Good Commercial Dog Foods
Kirby has bright eyes, a beautiful shiny, soft coat, boundless energy, and doesn't suffer from allergies. He never has skin problems, gastrointestinal problems or oral health issues. I attribute his great overall health to the healthy foods he consumes. Most of the time he eats homemade, and although I do think the raw diet is probably the most beneficial, I have not come to terms with feeding him totally raw foods.
He really likes the crunch of kibble (dry dog food) so he is allowed a small portion of commercial kibble in the mornings. He eats commercial kibble and canned dog foods when we travel since they are more convenient than packing perishable homemade meals. Finally, I keep a few cans in the pantry for those rare times I have run out of his prepared meals or forgot to take some out of the freezer.
I firmly believe homemade is the best but I can concede a quality commercial dog food is acceptable. The cost, either way, does appear expensive until you realize your dog is eating less because his body is absorbing and utilizing more good nutrients so it becomes a viable cost. Factor in the less poop and less visits to the vet and the cost becomes almost like a savings plan.
I get asked quite often to recommend a good commercial dog food of which there are a slew of them on the market. Some are excellent, some are so below par it should be criminal, and some are somewhere in between. I know there are many great dog foods I'm not listing only because I'm not familiar with them. These are the brands I can recommend which I do feed Kirby on rotation.
Dry/Canned
A family-owned company located in Hereford, Texas.
Kirby has been eating this meat based dog food with great results. He has always been a slow eater but literally inhales this food, both the kibble and the canned. Truth is I have never seen him eat any other commercial dog food like he does with this one. He gets kibble in the morning and literally whines while I am placing it in his interactive toy. He is so busy opening the compartments that he doesn't even notice me leaving for work.
The dry kibble comes in both grain and grain free choices while the cans contain ingredients that truly look and smell homemade. Read our full review HERE.
Wellness Super 5 Mix Small Breed Adult Health, Wellness Super 5 Mix Small Breed Just for Puppy, and Wellness Super 5 Mix Small Breed Healthy Weight, all of which receive Dog Food Advisors rating of 4.5 stars. I choose the Healthy Weight one since he does border on chunky while still maintaining an amazing amount of energy. It’s more of a diet dog food with less calories yet provides whole-body nutritional support. The rest of their dry kibble recipes drop from 4 stars to 2.5 stars so I avoid them.
The canned stews are the only canned line of dinners to rate 5 stars.
4. Blue Buffalo Dog Food Advisor
Blue's Wilderness which is high in protein and grain-free receives Dog Food Advisor's 5 star rating along with their canned Stews and canned Family Favorites. The life bits
Dehydrated/Raw
1. Fresh Pet Select Dog Food Advisor
The company is headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey with plants located in Quakertown, Pennsylvania and Hanover Township, Pennsylvania.
This is a healthy line of freshly prepared meals with high-protein meats and eggs, vitamin-rich vegetables, and wholesome grains which receives 5 stars from Dog Food Advisor. I like these slice and serve rolls which can be very convenient and want to try the Roasted meals. Avoid the Homestyle selections which only rate 3 stars and upset Kirby's stomach.
2. The Honest Kitchen Dog Food Advisor
A family owned company located in San Diego, California.
This natural dog food made from whole foods many of which are grain-free receives 4.5 stars fro Dog Food Advisor. This was the first gently dehydrated dog food we tried with great results. They have a varied selection to fit every dog's needs. It's more of a soup or oatmeal texture which Kirby likes warmed in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Even the best foods can have recalls so always keep the bag in order to check the codes should an alert go out pertaining to the brand you are currently feeding your dog. Dog Food Advisor stays on top of recalls so I recommend signing up for their dog food alert emails. A final note would be to always check the expiration dates.