However, picking the right formula can be a more challenging part of the process. So, here are our reviews on some of the brands we like to help you find the right food for your canine companions!
In this article
A Glance at Our Top Picks (2025 Update)
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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The Farmer's Dog |
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Hill's Science Diet Adult Dry Dog Food |
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Purina Beyond Natural Prebiotic Fiber |
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Iams Proactive Healthy Weight Adult |
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Royal Canin Veterinary Adult Dog Mobility Support |
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The 10 Best Vet-Recommended Dog Foods
1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food – Best Overall
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, turkey, pork, and chicken varieties |
| Protein: | 8-11% |
| Fat: | 4.5-7% |
| Calories: | 600-700 kcal/lb |
The Farmer’s Dog fresh dog food is our top pick for vet-recommended dog food because of its high-quality ingredients and recipes developed by vet nutritionists. The ingredients are fresh, human-grade, and gently cooked to preserve nutrients. This is also an incredibly convenient option because it’s available as a subscription that ships straight to your door.
The Farmer’s Dog provides excellent nutrition and fresh ingredients for your dog. It is a bit more expensive than other foods, but in our opinion, the combination of nutrients and convenience is well worth it.
- High-quality, human-grade fresh ingredients
- Recipes developed with vet nutritionists
- Convenient subscription
- Gently cooked to preserve nutrients
- Higher price point
2. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Dry Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn |
| Protein: | 20% |
| Fat: | 11.5% |
| Calories: | 363 kcal/8-oz cup |
Science Diet is a tried-and-tested pet food brand. It uses science, along with research from its team of veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists, so the food is well-liked by dogs and provides them with a healthy, balanced diet. The formulas are nutritious, tasty, and vet-approved, so Hill’s Science Diet is a good option for dry dog food.
- High-quality ingredients
- Kibble size is appropriate for most breeds
- Even picky dogs often like the flavor
- Made for adult dogs and not for growing puppies or senior dogs
- Dry food, which some dogs might not like
3. Purina Beyond Natural Prebiotic Fiber
| Main Ingredients: | Cod, Chicken, Fish Broth, Turkey, Liver, Salmon, Sweet Potatoes |
| Protein: | 8% |
| Fat: | 5% |
| Calories: | 401 kcal/can |
Purina is a traditional maker of pet foods, so it has a long reputation in the industry for making quality foods. Purina Beyond is one of the best wet dog foods for the money, balancing quality and value, and it’s an easy-to-find, great option for all-around feeding. You can also serve a combination of wet and dry food from the brand.
- Easy to find online or in stores
- Balanced nutrition for adult dogs
- May not be ideal for dogs that don’t like fish
- Some dogs get gassy or develop smelly stools with fish-based foods
- Not for dogs with poultry food allergies
4. Iams Proactive Healthy Weight Adult Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Ground Whole Grain Barley |
| Protein: | 20% |
| Fat: | 9% |
| Calories: | 322 kcal/cup |
A winner for those looking to balance nutrition and value is Iams’ Proactive Health Adult Weight Management. Iams is easy to find in most stores and is backed by the reputation of one of the leading pet food manufacturers. The balance of ingredients, availability, and cost makes this a top choice for the family dog that loves their food and needs the nutrition to support their development.
- Easy to find online or in stores
- Even picky dogs love the taste
- Contains a chicken and egg protein mix (may not be ideal for dogs with poultry allergies)
5. Royal Canin Veterinary Mobility Support
| Main Ingredients: | Brewers Rice, Wheat, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Fat, Pea Fiber |
| Protein: | 23% |
| Fat: | 10% |
| Calories: | 316 kcal/cup |
Royal Canin is a highly reputable pet food brand with formulas produced and backed by science and a team of veterinarians. What’s more—dogs love flavor while enjoying all the benefits of the nutritious formulas.
- Many people report good results for mobility
- Tasty food well-liked by dogs
- Requires a veterinary prescription or purchase through a veterinarian
- Contains turmeric, so may stain fabrics
6. Science Diet Adult Sensitive
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, Brewers Rice, Chicken Meal, Yellow Peas, Cracked Pearled Barley |
| Protein: | 20% |
| Fat: | 13% |
| Calories: | 382 kcal/cup |
Science Diet Adult Sensitive is an excellent choice for dogs that struggle to find food that agrees with them. Sometimes, dogs have soft stools or experience vomiting when the food doesn’t agree with them. For others, it means itchy, dry skin. The Adult Sensitive formula is ideal to support your dog’s sensitive system.
- Many dogs see significant improvements in vomiting or stool issues
- Also supports skin health with added omega fatty acids
- Not appropriate for dogs with chicken allergies
7. Royal Canin Dental Diet
| Main Ingredients: | Brewers Rice, Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Fat, Wheat Gluten, Dried Chicory Root |
| Protein: | 20% |
| Fat: | 15% |
| Calories: | 329 kcal/cup |
Tooth brushing at home can be a nightmare for dogs, though it is a helpful way to address dental disease before it becomes a major issue. Treats can help to a degree, but they can also contain too many calories. Therefore, sometimes, using dental food can be a great alternative or supplement.
- Suitable as a main diet, or as a treat or diet topper
- Clinically proven to reduce plaque buildup
- Good alternative for dogs that don’t like or won’t allow tooth brushing at home
- Different sizes for small, medium, and large breed
- Only available from veterinarians
- Not suitable for dogs that already have dental disease
8. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains
| Main Ingredients: | Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Turkey Meal, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat |
| Protein: | 26% |
| Fat: | 16% |
| Calories: | 393 kcal/cup |
Merrick Classic Healthy Grains is our recommended choice for dog owners who want to feed their dogs dry food with a proper balance of meat and grains. Deboned chicken is the main ingredient, and fiber-rich grains are the other top ingredients. In addition to those primary ingredients, this recipe is enriched with omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin. These components help with skin, joints, and bone health.
- Healthy balance between meat and grains
- Added vitamins and nutrients to help skin, coat, and digestion
- Some dogs don’t like the taste
- Often requires an online purchase as may not be readily available in stores
9. Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Poultry By-product Meal (Source Of Glucosamine), Soybean Meal |
| Protein: | 26% |
| Fat: | 16% |
| Calories: | 387 kcal/cup |
Purina Pro Plan is a well-known line produced by one of the longest-standing pet food companies. Most dogs love the taste, and the company has stood the test of time in providing quality food at a great value.
- Nutritionally balanced
- Contains live probiotics for GI health
- Not ideal for dogs that need low-protein diets
- Not easily found in many stores
10. Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Big Game Recipe
| Main Ingredients: | Deboned lamb, chicken meal, turkey meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes |
| Protein: | 34% |
| Fat: | 17% |
| Calories: | 392 kcal/cup |
Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Big Game Recipe dog food is another good option. This food is high in protein and easy to digest for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Made with venison, beef, and lamb, the recipe also includes omega-3 fatty acids to support skin and fur health. It’s free of soy, grain, corn, and wheat, meaning it will work for many dogs with allergies. This food also includes freeze-dried raw ingredients that provide some of the benefits of a raw diet while considerably reducing the risks.
- High in protein
- Made with lamb, venison, and beef
- Freeze-dried raw ingredients provide nutritional benefits
- Free of soy, grain, corn, and wheat
- Won’t work for dogs on low-protein diets
- Somewhat pricey
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Vet-Recommended Dog Foods
Ultimately, how do you pick a good food for your dog? Hopefully, we’ve helped by introducing some of our favorite foods. However, never hesitate to seek additional advice from a veterinarian. Dogs can certainly have personal preferences, just like people. They may prefer dry over wet food or a particular texture. Flavors, too, can be an essential factor for some dogs. So, don’t give up if they don’t like poultry-based food.
Instead, try seafood or beef to see if you get a different response. Next, you want to pick food that meets any medical needs your dog may have. Generally, these are selected with the help of your dog’s vet.
If you transition your dog to a different food, do so gradually. Traditionally, this involved starting with a 75:25 blend of old and new foods and gradually adding more of the new food every day. In recent years, pet foods have made unfortunate news for containing imbalanced vitamins and minerals or for being contaminated with bacteria or other items you don’t want your dog to eat.
One of the most assured ways to avoid contaminated dog foods is to stick to well-established brands that have been around for a long time. They are more likely to catch issues with different food batches early on or prevent them altogether.
Remember, we still don’t know nearly as much about pet nutrition as we would like. So, just because something is data-backed for people (e.g., gluten allergies) doesn’t always mean the same information applies to our pets. When in doubt, talk to a vet!
If you need to speak with a vet but can't get to one, head over to PangoVet. It's an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!
Our Selection Process For Vet-Recommended Dog Foods
To create this buyer’s guide, our writing team and editorial staff checked customer reviews, brand reputation, and veterinary approval ratings to present the dog foods we think should be highlighted for our readers. In some cases, we conducted hands-on testing along with seeing how much our dogs liked the dog foods. All these factors were considered when selecting these listed dog foods to help you make the best purchase for your furry friends.
Why Trust Dogster?
Since 2004, Dogster has been a trusted brand for dog owners online, which means we have a lot of experience with dog foods. We take pride in promoting the well-being of all dogs—from toy breeds to giant canines. Our in-house veterinarians, writers, and editors examine each product on our lists, ensuring its quality and reputation. As pet owners ourselves, we only want the best for our furry companions. At Dogster, we are transparent about the products we promote. The nutritional information, overall brand reputation, and customer reviews are all considered for these lists. We inform you how we want to be informed.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these reviews make the process of choosing the right dog food slightly easier. We’ve picked out our favorite brands based on availability, taste, and value, which are also simply good, healthy food options for your dog.
The best overall dry food for adult dogs is The Farmer’s Dog fresh dog food. We love how the tasty combination is healthy and nutritionally balanced for pups of all shapes and sizes. Equally important, we found Purina Beyond Wet to be the best overall canned food for adult dogs—not only for taste but also because of the excellent balance of nutrition it provides.
For the best value overall, we like Iams Proactive Health—a classic dry food that seems to have nailed the balance of taste and quality.
- Related Read: Best Vet-Recommended Puppy Foods – Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych, Shutterstock
