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.

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:

Zignature Dog Food Review

15

Black Hawk Dog Food Review

221

Orijen Dog Food Review

72

Open Farm Dog Food Review

10

ZIWI Peak Dog Food Review

175

Petzyo Dog Food Review

45

Frontier Pets Dog Food Review

94

Lyka Dog Food Review

71

Eureka Dog Food Review

81

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.

Unlike most dog foods which are made in the same way but with different recipes, with SoulMate you get freeze-dried, air-dried, oven-baked, and a canned food. Well, that kinda makes it difficult for me to review, doesn’t it?

Let’s start with a quick look at how SoulMate dog food is marketed, then cover each type of food and what may or may not work for you (or more specifically, your dog).

What the marketing says

I was browsing the SoulMate website and stumbled on the quote “We’re like the sous chefs to your pet’s palate”.

That’s cute.

I also stumbled on a list of benefits which you may care about – No HGPs, No GMOs, No artificial preservatives, and 100% sustainably sourced meat, fish and produce.

Well, that all sounds very good, doesn’t it?

Types of SoulMate dog food

Freeze-Dried “Roar Roar Roar”

Freeze-drying is a process of extracting the moisture from a food. In terms of dog food this is a great thing, as (1) it leaves all the nutritious parts intact, and (2) removing moisture greatly extends shelf life which makes it keep much longer – a bit like kibble, just without nutrients being zapped by high-temp cooking methods.

Just add water before you feed it to your dog.

On the flipside, consumers tend to complain at the cost per kilo, but when you realise you’re paying through the nose for “water sufficient for processing” for most wet foods, freeze-dried isn’t as expensive as you may think. With a freeze-dried food, you’re not paying for water.

One thing I note with SoulMate is there’s no mention of raw ingredients, so I’m not sure if the ingredients they’ve used were pre-cooked before freeze drying (which would reduce the benefits of freeze drying!).

American freeze-dried pet food Frontier Pets uses raw ingredients, and raw is more nutritious for your dog.

I found it odd the SoulMate website doesn’t state whether they use raw ingredients or not (and I should really get in touch and ask).

If freeze-dried works for your dog, then great. However, I’ve found some dogs don’t take to freeze-dried foods as much as air-dried or cooked foods – especially when they’re used to kibble or wet.

Air-Dried “Low & Slow”

Kibble is made with high temperatures, which means air-dried is a much better way of retaining nutrition. Such is the case with SoulMate Low & Slow.

Air-dried dog foods like ZIWI Peak and America’s own Eureka Pet consistently make the best rated list, because your dog benefits more from a more whole-prey diet of meat, organs, and healthy superfoods, dried rather than blasted with nutrient-zapping heat.

SoulMate Low & Slow may cost you more than kibble, but compare the ingredients to any kibble and you’ll see it’s much better, and much more digestible for your dog. If your dog is used to kibble, they may take to Low & Slow more than Roar Roar Roar initially.

If cost is an issue, most people introduce air or freeze-dried foods as a “topper” (where you mix some in with kibble), and I find air-dried pieces also make fantastic – and healthy – training treats.

Oven-Roasted “Roast & Slow” (with air-dried pieces)

Given the benefits of freeze-drying and air-drying, you may wonder why you would choose a cooked food. I expect the answer would be palatability – some dogs may prefer this food style, or if you’re concerned about raw foods (assuming the above use raw meat ingredients).

Personally I’m not afraid of raw feeding or bacteria – it’s more a risk to me than my dog, which is why I take precautions and wash my hands. However, if you have any concerns, oven-roasted will be the best choice for you.

Compared to kibble, you’re onto a winner whatever style of SoulMate you choose.

There’s nothing stopping you mixing and matching as well, and I’d love to know what style works for you and why (so please say so in the comments!)

Wet food “Can Can Can”

We all know what wet foods are. They’ve been around for decades.

What matters is the ingredients, and quality of ingredients.

Most wet dog foods opt for a formula of some meat, some filler, water, and any necessary vitamins and minerals added as a powder mix.

The best wet foods opt for prey-ingredients, such as meat, organs, ground bones, and other beneficial ingredients

SoulMate Can Can Can food is on the better side of wet dog foods, using a combo of meat + liver, although with some potato starch to thicken it up (and probably reduce production costs).

We find some nice inclusions like green lipped-mussels – a staple in dog foods from New Zealand, and super healthy for joints, glossy coats, and overall health and wellbeing.

What the ingredients really say

I’m happy to say – like most New Zealand dog foods – the ingredients look very good.

All types of SoulMate have decent formulas, with a focus on meat and organs. This is exactly what your dog needs, and what they will benefit from the most nutritionally.

If we look at SoulMate Roar Roar Roar, a red-meat formula, we find all the top ingredients are appropriate for your dog – beef, beef lung, beef liver, and tuna.

The remaining ingredients will all be in small amounts, but all look beneficial. I love seeing green-lipped mussels in a dog food to further support your dog’s joints, heart health, skin and coat. Fish oil is included as well, as a further source of omega fatty acids.

We find some fruits and vegies, along with a little bit of manuka honey which provides antibacterial, antioxidants, and hopefully benefit your dog’s gut health. Dried kelp as a natural multivitamin from the sea.

We could question the quality of ingredients, but as a dog food recipe it all looks really good, high quality stuff.

Ingredients

Ingredients of SoulMate dog food (freeze dried Roar Roar Roar with Red Meat):

Beef, Beef Lung, Beef Liver, Tuna, Flaxseed, Green Lipped Mussel, Fish Oil, Natural Flavour, Kiwi Fruit, Blueberry, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Manuka Honey, Dried Kelp, Dipotassium Phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin E, Selenium, Copper, Vitamin B1, Vitamin A, Manganese, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B2, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Biotin, Vitamin B12, Iodine, Folic Acid.

I’m a big fan of air-dried dog foods, of which Absolute Holistic is a good example.

The reason, I hear you ask – Well, it’s very convenient, like kibble, but it’s also much better for your dog than most kibbles.

The Absolute Holistic range of air-dried dog foods are labelled as “paleo”, which you should consider a good thing for your dog, and benefit from not being rammed with wheat, sorghum, rice, corn, and all the other stuff you’ll find in most kibbles which do very little for the health of your dog.

Let’s take a look at the Chicken & Hoki recipe, but note there’s an excellent variety of novel animal proteins in the range (which is great if your dog has dietary sensitivities!).

Absolute Holistic review

The main ingredients in Absolute Holistic Chicken & Hoki are what you may expect – chicken and hoki. Combined with liver as an organ rich in nutrients for your dog, you can see how much better this is compared to bags of processed nuggets of wheat or corn which most people feed their dogs.

The protein is 31% and fat percentage is 25%, with more moisture than dry food, and these things make a big difference when it comes to health and nutrition. It also ensures carbohydrates (sugars) are kept to a bare minimum (there are barely any carbs whatsoever).

If you consider most kibbles can be more than 50% carbs from “fillers”, your dog should be far healthier on a higher protein and animal fat dog food such as this.

The fourth ingredient is where Absolute Holistic falls short compared to leading Air-Dried dog foods, but we’ll get to that downside shortly, but let’s continue with the positives…

Salmon oil, green lipped mussel, and flaxseed are all wonderful ingredients to support overall health and wellbeing, and should ensure your dog has healthy joints and a glossy coat. We find parsley included for “fresh breath” (whereas I would see raw meaty bones a better option), and kelp to promote a healthy thyroid as well as being great for general health and prevention of allergies and fleas.

So that’s covered the main pros of Absolute Holistic, and they’re definitely points which justify the high rating.

But lets cover the bad stuff…

The fourth ingredient, which you can expect to be a more minor inclusion in the formula, is the controversial ingredient vegetable glycerin. It’s an ingredient you won’t find in air-dried dog foods which I’ve rated more highly (see below), so you may wonder what the issue is, and why it’s included.

Vegetable glycerin will serve to keep the food moist, and as a sweetener will encourage your dog to eat it.

Dog owners tend to care about how a food looks, and moist dried food appeals to us more than dry and flakey dried foods, so that can be seen as a benefit even though it really isn’t.

We also gauge the quality of a dog food based on whether our dogs “lap it up” or seem reluctant to eat it.

Is this something you’ve done yourself?

Fair enough if you have, we like to see our dogs lap up their food…

However, in the same way kids love sweet stuff, you’ll note this isn’t a reliable way to gauge how good a dog food is!

This is the one downside of Absolute Holistic over the air-dried brands mentioned below, but you may find Absolute Holistic the more affordable option, which is nothing to feel guilty about.

In it’s own right, particularly when compared to dry dog foods, Absolute Holistic is a decent choice rich in meat proteins and animal fats, with some great inclusions for health and wellbeing.

How does Absolute Holistic compare with other air-dried dog foods?

It has to be said Absolute Holistic isn’t as good as American brand Eureka or the well known brand ZIWI Peak which is sold worldwide, but it’s still a better option than most kibbles.

Although it’s mostly down to the use of vegetable glycerin, the brands above have a better range of prey ingredients as well.

Black Hawk Air Dried is another comparative air-dried option, similar in formula, but worth looking into as prices can and do vary.

When we take price into account, Absolute Holistic is also cheaper than the above options.

Where to buy

Absolute Holistic is fairly easy to find in America, with some recommended retailers listed below:

Ingredients

Ingredients of Absolute Holistic dog food (Air-Dried Chicken & Hoki):

Chicken, Hoki, Chicken Liver, Vegetable Glycerine, Green Lipped Mussel, Dried Chicory, Parsley, Choline Chloride, Flaxseed, Kelp, antioxidant, Calcium Carbonate, zinc, Taurine, Vitamin E, iron, Vitamin B3, Copper Sulphate, VITAMIN B1,SODIUM SELENATE, Manganese Oxide, Vitamin B5,Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, BIOTIN, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, IODINE, FOLIC ACID, Vitamin D3

When I first reviewed Eureka dog food back in 2022 I was really excited about the brand – An American alternative to world renowned air-dried dog food ZIWI Peak from New Zealand.

Skip to 2026 and I’ve had so much incredible feedback from American dog owners who’ve switched to Eureka from other dog foods. It’s clear this dried-raw food is worth the money, and does wonders for the health of our dogs!

We love to support American businesses, and Eureka dog food is both American Made AND American Owned.

As a dog food, it’s fantastic.

In fact, I wish all American dog foods were as good as this as it would mean far less reliance on American vets.

Far too many of our dogs fall foul of all manner of diet-related illnesses like heart disease, renal disease, UTIs, kidney stones, and more.

Most of the time we fail to realise the brand of kibble we’re feeding could well be the underlying cause of those illnesses. Isn’t that something worth considering?

There are many reasons I think Eureka is a far better choice for your dog, and I’ll cover them in depth in this review.

Special offer!

Feel free to browse the Eureka website here, but as a Pet Food Judge reader I have arranged a special deal!

$20 Off Eureka Air-Dried

Offer applies to subscriptions.

Try Eureka!

Eureka dog food review

What the marketing says

I like to keep this section short in reviews, but could write a book with all the positive statements for this “100% carbon-neutral” dog food made with “sustainably caught wild American meat & organs” from “American businesses and farmers“.

Eureka dog food is made using a solar powered drying process, so it’s even good for the environment!

It speaks for itself.

Eureka is an air-dried dog food, which is a far better, more digestible, more nutritious option than kibble. I’m a big advocate for air dried dog foods because I’ve seen how hard kibble is for a dog to digest.

Air-dried dog food is similar to jerky, and hasn’t been subject to the intense heating processes of kibble. It’s more natural, and more enjoyable for our dogs.

A nice point to make is Eureka use a “kill step” in the air-drying process which “eliminates pathogens”.

What that means is we can feed this essentially “dried raw” dog food without any concerns about food safety and handling.

That’s great, especially if we have kids around or are uneasy about preparing raw for our dogs.

The quality of Eureka makes it more than suitable for all life stages of dog, including puppies, and your senior dog as well. By the looks of it, it’s way above the bar.

What the ingredients really say

At the time of writing there are three recipes available – Wild Boar & Chicken, Wild Kangaroo & Lamb, and Wild Venison & Lamb.

All are good, but we’ll focus on Wild Boar & Chicken for this review. Remember variety is always good, so you could rotate between all three.

All Eureka dog foods start with 90% meat, bone, and organs, which is fantastic for your meat-loving dog. Far better than corn don’t you think?

We find most of the recipe is what we should expect in a food for dogs, which is a combination of meat, liver, heart, lung, kidney, and also finely ground bone and cartilage.

If we want our dogs in supreme health these are exactly the foodstuffs we should be feeding them.

In short, this is what our dogs are biologically designed to eat.

The remaining ingredients are equally fantastic, and serve to make Eureka so much better than pretty much every other dog food in America.

There are literally no bad ingredients.

Let’s take a quick look, but you’ll already know the benefits of these ingredients without much explanation.

Salmon oil is one of the best oils to use in a dog’s diet, being rich in omega fatty acids for heart health, skin, coat, joint support, brain support, and a healthy immune system.

Green lipped mussels is another fantastic inclusion usually only found in top end New Zealand dog foods (like ZIWI Peak). These are also good for many of the same reasons as salmon oil.

Free range eggs as a complete amino acid profile with no end of benefits for your dog.

Turmeric, flax, chia seed, blueberries, kelp, turmeric…

It’s rounded off with well-chosen ingredients to aid digestion, such as lecithin, apple fibre, and postbiotics. It’s these final touches which really set a dog food apart from others.

Eureka dog food is simply excellent, and you should definitely give it a go.

I’ve even checked numerous consumer reviews, which again, are excellent.

Summary – should I feed my dog Eureka?

If you’re currently feeding a dry food, then I’m confident Eureka will offer your dog a better diet.

If you’ve been thinking of feeding raw but have concerns about all the complexities in getting it right (such as calcium to phosphorous ratios and all manner of percentage calculations), or you simply don’t have the time or inclination to chop up organs, then Eureka is a great alternative.

I realise this review is positively glowing, but if you’ve read how negative I am about most dog foods in America, then you’ll understand why I really think Eureka is a great option for your dog.

What about the Eureka dog treats?

The Eureka range of dog treats are as good as the dog food itself, so well worth mentioning.

Generally air or freeze-dried dog treats are expensive, but if you want to boost your dog’s nutrition then they’re still a good choice – just don’t overfeed them.

If you’re feeding your dog a food without liver, then what better way to offer them this wonderfully nutritious organ than with an air-dried treat? Far less yucky than fresh liver!

If you read the best-rated dog treats page you’ll see I rate the Eureka treats very highly. The reason for this is because they’re (1) American, (2) very high quality, and (3) very nutritious.

What about the Eureka supplements?

2023 saw the introduction of a range of supplements. All are priced competitively compared to other brands of supplements.

Below are descriptions of the three Eureka supplements, and how they may benefit your dog:

Gut Helper

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is essential for your dog to get the most from whatever food they eat. A healthy gut equals a healthy dog, it’s that simple.

The Gut Helper supplement from Eureka is a combination of probiotics and prebiotics which work together to promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in your dog’s gut.

Whether your dog seems in optimum health, or if they have a history of digestive issues, adding such a supplement to their diet can only be beneficial. It will likely boost their health, energy levels, and immune system.

Joint & Mobility Bone Broth

Many dogs suffer poor joint health and osteoarthritis in their elder years, especially if they started life on a poor quality dog food – even before you adopted them as a puppy.

The Eureka supplement for joints is a combination of probiotics, glucosamine, chondroitin, and rose hip to help alleviate pain in your dog’s joints or prevent arthritis occurring in later years.

You simply use the supplement as a meal topper, and this can only be beneficial for the health of your dog.

Skin, Coat & Nails Bone Broth

As a dehydrated bone broth (like the joint supplement above) this will already have benefits to your dog’s health.

The addition of DHA, biotin, and manganese will help your dog maintain a healthy, glossy coat, and strong nails (or claws!)

DHA is an omega-3 which has a range of health benefits, supporting brain development, eyesight, joint health, and immune support as well as skin and coat health.

Biotin (vitamin B7) is something many dogs are deficient in, with the result being dry and itchy skin, dull coat, and brittle nails. Adding biotin as a supplement prevents this, and also helps your dog metabolise fats, proteins, and carbs.

Manganese boosts your dog’s formation of bones and cartilage, which is why it’s included in this beneficial supplement.

Common questions about Eureka dog food

Ingredients

Ingredients of Eureka dog food (at the time of writing):

Wild boar (Meat, liver, Heart, Lung, kidney, finely ground bone), Free Range Chicken (meat, Liver, Heart, Lung, finely ground Bone, Cartilage), Salmon Oil, Apple Fibre, Lecithin, Green Lipped Mussel, Flax Meal, Chia Seed, Free Range Eggs, Broccoli, Vitamin & Minerals, Sea Salt, Blueberry, Kelp,  Citric Acid, Chicory Root (Inulin), Mixed Tocopherols, Turmeric, Postbiotic (blend of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifdbacterium animalis ssp. Lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum)

Guaranteed analysis

Guaranteed analysis of Eureka dog food (at the time of writing):

* Please note I will receive a commission if this coupon code is used (which helps me keep Pet Food Judge up and running, so thank you).

It can even be harmful.

Your veterinarian may recommend Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight or Royal Canin Veterinary Satiety Weight Management. These may help, but I’ll explain shortly why you shouldn’t consider these the optimal solution.

Related: Best rated weight loss dog foods.

Why feeding your dog less food is NOT the answer

You will find feeding your dog the right diet will be much more successful than reducing the quantity of the wrong diet.

I’ll explain why below, but first consider the problems which can be caused by reducing the amount of food you feed your dog:

Nutrient deficiency

When so many commercial dog foods barely meet the bar on nutrients, reducing the food can lead to your dog becoming deficient in numerous nutrients.

Worse than that, if the dog food is made from inappropriate ingredients (like many are), you will still be feeding your dog the ingredients which probably led to them being overweight in the first place.

Hunger and frustration

We want our dogs to be happy, but reducing their food can lead to them being hungry and frustrated.

Do you want your dog begging, scavenging, or being generally irritable?

Slowed metabolism

When you reduce calories in your dog’s diet by reducing food intake, this can cause their metabolism to slow down.

This actually makes weight loss harder, and in the long term may increase the risk of gaining even more weight.

Muscle loss, not fat loss

As most dog foods are high carbohydrate and low protein, reducing the food can starve your dog of protein.

The reason that’s a bad thing, is a lack of protein will lead to your dog breaking down muscle instead of fat.

Your dog may lose bulk (and weigh less), but they will also be weaker and have worse overall health.

Successful weight loss tips to really help your dog

I hope by now you’ve been considering your current dog food as the potential cause of weight gain in the first place, because 9 out of 10 times I find this to be the case.

(Feel free to go and read the ingredients on the back of the packet, or read the review on this website)

Feeding your dog the right diet and making sure they get enough exercise will be far more successful and better for your dog, and can even be cheaper than the weight management dog foods your veterinarian may recommend.

Consider the following effective methods to help your dog return to an ideal weight rather than starve them:

Switch to a higher protein/lower carbohydrate dog food

Carbohydrates aren’t a natural food for dogs, and cats even less so. Has your dog ever dug up a potato in the garden or trotted into a field of grain licking their lips?

Not only is your dog’s digestive system not designed to efficiently digest carbohydrates, it can spike their blood sugar leading to insulin release, promoting fat storage and leading to excess weight if your dog doesn’t burn off the excess energy.

Many will argue carbohydrates are fine for dogs because they’re apparently “omnivore” like us, when they’re clearly not. If that’s what you believe, ask yourself why cat foods are also high in carbohydrates when cats are factually obligate carnivores who have no requirement for carbohydrates in their diet.

Protein on the other hand is essential for your dog’s health and wellbeing, and what they truly thrive on. You can include animal fats in that too, as your dog will effectively digest fat and use it for energy.

Fat does not equal a fat dog.

If you lower carbohydrates in your dog’s diet then you will likely see them gradually return to a healthy weight.

Don’t fall for “weight management” dog foods made significantly from carbohydrates (which most of them sadly are). They tend to be high fibre to help your dog poo, but that’s not addressing the real issue of carbohydrates and inappropriate ingredients, is it?

Proteins and fats are much healthier for your dog, especially from animal sources.

Increase activity levels

Keeping your dog active is important, but as we have busy modern lives our dogs often suffer from lack of exercise in the same way we do.

If you’re stuck in a routine which leaves you stuck at home too much, then perhaps today is the day to turn that around.

I wake up at 5.30am and walk my dog before my wife and daughter wake up. As much as I hate getting up so early, it’s always such a great feeling to be out in the fresh air with my dog! Quality time!

It’s worth considering wild carnivores (like the wild counterparts of our domestic dogs and cats) don’t actually exercise much. The reason for that comes back to the previous section on carbohydrates, further reinforcing the point carbohydrates are what has made your dog (or cat) fat.

However, we feed our domestic dogs carbohydrates, and we fail to exercise them enough. Then we look at a magical solution like a vet recommended weight management kibble as if it will fix our dog, when it really won’t.

Regular exercise – even gentle walks – will help keep your dog healthy, help maintain their joints, and we will benefit too.

Consider other types of dog foods (including fresh and raw foods)

Whatever type of food you feed your dog, once you understand the ingredients you will find better options.

If you feed kibble, there will be better kibbles (there is a best rated list here).

There are also other styles of feeding, and a variety can help too.

Have you considered freeze or air-dried dog foods like Frontier Pets, ZIWI Peak, or Eureka? Or fresh foods delivered to your door like Lyka?

Have you considered feeding your dog fresh foods, BARF, or raw, even if it’s only part of their diet?

What about vet recommended dog foods for weight loss?

You may be surprised at my opinion of vet recommended weight management dog foods like Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight and Royal Canin Veterinary Satiety Weight Management.

You will find my reasons why on the weight loss dog foods page, but in a nutshell despite these formulas ramping up fibre or marginally lowering calories they still favour the same list of carbohydrate ingredients which likely caused your dog’s weight gain in the first place.

You’re probably reading this review because you’ve heard ZIWI Peak is an amazing dog food – one of the best in America in fact.

And it really is!

If you’re looking for the best food for your beloved dog, without giving a hoot about the price, then ZIWI Peak is a fantastic choice!

ZIWI Peak has an astounding reputation worldwide, and even if you can’t afford to feed it all the time it makes an excellent super-nutritious addition to your dog’s diet, either as an occasional meal or “topper” (when you sprinkle some on their regular food).

The texture and shape of ZIWI Peak makes it one of the best training treats as well, and what better way to train your dog than with healthy treats?

For the ZIWI Peak dog food review we’ll take a look at the Venison recipe, but they’re all equally as good.

ZIWI Peak dog food review

What the marketing says

On the ZIWI Peak website for the Venison recipe they say “Loaded with free-range venison, ethically raised on pastures of lush and native grasses in the remote valleys of New Zealand’s South Island.” Doesn’t that sound delicious?

If that doesn’t sound good enough, let these facts resonate:

• 96% Meat, Organs & NZ Green Mussels.
• Free Range Grass Fed Farming.
• No Antibiotics or Growth Promotants.
• No Grains, Sugars, or Glycerins Added.

When you know most dog foods on the market are bags of grain with token amounts of poor quality meat remnants preserved with chemicals then that makes ZIWI Peak dog food an absolute godsend.

Thankfully the marketing of ZIWI Peak really tallies with what the ingredients and analysis really say about this dog food, so let’s delve in a little deeper…

What the labelling really says

Most dry dog foods sit around 22% protein, 10% fat, and a hell of a lot of carbs. ZIWI Peak in comparison boasts a minimum of 45% protein, 23% fat, and in true raw diet style next to no carbohydrates or sugars whatsoever. Even with higher protein dry foods you find they’ve bulked up protein with stuff like peas or corn, but there’s none of that rubbish here. It’s literally all meat, organs, green-lipped mussels, and a range of vitamins and minerals to ensure your dog doesn’t miss out on anything. Many raw feeders turn their nose up at the insanely stinky yet incredibly nutritious tripe, but even with this ZIWI Peak have you covered.

Air-drying rather than baking at high temps into a kibble is a huge bonus. It retains nutrients and greatly extends shelf life with moisture removed. It’s worth noting meat content is mostly water, so what you’re left with after air-drying is all the important stuff – keep that in mind when comparing the price to fresh meats inclusive of water, as 1kg of Ziwi Peak is equivalent to around 3kg+ of fresh meat.

Green-lipped Mussels are a fantastic inclusion and a tell-tale sign of a quality product. They’re native to New Zealand, and a fantastic source of omega fats for a healthy skin and coat as well as a proven anti-inflammatory for joint health.

There’s no trickery used on the labelling, so you get exactly what it says on the tin. I don’t need to delve into the benefits of each ingredient as for a carnivorous animal as they speak for themselves: Venison, Venison Tripe, Venison Heart, Venison Lung, Venison Liver, Venison Kidney, New Zealand Green Mussel, Venison Bone.

It’s simply brilliant.

This is such a convenient alternative for those who wish to feed raw but simply don’t have the time. It’s more expensive than other dog foods, but you’re buying a food which is way over and above your average kibble. It’s mostly meat which is much more expensive than the fillers we find in other foods, and this does somewhat justify the price.

ZIWI Peak dog food is definitely recommended, so definitely buy a bag and give it a go even if it’s just for treats.

If this review has been informative, please share with others.

Where to buy ZIWI Peak dog food

The large bags are the most cost effective, but there are smaller bags as well for small breed dogs, toppers, or training treats.

ZIWI Peak dog food review summary

With so many people raving about raw food for dogs, yet so much complexity and uncertainty feeding such a diet, dog foods such as ZIWIPeak air-dried offer a wonderfully easy solution which is complete, balanced, with all nutrients required for a dog to sustain a very healthy existence. The trade off is price, with ZIWIPeak being one of the most expensive dog foods on the market. You can argue you get what you pay for, or you can look at it as most other dog foods are cheap, for a reason.

If you have a small dog, or if you’re super wealthy, then price won’t be as much of an issue. If like the rest of us you have to run a tight ship, or if you have a pack of big hungry labradors, then ZIWIPeak can still be fed as a treat or topper. Even if you just use ZIWIPeak as training treats (which they’re great for!), then you’ll still be contributing to the health of your dog.

Give ZIWIPeak a go!!

Ingredients

The ingredients of ZIWI Peak dog food:

Venison, Venison Tripe, Venison Heart, Venison Lung, Venison Liver, Venison Kidney, New Zealand Green Mussel, Venison Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid).

Guaranteed analysis

The guaranteed analysis of ZIWI Peak dog food:

It begs the question – why is rice in so many dog foods, and is it even good for dogs?

Given so many veterinarians recommend “chicken and rice” when your dog has been sick, it’s easy to assume rice is good for dogs.

But the thing is, rice is a high GI grain that can cause spikes in blood sugar, and given grains are harder to digest they are in essence inflammatory. Besides, our dogs are borderline carnivore, aren’t they?

Rice might be a cheap way to feed our ravenous dogs, but is it good for them?

Let’s discuss the pros and cons:

Your dog doesn’t need rice!

As a nutritionist of animals I view more as carnivores rather than omnivores, I would say your dog does not need rice in their diet.

The nutritional needs of our dogs comes from animal sources. Not plants, and not grains.

There are many very healthy raw fed dogs in the world who haven’t touched a grain of any kind, but I can’t ignore rice as one of the more digestible and cost-effective grains.

Rice as a bland food won’t tend to cause any gastrointestinal upset, which is why vets commonly recommend it when your dog’s had a bout of vomiting or diarrhea.

As a staple food rice is readily available, and you likely have a bag in your cupboard. Rice is also better than other grains used in dog foods, and also – clincher – very cheap (which brings me on to my next topic).

Why is rice really in dog food?

Whether we like it or not, grains are a necessary evil in most dog foods.

If not grains, then alternatives like potatoes or tapioca which you shouldn’t consider any better for your dog.

As consumers we’re often constrained by budget, so true meat-based dog foods like ZIWI Peak or Frontier Pets aren’t a viable option even if they’re healthier for our dogs.

I have an active medium sized dog (Border Collie), and even I struggle with the cost of feeding her. I couldn’t afford a large breed. With prices ramping up in recent years I’m even feeling the cost of feeding my cat, and dread to think the cost over a year.

Grains make dog foods affordable, even if they’re not as optimal as meat-based dog foods, BARF, or raw.

We need to find a balance between affordability and quality, and that’s the reason grains like rice are in so many dog foods. If they weren’t, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford dog food.

Pet food companies make products for target demographics, not necessarily to benefit our pets. Keep that in mind.

A meat-based dog food may cost more than double a decent grain-based dog food, and significantly more than a supermarket brand of dog food.

Why is rice better than wheat and cereal grains?

Despite being a grain, rice is a better option to “wheat” or “cereal grains and by-products” which are found in many dog foods on the cheaper end of the scale.

I see wheat and ambiguous cereals (often wheat) as problematic ingredients which may leave your dog itchy, overweight, stiff, or sick in later years.

Quick tip: Avoid wheat and “cereals” at the very least.

What grains are better for your dog than rice?

Keeping in mind no grains are optimal for a dog, and definitely not for a cat, a better alternative to rice is oats which has a low glycemic index, and arguably corn (yes, corn is scientifically a grain).

Brown rice is often considered the healthier option to white rice, but as a grain is still harder for your dog to digest. Brown rice has more fibre than white rice, and although is arguably the healthier option there is evidence your dog will struggle to digest brown rice more than white rice.

Is corn a better alternative to rice?

Corn is a common alternative to rice in brands such as Royal Canin (and other Mars brands). It’s often criticised in pet food (which I suspect is why Mars brands opt for the term “maize” rather than “corn”), but there are distinct advantages over rice.

Corn provides more essential fatty acids, a lower glycemic index, and a better amino acid profile. It’s easier to digest than brown rice and offers more fibre than white rice, and most importantly has higher protein – protein is always the better option to carbohydrates in a canine diet.

However, be wary of Corn Gluten Meal (CGM) which is a poorer quality ingredient used mostly to ramp up protein in a dog food.

Is rice easy for dogs to digest?

Yes, rice is one of the easier grains for dogs to digest.

Rice in dog food is often processed to remove the bran, making it more digestible.

However, both dogs and cats can struggle to digest grains in general. Their biological structure and digestive system is geared towards digesting animal matter from prey, not grains or plant matter.

Compared to animal ingredients, rice is harder for your dog to digest, with questionable nutrient value.

Better alternatives to “chicken and rice” for sick dogs

There are a number of reasons your veterinarian may recommend a “chicken and rice” diet to help your dog recover from a bout of illness.

Chicken and rice are easy to source. Chicken is lean, and for most dogs does not pose a problem with intolerance (you will likely know already if your dog has a sensitivity to chicken).

As a bland diet, chicken and rice is a safe option for your dog even when we consider rice is a high GI grain, and in any case should always be a temporary diet of one or two weeks – chicken and rice does not cater for all the nutrients your dog needs (which in pet food terms is referred to as “complete and balanced”).

If you’re looking for a better alternative to “chicken and rice”, here are some quick suggestions:

• Chicken and Pumpkin – Pumpkin is gentle on digestion and provides fibre.
• Turkey and Sweet Potato – Lower GI than rice, rich in nutrients, and a better option if your dog has a chicken intollerance.
• Bone Broth and Shredded Meat – Hydrating, absolutely rammed with nutrients, and easy to digest.
• White Fish and Mashed Carrots – Light, lean protein with gut-friendly fibre. Beware of cooked bones.
• Egg and Oatmeal – Oats are lower GI, cheap (make sure you buy 100% oats), and easier on the stomach.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to say so in the comment section below!

What do you think – is rice good for dogs?

Ask yourself why that is.

Is it for the benefit of your dog…?

…or for the pet food manufacturer to make more money by keeping production costs down significantly?

I would say the latter, and there are plenty of very healthy raw fed dogs across the world who consume very few carbohydrates, if any at all.

Carbohydrates are necessary in kibble to bind it together into those little hard nuggets, so in that sense they’re necessary, but there have been kibbles in America made with less than 20% carbohydrates which still look and act like kibble.

Here’s a quick fact: A cheap grain inclusion in a kibble can cost one tenth that of a cheap meat ingredient.

When you consider that, it comes as no surprise the real reason we feed our dogs so many carbohydrates when we feed them a kibble.

You may wonder, should you be feeding your dog kibble at all?

It’s a convenience food after all.

Let’s take a look at whether our dogs really need carbohydrates. We’ll compare our dogs to cats as obligate meat-eating carnivores who we also feed high-carbohydrate diets, then discuss the different diets people feed their dogs and how much carbohydrates they contain.

Cats don’t need carbohydrates, yet dry cat food is packed with carbohydrates

We often hear the excuse “dogs are omnivores”, but there are many scientific facts which prove dogs are more like cats than humans.

Waggle a steak in front of your dogs nose, then waggle some corn on the cob. See the difference?

Dogs, like cats, are instinctively drawn to prey – to meat, organs, raw meaty bones to chew on. Nature is miraculous, and both dogs and cats have survived many thousands of years with those instincts.

But then we domesticated them and started feeding them carbohydrates. Even factually obligate carnivore meat-eating cats who we know shouldn’t be fed grains, but most cat owners across the world feed their cats mostly grains without realising they’re doing so.

The digestive system of your dog is very similar to that of a cat. So are their teeth. So are their instincts. All these biologically facts point to animal being a far better option than anything else for the health of your pet.

Guess how many carbohydrates there are in prey?

Basically nil.

Why is cat food high in carbohydrates?

When you question that, you can also question why dog food is high in carbohydrates.

How many carbohydrates are in different types of dog food?

When we compare the carbohydrate levels in various types of dog food we find quite an incredible contrast.

Dry dog food (“Kibble” or “Biscuits”)

If you want to stuff your dog full of carbohydrates then kibble will do just that.

On average, kibble will contain 30-60% carbohydrates. Most of the time we don’t even realise the hard brown nuggets are more carbs than meat as the packaging and marketing will make you believe otherwise, and carbohydrates are rarely listed as a percentage on the packaging.

If you want to know how many carbohydrates there are in the food you’re feeding your dog then either read the review or use this carbohydrate calculator.

Grains like wheat, corn, and rice are commonly used in both dog foods and cat foods. Some call them biding agents, some call them fillers, but pet food companies do their best to convince you they’re beneficial for your dog.

Most people turn to high carbohydrate dry dog foods because they simply can’t afford the seemingly ludicrous prices of high-end dog foods.

Sadly, I suspect these kibbles often lead to numerous diet-related diseases.

Not only diet-related disease, but lethargy, arthritis, and a sub-optimal standard of living.

For this reason, if you’re unable to afford anything better, I urge you to supplement your dog’s diet with cheap cuts of meat (reduced bargains if you can), off-cuts, animal fats, oils, raw meaty bones like chicken necks, or wonderfully nutritious eggs.

Wet food

Wet mush as I prefer to call it, canned wet food typically contains fewer carbohydrates than dry food counterparts.

On average, wet mush can be 5-15% carbohydrates, but you also have a much higher moisture content.

When you take moisture out of the equation, you’ll have a much higher ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and fats.

Depending on the brand, wet food can range from terrible quality to half-decent based on ingredients, but beware many popular brands of wet dog food aren’t very healthy at all, and if that’s all you feed your dog they’ll likely end up with terrible teeth and likely poor health.

A good tip if you’re adamant about feeding commercial dog food is to feed a mix of dry and wet, or better yet mix in some fresh meats, organs, raw meaty bones, and healthy table scraps.

I often find the ingredients of the wet food range of a brand better than the dry food range, but it’s almost always more expensive.

Raw and fresh diets, commercial raw, and BARF

Raw and fresh diets, including those based on raw meat, organs, and raw meaty bones (or even lightly cooked meals), are the most species-appropriate in terms of carbohydrate content.

Many of the dog foods on the best rated list are low carbohydrates. Some brands like Frontier Pets, Eureka, and ZIWI Peak are very low carbohydrate – great choices for your dog.

Yes, the above are commercial dog foods, but if you’re looking for convenience they’re definitely the best options in America right now (or ZIWI Peak is sold worldwide).

If you make your dog raw food at home (here’s a guide to raw food diets for dogs) then you’ll likely have minimal carbohydrates or none, depending on your preference and knowledge of raw feeding.

Or, if you want your raw balanced and prepared for you as a nice convenient patty, check out BARF brands like Big Dog and Proudi which are sold in most American pet stores.

All the above diets will usually contain less than 10% carbohydrates, relying instead on protein and fat as primary energy sources.

Advocates of raw and fresh diets argue that this approach closely mimics the natural diet of dogs and supports optimal health, and that sounds like good reasoning to me.

How much carbohydrates should you feed your dog?

I may argue your dog doesn’t need any carbohydrates, based on my view they are primarily carnivore or at least facultative carnivore.

However, for most people – including myself – carbohydrates become a necessary evil when it comes to cost. Needless to say, with the cost of pet food these days I think most of us struggle to cover the cost?

Here are some factors to consider when assessing how many carbohydrates you may feed to your dog:

Activity level

Did you know most working dog foods are very high carbohydrate, often from some of the cheapest grain inclusions available? I don’t agree with it being the best solution, but a working dog will very likely burn off the calories more than a laptop who will likely get very fat.

Active dogs, such as working breeds, may benefit from a slightly higher carbohydrate intake to meet their energy demands, and these higher carbohydrate foods are more often far cheaper.

The problem I find is many domestic dogs are fed high-carbohydrate kibbles, and I often see middle-aged to senior dogs who are overweight, stiff with arthritis, with dull coats, and probably silently developing organ disease without the owner realising.

It may sound strange, but many times I hear the owners proudly exclaim how great their dog food is when it’s clear their dog definitely isn’t doing as great as they think.

Health conditions

High-carbohydrate diets, particularly those based on grains like wheat or cereals as they’re most often labelled on the packaging, are what I consider the cause of numerous (if not most) health issues in dogs:

• Obesity – Carbohydrates are calorie-dense and can contribute to weight gain, especially in less active or older dogs.
• Diabetes – Excessive carb intake may strain insulin regulation.
• Allergies and Sensitivities – Grains are often considered a common allergen in dogs, but is it really an allergy if a dog shouldn’t eat those grains in the first place? Sensitivities to grains (or wheat mites) can cause itching, digestive upset, itchy ears, hot spots, and other symptoms.
• Diet-Related Diseases – Some studies suggest carb-heavy diets could play a role in conditions like pancreatitis and cancer, or all manner of organ disease. Some times we’re told otherwise (like grains or legumes are beneficial for our dogs), but many of these studies are funded or conducted by pet food companies themselves, and usually the conclusion is nothing more than a tenuous hypothesis which probably should’ve gone the other way. Ever wonder why most kibble-fed cats die of renal failure?

Conclusion

We’re told dogs are omnivores like us, but they’re definitely not like us – they’re more like a cat, and a cat is an obligate carnivore.

We’re told grains (and legumes) are beneficial for dogs, but it’s always debatable whether they are. Many supremely healthy dogs have been fed raw food diets without carbohydrates (or minimal carbohydrates) for many years, and that would suggest – like a cat – dogs do not need carbohydrates.

However, if your dog has a diet inclusive of high quality proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, and bone content, then some carbohydrates will likely cause very little harm. In some cases, they may well benefit from the nutrients in carbohydrate and starchy foods.

I recommend viewing your dog primarily as a carnivore, keeping in mind their natural dietary bias is towards “whole prey” – animal proteins, fats, raw meaty bones.

High-carb diets, particularly those based on grains, may not only misalign with your dog’s evolutionary needs, but also contribute to health issues.

As a dog (or cat) owner, always understand the foods (and ingredients) you are feeding your pet. Wherever possible, consider reducing a reliance on carb-heavy kibble in favour of lower-carb, nutrient-rich alternatives that cater for their carnivorous nature.

Feeding your dog as nature intended could be the key to a healthier, happier life, don’t you think?

Feeding your cat only a dry cat food is a terrible idea. Lack of moisture in kibble can cause long term health issues – most domestic cats suffer renal issues or UTIs in later years, which are both diet-related conditions.

Variety is a great idea, and this can be a variety of kibble, wet, BARF (biologically appropriate raw food), homemade raw, premade raw, freeze dried, or air dried raw – whatever works best for you, your budget, and of course your cat.

Needless to say, a cat can be fed cheaply on a supermarket brand of kibble, but expect big vet bills later. High end foods cost a lot more, but are much healthier. Usually, for most, it’s a case of finding the right balance.

For many, a dry cat food tends to be the go to option (it’s the cheapest option on a budget). If this is the case, even adding chicken necks (which are cheap as chips) to your cat’s diet will boost nutrition and offer them a natural way to keep their teeth clean (bad teeth = bad health, so this is more important than it sounds).

In the reviews on this website you will find many tips on better ways to keep your cat healthier and live longer through diet, and feel free to join the Facebook page as well.

In this guide to the best cat foods in America we’ll cover all types of cat food, in the hope it (1) meets your needs, and (2) gets you thinking about feeding your cat in a better, more natural way.

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

The very best cat foods in America

If we want the best for our cats in terms of commercial cat foods (those which you buy off the shelf), you’re looking at air-dried or freeze-dried, or if it works well for you then a frozen food delivered to your door.

These cat foods may seem expensive, especially when you compare them to kibble made of cardboard (or similar), but they are also healthier for your cat – this should pay dividends in wellbeing, lifespan, and less risk of expensive vet bills if your cat starts suffering in middle to senior age, even if these foods are only part of your cat’s diet.

ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Raw Cat Food

Tried and tested worldwide for many years, ZIWI Peak is the leading brand of air-dried raw cat food globally, and it’s excellent.

ZIWI Peak is a New Zealand brand, and is almost entirely prey ingredients (meat + offal + superfoods). The best thing about it is, compared with dry cat foods, it’s not filled to the brim with highly processed carbohydrates your cat would struggle to digest.

Remember I said about the importance of moisture in your cat’s diet? Well, there’s much more moisture in air-dried food than dry cat food.

Even as part of your cat’s diet, a little bit of ZIWI should go a long way in keeping your cat healthy.

Full review here

Frontier Pets Freeze-Dried Cat Food

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Frontier Pets has to be the best American pet food company, armed with ethics and wonderful support of American farming.

The only reason I listed ZIWI Peak first is it’s better known (and available globally) and a little more convenient as can be fed straight from the bag, but if you’re happy to add a little fresh clean water to the freeze-dried Frontier Pets food then you’re onto a winner.

Absolutely packed with nutrition, combined with clean water, and your cat should truly thrive. It may look to cost more, but I think you’ll be surprised how far a bag goes. Also, given the shelf life is excellent, you can mix it with a regular kibble to offer your cat tastier, healthier meals, which boosts nutrition on a surprising budget.

Full review here

CatChi Frozen Cat Food, Delivered to Your Door (NSW/VIC/ACT only!)

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CatChi is proving to be an excellent choice – it’s basically Lyka for cats, and Lyka has proven itself as one of the best dog foods in America.

CatChi is pricier than other cat foods, but so much richer in all the nutrients your cat needs to be healthy. It’s 100% human grade, with a whopping 95% animal ingredients – how good is that for your pet carnivore?

Regarding the price, don’t feel pressured to feed only CatChi. Mix it with another type of cat food (such as kibble) to balance costs.

The food is gently cooked, frozen, and delivered to your door. You’ll need freezer space, but feeding the meals to your cat is easy.

Highly recommended, and we’d have a nation of much healthier cats if all cat foods were this good!

Full review here

Best dry cat foods (kibble/biscuits)

Most dry cat foods contain grains, or if not grains then some grain-free alternatives like legumes, potato, or tapioca.

Keep in mind the reason for this is mostly to keep production costs down, and to some extent starch is required to hold those little brown nuggets of kibble together. For most pet food manufacturers it’s also a balance of how much cat owners (like you and me) are willing to spend on their product, so there are practical reasons as well.

I’ll cover more “budget” cat foods in a bit, but it’s worth realising the more you pay for a kibble the more appropriate it should be for your cat.

Personally I wouldn’t feed a cat a diet solely of dry cat food. I would add variety and moisture, such as one of the cat foods mentioned earlier, or even raw meats, organs, chicken necks, and so forth. New fangled social influencers are calling this a “hybrid diet”, and it’s the way I’ve fed my own cat since I rescued him 13 years ago. He’s now 14, in great health, with great teeth.

Here are a few recommendations for really good dry cat foods in America, in 2026:

• Open Farm – This cat food is undoubtedly expensive, especially when compared to the cr*p you get in the supermarkets, but it’s also very good. I believe it’s only sold at Pet Circle, but that’s not a bad thing – they usually have the best prices anyway. Open Farm is packed with meat and fish, some legumes, and great additions like coconut oil. The broths are great too (cartons). Full review here.

• Taste of the Wild – If Open Farm is too expensive (and don’t feel guilty if it is), then Taste of the Wild is a great option for most people. It’s a brand sold worldwide with great feedback, and despite sacrificing some meat for alternatives like peas, it’s still very high protein and fat which is better for your cat than carbs. I see Taste of the Wild as a great base diet which is moderately affordable, and I see no reason why you couldn’t mix it with some other types of cat food or fresh food as well. Full review here.

Please note: If you’re wondering why ACANA and Orijen are currently not on this list, it’s simply because availability is currently a bit of a problem. Once they’re back in stock at retailers I expect they’ll be re-added to this list.

Best wet cat foods (canned)

Many wet cat foods aren’t as meaty as you think.

For example, Felix as one of the most popular cat foods in America is little more than undisclosed meat (and “meat derivatives”) mashed up with ambiguous cereal grains (yup, for your carnivore). Then you’ll find added colour (to make it look more appealing to you), ambiguous “flavour”, “thickeners”, and something unnecessary which may get your cat addicted – sugar.

Oh, and don’t go thinking Dine is much better.

Here are two much better wet cat foods, and feel free to compare the ingredients to Felix, Dine, et al – you’ll see what I mean:

• Zealandia – Our cats benefit the most from meats, organs, and yucky stuff like tripe. It may sound gross to us, but these are wonderfully rich sources of nutrients your cat is biologically designed to eat. Zealandia has it all, not to mention green lipped mussels which are a signature of cat foods from New Zealand. I found a couple of negative points when putting this list together, and interestingly negative feedback seems to be “My cat wouldn’t eat it”. Probably because those cats are hooked on sugar and artificial additives of cheaper cat foods. Full review here.

• ZIWI Peak – If you were put off by the cost of Zealandia, you’ll feel the same about the Ziwi wet cat foods as well – in that case skip ahead. If not, for the same reasons as the Ziwi air-dried cat food, the wet cans are also excellent. Very species appropriate.

• Applaws – A more affordable brand you will find in the supermarkets and numerous retailers, this might be a good option for you if you can’t afford the price tag on Zealandia or Ziwi. Applaws are a UK company but have their own manufacturing facility in America, with a good reputation. There’s an important point though – like some of the cheaper brands of wet cat food, these are for “supplemental feeding only”. That means they should be fed as only part of the diet, for the simple reason they don’t cover all the nutritional needs of your cat. Sadly many cat owners fail to realise this, and feed a food such as this as their cat’s main diet. As part of the diet, however, you may find Applaws a safe choice on a more realistic budget – combine it with dry, raw, fresh, and so forth.

Best dry cat food on a budget

Being on a tight budget isn’t anything to be ashamed about, and we can do our best to feed our cats regardless.

If you can’t afford one of the premium cat foods mentioned above, you can feed one of the cheaper brands and perhaps combine it with the odd can of fresh tuna, sardines, chicken necks, wings, or any meats/organs you find reduced at Coles or Woolies – it’s a great way to feed cats on a budget, even if part of it is a cheaper kibble.

Here are some recommendations:

• Hypro Premium – There’s a few reasons why I’ve chosen Hypro Premium dry cat food to top the “budget dry cat food” section. Yes, it’s labelled “premium”, and yes it’s more expensive than cereal-based cat foods which aren’t appropriate for your cat. Hypro Premium is still much more affordable than the dry foods listed earlier (a fair bit cheaper than Taste of the Wild). It contains a decent amount of meat (labelled 60% meat/fats/fish oil), and it’s not filled with nasty and problematic cereals. Until early last year (before the hic-ups), Hypro made the well loved brand Meals for Mutts (Meals for Meows), and also Healthy Everyday Pets. What that means to you, is a good track record with quality.

• Applaws – I mentioned Applaws wet food in the last section, and it has to be said the dry food is very good for the price point. There’s more peas and carbs in Applaws than the cat foods mentioned earlier, but on the positive side there’s still a decent amount of meat combined with fish oil and a range of superfoods (in small amounts). Unlike Applaws wet, the dry food is “complete and balanced”. Full review here.

Best raw or BARF cat foods

When it comes to raw feeding this is totally something you can do on your own, using human grade meats, organs, and bones from the supermarket. Feeding raw is a very natural diet for your cat, and I often stress the benefit of your cat gnawing on appropriate raw meaty bones like chicken necks.

If you’re put off by the complexities of raw feeding (even though it’s not as complicated as you may think), there are some great commercial raw options as well. Just keep in mind these products use ground bones, which means your cat won’t have the inherent teeth-cleaning benefits of raw meaty bones (this fact applies to all commercial cat foods by the way, and I’d include dental treats in that).

Here are some great raw diet options:

• Raw Meow – An excellent Perth-based company who offer a freeze-dried raw cat food mix. Laura who owns Raw Meow also runs the American Raw Fed Cats group on Facebook, which is well worth joining no matter how you feed your cat.
• Big Dog (for cats) – One of America’s longest standing BARF pet food brands, originally for dogs, but they also have BARF for cats. If you’re new to BARF, they’re basically patties made from meat, organs, and ground bone, and great for your cat. You’ll need freezer space.
• Proudi – I honestly don’t have a preference between Big Dog and Proudi when it comes to BARF foods for your cat. Both have shown to be decent brands, so it may depend on which one your local pet store sells.

Note: The links above to Big Dog and Proudi will take you to the dog food reviews, simply because I haven’t written reviews for the cat varieties. Nevertheless, you should find all the info you need!

Essential tips on the best diet for your cat

Personally I feed my cat a wide variety of foods. My general opinion is a raw diet, properly formulated, is the best diet for a cat, but I confess my cat gets kibble, wet, BARF, air-dried, freeze-dried, plus a range of meat, organs, and raw meaty bones.

In fact, Bernard won’t let me go to sleep before he’s had his evening chicken neck. True fact!

Below you will find some quick-fire tips about how to feed a cat, based on my experiences and beliefs:

• Cats aren’t big drinkers and need clean moisture in their diet. We forget our cats were originally desert animals who only consumed moisture from eating prey, and this is sadly overlooked by many who feed their cats dry food.
• Variety is a good thing. Most of us feed our cats a single brand of cat food, day in day out. The problems with that are obvious when you think about them – what if the food doesn’t contain all required nutrition, or what if there’s a manufacturing problem which has led to excessive toxins or a deficiency in something? There’s a good chance the food isn’t overly appropriate for a cat anyway, with most cat foods in American being formulated with grain (or “grain-free” alternatives) for your carnivorous cat.
• To elaborate a little on the above point, I see a variety of brands and styles of food a good idea. What I mean by that is add some fresh foods, wet, raw, BARF, and different brands of cat food to their diet. Try and become confident in feeding your cat a variety! Cats can be difficult at times with new foods, simply because they have a “never seen that before, don’t know what it is” mentality – persist!
• As a general rule, avoid any cat foods containing cereal or wheat. I find these to be the most inappropriate and poorly formulated cat foods, usually containing other nasties and food colourings. All dry cat foods contain some grain or alternative “grain free” starch/carbs, so you can’t really avoid them unless you feed raw, BARF, or an absolute top end dry food like Orijen.
• Fresh meats, organs, and raw meaty bones! Our cats are carnivores. It’s disputed a lot with dogs who I consider facultative carnivores (carnivores who will eat other foods), but cats are factually carnivores. You should always question a cat food made from anything other than animal ingredients. The pet food industry is very skewed when it comes to the “science” and “research” which convinces us our cats should be pumped full of wheat, yet that’s the way it is – corn for carnivores, wheat for carnivores, whatever makes the most profit from carnivores. Consider adding fresh meats, organs, and raw meaty bones to your cat’s diet. Chicken necks are one good (and super cheap) option – great for nutrition, and also their dental health!

If you want to read more on my thoughts on feeding our cats (and dogs), then read this page. Yes, it mostly focuses on dogs, but mostly applies to our cats too.

How does a cat food get on the best cat food in America list?

If you want to know how the above cat foods made the best cat food list, then I’ll explain a little more. You may be feeding a brand which isn’t mentioned above, but don’t worry – there are other good brands, I’ve simply kept the list short so as not to confuse people.

Firstly, all cat food reviews on this website are written primarily as an overview of the ingredients and analysis – this helps offer you information which can’t be disputed.

For example, if the cat food appears to be mostly wheat, that’s what the review will say. You can then decide for yourself if a cat food is a good choice for your carnivorous cat!

There’s a lot more to the reviews than that, but that’s the gist of it. I do my best to keep the reviews simple and readable, which means keeping them fairly short.

Let’s cover some of the factors I may not talk about in the individual reviews which can affect the ratings:

Many cat foods come from the same manufacturer as other brands, and I track consumer feedback on all those manufacturers. Some have an excellent reputation, and some don’t. Sadly, with some leading American manufacturers I have received many reports of sickness and/or diarrhea, which means none of those brands will be on the best cat food in America list above.

Some cat foods have established a great reputation and loyal following, only to change manufacturer or ingredients and seemingly fall off a cliff in terms of quality.

For legal reasons it can be difficult to mention the above information. If a cat becomes sick it is almost impossible to prove the cat food was the cause (although an unfortunate loss of a number of dogs a few years ago was in fact traced to a specific major brand dog food, as was a number of dog deaths a year ago from toxic horse meat sold as beef pet mince).

Pet food manufacturers know how difficult it is to prove a product was the cause of a sick pet, so even if your cat has severe vomiting and diarrhea within hours of being introduced their product, they know you won’t have the capacity as a consumer to have that product tested for all manner of toxins. Even if you do you won’t have the capacity to take them to court over it.

If you report an issue with a cat food to the manufacturer, you will almost always receive a response saying they are not aware of such an issue and will investigate it, with a request for you to return the product (which is better for them, not you). Don’t expect any more than that, and I’ve known manufacturers respond to many consumers saying they aren’t aware of “any issues”.

With little regulations in America to benefit you as a consumer of cat food, you’re very much the little guy without a leg to stand on. A government investigation into the safety of pet food was conducted in 2018 with ominous findings, yet the working group who were put together to make regulatory changes over the subsequent 12 months weren’t very productive, and we’re now almost 4 years on (2022).

That means all you can do is make sure you’re feeding your cat something decent, and even if the reviews don’t state any of the issues I’ve logged from consumers on many brands of cat food in America, rest assured I will not recommend those cat foods.

Your feedback matters!

If you’ve had a positive or negative experience on a cat food in America then let me know, either on the Facebook page (which you should definitely join!) or the comments section below. All feedback matters as it helps me and it helps other cat owners like yourself!

If your cat has been sick on a cat food then I strongly urge you to add a report on the APOG website. APOG (American Pet Owners Group) are an independent body who track consumer issues with pet foods in America. By independent I mean they are not influenced or under the control of the pet food industry in America.

Nutrition analysis of the best cat foods – the “bar”

All the foods on the best cat food list must meet stringent criteria and be what I consider species appropriate for your cat as a carnivore.

In a nutshell, here are a few requirements:

• Must meet AAFCO requirements.
• 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 from real pet owners in America.

For some more technical information, here’s a guide on nutrition analysis requirements.

Latest compilation of the Best Cat Foods in America list, January 2026.