Below, we’ve listed more than 1,100 foods that meet our selection criteria for a high-quality food. They range from moderately priced to expensive foods (super cheap foods don’t meet our selection criteria). You’ll notice that certain store brands, with ingredients that meet our criteria for quality foods, do not appear on our list of “Approved Foods.”
Approved Dry Dog Foods
On this page, we have provided the following information about every individual product made by each of the companies on our Approved Foods list:
- Company information (city, state, phone, website)
- Line (if the company identifies a product as part of a certain product line)
- Name of the product
- Its complete ingredients list
- Whether the product is grain-free or grain-inclusive
- Whether the product is made with a named meat, a named meat meal, both, or none (in the case of vegetarian foods)
- Whether the product is formulated for adult maintenance or dogs of all life stages
- The minimum % of protein
- The minimum % of fat
- The price per pound (we used the largest size available of each product to calculate this; per-pound prices are higher for smaller bags)
- A link for purchasing the product. (Note: If you buy a product using the link, we may earn a commission. Whole Dog Journal is reader-supported and does not accept money for its food and product reviews.)
Note that if you don’t see the name of a company or product you were expecting to see, try the product name (or, conversely, the name of the company who makes it). We’ve listed each company’s products under the best-known name. So, for example, the foods made by Champion Pet Foods are listed under “Acana” and “Orijen.” But “Gather” and “Now Fresh” are listed under their maker’s name, Petcurean.
We’re excited to be able to use this online platform to present information about every single one of the dry dog foods made by the companies on our “Approved Foods” list in the form of a searchable database. You can use filters on the page below to find foods that meet the specific needs of any dog.
You can as many more filters as you need to further refine your list of candidate dog foods. For example, you can use the filters to find a grain-free food that contains no peas and is made with meat meal only. (Note: If you are trying to avoid a certain ingredient, add every iteration of that ingredient you can find. For example, if your dog can’t tolerate peas, look for a food with no peas, pea starch, pea fiber, or pea protein.) 
Or, you can find grain-inclusive foods that contain beef, have less than 15% fat, and are formulated dogs of all life stages. Use as many filters as you like! 
You can also have fun with ordering the data by clicking on the top of any of the columns. What are the most expensive foods on our list? Click the top of the “average price per pound” column! Click on it again to see the least expensive foods. Looking for especially high-protein or low-fat foods? Click on the top of those columns to order the 1,100-plus foods by the amount of these nutrients.
We’re excited about the possibilities of this searchable database, and hope you find it to be helpful for finding good foods for your dogs. Keeping your dog’s individual needs in mind, try some new products, switch frequently – and always watch your dog! Note the date that you start feeding any new food on a calendar and record your dog’s physical responses to the switch, good and bad. If you pay attention, he’ll let you know what works for him (and what doesn’t) with his appetite, energy, skin and coat, stool, and weight.
Click here to read more about our favorite dry dog foods in a number of different categories.
Searchable Dry Dog Food Database
Whole Dog Journal is reader-supported. If you purchase food through links on our site we may earn a commission. Whole Dog Journal does not accept money for its food and product reviews.
You should receive it very soon; it’s the February issue and it’s been mailed. You can also register for online access; click on “Activate my Web Access” at the top of the screen.
Chicken is the number one allergen in pet foods.
If you can start with excluding that from the diet, see if it helps.
I have two mixes with full on poultry issues.
Lamb is often used in sensitive stomach formulations. However you must read the full list of ingredients in any food you buy. Chicken fat or chicken protein can appear way down on the list of ingredients. Again, exclude this from your dogs diet. It’s a sensible place to start.
I just tried that search and did not get any of those in the results. To be clear, you have to add a separate filter for each, so you have four total filters: Ingredients does not contain chicken, ingredients does not contain peas, ingredients does not contain lentils, grain-free or inclusive is inclusive. Did you do that?
Please contact customer service with any access issues you are having. There is a “customer service” button at the top of the screen.
There is a printable version in the print magazine that lists a summary of information about each company on the list, including how many foods they make,how many grain-free, how many include meat,meal,or both,etc. … but, no, printing out the entire 1,200-food list is not something we imagined anyone would want to do. What, exactly, do you want to print?
I agree, unfortunate it’s so hard to be able to read this list. It needs to be more viewer friendly. Not worth the subscription.
You haven’t considered Grand Cru, is this because it is manufactured solely in Quebec, Canada and may not be available in US? It is one of my favourite dry foods and my dogs have loved it, so I’m interested in your opinion.
I’m wondering why you’ve categorized many products as ALS (all life stages) when they are clearly labeled/marketed by the manufacturer as either Puppy or Adult and some even more specifically labeled as Large Breed Adult or Large Breed Puppy. So are you saying, for instance, that Fromm Gold Large Breed Adult food is fine for puppies?
I know it’s confusing. — especially when companies name and label their foods with contradictory clues, like your example.
There are two sets of nutritional standards: Adult maintenance and growth/reproduction. Foods that are formulated for “adult maintenance” meet one set of nutritional requirements. They are not suitable for puppies, or pregnant or nursing mothers. Products that meet the requirements for “growth/reproduction” may be labeled as “Puppy food” but it’s the AAFCO statement on the bag that matters. The statement on products that meet the AAFCO standards for “growth/reproduction” may say that they are formulated to meet the nutrient requirements for “growth” or “all life stages” (meaning they meet the standards for nutrition for adults AND puppies AND nursing or pregnant mothers).
In our table, we included which set of AAFCO nutrient standards were met, according to the AAFCO statement on the label. The food you reference says this on the label: “Fromm Family Large Breed Adult Gold Food for Dogs is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth and maintenance, including growth of large size dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).”
Its name includes “Adult” — but it meets the nutritional standards for large breed puppies AND adults. Hope this helps!
I’m very disappointed to see numerous foods on here I would never feed to a dog of mine for reasons including multiple dogs have developed diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy while eating them (see info on the FDA looking into this) . I have friends whose dogs were affected. Some survived by changing diet as prescribed by board certified veterinary cardiologists. I have used some of these very same brands but won’t ever again. Another brand on this list has failed plant inspections (and I’ve used this brand as well–has very appealing advertising–unfortunately the food is not the quality represented). Some of the reports of what was found was really disgusting. I suggest that Whole Dog Journal move to only recommending specific formulas from brands that have conducted feeding trials. What the labels say is in these foods and how well dogs actually do on them (stay healthy as verified by blood and other diagnostic tests) can be very different.
On past approved lists, Blue Buffalo Life Extension and Purina Bright Mind were highly rated. This list they are not mentioned at all. Why are they no longer recommended or even included? Or am I mistaken?
Looking for Royal Canin and it is not on the list. Is it under a different company?
Unfortunately I see there are many brands listed that may or do source ingredients (usually vitamin/mineral mixes) from China. With all of the issues and recalls due to ingredients from China, I find that piece of information to be very important when choosing a food for my dogs. It would be helpful for that information to be noted on the list.
I’m concerned because I just re subscribed. I had stopped before for the reasons stated above. I worked in veterinary medicine for 40 years before retiring. I saw all the fad diets come and go. I went to a lecture recently by a veterinary geneticist who stresses that today’s dogs are NOT wolves. Our pet dogs have evolved and need healthy grains in their diets.
If the product package has a wolf I run the other way. I am looking for a dry dog food made of ingredients from the US and made in the US. No fly by night brands. I want to know the number of recalls the plant has had. And no raw food. Is anyone else looking for something like this? Or has found it?
Are freeze dried raw foods a scam?
I too, am curious about Blue Buffalo. It was, at one time, on the WDJ list of approved foods but has been absent in recent editions of this list. Way back when, we made the switch to Blue Buffalo based on the WDJ recommendation. Is Blue Buffalo the company that Melissa Paul is referring (in terms of good advertising0? Now we are simply confused. This list of “approved” foods could be more concise. And what about hydrolized foods for dogs with allergies?
4Health (Tractor Supply). Search will not find
Would someone please investigate appropriate protein levels for healthy adult dogs? My veterinarian and my dog’s breeder both said 22% -26%, with a stretch to 28%. Even some trainers will tell you that high protein levels can affect a dog’s behavior. Why then are there so many approved foods well over 30%? Two dogs ago, I fed a food whose protein levels have skyrocketed to 32% – 36%. For now, I’m following the vet’s and breeder’s advice, feeding a food with a 24% protein level. But I’d like to have a definitive answer.
I noticed there is not any Hills listed.
It is what my Vet recommended and of course sells.
I need to have my Westie on a low fat food due to borderline pancreatitis.
why isn’t the CARNA4 venison recipe not on the list anymore?
LOVE carna4!
SO YOU ARE HAPPY WITH ACANA GO BEYOHD THE FIRST INGREDIENT FREE RUN POULTY RECIPE? OUR DOG IS 9 YEARS OLD A SHIH TZU. THANK YOU.
SO ARE HAPPY WITH ACANA GO BEYOHD THE FIRST INGREDIENT FREE RUN POULTY RECIPE? OUR DOG IS 9 YEARS OLD A SHIH TZU. THANK YOU.
I, too, am curious about why the various Blue Buffalo foods are no longer on the list. There have been many people asking. Are you able to give any answer at all? I’m sure that we all want to feed a quality food and thought that we were… Thanks.
I’m curious why Purina Pro Plan never makes your list. Many of my vet friends, who are also involved in dog sports and confirmation recommend this food due to the high number of vets on staff at Purina and the multitude of tests they perform to come up with formulas.
I did not see Redbarn on the list is that food ok to feed my dog. She really likes it.
Why is it so difficult to find your approved list of dry dog foods for a small breed adult dog?? Can you please make it simpler? I have written twice with this request. thanks
I appreciate the listing and all the work that went into it. Is it possible to include caloric content in future reviews?
Your searchable dry dog food database just does not work. I put in a filter for grain inclusive and got no results.
The reason for excluding “store brands” is idiotic. A major flaw to this listing and it seems to me “paid for.”
The link for the PDF version takes you to the 2023 list, not the current 2024 list.
Two year old Beagle female (Myka). Allergic to chicken, corn, oat, pea, peanut, rice, tomato and white potato based on nextmune allergy test. Having a real hard time finding kibble. Right now, feeding Earthborn Holistic – Venture Turkey Meal & Pumpkin. In addition, allergic to various grasses, weeds and tree pollen. Can anybody offer a suggestion for a kibble?
Why was Nature’s Logic excluded from the list?
Just bought a bag of Natures Recipe for puppies. I have a 5 month Shih Tzu and he seems to like it and growing. Any thoughts??
Am I blind? it says to use the filters to search for dog foods that have the criteria I add via filters, but I don’t see any filters. Am I looking at the wrong place?
I’m a subscriber, but when I try to access the 2024 Dry Dog Food List that you can use filters on it has nothing and says No Data. I sent a message to customer service but have not heard back yet. I also adjusted my pop up blocker to allow your website, but it’s still not showing me anything! Help please.
I wonder why Wysong products are not included in your list? Some of their lines of dog food kibble have over 60% protein and under 10% carbs and first ingredient is organic meat (Epigen lines).
I have been researching low fat foods and noticed the Min. Fat Content for some of the Evangers products appear to be incorrect. According to the corresponding product link for Evangers website, several show a much lower Crude Fiber value instead of the higher Crude Fat percentage.
Thank you! This database is very helpful!
Someone asked about protein levels and said that their breeder and vet both recommended lower (mid 20s) protein content yet many foods are significantly higher than that now. I would be interested in reading what nutritionists are saying/thinking about this. We’ve lost two dogs to chronic kidney disease with no idea why they were susceptible to it. We’ve danced the rx food, homemade food, “I’m not going to eat it no matter what” dance. It’s hard. I just wish we had more solid info on this subject…
Choosing a top quality large breed puppy dog food is very important; this specific category should be included along with the other categories such as “best adult maintenance,” “best low fat,” etc.