What’s the Best Dry Dog Food? 2025’s Top Picks in 8 Categories
For 2025, we’ve named the dry dog foods we like best in a number of categories, such as best adult maintenance food, best puppy food, best budget food, best lower-fat food, and more. But keep in mind that the most important selection criteria is not whether a food is one of our favorites, but whether a food works for your dog.
Raw Bones for Dogs
People have been giving raw meaty bones to dogs ever since the two species teamed up as hunters and companions. However, there’s disagreement on whether it’s safe or beneficial to give raw bones to dogs. Veterinarians generally recommend against them, having treated dogs with broken teeth, obstructions or intestinal perforations related to chewing or ingesting bones. Most owners who give them cite dental and mental benefits.
Is Rawhide Bad for Your Dog?
Rawhide chews are potentially dangerous because they can be a choking hazard or cause gastrointestinal obstructions. However, most dogs love to chew on these hide chews to relax and clean their teeth.
High-Fiber Dog Food and Anal Glands
Increasing your dog’s fiber intake is an effective way to manage anal-gland problems.
Is Grain-Free Good for Dogs?
Grain-free dog food has become a popular choice among pet owners in recent years. While grain-free diets may offer certain benefits to some dogs, they may not be the right choice for every dog, and not all grain free dog foods are created equally.
Are Pig Ears Good For Dogs?
Pig ears can serve as a natural chew to promote dental health. Chewing on pig ears helps to remove plaque and tartar buildup from the teeth via the mechanical action of the chew abrading against the teeth. The tough texture of the ear acts as a natural toothbrush, promoting healthier teeth and gums. They are also protein rich. However, there is a risk of choking, and pig ears can carry salmonella.
What to Feed a Dog With a Yeast Infection
Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments. In dogs, this often manifests as ear infections, dermatitis, and digestive upset. When the body’s natural balance is disturbed, yeast can proliferate uncontrollably, leading to infection.
Dry Dog Food for Picky Eaters
Feeding a picky eater is a challenge, but the right high-quality, palatable kibble can make all the difference. Choose a dry dog food that uses real animal protein, animal fat, palatability boosters, like natural flavors, and has a satisfying texture.
What to Feed a Dog for Urinary Health
Diet directly influences your dog’s urinary tract by affecting the pH of their urine, the concentration of minerals, and the overall volume of urine produced. A variety of commercial urinary care dog foods are designed to support urinary tract health. The best choice for your dog will depend upon his specific needs and any diagnosed urinary conditions.
High-Calorie Dog Food
High-calorie foods are designed to provide the necessary nutrients and energy required to fuel their lifestyles without overfeeding them. For active dogs, high-calorie food helps ensure they have the energy to keep their muscles and metabolism functioning efficiently, giving them stamina to perform throughout the day.
Can Dogs Have Peppermint?
Peppermint is never necessary for your dog, and it can be harmful depending on how much your dog is exposed to and any other ingredients in the product.
Thanksgiving Foods Dogs Can Eat
Dogs can enjoy many traditional Thanksgiving foods. The key is to let them indulge in moderation. That’s because Thanksgiving weekend is infamous in the...
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No, You Can’t
Of all the “third rail” topics concerning dogs, here’s one I never could have guessed would make some people incensed: A passerby putting a bag of dog poop in their garbage can. Ack! Apparently, this makes some homeowners angry enough that they put signs on or next to their garbage cans, set up security cameras in order to identify and eventually confront the offenders, or threatening penalties for the alleged “theft of services” (using someone else’s garbage service).