7 Best Dog Food With High-Quality Ingredients For Healthy And Happy Pet

I have been feeding my two small-breed dogs N&D's Pumpkin Lamb & Blueberry Dry Dog Food and I have been super happy and satisfied. I do believe that Farmina's N&D is one of the best dry dog food available in the market right now because of their clean and high-quality ingredients that are free of any fillers and by-products. This one is also that it's grain-free*, meaning that it doesn't contain any grains, including wheat, soy, corn, rice, oats and barley. N&D also has other variants of kibble that have grains if that's what you need. Taco has a sensitive stomach, but she has been happy with this particular dog food. 

Main ingredients: Lamb (22%), dehydrated lamb protein (20%), pea starch, chicken fat, dried pumpkin (5%), dried eggs

*Grain-free doesn’t necessarily mean the best, it all depends on how you feed your dog. I prefer grain-free because I tend to top off their kibble with some home-cooked food that balances out the need for any carbohydrates in their meal. 

Virbac offers good-quality dry dog food that's high in protein and less in carbohydrates, giving a balanced meal to your dog. Their dog food is made up of 90% animal protein, and kibble is free of gluten, colouring and artificial flavouring, making it highly palatable. Virbac is actually recommended by many veterinarians for skin and coat support, high digestive tolerance and maintaining optimal body weight. A friend of mine tried this healthy dog food for his dog on the recommendation of his vet and hasn't gone back to any other.

Main ingredients: Dehydrated pork and poultry proteins, Rice (min. 4%), animal fats, peas, hydrolysed pork

This grain-free puppy and junior dry dog food from Acana is specially made for puppies who weigh between nine and 25 kg at maturity. This dry-food formula is loaded with 70% meat and 30% fruits and vegetables, and is free of any preservatives. All the protein is said to be regionally sourced and very fresh. This kibble is formulated to meet the nutritional requirements established by AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles as well. I like that everything I see on the label is high-quality, free from any by-products and fillers, and most importantly, very high in protein, which is essential for a healthy growing puppy. 

Main ingredients: Fresh chicken meat (16%), chicken meal (13%), turkey meal (13%), red lentils, whole green peas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart, kidney) (6%)

A rather new brand I found is Fidele. Interestingly, it says that it has been conceptualised in India and made in Belgium, and I am certain that it's one of the best value kibbles available right now. I think the ingredients list is sorted, with the only so-so ingredient being maize (according to my research, it's generally considered safe for dogs if they don't have an allergy to it; just has limited nutritional value). It's also free of any artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. 

Main ingredients: Dehydrated chicken protein, maize, white rice, peas, chicken fat, hydrolysed chicken protein.

When looking for dog food for healthy skin and coat you need to ensure that they're getting a high-quality food with balanced nutrition. Drools Vet Pro Skin & Coat Dry Dog Food offers polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, proteins, organic zinc and selenium, especially for adult dogs and puppies, that improve skin and coat health, and promote natural skin defences. The food has high-quality protein sources along with Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are known to promote healthy skin and shiny coat. However, if your dog suffers regularly from skin issues then it's always recommended to consult a vet. 

Main ingredients: Real chicken, soya oil, flaxseed oil, dried beet pulp, fructo-oligo-saccharides, taurine

If your dog often suffers from inflammation and has an extremely sensitive stomach then the best dry food that I was able to find in the market is Farmina Vet Life's Gastrointestinal. It's supposed to be a complete dietetic food for dogs for the reduction of acute intestinal absorptive disorders, during periods of recovery from acute diarrhoea, for the compensation for maldigestion and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. However, I'd always suggest taking a second opinion from your vet since they know your dog's breed, nutritional needs, and history better than anyone on the internet. 

Main ingredients: Rice, sweet potato, dehydrated chicken protein, oats, chicken fat, dried eggs, dehydrated fish protein

I've struggled a lot with finding fresh foods that I can give to my dogs, especially because I live in a vegetarian household and it's just difficult to prepare non-vegetarian food. I recently came across Sara's Wholesome Food on my regular visit to Heads Up For Tails and was so pleasantly surprised. Both my dogs love this, I use it as a topper for their kibble. The ingredients are all fresh and good quality without any preservatives. I go for the Chicken and Turkey one because it's grain-free, but they also have Chicken and Brown Rice, Lamb and Apple, Paneer and Eggs for you to choose what your dog likes. They also sell Bone Broth if you wish to hydrate your kibble with something more flavourful for your dog.

Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken organ meat, turkey, turkey organ meat, mackerel fish, beans, pumpkin