We have gathered our top picks and reviewed their pros and cons, the best value for money, and some helpful guidance when buying your companion’s food.
In this article
A Quick Comparison of Our Winners (2025)
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials |
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Budget Buy
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Purina ONE SmartBlend |
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Premium Choice
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Ollie Fresh Dog Food Beef Recipe |
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Click to Save 50% |
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Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe |
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Check Price | |
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Purina Pro Plan Adult Large Breed |
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The 12 Best Moist Dog Foods
1. Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Canned Food – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, water, liver, meat by-products, rice |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 6% |
| Calories: | 443 kcal per can |
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Dog Food is a delicious combination that nourishes and satisfies your dog. The first ingredient, which is a source of high-quality protein, is chicken. Rice and other premium ingredients are added to create a delicious wet paté dog food. Every serving provides the optimum amount of protein to support your dog’s lean muscles, support the immune system, and nourish healthy skin and coat. This extra premium dog food loaf has the tasty flavor and soft texture your dog loves. This recipe contains meat by-products and is low in fiber which may affect your dog’s stools.
- 23 essential vitamins and nutrients
- Real chicken is the first ingredient
- High in protein
- Contains meat by-products
- Low fiber
2. Purina ONE SmartBlend Canned Dog Food – Budget Buy
| Main ingredients: | Lamb and chicken broth, liver, lamb, wheat gluten, pork lungs, brown rice |
| Protein content: | 10% |
| Fat content: | 3% |
| Calories: | 350 kcal per can |
Purina ONE SmartBlend Adult Canned Dog Food is our best choice for the money. You can feel confident that you’re giving your dog the nutrition they need to support a lifetime of good health because it is made from carefully chosen, high-quality ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. This formula Includes two times the recommended antioxidant levels with zinc, selenium, and vitamins A and E. Your pet will love the flavor of real lamb and brown rice in a flavorful gravy, which will keep its diet well balanced and satisfy your dog.
If your dog has allergies to chicken, this recipe is not ideal. Some dog owners have reported that their dog experiences excessive flatulence after eating ONE.
- Easy to digest
- Provides a balanced meal
- Value for money
- May cause gas
- Contains chicken
3. Ollie Fresh Dog Food Beef Recipe – Premium Choice
| Main ingredients: | Beef, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, beef kidney, beef liver, spinach, blueberries |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 7% |
| Calories: | 1540 kcal/kg |
Ollie is the best if you’re looking for wet food free of fillers, preservatives, and that horrible dog food smell. Each package contains fresh vegetables, meat, and chelated minerals to ensure your dog receives the best nutrition.
With Ollie recipes, there’s no weird gelatinous gravy or oddly shaped meat you typically find in other wet foods. You can thank the lack of preservatives and gravy enhancers for that. But since there are no preservatives, you’ll have to keep this food refrigerated to avoid spoilage.
Our favorite recipe is the classic beef recipe, full of fiber, protein, and vitamins A, C, and K. However, you can choose between four protein options to offer a balanced diet.
We also like that the food is packaged in plastic bags, so you never have to handle loud, sharp aluminum cans again.
This option is our premium choice for a reason: it’s more expensive than store bought dog foods. Even so, we feel it’s a great fresh wet food source.
- Slow cooked for max nutrition
- Made with fresh foods
- No aluminum cans
- No artificial flavors, preservatives, or fillers
- Chelated minerals
- Pricer than store bought foods
4. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Puppy Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, carrots, peas |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 6% |
| Calories: | 422 kcal per cup |
Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Natural Puppy Wet Dog Food will energize your puppy. Tender chicken pieces provide the first source of high-quality protein, which is combined with fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden and boosted with vitamins and minerals. Omega fats contribute to a silky, lustrous coat and aid in the development of the eye and brain function. This paté-style puppy food can be given to your dog as a treat, as an addition to dry food to make it more appetizing, or as a stand-alone meal. This formula is produced with nutritious ingredients and doesn’t contain any by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives.
While this recipe is well-reviewed, there have been some instances where dogs haven’t enjoyed the taste.
- Chicken provides high-quality protein
- No by-products
- Suitable as a treat or stand-alone meal
- Some dogs don’t enjoy the taste
5. Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Canned Food
| Main ingredients: | Water, beef, liver, wheat gluten, chicken |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 2% |
| Calories: | 309 kcal per can |
Nourish your furry friend from nose to tail with Purina Pro Plan Adult Large Breed dog food. This recipe is made with real beef, and it is packed with high-quality protein to promote lean muscle. It is a fully balanced formula that includes 23 essential vitamins and minerals, calcium and phosphorus for healthy bones and teeth, and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. This recipe will support our dog’s immune system and contains highly digestible rice for a healthy gut. It is free from preservatives, artificial flavors, and colorants.
This recipe contains chicken, and it should be avoided if your dog is allergic. Some dog owners who have purchased this product mention that the recipe contained too much rice.
- Made with real beef
- High in protein
- Contains 23 essential vitamins and minerals
- Contains chicken
- Too much rice
6. Natural Balance L.I.D. Canned Food
| Main ingredients: | Duck, duck broth, potatoes, dehydrated potatoes, potato protein |
| Protein content: | 5% |
| Fat content: | 4% |
| Calories: | 420 kcal per can |
Natural Balance LID Dog Food is suited for both adults and puppies of all breeds and is a healthy, complete, and balanced formula that uses limited ingredients. It is also highly digestible, so your dog can absorb all the nutrients. This food is packed with antioxidants, and duck is the first ingredient
This formula is grain-free, which is suitable for dogs with allergies. Grains can be beneficial for most dogs, and it’s best to check with your veterinarian before serving a grain-free diet.
- Limited ingredients
- Highly digestible
- Contains antioxidants
- No by-products
- Some dogs don’t enjoy the smoky duck flavor
7. Wellness Turkey Stew Canned Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Turkey, turkey broth, water sufficient for processing, turkey liver, carrots, barley |
| Protein content: | 8% |
| Fat content: | 4% |
| Calories: | 305 kcal per can |
Wellness Turkey Stew Dog Food is the perfect way to spoil your dog. This recipe contains soft pieces of premium protein and nutrient-rich vegetables simmered in a flavorful gravy for a flavor that dogs adore. It doesn’t have wheat, poultry by-products, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Wellness was created to provide a completely balanced diet for daily feeding, mixing, or nibbling.
Some dog owners have reported this recipe causes unpleasant gas in their dogs.
- Can be used for feeding, mixing, or snacking
- Made with premium protein
- No poultry by-products
- Can cause gas
8. American Journey Stews Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken & Vegetable Stew: Chicken, chicken broth, beef broth, chicken liver Beef & Vegetable Stew: Beef, beef broth, chicken broth, chicken |
| Protein content: | 8% |
| Fat content: | 5% |
| Calories: | 306–338 kcal per can |
American Journey Stews are available in a variety of flavors that uses whole meat as the primary ingredient. Its recipes include beneficial omega fats, vitamins, and minerals to support your dog’s immune system and promote muscle growth and healthy skin and coat. While the recipes are packed with flavor, they are free from poultry by-products, artificial flavors or colors, and preservatives.
While grain-free foods are beneficial for dogs with allergies, you should consult your vet before deciding if a grain-free diet is suitable for your dog.
- Whole meat is the main ingredient
- No poultry by-products
- Balanced meal using quality ingredients
- Bad smell
- Some dogs don’t enjoy it
9. Nature’s Recipe Original Ground Canned Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Water sufficient for processing, chicken, soybean meal, chicken liver |
| Protein content: | 8% |
| Fat content: | 5% |
| Calories: | 445 kcal per cup |
Nature’s Recipe Chicken Dog Food is made with a palatable blend of homestyle ingredients with rice and barley. This recipe contains real animal protein with added antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support a healthy immune system. It is 100% balanced with ingredients that are easy to digest, and it doesn’t contain animal by-products, artificial flavors, or preservatives.
Some dog owners have commented on the food’s unpleasant smell after opening the can and claimed the food was too soft.
- No animal by-products
- Real animal protein
- Easily digestible
- Has a weird smell
- Too soft
10. Hill’s Prescription Diet Digestive Care Low Fat Wet Food
| Main ingredients: | Brewers rice, whole grain corn, chicken meal, pea protein, egg product |
| Protein content: | 3.5% |
| Fat content: | 1% |
| Calories: | 123 kcal per can |
Hills Prescription Diet Digestive care dog food is designed by vets and nutritionists and formulated to support your dog’s digestive wellness. It is a low-fat recipe created with highly digestible protein that ensures proper nutrient absorption. Activbiome+ technology regulates a healthy gut bacteria and microbiome balance, while a prebiotic blend assists regular bowel movements and gastrointestinal health. Ginger is added to soothe the GI tract, and omegas promote healthy skin and fur.
Hill’s can only be purchased with a veterinarian’s prescription and comes with a higher price tag.
- ActivBiome+ technology
- Contains prebiotics
- Developed by vets and nutritionists
- Needs veterinary authorization
- Costly
11. Canidae All Life Stages Canned Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Brown Rice |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 6.5% |
| Calories: | 504 kcal per can |
Canidae All Life Stages dog food is a vet-formulated recipe made with real chicken, simmered in a tasty, savory broth. It is suited for dogs of all breeds and ages and made with wholesome grains to support your dog’s digestion and provide all the energy your pup needs and does not contain soy, wheat, or corn.
Some dog owners are concerned about the texture of this recipe, saying it sticks to the can and is too mushy. Unfortunately, some dogs don’t care for the taste.
- Suitable for homes with multiple dogs
- Made with real chicken
- Formulated by veterinarians
- Too runny
- Some dogs don’t enjoy it
12. Eukanuba Adult Canned Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Water sufficient for processing, chicken, beef liver, beef, tomato, carrots |
| Protein content: | 8% |
| Fat content: | 4% |
| Calories: | 379 kcal per cup |
Eukanuba Adult Canned Dog Food is scientifically formulated for active dogs. It is made with high-quality protein to help build strong and lean muscles. This recipe is made with nutritious beef and vegetable stew that delivers a healthy balance of vitamins and minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. This food can be fed to your dog as a stand-alone meal or as a tasty topper to its kibble.
Some dog owners who have purchased this food have mentioned that the consistency is too runny.
- Complete and balanced recipe
- Can be a meal or meal topper
- Ideal for active dogs
- Too much liquid
Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Moist Dog Food
It can sometimes be overwhelming to choose the best food for your dog, but we have put together a buyer’s guide to help you choose the best moist dog food for your companion.
Moist vs Dry
Moist food is usually preferred by dogs because of its rich and meaty flavor. It has a much higher moisture content than dry food, which may be beneficial if your dogs don’t drink enough water. It is usually more palatable than dry food due to its flavor and smell. Moist food usually gives your dog a fuller feeling which is helpful for weight management. It is also more suitable for dogs with dental issues as it is easier to chew.
Flavor
It may take some time to discover what flavors your dog enjoys best, and the best way to do this is by purchasing variety packs so your dog can experiment. If your dog enjoys a specific flavor, then variety packs should be avoided.
Size
Consider the size of your dog when purchasing its food. Bigger breed dogs naturally require more food, and larger cans are more suitable. A smaller dog will only need smaller cans so they don’t end up sitting in the fridge for too long. The size of can you end up purchasing will be relative to the size of your dog.
Ingredients
Evaluating the label and ingredients is crucial to understanding what your dog is eating. A label, for example, that reads “salmon and rice” means that 95% of the recipe is made from those ingredients.
The ingredients listed on the label are in weighted order, and it’s important to check the first five ingredients. Knowing more about certain ingredients you are unfamiliar with is also helpful. They can include:
Meal: Usually, organ meat with the fat and water removed.
Natural Flavor: This can come from any plant or animal source, but it does not mean that it is organic.
Ingredients that sound like chemicals are often vitamins, minerals, and other supplements.
You should look for an AAFCO statement on the label to say that the food is complete and balanced. Most balanced diets contain protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Our Selection Process For Best Moist 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 moist 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 moist dog foods. All these factors were considered when selecting these listed moist 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 moist 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.
Final Thoughts
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Dog Food is our best overall pick and Purina O.N.E. SmartBlend Adult Canned Dog Food is a great budget buy. Ollie Fresh Dog Food Beef Recipe gets the premium choice spot.
We hope our top picks and reviews have helped you feel more confident in choosing the best moist food for your dog!
See also:
Featured Image Credit: Alejandro rodriguez, Shutterstock
