What dog food do you recommend? What’s the best dog food? What should I feed my dog? These are questions I get asked a lot. To answer those questions I put together a spreadsheet with a list of the best dog food brands based on my own research; quality selection criteria; and what I have fed my own dogs.
This year, I’m excited to introduce the Top Dog Foods 2025 – New Year Edition. This carefully curated list features recommendations from top holistic veterinarians and dog food specialists. I guarantee that the foods on this list will provide your canine companion with the best nutrition available, helping you make informed decisions for your dog’s health and happiness.
If you don’t see your dogs’ current food on my list, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not good (although you should check). If your favorite dog food meets my selection criteria, it’s likely as good as the one’s I’ve listed. But if your food doesn’t meet my criteria, then it’s not on my list for a good reason.
Top Dog Food Selection Criteria
When it comes to picking the best dog foods, I have some pretty specific criteria. Here’s what I look for:
- Familiar Brands: I only include brands that I’ve researched thoroughly or that come highly recommended by trusted sources like holistic veterinarians and fellow nutrition experts.
- Top Ratings: All the brands on my list have a 5-star rating on
- High-Quality Food Criteria:
- Named Animal Protein: The first ingredient should be a named animal protein (like fresh meat or a named meat meal), except for budget and vegetarian foods.
- Whole Food Ingredients: I look for ingredients like sweet potatoes, chickpeas, quinoa, and pumpkin.
- Minimal Synthetic Ingredients: Fewer synthetic ingredients listed after salt, except for limited ingredient diets (LID) and solution-based foods.
- Lower Carbs, Higher Protein: Except for vegetarian, LID, and solution-based foods.
- Bonus Points: Extra points for certified organic, humanely raised, or sustainably farmed ingredients.
- Low-Quality Food Criteria (Reasons for Exclusion):
- Unnamed Meat Meals: Like “meat meal” or “poultry meal”.
- Corn: Such as corn gluten meal.
- By-Products: Like poultry by-products or meat by-products.
- Additives: Sweeteners, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives (e.g., BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, caramel).
- High-Carb, Plant Proteins: Unless it’s a vegetarian food.
- Low-Quality Fillers: Like peanut hulls or soybean hulls.
- Low-Quality Ingredients: Such as soybeans, animal fat, or animal/poultry digest.
- Toxic Ingredients: Like menadione, titanium dioxide, or propylene glycol.
- No Meal as First Ingredient: Like pork meal or chicken meal, except for budget foods.
- No Ingredient Splitting: Like rice, rice bran, or rice protein meal.
- No Cheap Store Brands: Like Costco, Trader Joe’s, HEB, Whole Foods, Petco, PetSmart.
- Grain-Free Concerns: Most brands have grain-included options (except raw foods).
- Individual Needs: No single food is best for all dogs; choose based on your dog’s specific needs.
This list answers the questions “What dog food do you recommend?” and “What’s the best dog food?”. But the answer to the question “What should I feed my dog?” is a question that only you can answer, because you are the only one who is in a position to determine what your dog needs and gauge how he responds to what you feed him. How to select the best food for your dog is the subject of another article.
This comprehensive, searchable Google spreadsheet includes:
Top Dog Food Brands
A curated list based on the expertise of top holistic veterinarians, dog food specialists, and my 20+ years of experience as a dog food geek.
Life Stage Formulations
Information on formulations for different life stages, such as All Life Stages (ALS), Adult Maintenance (AM), Growth (Puppy) (G), and Large Breed Puppy (LBG).
Raw Categories
Details on raw food options, including Raw, Freeze Dried Raw (FDR), Raw Coated, and Boost (includes FD Raw Pieces).
Breed Size
Information on suitability for different breed sizes, such as All Breeds, All Sizes, Large Breed (L), and Small Breed (S).
Certifications
Certifications and sourcing information, including Free Range (FR), Human Grade (HG), Humanely Raised (HR), Certified Organic (Org), Pasture Raised (PR), Responsibly Sourced (RS), Certified Sustainable (Sus), and Wild Caught (WC).
Searchable Filters
Easily find the perfect dog food for your pet’s specific needs using Google Sheets’ user-friendly filters.
Regular Updates
Stay informed with the latest research and recommendations in dog nutrition.
This spreadsheet is designed to help you find exactly what you want without having to sift through hundreds of options. Whether you’re a new pet owner or a seasoned pro, this guide will help you make informed decisions about your dog’s diet. Give your pet the best start to the new year with our expertly curated list of top dog foods!
Versions Available
- Free Winter Edition: A printable PDF version of the 2024 winter list.
- 2025 New Year Edition: A searchable Google Sheet and printable PDF with the latest updates.
- Quarterly Subscription: Get the current list, the Google spreadsheet, and the latest updates on top dog foods every three months.
- Personalized Dog Food Recommendation: Get a tailored dog food recommendation from Cyndi Smasal, aka “Dog Food Geek”. Fill out a detailed questionnaire about your dog’s breed, age, health needs, and dietary preferences. Receive a personalized email with expert advice and follow-up support to ensure your furry friend gets the best nutrition.
Ready to Give Your Dog the Best Nutrition Possible?
Grab the Top Dog Foods List 2025 now!
This isn’t just a list; it’s a comprehensive, searchable spreadsheet designed to help you make informed choices for your canine companion. Don’t settle for less when it comes to your dog’s diet. Grab this valuable resource and give your dog the premium nutrition they deserve!
Cyndi Smasal, CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer / Integrative Pet Specialist
Author, Pet Nutrition Specialist and Pet Care/Health Coach
Why I’m a “Dog Food Geek”
Twenty years ago my first dog, Norman, was diagnosed with liver disease and given a month to live. I wasn’t ready to give up on him so I did a lot of research (not on Google as it wasn’t what it is today back in 2002). The full story is in my book “Hope for Healing Liver Disease in Your Dog”. What I learned in my research was just how bad the commercial dog food was that I had fed him his whole life. I learned that his commercial food likely contributed to his bad health (at 10 years old). Or if it didn’t cause his poor health, it definitely didn’t help. I can’t tell you how awful the guilt is of realizing that what you’ve been feeding your dog their whole life has led to their current state of bad health. I have spent the last 20 years learning about canine nutrition so that I would never feel that way again.
The good news is that I saved Norman’s life and he went on to live for 2 more years. And the point of this story is that his diet was the major contributing factor in his recovery from cirrhosis. I fed him a fresh home-cooked diet for 2 years. It saved his life and made me a believer in “fresher is better”.