The 8 Best Natural Dry Dog Foods of 2023

The 8 Best Natural Dry Dog Foods of 2023

Best Natural Dog Foods for Dogs and Puppies

Best Overall:

Organix Organic Adult Canned Dog Food 

Best Dry:

Wellness CORE Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food at PETCO

Best for Large Breeds:

DIAMOND NATURALS Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food at Chewy

Best for Small Breeds:

Merrick Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food at Chewy

Best Budget:

Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Premium Dry Dog Food at Chewy

Best Fresh Food:

JustFoodForDogs Daily Diets Frozen Dog Food at PETCO

Best Raw:

Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Grain-Free Recipe Dog Food at Chewy

Best Overall:

Castor & Pollux Organix Organic Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Canned Dog Food

Castor & Pollux Organix is recommended at Dr. Richardon’s practice, due to its GMO-free ingredient list. It’s full of USDA-certified organic ingredients: chicken, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables. It’s made in small batches, and never includes corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, or preservatives. 

Owners should be thrilled with the healthy ingredient list, and the overall high quality of this food. After all, if you’re serving yourself organic, fresh ingredients, why would you do anything different for your dog?  

An important note: This food is high in calories, so best avoided if your dog has a weight problem.

The 7 Best Grain-Free Dog Foods below.

Best Dry: 

Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Original Recipe Dry Dog Food

Dr. Richardson recommends this brand as one made with good quality, nutrient-dense ingredients, such as meat and vegetables (kale, spinach, and more). Plus, it’s fortified with vitamins and minerals that are key for your dog’s health. All the ingredients are natural, and the food is free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, per the manufacturer. 

It's also tasty—even picky pets gobble it down, which owners love because of the junk- and filler-free ingredient list.

The Best Dog Food Brands, According to Veterinarians

Best for Large Breeds: 

DIAMOND NATURALS Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food

What’s the best natural food for your large dog? 

Consider Diamond Naturals. Made in the USA, this dry food has cage-free chicken, whole grain brown rice, and fruits and vegetables. (Honestly, the ingredient list sounds tasty for anyone—not just dogs.) 

It’s full of nutrient-rich ingredients tailored for a large-breed dog, and does not contain artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives—nor does it have any filler ingredients. This food is also high in glucosamine, a nutrient that’s key for joint health, particularly as dogs mature.

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Best for Small Breeds: 

Merrick Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food

Smaller dogs need food that comes in smaller pieces, so they can comfortably chew and swallow it. But it’s not just size that matters—small breed dogs have different nutritional needs, as well. To serve those needs, Merrick is one of the brands that Dr. Richardson recommends when it comes to natural dog foods. 

Merrick proudly lists the first five ingredients on the front of the packaging—a tip-off that you're getting good-quality ingredients. Whole grains, such as brown rice and quinoa, are included as well to help with digestion. 

Best Budget:

Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Premium Dry Dog Food Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe

Looking for a natural dog food that won’t break the bank? Nutrish has real USA-raised meat—not filler—as the number one ingredient. Also included in the formula are prebiotics—the kind of food that feeds the good bacteria in your pet's gut—for digestion. The brand prides itself on its “wholesome” ingredients, and explains what purpose the top ingredients serve in your pet's nutrition. Not on that list? Artificial flavors and artificial preservatives.

Best Dehydrated: 

Sundays Food for Dogs

Want something truly different? 

“In a sector of its own, Sundays Food for Dogs is a great dehydrated food brand,” says Dr. Richardson. Here’s how dehydrated food works: After it’s made, the food is air dried. This preserves all the nutrients, while killing off germs. It's a good option for pet owners who are intrigued by the idea of raw food diets, but are worried about potential bacteria in raw meat.

Everything in the food is 100 percent human-grade. That means it’s also safe for humans to eat (no gross fillers or meat byproducts included). It’s also formulated without common allergens (like chicken or wheat) and with ingredients that support digestion (like pumpkin). 

Because it’s dehydrated, the food doesn’t need to be stored in the fridge or freezer, and it also doesn’t need to be heated up or cleaned up carefully after your dog eats.

Best Fresh Food: 

JustFoodForDogs Daily Diets Fish & Sweet Potato Frozen Dog Food

If you’re looking for fresh food, this is one that Dr. Richardson recommends. Here’s why she approves of Just Food for Dogs: It’s “nutritionally well-balanced, adher[es] to strict quality controls, and developed under the care of veterinary nutritionists.” 

The food is cooked in California, frozen, then shipped. All of the ingredients in Just Food recipes are suitable for human consumption. The meal is low calorie, and the manufacturer notes it’s a good fit for dogs with skin-related allergies. 

Best Raw:

Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Dog Food

Looking to provide your dog with a primal experience that mimics life in the wild? Then you may be interested in providing raw nutrition. This Instinct raw food is chock full of animal meat protein and even the non-meat ingredients (fruits and vegetables) are GMO-free. The food is minimally processed and free from fillers, and doesn’t contain artificial colors or preservatives. 

So that your dog can safely consume raw food and take advantage of the nutrients, the ingredients are frozen then cold-pressured, according to the manufacturer. Unlike some frozen food, this one is easy to serve (it doesn’t turn into one giant brick in the freezer) and easy for dogs to scarf down.

The 7 Best Dog Foods of 2023

Final Verdict

For the best natural dog food on the market, we recommend Castor & Pollux Organix Canned Dog Food (available at Amazon), due to its USDA-certified organic ingredients and lack of artificial flavors or preservatives. If you're looking for a dry food to feed you dog instead, we recommend Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Original Recipe Dry Dog Food (available at Petco).

What to Look for in Natural Dog Food

What “Natural” Means

The term “natural” on dog food label simply means that the ingredients in the food are “derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing,” according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Natural dog foods are not necessarily organic (if they are, it will be stated on the label). 

Life Stage

Choose a natural dog food formula that is intended for your dog’s life stage. Foods labeled as “maintenance” are for adult dogs over 1 year of age. Foods labeled “growth” or “growth and reproduction” are for puppies under 1 year old and pregnant or nursing females. Foods labeled “all life stages” provide nutrition appropriate for any dog of any age, from puppy through adult.

AAFCO Statement

Choose a natural dog food that has a statement on the label that says the food is completed and balanced according to the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Officials (AAFCO) for that life stage.

Type of Food

Natural dog food comes in many different forms, including dry kibble, canned, freeze dried, refrigerated, and fresh frozen. Choose the formula that your dog likes best and is most convenient and cost-effective for you.

FAQ

Is natural dog food better for dogs?

According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials, the term “natural” simply means that the ingredient is “derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either

Consider buying natural dog food. "So there are no rules about which definition to use, and not all foods that call themselves 'natural' are necessarily the same," said NYC Small Door Veterinary Jamie Richardson. Door Veterinary Jamie Richardson said. says veterinarian Jamie Richardson. Richardson said. see a doctor. However, if you are curious about dog food that has been prepared responsibly, and is probably free of the following ingredients – such as pesticides, artificial insemination, and genetically modified ingredients – there are alternatives. ,

"Before you buy, always make sure the food box has a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officers (AAFCO)," says Richardson. “[This means] the food is designed to meet nutritional and minimum standards for your pet,” she says.

Because of the list of GMO-free ingredients, Dr. Richardson's practice recommends Castor and Pollux Organics. It's rich in USDA-certified organic ingredients: chicken, brown rice, fruits and vegetables. It is made in small quantities and never contains corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors or preservatives.

Owners should be satisfied with this meal's list of healthy ingredients and overall high quality. After all, if you find yourself serving up organic, fresh ingredients, why not try something different for your dog?

An important note: These foods are high in calories, so they should be avoided if your dog has weight problems.

The 8 Best Natural Dry Dog Foods of 2023

Doctor. Richardson recommends this brand as a brand made with good quality, nutritious ingredients like meat and vegetables (bananas, spinach and more). Plus, it's fortified with vitamins and minerals that are essential to your dog's health. According to the manufacturer, all ingredients are natural, and the food is free of artificial colors, flavors & preservatives.

The 8 Best Natural Dry Dog Foods of 2023

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