We’re all looking to lead healthier lives, and that usually includes eating a more natural diet with fewer processed foods. As pet parents, we want the same for our dogs, and feeding a natural diet can offer up similar benefits. But how do you pick the best natural dog food for your pup?
First, you need to know what constitutes natural pet food. Natural pet food should contain ingredients derived from plant, animal or naturally occurring mineral sources, in their natural state or without having been produced chemically, according to the Association of American Feed Control Officers, which sets forth pet food’s nutritional standards. Though the “natural” label isn’t currently regulated by the FDA, choosing a natural dog food should help eliminate ingredients like artificial colors and flavors and man-made preservatives from your pup’s diet, making sure they get more whole ingredients and fewer chemicals.
We spoke to the experts to narrow down the vet recommended dog food options and help you find the best natural dog food for your dog. Just remember to consult with your veterinarian before making any changes to your pup’s diet.
-
1
Best Natural Dry Dog FoodACANA Singles + Wholesome Grains Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb & Pumpkin Recipe $94 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping$94 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping
-
2
Best Natural Grain-Free Dog FoodNature's Recipe Grain-Free Salmon, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe $50 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping$50 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping
-
3
Best Natural Wet Dog FoodInstinct Original Grain-Free Real Chicken Natural Wet Canned Dog Food $24 on Chewy
-
4
Best Affordable Natural Wet Dog FoodPurina Beyond Beef, Potato & Green Bean Recipe Ground Entree Canned Dog Food $22 on Chewy
-
5
Best Affordable Natural Dry Dog FoodPurina Beyond Simply White Meat Chicken & Whole Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food $44 on Chewy
Best Natural Dry Dog Food
-
Great
Our little guy has allergies to beef and chicken. This food fits the bill for him. He just gobbles it right up!
-
Drum loves it!
After 2 years on experimenting with food that agrees with our 4 year old Golden, we happily found Acana, limited ingredients, lamb and squash .
-
Sensitive Stomach Win
My GSD has a super sensitive tummy.. and this limited ingredient kibble has been helpful to keep his stomach issues in check. Definitely recommend.
Best Natural Grain-Free Dog Food
-
Good choice
My sister suggested I buy this dry food for my dog to mix with Farmer’s Dog food. He unintentionally lost weight on Farmer’s Dog alone so I needed to find a healthy dry kibble and this is it! No grains! This food is great on his sensitive stomach. He also has sensitive skin and we have had no issues. Had I known this food existed before, I never would have bought Farmer’s Dog. He loved it. So mixing the two has worked.
-
Excellent Food
My Japanese Akitas simply love this Food! Its great for sensitive stomachs and digestive tracts. Tried various foods but this one does the job!
-
Natures Recipe - grain free salmon & sweet potato
My dogs have been eating this for years and they love it. The price has increased significantly but for now I have no plans on changing.
Best Natural Wet Dog Food
-
Happy with this food.
Im trying to pick the healthiest foods I can for my dog and cats. This is one of the foods that fit the bill for me. And he likes it :)
-
Instinct Can Food
I had to change food for my dog because her immune system is changing. This was recommended by a Naturalist that we see & our dog loves it & can't wait til I get it in the bowl. Within about 10 days she showed improvement. No additives, grains, wheat or corn. Our furry one is very happy!
-
Great food
Our dogs love this food. I pair it with Instinct kibble and the bowls are licked clean. Also they don’t poop as much as they used to on other food.
Best Affordable Natural Wet Dog Food
-
Great product but man, Chewy.
Great product but Chewy loves to pack everything in one box. Trying to lug a 50 pound box in the house is an astronomical feat for an older woman.
-
My dogs love it!
I mix this in with grain-free dry food and my two picky eaters now finish their meal. Also, helps with coat and itchy skin.
-
Dogs love it!
Bought this as an option to different brand that my dogs love, but .. quite expensive. Dogs seem to love this option, much the same as the more expensive option. So, looks like I’ll continue to maintain both options for our happy dogs.
Best Affordable Natural Dry Dog Food
-
Why is this dry food no longer available ?
My dogs loved this dry food and I would like to know the reason this was discontinued. I don't know which dry dog food to order now. Sad
-
Beyond Dry Dog Food
I rely on your company for my dogs needs. Grateful you provided me with 5 small packages. But hoping next time I can go back to the 24 lb bag.
-
Dogs loves it!
Dogs have been eatting the Purina Beyond for a few weeks, and they love it. They both have more energy, and my Zowie's allergy symptoms have improved.
Best Natural Dog Food Topper
-
Great food for picky eaters
Pickiest eater I’ve ever had, and this food solved the problem. It’s expensive, but it gets her eating. Without it, she won’t touch her kibble. Quality ingredients- just like she’s get if she killed and ate a whole turkey :) She also enjoys the beef, surf and turf, and chicken recipes. Good stuff!
-
Cats Love It and Seem Much Healthier
After trying many different foods to solve our cats' digestive problems, we went with Stella & Chewy's and it worked. Our cats no only love it--one of them has become vocal because of it--but their digestive issues seem much, much better.
-
Awesome food
Our dogs really love this food. We use it as a topper to their food. They go crazy for it.
Best Natural Freeze Dried Dog Food
-
Poor shipping
To start our dog loves this item, eats everything in his bowl no problem, however it arrived with most of all the patties broken already. We buy these specifically for portions and had a difficult time doing so.
-
Cooper’s favourite!!!
Cooper absolutely LOVES this food and devours every meal! He is such a picky eater, so this makes me very happy. Also, happy that I can travel with this food without refrigeration, and can buy it both in Canada and the US without the need to change his food. I also like that Stella & Chewy makes this food in many meat options so he never gets bored as I can vary his meals between chicken, beef, turkey & lamb. This is a wonderful product and I am a confident dog mom feeding this to my boy!
-
Chicken Patty resend
My pups love this product. When they arrived all crumbled Chewy was happy to resend. The package arrived safely and well packed. Only problem is I can’t find an expiration date on it. I will be giving them to my dogs but I would have been happier if I could find expiration stamp. Thanks chewy!
Best Natural Dehydrated Dog Food
-
Good!
My dogs love this food. I use it to stuff chew kings or as a topper for their dry food. Storage is significantly easier than cans this way.
-
Easy to mix and she loves it!
This food has healthy ingredients, is easy to mix and my small breed dog loves it. It can be made ahead of time and stored in the frig for 2-3 days.
-
My 2 dogs love this food! Firm stools, NO gassy tummy
We feed our 2 large dogs this food. They have Been on it for almost a year. They have tried the beef, Turkey , and chicken. So far the chicken has been the best for our 2 boys. All dogs are different and each box has different ingredients. We do add a small amount of kibble to this food, our preference. We will sometimes mix up a smaller portion of this meal and then add a small amount of kibble. Works great. The dogs have had no issues, no gassy tummies, good firm stools, and actually are more content.
Best Natural Senior Dog Food
-
my dogs love Farmina!
both of my large dogs (ages 7 and 8) do great on this! i love farmina as a company and feel so comfortable feeding my dogs this food based on their ingredient sourcing and food processing. my dogs are getting a little older, plus one of them has somewhat of a sensitive stomach, so i like that the senior version has little bit lower protein and fat and more fiber. prior to switching to the senior version, we were just feeding the original chicken and pomegranate but my dogs do seem to do better with this formula at their age and with their current moderately active lifestyle!
-
Sam likes it
I've been feeding my Golden, Sam, this food for a few months now, he seems to like it a lot. I mix it with his "The Farmer's Dog" food and he seems to like that combination, he barks at me as I prepare this food:-)
-
Top Quality Dry Dog Food!
This is the highest quality dry dog food I have ever used. Our dog has maintained a healthy weight, coat, and general wellness. The impact was immediate once we switched. Of note, there is a senior option that has higher fiber for senior dogs, or a normal (non-senior) option.
Best Natural Puppy Food
-
Puppy loves it!
After doing lots of research on different dog foods, I ended up selecting this one. Although expensive, the reviews online were all incredible and it was recommended by so many people. My puppy is in LOVE with this food. She's very healthy, has solid stool, and is anything but lethargic! She gets so excited when I set down her freshly filled food bowl!
-
Great food
We love this food for our pup until we can transition him to a homemade raw diet when he's old enough. He has been very healthy and full of energy with this food.
-
chewy.com rocks
I have always had dogs in my life and have never considered ordering pet supplies online. I recently adopted a puppy and found I did not have the time to go to the pet supply store in my area. I went online to chewy.com and also arranged to have the puppy food put on auto re-order. the puppy loves it.
When choosing the best natural dog food for your pet, there are more than a few good choices on the market, and your veterinarian can help you find the ideal diet for your pup. “Your veterinarian is going to know what sort of specific conditions, dietary needs and lifestyle your pet may have. Work very closely with them on choosing the right food,” says Dr. Nelson. With your vet’s guidance, you can transition your dog to one of the best natural dog foods for many years of health and happiness by your side.
Read More
Share: