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.
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Best Natural Dry Dog FoodACANA Singles + Wholesome Grains Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb & Pumpkin Recipe $95 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping$95 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping -
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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 -
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Best Natural Wet Dog FoodInstinct Original Grain-Free Real Chicken Natural Wet Canned Dog Food $24 on Chewy -
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Best Affordable Natural Wet Dog FoodPurina Beyond Beef, Potato & Green Bean Recipe Ground Entree Canned Dog Food $26 on Chewy -
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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
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Digestible
My little white dog is very fussy & he discolors & itches with many foods. He does not like his hydrolyzed veggie protein prescription food so I mix it with this & it causes no issues. He likes it! That & filtered water & he is a happy camper with no runny eyes & itchy skin.
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Picky eater approves!
My dog is a very picky eater, who has food allergies and a sensitive digestive system. I haven't yet found a kibble he can digest well (to yield healthy poops). Acana's Limited Ingredient Beef and Pumpkin comes close, and it must taste good to him, because he gobbles it up every evening.
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one of the best dry dog foods
Have been feeding Acana for years and my 14 year old dog is the picture of health and acts young. Chewy was a good way to get it.
Best Natural Grain-Free Dog Food
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My dogs love this flavor.
So, being the bad dog parent I am, I had been giving my dogs this dog food. Then I saw another flavor from the same company was a little less expensive. I tried to switch them over to the other flavor, doing all of the tricks to switch a dog to a different food. Well, it didn't work. So back to Salmon! They're eating all their food again! LOL!
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Holly Loves It!
My Border Collie loves her new dog food. She licks the bowl when she's finished! We switched to Nature's Recipe because we thought she might be allergic to chicken which was in her previous food.
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Grain free
I have 2 chihuahuas, who are tummy sensitive to grains in their Kibble. They love this and no tummy issues! Honey is 13 and Bandit is 7.
Best Natural Wet Dog Food
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Not loaf as listed
Lot to lot can vary on the consistency, this case was more like soup. The lots that are loaf are a great product.
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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 :)
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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!
Best Affordable Natural Wet Dog Food
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My little Dorkie Martha, loves the variety this dog food comes in.
I really like this dog food and Martha does too! I like that it comes in an assortment of different kinds of foods & vegies. Also, the cans wash out good for recycling. Martha has a variety of tastes. My order from Chewy came quickly and no damaged bent cans.
Best Affordable Natural Dry Dog Food
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Really Wish This Wasn't Discontinued
My dog was on this her whole life. Then Purina quit making it a year and a half ago, claiming "low sales". It has been a pain trying to find something comparable, ingredients-wise. It's not easy changing a 12-year old dog's food. I really appreciated the limited ingredient formula. Purina doesn't have many others that are truly limited ingredients, not even Pro-Plan.
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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
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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.
Best Natural Dog Food Topper
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Great value, Pup loves them, Something we will continue to buy.
We’ve bought a few different flavors and our pup loves all of them! Smaller bag comes with a good amount in it surprisingly. I use typically 3-4 of these and crumble them or rip into smaller pieces to top my dogs food. Perfect as a topper and sometimes I’ll rehydrate with beef broth for a lick mat or to top his dry food.
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Birdie approved!
These have been a great addition to Birdie’s kibble! We also break them up and use them to work on our training!
Best Natural Freeze Dried Dog Food
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Stella & Chewy's Chicken Dinner Patties
Of all the Stella & Chewy products I have bought this puppy, this is her favorite. Sometimes I break it in half, and other times I just give her the whole piece. She runs away to eat it.
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A great part of healthy meal.
My dog loves these! They are easy to prepare with some fresh veggies on the side, like broccoli or sweet potatoes.
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Stella & Chewy's Chicken Dinner Patties Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food
Both dogs love this, I just can't afford to feed it to them regularly. They get it for a treat, just a little once a week.
Best Natural Dehydrated Dog Food
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Winner winner, chicken dinner!
My first experience with dehydrated dog food after the suggestion from a friend. Our dog loves it, it is easy to store and handle, I make it up fresh every day, minimal odor, and good, clean, nutritious ingredients. Great discovery!
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So good! Easy and my dog loves it!
I wanted a human grade high quality food for my dog. We live outside of the US around 9 months of the year. We either have to carry or ship our dog's food in because the foods available locally are either very low quality but extremely expensive or mid quality but prohibitively expensive. A lot of the human grade foods were either fresh and extremely expensive subscription models that wouldn't work for us, or would be a problem for shelf stability in the hot and humid environment where we live This is so perfect because we can keep the base sealed and refrigerated until we make his daily meal! The best part for us is we can get him a...
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Dog loves it
My dog is not a picky eater. He goes absolutely crazy for this food! He really loves it. My only complaint is that the ratio of dry to wet is difficult to pinpoint if your dog is between the weights or if you split the food between other types. I do half serving of this with a half serving of Ziwi Peak kibble, all split between 3 meals a day. When I made it according to the package it was really soupy. With a little trial and error I got it down. I love that it's a 10lb box but makes 40 lbs of food. I also am happy with the ingredient list. I've shopped around a LOT for healthy dog food that's affordable and so far this has been awesome. I...
Best Natural Senior Dog Food
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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!
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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:-)
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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
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My puppy loves this
He prefers this over everything, even useful as a healthy training treat. He loves this stuff way more than kibble and it much better for him as well.
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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!
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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.
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.
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