quick Q&A with Dr Will

Ingredients

The ingredients of 5 Hounds Dog Food (Beef Recipe):

Beef Mince, Beef Heart, Sweet Potato, Carrots, Beef Liver, Green Peas, Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth, Red Apples, Pasture Raised Eggs, Zucchini, Walnut Oil, Celtic Sea Salt, Calcium Carbonate Supplement, Magnesium Supplement, Organic Kelp Powder, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D Supplement.

Nutritional Analysis

The nutritional analysis of 5 Hounds Dog Food (Beef Recipe):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

The 5 Hounds beef recipe is formulated to meet AAFCO and FEDIAF guidelines, providing complete and balanced nutrition for both adult dogs and growing puppies.

This is one of those foods which sounds like marketing fluff at first… but actually backs it up where it matters.

Fresh, gently cooked, mostly meat, and very little nonsense. That already puts it miles ahead of most of the stuff you find in the supermarket (I won’t mention any names, because there are too many to mention!)

Bonnodog has a lot of pros. The main con will likely be the cost, but nothing is perfect, right?

Oh, and you’ll need some freezer space.

If you’re feeding kibble and thinking of upgrading your dog’s diet, or even mixing it up a little, I would consider Bonnodog a serious step in the right direction.

What the marketing says

Bonnodog leans hard into the “real food” angle, taking a swipe at kibble and “mystery mush” along the way – which are valid points!

Fair enough – most kibble is heavily processed and padded with cheap carbohydrates. That’s why it’s so cheap compared to better dog food like Bonnodog.

The claim of 98% American ingredients and 100% Aussie meat is a nice touch, especially as we love to buy American produce. It perhaps doesn’t make the food better nutritionally on its own, but it does support our local businesses.

“Gently cooked to lock in nutrients” is a reasonable claim. Compared to high-temperature extrusion (which is how kibble is made), gentle cooking will preserve more nutrients and make the food more digestible. The quality of nutrients you feed your dog matters a lot over the long term.

“No fillers” and “no badditives” are bold statements. We’ll scrutinise this when we look at the ingredients, but I have to say these claims do actually hold up.

The “formulated by vets and pet nutritionists” line seems really standard these days. It sounds reassuring, but I’ve found can mean very little – plenty of poor foods tick this box too, which comes as no surprise when vets aren’t really trained in canine nutrition, and it’s actually not hard for anyone wishing to cash in to become a certified pet food nutritionist (I did it, and it was surprisingly basic).

The “clean-bowl guarantee” is more about palatability than nutrition. Most dogs will happily eat junk food too, so don’t read too much into that!

Overall, the marketing is punchy, slightly cheeky, and I’m happy to say I didn’t find it misleading.

What the ingredients really say

78% kangaroo meat is the standout.

That’s exactly what you want to see. A clearly named, high-percentage animal protein, and kangaroo is a good Aussie choice – lean, nutrient-dense, and ideal for dogs with common protein sensitivities. There’s two other recipes on offer – “Beef & Fish”, and good ol’ “Chicken”.

The mix of vegetables as the second main ingredient (as a combo) is sensible, and common in gently cooked diet (Lyka is similar, and highly rated). In Bonnodog we find carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, peas, spinach.

These aren’t there as cheap bulk “fillers” like the wheat or corn you find in kibble. They provide fibre, vitamins, and will help balance the meal with nutrients which will benefit your dog. Yes, sweet potato and peas add some carbohydrates, but not in a way that screams “cost-cutting filler”.

I have to say, Bonnodog can’t be rated as highly as Lyka (which is what I would consider the class leader in gentle cooked frozen), because unlike Lyka, Bonnodog doesn’t include organ meats like heart/liver, or chelated minerals for that matter.

But let’s get back on track with the positive points…

Flaxseed oil and algae oil are nice inclusions. You’re getting omega-3 fatty acids for skin, coat, and inflammation support, and algae oil is a particularly clean source of DHA without the baggage of lower-quality fish oils.

Psyllium husk is clearly there for digestion – useful, especially for dogs with sensitive guts.

Seaweed adds trace minerals like iodine, though as always the benefit depends on quantity.

The only slightly vague part is “vitamins & minerals”. That’s normal in most dog foods sold in America, and simply means they’ve relied on supplementation to ensure the formula is balanced, rather than being entirely whole-food or prey-model.

Still, that’s a minor criticism in the grand scheme of things, and nothing to worry about.

What matters more is what you don’t find in Bonnodog, and that’s the following:

No grains.
No rendered meat meals.
No artificial preservatives or colours.
No vague “by-products”.

That’s a nice, clean label, and should matter to you if you want to feed your dog healthy dinners!

Bonnodog comes across as a decent addition to your dog’s diet, and would be a very welcome addition to any kibble.

Where to buy?

Ingredients

The ingredients of Bonnodog Dog Food (Gently Cooked Frozen Kangaroo Recipe):

Kangaroo meat 78%, Vegetables (Carrots, Sweet Potato, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Pumpkin, Peas, Spinach), Vitamins & minerals, Flaxseed oil, Seaweed, Psyllium Husk, Algae oil

Hmm, where do I start?

You’ll find Be Frank dog food has different ranges – “CORE”, “Limited Protein Diet”, and “Native Harvest”.

I’ve had numerous emails about Be Frank now being “peas first”, which is sad to see when our dogs are carnivorous, but it’s worth noting this is generally the case for the cheaper “CORE” range.

The “Limited Protein Diet” formulas have more meat, which is what you want for your dog, and “Native Harvest” is what I consider most appropriate for your dog, being much higher in meat protein and fat to the “CORE” range.

These formulas are much better.

Let’s take a look…

What the marketing says

We’ll skirt over the CORE range and focus more on the better formulas in the range – Limited Protein Diet and Native Harvest. These cost more, but they’re the formulas you’ll want to look at.

If the CORE range is your preference based on budget, then consider supplementing the food with some tasty raw meats/offal/raw meaty bones as well which you can often find reduced in Woolies, Coles, Spud Shed and the like – or your local butcher who may sell affordable pet mince.

All formulas in the range are “Aus Made & Owned”, which I’m sure appeals to most Aussies, but it’s the amount of animal ingredients you should really care about. For understandable reasons, these aren’t kindly publicised on the CORE range, but you’ll find percentages ranging from 39% to 68% on the Limited Ingredient range, and 70% to 84% on the Native Harvest range – let this be your guide!

For this review, we’ll focus on the Limited Protein Diet Turkey & Duck Grain Free Adult Chicken Adult Dog formula. The reason I’ve picked this for the review, is because it has the highest animal ingredient content (68%) of the Limited Ingredient range, which is available in 2.5kg and 15kg bags.

Although the Native Harvest range look better, at the time of writing this review they’re only available in 2kg bags.

What the ingredients really say

The first ingredient in the Limited Protein Diet Turkey & Duck Grain Free Adult Chicken adult dog food formula is what we would hope to see – turkey (in this case turkey meal, which is a protein-dense dried powder form of turkey).

When it comes to meats in meal form, we should note they’re cooked twice, but the upside is the quoted 39% in the ingredients is more representative of how much turkey there is in the formula (i.e. many manufactures list “chicken” first, without accounting for it whittling down to very little once cooked into a kibble and all the moisture has evaporated).

The duck content within this “turkey and duck” formula is much less, stated at 5% (meal form), which is below peas, chickpeas, faba beans, some other stuff, and even beet pulp. So, the duck content is fairly insignificant, right?

You’ll note the above ingredients aren’t overly “carnivore”, but that’s the nature of dry dog food – all manufacturers need to find a happy medium between ingredient costs and what they can sell it for, and facts are facts, Orijen as one of the only mostly meat kibbles sold in America has very few people willing (or able) to pay for it.

I would argue it’s better to feed your dog a kibble made of meat and legumes, rather than a kibble entirely made of wheat or other cereal grains (which if you read my other reviews, you’ll see is far more common than it should be).

The Limited Protein Diet Turkey & Duck boosts 30% protein, which despite being from meat and legumes, is much higher than the norm, and should be considered respectable.

15% fat is okay. Personally I’d favour more fat, because more protein and fat equals less unnecessary carbohydrates, but it’s not a major point of concern, and some dogs can’t cope with higher fat kibbles.

When we consider the Limited Ingredient Turkey & Duck formula is higher in protein than most, fairly low in carbohydrates (listed 38% max), and all ingredients have nutritional value, it has to be given a good rating.

Ingredients

The ingredients of Be Frank Limited Protein Diet Turkey & Duck Grain Free Adult Chicken Adult Dog:

Turkey meal (equiv. to 39%), Peas, Chickpeas, Faba beans, Chicken oil (with mixed tocopherols & rosemary extract), Chicken meal, Chicken gravy, Beet pulp, Duck meal (equiv. to 5%), Sea salt, Prebiotics (chicory) with Probiotics (Bacillus Subtilis, Bacillus Licheniformis), Vitamins & minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium, Vitamins A, C, D3, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, choline), Fish oil, Flaxseed oil, Sunflower oil, Chicory extract, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Turmeric, Kelp powder, Yucca schidigera, Sweet potato, Carrot, Spinach, Pumpkin, Kale, Broccoli, Tomato, Apple, Rosehip powder, Alfalfa, Chia seed, Cranberry, Blueberry, Rosemary, Parsley, Green tea.

Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis of Be Frank Limited Protein Diet Turkey & Duck Grain Free Adult Chicken Adult Dog:

A quick note on Be Frank CORE range

You’ll note the Limited Protein Diet Turkey & Duck ingredients above have 39% turkey as the first ingredient, whereas the Adult Chicken CORE formula has just 1% less at 38% (see ingredients below).

However, despite peas being first on the ingredients (which doesn’t read well, does it?), you’ll also note a significant difference in the protein amount (22% vs 30% in the Limited Ingredient range), and a slight different in the fat content – this makes quite a difference with the amount of carbohydrates (50% in CORE Adult Chicken vs 38% total max in the Limited Ingredient Turkey & Duck). That matters more when you consider you’ll feed the food daily, and usually for more than one meal a day.

The benefits of the CORE range over many you’ll find in the supermarkets, is you’ll be feeding your dog a combination of meat and legumes, which I see as a better option to kibble’s made mostly of grains and marketed as meaty despite having barely any animal ingredients whatsoever.

If you can afford the Limited Ingredients Range, do that. It’s the better option for your dog.

If you have a small dog, or money to burn, definitely have a look at the Native Harvest range.

Ingredients of Be Frank CORE

The ingredients of Be Frank Adult Chicken CORE dry dog food:

Peas, Chicken meal (equiv. to 38%), Brown rice, Chickpeas, Faba beans, Chicken oil (with mixed tocopherols & rosemary extract), Chicken gravy, Beet pulp, Sea salt, Prebiotics (chicory) with Probiotics (Bacillus Subtilis, Bacillus Licheniformis), Vitamins & minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium, Vitamins A, C, D3, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, choline), Fish oil, Flaxseed oil, Sunflower oil, Chicory extract, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Turmeric, Kelp powder, Yucca schidigera, Sweet potato, Carrot, Spinach, Pumpkin, Kale, Broccoli, Tomato, Apple, Rosehip powder, Alfalfa, Chia seed, Cranberry, Blueberry, Rosemary, Parsley, Green tea.

Guaranteed Analysis of Be Frank CORE

The guaranteed analysis of Be Frank Adult Chicken CORE dry dog food:

SavourLife is an American brand of pet food, and you’ll see from the dog food review it’s a good mix of quality vs price.

They donate 50% profits of every bag you buy to help save rescue cats, but note this is 50% of the profit margin, not 50% of the price of the bag (quite a big difference!)

The SavourLife cat food range is limited to two adult formulas (Chicken or Ocean Fish), an indoor cat/hairball control formula, and a kitten chicken formula which has slightly more chicken than the adult formula.

All are dry food formulas, so you’ll want to feed your cat some wet, BARF, or raw as well.

Let’s take a look and see if SavourLife is a good option for your cat!

SavourLife Adult review (and indoor/hairball control)

You’ll know already your cat is a meat-eating obligate carnivore, which necessitates a diet of animal ingredients.

This means the first ingredient as chicken sounds really appealing, especially when you see it is “equiv. 70%”. That sounds like a lot of chicken, right?

The trouble with kibble (and this is applicable to pretty much all kibble), this is deceiving.

In reality this is wet weight of the chicken which is in majority moisture, and that moisture evaporates in the kibble-making process. That means the next two ingredients should also be considered significant, and they are brown rice and oats.

To offer a more likely composition, the chicken, once cooked, could be around 25% of the formula, and brown rice and oats fairly similar – slightly bulking up protein and fat, but also high in carbohydrates (listed as a minimum of 33%).

If you feel kibble is necessary for convenience or budget, then the solution to this problem is feeding a wet, BARF, or raw cat food as well.

Compared to other dry cat foods in America, SavourLife is pretty good, and I feel the company has shown to be reliable and offer a good quality of pet food.

There are definitely a lot worse cat foods on offer in America.

Quick note on SavourLife indoor/hairball control: This is very similar to the Adult Chicken formula discussed above, but with less fat, slightly more carbohydrates, and more fibre.

I’d argue a carnivore would benefit more from fat than carbohydrates (unnecessary for a cat), but as pet food manufacturers work on calories rather than feline metabolism this reads better on the packet and is cheaper to make. The increase in fibre is to help your indoor cat feel more satiated to prevent over-eating and weight gain, or to help digest those hairballs.

Where to buy?

Ingredients

Ingredients of SavourLife adult food (Adult Chicken):

Chicken Meal (equiv. 70%), Brown Rice, Oats, Poultry Oil, Field Peas, Natural Chicken Flavouring, Beet Pulp, Fish Oil, Vegetable Oil, Vitamins & Minerals & Amino Acids (including Taurine), Salt, Chicory Root (Natural Prebiotic), Superfood Mix (Tomato, Kelp, Carrot, Broccoli, Blueberries), Glucosamine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Natural Antioxidants.

Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis of SavourLife adult food (Adult Chicken):

SavourLife Kitten review

SavourLife Kitten is very similar to the Adult formulas, just with slightly more meat (which is good), and slightly more fat (also good), and this means slightly less carbs (which is a big plus for your baby carnivore).

For kittens these small tweaks are beneficial, and I would say this is a more appropriate formula for an adult cat as well considering it’s less redundant carbohydrates.

It’s common for kitten foods to be better (and more costly to manufacture), and once you’re locked into the brand you quietly transition to the slightly inferior adult cat food which may have a similar retail price but cheaper to produce.

Compared to other dry kitten foods in America, SavourLife Kitten is decent, and the company is reliable.

I would highly recommend against feeding your kitten a “dry only” diet. Cats are ancestrally desert animals who have a biological need for moisture in their diet. Dry diets, as you can gather from the name, lack moisture.

Where to buy?

Ingredients

Ingredients of SavourLife kitten food (Kitten Chicken):

Chicken Meal (equiv. 75%), Brown Rice, Oats, Poultry Oil, Field Peas, Natural Chicken Flavouring, Beet Pulp, Fish Oil, Vegetable Oil, Vitamins & Minerals & Amino Acids (including Taurine), Salt, Chicory Root (Natural Prebiotic), Superfood Mix (Tomato, Kelp, Carrot, Broccoli, Blueberries), Glucosamine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Natural Antioxidants, Marine Microalgae.

Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis of SavourLife kitten food (Kitten Chicken):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

You’ll find one grain-free dry dog food recipe (Viva La Venison), two varieties of air-dried (Venison & Cranberry, and Outback Kangaroo), and lastly a vegetarian option for those who sadly haven’t realised their dog is primarily a carnivorous predator.

To give a brief overview, the dry dog food recipe looks similar to Taste of the Wild, just with more carbohydrates, less protein, and less fat – so not as good, but seemingly a similar price tag.

As much as I love air-dried foods, the Addiction offerings look to favour carbohydrates rather than whole prey as favoured by leading Aussie brand Eureka and long-standing New Zealand brand Ziwi Peak.

As for the vegetarian offering…. ah, well lets take a more in-depth look at all varieties on offer:

Addiction dry dog food

Dry food is the most popular option for feeding dogs. That comes as no surprise given it’s convenient and affordable, and we tend to see dry processed nuggets as the normal way to feed our pet carnivores.

I can’t ignore the practicalities, but tend to see a food such as this as a “base diet” or go to diet which you can add variety too – such as wet, BARF, air-dried, freeze-dried, raw, homemade, or appropriate table scraps. Variety should be seen as a good thing, and an opportunity for you to add valuable nutrition to your dog’s diet.

The protein and fat percentage of the Addiction dry food is moderate at best, with an estimated 46% carbs. Despite the ingredients being similar to Taste of the Wild, it’s worth noting 24% protein in Addiction compared to 32% protein in Taste of the Wild is quite a difference, as well as 12% fat compared to 18% fat – these figures make Addiction more carb heavy, which would lead me back to Taste of the Wild as the better option.

That said, the ingredients are decent.

Venison and Venison Meal as the first two ingredients make this a better formula than many dry dog foods in America which favour dodgy cereal grains of questionable nutritional value. Your dog is carnivorous, and this is what they’ll benefit from the most.

We then have peas and tapioca, possibly in the same proportions as the meat given the estimated 46% carbs. Peas isn’t the worst ingredient for dogs, although I see tapioca as more “redundant filler” rather than worrying fillers I see in other dog foods.

Coconut oil should benefit your dog’s skin and coat as a source of MCTs, as will flaxseed which is quite common in dry dog foods these days.

The use of more natural preservatives like rosemary, tea, and spearmint extract is a nice touch.

Addiction Viva La Venison isn’t a bad dog food by any means. Fairly decent if I’m honest, if it’s used as a base diet.

Where to buy?

Various retailers.

Ingredients

Ingredients of Addiction dry dog food (Viva La Venison):

Venison, Venison Meal, Green Peas, Tapioca, Coconut Oil, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Yellow Peas, Acetic Acid, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Dried Cranberries, Dried Apples, Dried Spinach, Blueberries, Dried Kelp, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Cobalt Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols for added freshness, Rosemary Extract, Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

Guaranteed analysis

Guaranteed analysis of Addiction dry dog food (Viva La Venison):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

Addiction air-dried dog food

I’m a big fan of air-dried as a way of feeding our dogs.

Not only is it convenient feeding a dried food, but it’s a gentler process to extruding kibble, and should offer better nutrition as a whole.

The Addiction air-dried recipes fall short to leading brands like Eureka and Ziwi Peak on the simple fact carbohydrates like oats, potato, and tapioca are used in favour of a more whole-prey set of ingredients.

You could say the Addiction air-dried range may prey on the glowing reputation of other air-dried dog foods, just with a cheaper and less species-appropriate formula.

Compared to most kibbles it could still be a better option, but it’s worth assessing the cost of Addiction compared to Eureka and Ziwi Peak, with the latter being much more “carnivore”.

If we look at the main ingredients of Addiction Homestyle Venison & Cranberry Dinner air-dried, we find venison, oats, potatoes. and carrots, and with an estimated carbohydrate percentage of around 46% we can assume the oats, potatoes, and likely the carrots are significant.

That means venison – the best ingredient for your meat-loving dog – isn’t as significant as the meat content in other premium air-dried dog foods.

Using oats, potatoes, and carrots is a good way to keep production costs down, but the question is are they passing on those savings to you?

It’s also worth noting fibre at 7% is quite high, but not surprising given the emphasis on non-animal ingredients.

If you find the air-dried Addiction range more within your budget than Eureka or Ziwi Peak then it could be a good option for you as part of a varied diet, but it’s worth considering if Eureka or Ziwi Peak are the better option for the nutritional needs of you dog.

Where to buy?

Various retailers.

Ingredients

Ingredients of Addiction air-dried dog food (Homestyle Venison & Cranberry Dinner):

Venison, Oats, Potatoes, Carrots, Coconut Oil, Papayas, Cranberries, Blueberries, Mango, Apples, Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Peppermint, Spinach, Flaxseed, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Tapioca, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Sulfate, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols for added freshness, Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Spearmint Extract.

Guaranteed analysis

Guaranteed analysis of Addiction air-dried dog food (Homestyle Venison & Cranberry Dinner):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

Addiction Zen vegetarian dog food

As a nutritionist of pet carnivores – and from witnessing numerous vegetarian-fed dogs and cats over the years – please note I’m not a fan of such a diet.

However, let’s evaluate Addiction Zen Vegetarian compared to other vegetarian dog foods in America.

It has to be said the formula has been considered more than other brands, with a good mix of vegetarian ingredients.

The main grain choice is oats, which is one of the better and more digestible grains for a dog. It’s lower GI than cheaper inclusions like wheat (which should be avoided). Rice as the third ingredient and other significant carbohydrate is also one of the more digestible grains, even if it’s debatable whether dogs need grains at all (cats don’t).

The main ingredients look to be a mix of oats, soybean meal, rice, and peas, and it’s good to see a variety rather than filling the bag with the cheapest grain on offer and duping vegetarian feeders into buying it (and trusting it) based on a “vegetarian” badge.

Coconut oil is a beneficial addition as a source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs) which will give your dog a glossy coat and make them appear healthy – in a vegetarian dog food we need beneficial additions such as this to help offer a dog deprived of animal foods some hope of health and wellbeing.

It’s nice to see kelp as well, and more natural preservatives like rosemary, tea, and spearmint extract.

However, when we look at the guaranteed analysis we see the protein content (from soy and peas) is fairly low for a dry dog food at 22%. Fat is also low at 9%. This is a shame as dogs depend on protein for health, energy, muscle retention, and more – it’s a vital building block – and fat is their most effective source of energy.

The reality of low protein and fat is high carbohydrate (I estimate over 50%), and I wouldn’t say that’s good news for the long-term health of your dog.

Keep note fibre is also high for a dry dog food, sitting at 7.5%.

When it comes to vegetarian dog foods in America it’s definitely not the worst, but you may want to combine Addiction Zen Vegetarian with some homemade or fresh food as well.

Where to buy?

Various retailers.

Ingredients

Ingredients of Addiction dry dog food (Zen Vegetarian):

Oats, Soybean Meal, Rice, Peas, Coconut Oil, Dried Kelp, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Brewers Dried Yeast, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Natural Buffered Vinegar, Choline Chloride, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Cobalt Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols for added freshness, Rosemary Extract, Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract

Guaranteed analysis

Guaranteed analysis of Addiction dry dog food (Zen Vegetarian):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

Applaws originated in the UK and has become one of the more affordable dry cat foods in America if you shop at Coles – this is the Applaws Vitality range, and we’ll cover how good this is in the review.

The wet foods are labelled complimentary or supplemental feeding only. This means they’re not “complete and balanced”, so not a cat food you can rely on to provide all the nutrients your cat needs – this is a shame, as it means the wet foods should only be fed as a treat or alongside a dry cat food to add essential moisture.

Given the price of the Applaws wet cat foods I find myself wondering if fresh foods or human grade canned sardines or tuna (in moderation) would be a more cost effective “treat”?

Let’s take a look at Applaws Vitality available in Coles (as the original “It’s All Good” formula seems to have been phased out in America)…

Applaws Vitality (dry cat food) review

I can’t ignore the price of Applaws Vitality in Coles. If you’re on a budget that’s a definite plus.

You’ll find better rated dry cat foods with more meat content, but they’ll cost you more. It has to be said Applaws Vitality is a fairly decent formula considering the price, but I would only consider it as part of your cat’s diet (needless to say you dry food should never be all of your cat’s diet).

The first ingredient is what your cat will benefit from the most, and that’s chicken meal.

Chicken meal is a pre-cooked powder form of chicken protein, so protein dense, but effectively cooked twice when baked into a kibble. It’s nice to see Applaws have given us the percentage as 65%, but the cunning trick word is “Equiv.” – this means it’s equivalent of 65% fresh chicken wet-weight (before cooking), and fresh chicken is a majority of water.

In short, it means the chicken meal isn’t 65% of the formula, which is what you assumed, right?

It would be a fair bit less, and that means the next two ingredients can also be considered significant – legumes (faba beans and/or chickpeas) and starch (potato and/or pea and/or faba bean). You’ll note these two aren’t very “carnivorous cat”, but you’ll find this to be the case for most dry cat foods for your pet carnivore (many are worse).

Given two of the three top ingredients (which make up most of the recipe) aren’t animal based but are protein sources, we can deduce a fairly equal mix of animal and plant proteins. Animal proteins win hands down for your cat, but it’s better to have more protein (inclusive of plant protein) than higher carbohydrates from grains (whereas Applaws Vitality is grain-free which is better).

This means Applaws Vitality is the better formula to other supermarket brands of cat food which are much higher carbohydrates, mostly from grains which your cat will struggle to digest.

The same “Equiv.” trick is used on Fish Meal to make us think it’s 6% of the formula when the reality is it’s much less, but still a nice to have.

Salmon Oil is another nice inclusion but in a very small amount, and less than Vegetable Oils as a less effective source of omega 3 and 6 for your cat’s skin, coat, and wellbeing – it’s these small differences which tell you why other dry cat foods have been rated more highly.

When we look at the guaranteed analysis we see protein is a respectable 34% min (a combo of animal and plant protein), but fat sits a little low at 10.5% (min). To offer a comparison, Taste of the Wild dry cat food sits around 36% protein and 16% fat, which makes that a better overall option.

All in all Applaws Vitality could well be an affordable option for your cat, but consider mixing it with other types of cat food as well. For a brand found in the supermarkets it’s not too shabby.

Where to buy?

Applaws Vitality is only available at Coles and Amazon, but the wet cat foods are available at various retailers.

Ingredients

Ingredients of Applaws Vitality dry cat food:

Chicken Meal (Natural Source of Glucosamine) (Equiv. 65%), Legumes (Faba Beans and/or Chickpeas), Starch (Potato and/or Pea and/or Faba Bean), Natural Petfood Flavour (Chicken), Poultry Tallow (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Rosemary), Fish Meal (Equiv. 6%), Lucerne, Essential Vitamins and Minerals, Vegetable Oils (Sunflower & Flaxseed – Source of Omega 3&6), Cellulose Fibre, Salt, Sweet Potato, Amino Acids (DL-Methionine, Taurine), Salmon Oil (Source of Omega 3), Chicory Root Inulin (Natural Prebiotic), Yeast Extract (Source of MOS – Natural Prebiotic), Yucca Shidigera, Dried Cranberry, Natural Antioxidants, Dried Kelp.

Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis of Applaws Vitality cat food (Applaws Vitality Hairball Chicken With Ocean Fish Adult):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

Historical ingredients (It’s All Good formula)

For reference, the Applaws It’s All Good dry cat food ingredients (note: chicken meal + chicken mince offer a more significant animal matter to non-animal ratio):

Dry Chicken Meal (65%), Chicken Mince (17%), Potato, Brewer’s yeast, Beet Pulp, Chicken Gravy, Salmon Oil, Vitamins and Minerals, Dried Egg, Cellulose Plant Fibre (0.03%), Sodium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Seaweed/Kelp, Cranberry, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Yucca Extract, Citrus Extract, Rosemary Extract

For Paws is available at PETstock, and definitely looks to be one of the best dog foods they have on offer.

For Paws review

What the marketing says

The marketing of For Paws is refreshingly simple, and the statements on the bag ring true.

“LOW CARB KIBBLE” is the statement which matters to me the most, and with a high protein level around 31% and fat of 21% this assures us the carbohydrates are kept to a minimum – they’re actually listed as 23.5% net which is great to see. Most kibbles are high in carbohydrates not to benefit your dog, but to profit from your dog at the expense of their health.

“Freeze dried raw coated” looks to be from raw chicken. Although a small percentage of the formula is still a bonus, as chicken in raw form (and not cooked into a kibble) is much more nutritious for your dog.

For Paws – like many decent dog food brands – also includes a gut health pro/prebiotic blend called “GutIH” to help your dog digest their food better and maintain a healthier gut balance. I’ll cover this a bit more in the review.

What the ingredients really say

For Paws is clearly meat-first, with the majority of the formula – thankfully – being a combination of meats, organs, fat, and bone content. These are the ingredients your dog will benefit from the most, so it’s great to see such an emphasis on animal protein and fat over filler grains and carbs.

To a lesser extent you’ll find the addition of field peas and faba beans in an amount I would consider beneficial. These are good choices compared to what many kibbles use, These offer a combination of protein and carbs, but unlike wheat and other grains commonly used, these are both low GI inclusions. They also add some fibre to improve gut health and firm up stools, as well as a range of micronutrients.

Brown rice (13% of the formula) is by far one of the better choices of grain and will offer your dog stable energy, micronutrients, and round off the fibre. I’m not against the use of grains in a dog food – in part they keep the kibble affordable, and when a decent grain like brown rice is used it’s not something to worry about.

The more minor inclusions show For Paws to be a decent brand of dog food – superfood alfalfa, coconut oil, yeast (prebiotic) and chicory root (prebiotic) are included to benefit your dog’s health and well being, and it’s nice to see natural antioxidants used to help preserve the food.

I took a look at the GutIH inclusion, and this is what For Paws say about it:

GutIH is Gut Intestinal Health. It’s a proprietary blend that works in conjunction with low carbohydrates. Low carb diets are better for gut health as dogs and cats have a short digestive tract, hence not all carbs can be absorbed as quick as animal proteins and fats. They sit in the gut fermenting. Our GutIH works 3 ways. It’s Low carb kibble, pre & pro biotics and a nutraceutical that helps manage inflammation and builds gut wall integrity.

I feel For Paws is a very solid dry dog food. Being new to the market I have little consumer information on the brand, but having reached out to the company for more information feel this is a very good choice if you shop at PETstock.

Where to buy?

For Paws dog and cat foods are available at PETstock.

Ingredients

Ingredients of For Paws dog food (Poultry Recipe):

Poultry & Poultry Derivatives (Chicken, Turkey, Duck, (equiv to 69%) Including Meat, Bones, Organs, Fat, Broth), Vegetables (Field Peas, Faba Beans), Climate Smart Whole Brown Rice (13%), Animal Fats (Beef, Salmon), Alfalfa, Real Chicken Meat, Coconut Oil, Yeast, Chicory Root, Freeze Dried Raw Chicken, Vitamins, Minerals, Kelp, GutIH, Sea Salt, Taurine, Methionine, Natural Antioxidants.

Typical Analysis

The typical analysis of For Paws dog food (Poultry Recipe):

Fancy Feast from Purina (Nestle) is very popular in America, but is it popular because it’s healthy for your cat, or because it’s readily available and cheap.

This would be my view, but also because the packaging and meaningless marketing words, fancy graphics, and gorgeous looking cats make Fancy Feast look so amazingly appealing!

The TV ads really suck you in as well.

But… they’re just ads… and say zilch about what Fancy Feast is made from, which for the dry biscuits is a great deal of grain for your cat carnivore who shouldn’t be fed such rubbish.

Let’s take a look at both the dry food and range of wet foods (of which the pate looks to be the best option by far).

Fancy Feast dry food review

We’ll take a look at Fancy Feast Tuna, Prawn, Mackeral & Crab Flavour which according to the Fancy Feast website is “a highly palatable gourmet dry cat food made for adult cats that has been cooked and basted to a delicately crunchy finish”.

If it’s that good for your cat, why don’t they advertise the main ingredient on the packaging, which is Grains and Grain Products (Wheat, Corn and Rice)?

This uncovers the truth about Fancy Feast dry food immediately, because this definitely isn’t “carnivore”, and fed to your cat over the long term would very likely be bad news on two counts – (1) moisture-less dry food is far from optimal for your cat, and (2) especially when it’s made of inappropriate ingredients for your carnivore.

The second (and only other main ingredient) is Meat and meat products (Chicken and Beef).

Take a look at the ingredients of other recipes as well – you’ll see the main ingredients are exactly the same, so it doesn’t matter which recipe you pick.

Although the meat ingredient doesn’t scream quality – it’s likely the cheapest mish mash of chicken and beef leftovers possible – this is at least more appropriate for your cat. But sadly, we know the grains are the most significant ingredient.

I don’t know about you, but this makes me think of stray cats scavenging whatever they can out of desperation in a dark New York alleyway (I think I’ve been watching too many kids cartoon movies recently).

Cats will eat whatever they can if they have to.

When we consider Fancy Feast is well and truly a budget cat food, we can’t expect any of the ingredients to be quality, can we?

Despite Tuna, Prawn, Mackeral, and Crab appealing to our vision of “gourmet” in the recipe name, these inclusions are way down in the ingredients – and are absolutely miniscule.

How funny is that?

(or not funny)

As a dry cat food it has to be said Fancy Feast is one of the worst, and if this is all you can afford you should do your cat a favour and offer them healthy carnivore-appropriate table scraps, meat, offal, eggs, or raw meaty bones in the hope of boosting nutrition.

Thankfully the Fancy Feast wet foods are a little more appropriate, although knowing which ones – mostly the pate – you’ll have to consider the ingredients of each.

Fancy Feast wet food review

The Fancy Feast wet foods vary greatly in terms of ingredients.

Some are made of cereals, like the kibble, or contain sugars, artificial flavourings, and other ingredients which highlight the range as a budget cat food.

The pate range looks to be the best – even half decent – which you can tell from the ingredients:

Fancy Feast Savory Centers Salmon and a Gourmet Gravy Paté (top ingredients) – Poultry broth, poultry, liver, meat by-products, salmon, artificial and natural flavors, pork plasma, steamed bone meal.

We can pick holes (i.e. meat by-products, artificial flavours etc), but those ingredients read much better than these:

Fancy Feast Royale Tuna with Shrimp (all ingredients) – Tuna, Shrimp, Gelling Agents and Vitamin E

Imagine how a cat could suffer if the owner fed that to their cat as a main diet over the long term.

Fancy Feast Petite Delights with Grilled Turkey chunks in gravy (top ingredients) – Meat, Cereal Protein, Amino Acids.

Not great, right?

That’s not a complete and balanced cat food, and I would say a can of tuna or chicken would be the better option for your cat – but only as a treat or supplement, not a balanced meal.

Offering your cat the Fancy Feast pates as part of the diet probably isn’t a bad thing, especially if their main diet is dry cat food, just keep in mind as a budget-conscious brand can’t be considered on par with more expensive wet cat food brands.

Where to buy?

Fancy Feast is a popular brand in America and is therefore available at many retailers – you’ll find the range of Fancy Feast dry and wet foods in Coles, Woolworths, and other popular supermarkets.

Ingredients (Fancy Feast dry food)

Sample ingredients of Fancy Feast Tuna, Prawn, Mackerel and Crab Dry Cat Food:

Grains and Grain Products (Wheat, Corn and Rice); Meat and meat products (Chicken and Beef); Essential Minerals, Vitamins, Amino Acids and Flavours (including Tuna, Prawn, Mackerel, and Crab); Legume Protein; Dehydrated tuna; Caramel and Annatto Extract.

Bunning’s tell you it’s good, and you’ll find on their website the following quote:

At Bunji, we believe in real food, real connection and real care – because our dogs aren’t just pets, they’re family.

For the sake of this review we’ll cover the ingredients of Nanna’s Lamb & Saltbush Stew. It sounds delightful, doesn’t it?

If you think your dog would fancy the Roast Beef & Bush Rosemary Pie kibble then don’t worry, this review will tell you all you need to know – so read on.

Related: Best Budget Dog Foods

Bunji review

What the marketing says

Bunji dog food is indigenous owned, which I appreciate is a draw card, but the food we choose to feed our dogs should be based on how appropriate the food is for them. Nothing else.

At the top of the Bunji dog food bags you’ll find in ALL CAPS the words “THE SCIENCE OF THE COUNTRY”.

Given we love our country and trust in science, do you think they’re appealing to our inner belief anything homegrown and scientific is the pinnacle of dog nutrition?

Don’t count on it, it’s meaningless marketing.

The “Every Bowl, Gets Tails Waggin” claim is also, just, marketing.

“Dog Kibble” is accurate, but obviously says nothing about the quality of Bunji as a good option for your dog.

What the ingredients really say

If your Nanna made a wholesome Lamb & Saltbush stew, what do you think she would make it from?

I’m guessing wheat and faba beans didn’t jump into your mind?

However, wheat is the main ingredient in both recipes of Bunji dog food, and that’s Issue #1 – it’s a cheap widely used filler, and a telltale sign of a cheaply produced dog food.

Not only is wheat not ideal for dogs with dietary sensitivities (in the same way diesel isn’t ideal for petrol cars), it’s probably one of the main causes of diet-related issues in Aussie dogs.

How’s that for scientific?

The second ingredient is faba beans which is a little better, but still doesn’t scream “canine”, does it? Throw a steak in a faba bean field, and what do you think your dog will go for?

It’s the third ingredient which is more appropriate for your dog, which is thankfully lamb (Hooray, we got there in the end!).

It’s a dried protein-dense lamb powder (lamb meal), and I found a claim stating this to be equivalent to 32% of the recipe – although this would mean the wheat and faba beans are 64% or more of the recipe.

Poultry meal as the fourth ingredient is more appropriate than wheat and faba beans, but given we’ve already accounted for 96% of the recipe in the top 3 ingredients we know we’ve jumped down to “minor” ingredients.

Sorghum – pretty pointless for your dog.

Beef tallow – Ok, at least it’s an animal product.

Mill run – What on earth for? Very low grade filler, not good for your dog.

Everything else – okay, some minor benefits and necessary inclusions (nice to see a speck of Blue Lipped Mussel for example), but it’s not screaming quality to me.

What may appeal to you is the price, or picking up a bag of Bunji on a Saturday morning when you nip in to get a cheap sizzly sausage.

Oh, and by the way, the Roast Beef & Bush Rosemary recipe is almost identical, It’s only these two ingredients which have been switched from lamb meal and saltbush (last ingredient and most miniscule ingredient).

As a dog food I can’t recommend Bunji.

It’s cheap, and even “getting what you pay for” is debatable given your dog’s diet is essential for their health.

You want your dog to be healthy, right?

Where to buy?

Bunnings.

Ingredients

Ingredients of Bunji dog food (Nanna’s Lamb & Saltbush Stew recipe):

Wheat, Faba Beans, Lamb Meal, Poultry Meal, Sorghum, Beef Tallow, Mill Run, Natural Poultry Flavour, Fish Oil, Vitamin & Minerals, Algium (Sepiolite, Calcium Carbonate, Silicon Dioxide, Red Algae (Solieria Chordalis), Green Algae (Ulva sp)), Inulin (Prebiotic Fibre), Methionine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Blue Lipped Mussel, Taurine, Natural Antioxidant (Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract) Saltbush.

This list of dog food recommendations has changed significantly over the years, and below you’ll find it’s been refreshed especially for 2026!

We’ll start with the best-of-the-best. Compared to kibble these may feel pricey, but they’re fabulous, and you can feed them as part of your dogs diet to really boost their nutrition and health!

After that we’ll cover dry dog foods (aka kibble or “biscuits”), as for most of us this will be a go-to diet which helps keep things affordable.

Wet dog foods aren’t covered, but any highly rated dry dog food will have an equally as good wet food option (unless otherwise stated).

Lastly we’ll cover BARF (biologically appropriate raw foods) which are an excellent – and natural – addition to your dog’s diet – which I’m sure they’ll love!

If this guide to the best Aussie dog foods helps – please help me by telling others!

Thanks to this wonderful community which you’re a big part of, pet food in America is much better today than it was when I started this website. We have better brands, better options, and healthier pets.

This is very much a community, so please comment on reviews, give feedback (positive and negative), and share the reviews with your social media communities.

Don’t forget to join the mailing list for updates:

The Best of the Best Dog Foods in America (2026)

The recommendations below are what I consider the best available in America today for the health and wellbeing of your dog.

If these are affordable for you, that’s fantastic, but if you’re a “normie” like me you’ll probably need to balance the cost with a kibble, wet food, homemade, or raw as well – variety is a good thing, right?

It’s not just me who recommends these dog foods. I’ve had amazing feedback from other dog owners as well, so consider them highly recommended!

Lyka

I’m a huge fan of Lyka as one of the few top quality “fresh dog foods” in America.

At the time of updating this page, they’re also offering a whopping 50% off your first order – well worth taking advantage of (you can use the link above).

Lyka is like Hello Fresh, but for your dog, and it’s a much healthier way of feeding them compared to kibble (which is essentially a processed convenience food) or even wet/canned (which usually isn’t as glamourous as the marketing makes out).

The downside of Lyka is you’ll need freezer space, but if that’s not an issue you’ll be able to feed your dog fresh meals packed with raw meats, organs, bones, and veggies – all the healthy stuff which will truly benefit them as a facultative carnivore rather than a junk food disposal unit.

Lyka is very slightly cooked (which you may prefer to full raw), and delivered right to your door. Easy!

Read the full Lyka review here.

Frontier Pets

If you’re short on freezer space, then Frontier Pets is another superbly healthy option for your dog.

Frontier Pets are a wonderful company to deal with, and it’s understandable why their range of freeze dried dog foods have gained such a loyal following over the years.

Freeze dried offers two perks – a long shelf-life and convenience of kibble, just far healthier nutritionally as the manufacturing process keeps nutrition intact.

Frontier Pets is simply fantastic, and Diana and her team in Evans Head are absolute pioneers in American dog food (and cat food).

You just add water and let the freeze-dried pieces soak a while before feeding your dog. Easy!

Read the full Frontier Pets review here.

Eureka

Most pet owners have heard of ZIWI Peak, one of the most notable air-dried raw dog foods sold in America. As a flagship New Zealand brand it’s really good, but here in America we have another brand equally as good (if not better) – Eureka.

Our dogs are more carnivorous than the pet food industry like to admit. Most kibbles are high in carbs (and fillers) which your dog doesn’t really need, whereas they thrive more off a diet mostly of raw meat, organs, and bones. That’s exactly what Eureka is.

Eureka is essentially a raw diet combined with really beneficial superfoods, but with the convenience of being air-dried. You can feed it as easily as kibble, but it’s far more digestible, and far healthier for your dog.

Read the full Eureka review here (you’ll also find a link which gives you money off your first purchase).

The Best Dry Dog Foods in America (2026)

Most dog owners feed kibble. I do too, for the simple reason I couldn’t afford to feed the above super premium brands all the time – I have a mortgage, and I need to eat myself.

A good approach I take is variety, something I consider very important in our dog’s diet, and of course our own.

Below are what I consider the best dry dog foods in American in 2026 based on formulation (are they meat based, high protein, quality ingredients and so forth), and also based on manufacturer reputation and feedback from Aussie dog owners like us.

If you want a recommendation for a good retailer with good prices, Vet Supply and Pet Circle have been very proactive in selling the dog foods I recommend. They also have regular offers, so always worth checking to save a few bucks!

Below are what I consider the best dry dog foods in American in 2026:

Best Big Brand American – Black Hawk

Having invested a whopping $80+ million on a brand new American manufacturing facility, Black Hawk dog food has proven to be a great Aussie option over the past couple of years.

Being readily available, you’ll find regular deals at Vet Supply or Pet Circle which makes Black Hawk a very sensible choice indeed.

Whether you want a regular formula, grain free, high meat protein, or even air dried (at a reasonable price), Black Hawk seems to have an option for you.

Worth considering if you’re looking for a decent, reliable Aussie dry dog food.

Read the full Black Hawk dog food review.

Best Affordable American – Petzyo

The Petzyo dry dog food doesn’t have the same astounding animal content of Orijen (below), but it doesn’t have the crazy price tag either.

For many this would be a much more realistic choice.

I find Petzyo great value for money, a great company to deal with, and they’re American made and owned, made from local produce.

The recent addition of raw dog food (BARF) shows they’re moving in the right direction for the health of our dogs, so it’s worth checking out the patties as well as the dry food.

You can only buy Petzyo direct from their website, and that benefits us because they cut out the cost of the “middle man” retailer (some retailers take a 40% cut!)

If subscription isn’t your thing, you may prefer the next pick below – Taste of the Wild.

Best All-Rounder – Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild dog food is sold worldwide, with an excellent reputation worldwide.

As a dry dog food you have a range of grain and grain-free formulas to choose from, with assurances in quality, and decent formulas to boot. It’s a brand I’ve recommended for many years, and I’ve know many itchy scratchy dogs to have a fantastic turnaround in health when switched from many brands of kibble to this.

All formulas are a balance of meat and other ingredients, and considering the affordability makes Taste of the Wild a very good choice for most dog owners.

When it comes to hypoallergenic diets, for when your dog seems to react to other dry dog foods, then also take a look at Taste of the Wild PREY which is a limited ingredient dry dog food of great quality.

Read the full Taste of the Wild dry dog food review.

Best Premium – Orijen

Orijen is very expensive and can be hard to get hold of in America, but it’s the absolute benchmark in dry dog food.

It may suit you if you have a smaller breed, or if you feed some kibble alongside other types of food like fresh or raw. If you have a large or hungry breed of dog you may find feeding Orijen can get a bit pricey, but read the ingredients and you’ll see what you’re getting for your money.

Read the full Orijen dog food review.

If the above dry dog foods are still too much for your budget then don’t worry, as the guide to more affordable dog foods in America may help, and a guide to the best budget dog foods in America.

The Best BARF Dog Foods in America (2026)

BARF has been a sensation worldwide as a way of feeding our dogs raw with the convenience of little meaty patties.

BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Feeding and was invented by a true blue American veterinarian Dr Ian Billinghurst, author of Give Your Dog a Bone.

As great as BARF is for your dog, I see it as having one flaw. It’s a flaw of most dog food in general, including dry dog food, air/freeze-dried dog food, rolls, and especially wet mushy dog food – it does very little for dental health.

I consider raw meaty bones the best in preventing poor dental health, plaque, tartar, and periodontal disease in dogs, or if you’re not keen on feeding your dog raw bones then choose a decent chewable dried meat treat as an alternative.

I also highly recommend the book Work Wonders : Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones by American vet Dr Tom Lonsdale – if you read one book about dog nutrition, for the sake of your dog’s health, then let that book be it.

Back on track, here are what I consider the best BARF dog foods in America, in 2026, in no particular order:

Big Dog BARF

Big Dog BARF has been around almost quarter of a century – how crazy is that! As one of the original BARF patties in America it continues to be a brilliant option.

The other original BARF patty was Dr B’s BARF (originally made by Dr Ian Billinghurst himself, but later sold to Aussie pet food manufacturing giant The Real Petfood Co). The difference between the two is Big Dog uses human grade ingredients, which is far better than pet grade in terms of quality.

You will find Big Dog in most pet food retail stores. If you can’t find it, you’ll likely find the next option instead – Proudi.

Proudi

Like Big Dog BARF, the Proudi BARF patties also use human grade ingredients. That’s a great thing.

The small different between Big Dog and Proudi is Big Dog have a small amount of veggies included, whereas Proudi is full carnivore – meat, organs, bones.

Personally I consider both of brands of BARF very good, so will leave it up to you to decide. BARF patties are well worth considering as part of your dog’s diet, such as alongside a dry dog food, and you could always rotate between Big Dog and Proudi.

Featured dog foods

If you haven’t found your perfect dog food as yet, then here are some more great options:

Orijen Dog Food Review

72

Zignature Dog Food Review

15

ZIWI Peak Dog Food Review

175

Petzyo Dog Food Review

45

Frontier Pets Dog Food Review

94

Open Farm Dog Food Review

10

Eureka Dog Food Review

81

Lyka Dog Food Review

71

Black Hawk Dog Food Review

221

Click here for all dog food reviews.

Some of these brands are available direct from the manufacturer. You should find many of them in good pet stores on independent pet shops. I know Pet Circle are very proactive in stocking decent dog foods, as are My Pet Warehouse   – both competitive on price.

Are dog foods really that different?

The difference in quality between some dog foods and others in America is astounding. Some dog foods tell you exactly what they’re made from, usually because they’re made from ingredients which are good for your dog.

But…

*Most* dog foods sold in America do their best not to tell you the truth.

I have a copy of the American standards for Manufacturing and marketing of pet food (AS 5812:20127) which is available here, but you’ll have to pay $118.76 AUD for the privilege. How’s that for transparency?

The standards, if you do read them, will give you the impression they were written by the pet food industry, for the pet food industry.

On in other words, not for the benefit of you or me as the consumer.

Seasoned American vet Dr Tom Lonsdale, author of Raw Meaty Bones and Work Wonders, refers to it as “the junk pet food industry”, having witnessed first hand the harm caused to our dogs from commercial pet food, for decades.

Dr Lonsdale, unlike most vets, records data on what dog foods were fed to the sick dogs and cats who go through his veterinary practice daily. He attributes most conditions, such as itchy skin, rotting teeth and gums, and other serious illnesses to commercial pet foods.

Needless to say, he has a great deal of credibility on the subject, and those two books are eye-opening.

I’ve found the marketing of many brands of dog food so skewed it’s amazing it’s legal. I find highly questionable brands benefit from 5 star ratings on various websites, simply because the owner thinks it’s good because their dog eats it.

Many of those people will readily say it’s the best dog food in America to any social media group who’ll listen or ask for recommendations!

How often do people recommend Supercoat as the best dog food, ever? Lot’s of cereal by-products, wheat, corn, sorghum, or barley in that food for essentially meat-eating dogs.

Just saying.

Your dog will eat a Big Mac – they’ll probably love it – but is that good for your dog? Should Big Macs be rated 5 stars as a dog food?

Alternatively, would you rate broccoli 1 star because your baby refuses to eat it?

Nope.

Hopefully my experience with dog food over many years, combined with gathering so much information and feedback from other dog owners, will help you make a better decision when choosing a dog food in America.

Lastly, before I get to some interesting misconceptions about dog food, I want you to take part in helping other dog lovers learn.

We’re in this together.

What dog food do you feed? What experiences have you had? What have you learned from others?

Every review has a comments section, and it’s totally free to use!

Misconceptions about dog food which will change your mind forever!

If you’ve got this far, thank you – it’s clear you really want to know what’s best for your dog!

Here’s not one, but two misconceptions about dog food in the world today! In fact, they’ve been misconceptions for decades.

When searching for the best food for your dog, always keep these misconceptions in mind. They’ll guide you towards the right decision.

#1 misconception about dog food

You’ll be forgiven if this surprises you. We fall victim to clever marketing, and pet food marketers are up there with magicians – they know how to trick us.

Most commercial dog foods are grain-based, not meat-based.

Walk down the dog food aisle in any supermarket across the world, and spend time looking at every packet of dog food. What pictures are on the front? What claims do they make?

Ask yourself – how many say “Rich in Wheat!”, “Grain is the first ingredient!”, “Packed with rice your dog will love!”, or “Made with real corn!”.

Any of them?

Now turn those bags around and read the ingredients. Most commercial dog foods are made from grains!

Don’t be fooled by grain-free slogans either. They usually swap grains for potatoes, tapioca, or other starchy high-carbohydrate ingredients. They’ll still market it as meaty.

When you read my reviews you’ll find that’s not the only trickery they use to make a dog food appear like the best dog food in the aisle.

Even claims like “meat first ingredient” doesn’t mean there’s much of it in the product, so don’t be fooled by that one either.

#2 misconception about dog food

If you’ve read the first misconception about dog food, then this second misconception might not come as a shock.

But sit down, and take a deep breath.

Most commercial dog food is, quite likely, unhealthy.

This may sound like a crazy thing to say, and I hope you don’t think I’m crazy for saying it.

People have said to me, many times, “If it wasn’t healthy, they wouldn’t sell it”.

Personally I think that’s crazy, especially given the amount of junk food you can buy.

In 2021, a leaked document from Nestlé claimed the majority of it’s portfolio is unhealthy.

The document, meant for internal use only, was a presentation acknowledging more than 60% of products did not meet ‘recognised definition of health’ – cited from an FT article here.

Did you know Purina is a brand of Nestlé? They’re one of the biggest sellers of pet food in America!

Nestlé brands in America include Supercoat, Purina One, Felix, Fancy Feast, Pro Plan, Friskies, Lucky Dog, Bonnie, Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, Dentalife!

In fact, according to Statista, Nestlé made an incredible US $15,422,000,000 with their Purina range of pet foods in 2021.

That’s around 30% of all pet food sold worldwide.

Nestlé aren’t the biggest pet food manufacturer either. The biggest player, making a whopping US $18,085,000,000 in 2021, was Mars.

How many dog foods have you seen with “Mars” in big letters on the packaging, like you get with the Mars bar?

None?

Fascinating, isn’t it?

Yet most of the dog foods in the supermarket aisles are brands by Nestlé or Mars.

Go to your local vets and look at the dog foods they recommend. Read the ingredients. Do you think they’re much better?

Most of those brands are also Mars, or Colgate-Palmolive.

When you read my reviews for many of these brands, and others, you can decide for yourself if you’re feeding the best dog food.

Oh, and before you turn to an American brand instead of one of those big American brands, just keep in mind America’s regulations for pet food are worse, with even less guarantees of honesty, quality, or even safety.

Why choosing the right dog food is vital for the health of your dog

You’ve probably got the gist of it already, but what we feed our dogs is vital for their health.

Let me give you some examples…

I’ve spoken to hundreds of dog owners over the years who didn’t realise their dog’s itchy skin or rashes were related to diet. It’s actually very common, but not really considered.

Most of the time those dogs will be taken to the vet and prescribed some form of medication or expensive “prescription diet” – usually Hills Science Diet, Hills Prescription Diet, or Royal Canin.

Those prescription diets work because they don’t contain common allergens – namely wheat or cereals. If you don’t believe me, compare the ingredients between a dermocare formula and another formula of the same brand.

Those medications merely cover up the issues without addressing the real problem.

In most of those cases any grain free dog food would do the trick, and these are often cheaper.

There are many diet-related illnesses our dogs suffer, and it’s rarely considered cheap dog foods are the culprit.

Cancer, arthritis, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, IBS, allergies, dermatitis, ear infections, urinary crystals, pancreatitis…

All of these can be attributed to diet, which is why choosing a decent dog food is vital for the long term health of our dogs.

How the list of best dog food in America is chosen

All the dog food reviews are written firstly as an overview of the ingredients and analysis, but there are many other factors taken into account. Many brands of American dog foods actually come from the same manufacturer. There are many American brands of dog food, yet only a handful of manufacturers.

I monitor trends with each manufacturer, so if you find your dog has a reaction to a dog food, or you have any issues, then make sure you say so in the comments.

American Pet Owners Group (APOG) have an issue log for most brands of dog and cat food sold in America, and it’s well worth researching any pet food you feed on their website.

With some leading American manufacturers I’ve gathered many reports of sickness or diarrhoea. For other pet food manufacturers, hardly any at all.

The dog foods on the “Best Dog Food in America” list will change over time, either as formulas change, or feedback and other factors change.

Dog foods I have rated highly in the past have at times been bought up or switched manufacturers and shown drastic changes in quality – very sad considering the consumer loyalty which has been built up.

If you’ve had a positive or negative experience on a dog food in America then let me know, add a comment, or through the Facebook page.

Varying your dog’s diet is something I see as a good thing, so keep that in mind as well.

Your dog doesn’t need to be fed a single brand of dry dog food any more than we would eat a single brand of breakfast cereal for every meal day after day.

In fact, my guide on how to feed a dog (or cat) may offer some guidance!

What about the worst dog food brands?

Some of the worst dog food brands in America are actually the most well known. What ads have you seen recently on TV featuring a cute dog apparently “loving” some brand of dog food?

The reason for this is the big players in dog food make the some of the worst foods. It’s why they make so much profit – selling a cheap formula with impeccable marketing is a business strategy which works.

Those companies have huge budgets for marketing their products, and not just for ads either – by influencing breeder communities, dog shows, University sponsorships and endorsements.

If you’re feeding one of those best-selling dog food brands, then read the review on this website, or at the very least look at the ingredients – what does it really say about the product?

Don’t stick to dry dog food

There’s such a belief a dog should eat the same food from the day he’s weened until the day he dies.

Why?

Imagine if we were told to eat a commercial dry biscuit for the rest of our lives?

Always keep in mind dry dog food is a processed product. Yes, it’s designed to meet the insanely complex nutritional needs of our dogs as one complete package, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

Rotate, add variety, and mix in some wet, BARF, or fresh ingredients. These reviews are mostly dry dog foods, but if you want the best wet dog food in America then many of the top rated dry foods have a corresponding wet food.

There isn’t a best supermarket dry dog food page on this website, but there’s a list of more affordable dog foods which is a balance of price and quality.

Nutrition analysis of the best dog foods

All the foods on the best dog food in America list must meet my stringent criteria.

In a nutshell, here are a few:

• Must have sufficient protein and fat.
• Must have sufficient meat ingredients.
• Must not contain any nasty or ambiguous ingredients.
• Must avoid allergenic or problematic ingredients.
• Must have a long standing reputation and good consumer feedback.
• Must conform to AAFCO standards to offer a complete & balanced diet (only applicable to dry/wet dog foods, not applicable to raw dog foods/patties).

I care what you think!

It’s taken me a great deal of time, and huge amounts of research to put these reviews together. I’ve spent a great deal of time finding research studies, picking through them, and doing my best to ensure they’re not biased, not influenced, and provide valuable facts.

Pet Food Judge takes up more of my life than I care to admit, but the ultimate goal is for us to have happier, healthier pets, who have the best chance of living a long life.

I can’t do that alone. I encourage you to be involved, to add comments, discuss, get in touch, and share the knowledge you’ve learned with friends, family, and social media groups.

If your dog’s allergies clear up, they become more buoyant, more active, or show a new lease of life based on the information on these reviews, then let me know!

And let others know!

The “Best dog food in America” list depends on your ongoing feedback.

The links on the reviews to pet food retailers are also affiliate links, so any time you click and buy a dog food a small percentage will help keep Pet Food Judge up, running, and up to date – thank you!

“What is the Best Dog Food in America?”, updated 2026.