Top 10 Best Dog Food Brands for a Healthy and Happy Pup in 2024

With all of the new and upcoming dog food brands, plus the older formulas that have withstood the test of time, choosing the right source of nutrition for your dog can be a mountainous task. There are way too many brands for one person to consider.

Fortunately for you, we have collected a list of some of the best foods and brands for your pet in 2024. Each brand listed has different variants of food made for dogs of different ages or sizes. Some have foods intended for specific breeds.

It’s important to our team here at Spot Pet Insurance that you and your dog have what you need to live a long and happy life together. We want you to fulfill the role of pet parent to the best of your ability!

What should I know about dog food?

When choosing food for your pup, do your research. Picking up a random bag of dry or wet dog food from the shelf probably won’t work out too well. Dogs need different things in their food, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. These nutrients support healthy skin, a shiny coat, a robust immune system, and better overall health for your pup.

Your dog will have different nutritional requirements at each stage of their life, from puppy to adult to senior. Puppies need food that will help them grow. Adults need food that helps them live life to the fullest. Senior dogs need food with more protein than their younger counterparts.

Different breeds have different requirements as well. Larger dogs have bigger appetites and nutritional needs than smaller dogs. Some dogs may have more sensitivities than others or have allergies.

Most brands will have many different types of food available, made specifically for dogs of different age groups and sizes. Some brands will make food specially intended for your dog. These brands tend to be pricier, however.

A vet is a useful resource to ask about what things to look for in dog food and your dog’s specific needs. Dogs do need a wide array of nutrients. They are omnivores, which means their diets need meat, vegetables, grains and some fruit.

The Best Dog Foods of 2024

Here’s our list of some of the best dog food brands we’ve found in 2024.

The Farmer’s Dog

The Farmer’s Dog is a more recent dog food brand that prides itself on crafting fresh food with human-grade ingredients. It’s a subscription service where you sign up to get ingredients and recipes for your dog to try delivered to your door. Their meals could be eaten by humans, although you probably won’t want to. Your dog will like the taste much better!

There are multiple possibilities flavor-wise. Determine which tastes your dog loves the best. It may take a little trial and error to figure out which recipes your dog will prefer. If you’re looking to avoid getting standard dog food from the store, this might be a good option for you.

Ollie

Ollie is another subscription service dog food. The doggy meals they provide are cooked prior to sending. Their ingredients come from farms in the United States and Australia. Ollie lets you choose between four meals generated by a veterinarian. These meals are also specifically made for your dog, based on their size, breed, and age.

Achieve a more personalized diet that suits your dog’s needs better than most other brands can. After all, every dog is individual. Although they all have similar needs, they won’t always be exactly the same.

Nom Nom

Nom Nom is the final subscription service dog food on our list. A veterinarian and a chef work together to provide the best meals for your dog. The meals are made in a kitchen used for only one purpose: making food for your dog. They use ingredients that can be found in a restaurant.

Nom Nom also provides foods that dogs with allergies can eat, depending on what your pup is allergic to.

The food for this subscription brand is high quality and convenient! Subscription services with pre-cooked food can be useful if you tend to have a busier life or don’t have the cooking ability necessary.

Subscription plans can be expensive. If you’re tight on money, it may be best to go with store-bought dog food options, like the ones below.

Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan Adult Dry Dog is one of the best dry dog foods of 2024. It comes in a rice and chicken flavor, which may seem a little bland to you, but your pup will appreciate the taste. It may even keep them away from the chicken you made for dinner. It has a high amount of protein, which is necessary for a dog’s balanced diet.

The Purina Pro Plan brand has many other types of dog food. If your dog turns up his nose at this particular food, there are others you can try!

Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild has excellent dog food for all kinds of dogs. They have a limited-ingredient food for dogs with allergies or sensitivities. They have a type of dog food made specifically for smaller dogs, which is made with venison and lamb meal.

Most of their dry foods are grain-free, which is good if your dog is allergic or has a sensitivity. However, grain can be an essential part of your dog’s diet, so it’s not for everyone.

Orijen

Orijen is a dog food company based in Canada. Their primary selling point is that their food is packed full of meat, meaning there are high amounts of protein. Too much protein can throw off the diet of puppies and adult dogs, but this is a solid option for your elderly pup!

Their ingredients arrive at their production facility raw; they aren’t processed at all prior to arrival.

You may be wondering if Orijen meets the standards of the FDA. Don’t worry! Canadian regulations are just as strict as American ones.

Tender & True

Tender & True is another brand that is helpful for dogs with a grain allergy or sensitivity. They add other sources of carbohydrates to make up for the lack of grain so your dog can benefit from their nutritional value.

This dog food is particularly wonderful if you have multiple dogs. It’s high-quality and suitable for small and medium dogs of any age. This doesn’t mean it is merely adequate for your pups. It still manages to have a good amount of nutrients; you could also supplement it.

Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo’s Life Protection Dry Food has whole grain, real meat and vegetables. It’s one of the cheaper foods on this list, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s low quality.

Blue Buffalo has plenty of protein (over a quarter is protein), as well as carbohydrates and fatty acids. They use chicken as their source of protein; it contains barley, brown rice, and oatmeal to provide your pup with carbs.

Although this food won’t be good if your dog has allergies to grain, it can be a delicious option for a grown-up dog that can eat carbohydrates by way of barley and oatmeal.

Diamond Naturals

Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete kibble is an excellent choice if your pup loves adventure and activity. It has a high protein content, which comes from chicken. Barley and rice contribute the carbohydrates that your dog needs.

Diamond Naturals is also on the lower end of the price spectrum, which means if your income is low, it could be a tasty option for you and your dog.

Iams

Iams is a tried and true brand. Their Proactive Health Dry Dog Food is a good source of protein. Much of it comes from fresh lamb. There is also some chicken meal included, which supplements the lamb.

This food also contains corn, rice, barley, and sorghum, a type of grain. These ingredients provide the carbohydrates for your pup.

Iams is also less expensive, but it is commonly used among dog breeders and veterinarians. It may be less pricey, but it has a fairly high standing.

What food is right for your dog?

Now that you know of these dog food brands, you must decide which one to give to your furry friend. There are a lot of things to think about before making a decision.

One of the subscription services may sound the most enticing. These services offer a way to have a diet that’s suited to your pup far better than a more generic brand.

Subscription food services do tend to add up, though. Like many people today, you may find it difficult to afford. You want the best for your pup, but it seems like you don’t have the money to get it.

Fortunately, there are many less expensive options out there for dog kibble that are still good quality. It lacks the specificity of a subscription service, but nothing can be perfect.

If store-bought food is your choice, you need to make sure to buy food suited to your dog’s age, size, and breed. You also need to pay attention to any allergies or sensitivities your dog might have.

If your dog seems to be having problems with the food, which can show in through symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, consult a licensed vet to see if they can determine what your dog is allergic to.

Finding the right type of food for your dog is a simple way to improve their quality of life. As a good pet parent, it’s important that you can properly care for your furry, four-legged child, which includes making sure your dog has a balanced diet. At Spot Pet Insurance, we want to empower you to be the best pet parent you can be through resources like this one!