The Best Natural Dry Dog Foods for 2023 - Dogs Naturally (2023)

For this list of the best natural dry dog ​​foods for 2023, we sought outdehydrated/air-dried foods, preserves and snacks.

Please note that raw and freeze-dried foods are not included here as they are covered separately in ourThe best raw dog food for 2023YTop 10 Freeze Dried Foods for 2023.

To qualify as "natural" for this rating, we select only foodsno added vitamins and minerals, then we have classified these foods according to our criteria of evaluation of the quality and safety of the ingredients.

Naturallyis a term often adopted by pet food marketing teams. It joins "holistic" to an overused word that has little meaning by animal feed regulatory standards. Here's how the AAFCO defines "natural"...

“A food or ingredient obtained exclusively from plant, animal, or degraded sources, either in the unprocessed state or that has undergone physical processing, heat treatment, extraction, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis, or fermentation, but has not been produced or subjected to a chemically synthesized process and do not contain chemically synthesized additives or processing aids, except in amounts unavoidable in accordance with good manufacturing practice.

The FDA says: "In most cases, 'natural' can be interpreted as having no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives in the product."

Neither of these definitions speaks of synthetic vitamins and minerals, which manufacturers add to almost all commercial pet foods.

When we talk about "natural" foods, we mean foods that get their nutrients from fresh, whole ingredients. Ideally, a fresh, healthy diet will provide your dog with the best nutrients without the need for additional vitamins and minerals. Once we have identified foods without added synthetic vitamins and minerals, we have ranked them according to our evaluation criteria below.

VERIFICATION CRITERIA

Each food on this list has been evaluated using ingredient quality and safety criteria.DogFoodReviews.com. The amount of protein, fat and other nutrients is important. But at the end of the day, your dog's food needs to be safe to eat (and many foods contain ingredients that are pretty unsafe), with quality ingredients. Each food score below is an average of the quality and safety of the ingredients.

Here are some of the criteria we look for:

QUALITY OF DOG FOOD INGREDIENTS

• Does the food contain too many carbohydrates?
• Are vegetable sources used to increase the protein content?
• Does it contain no name animal protein?
• Are too many vitamins and minerals being added?
• Are free amino acids added to make up for the inferior proteins?
• Does it contain processed or seed oils?

SAFETY OF DOG FOOD INGREDIENTS

• How much processing is involved in making the food?
• Does the food contain rice?
• Does the food contain known genetically modified foods?
• Does the feed contain foods known to be high in pesticides?
• Does the food contain natural flavors?

Each food is objectively evaluated based on these criteria. You can see it completeevaluation criteriaused to check dog food.

This is NOT a paid listing and there are no affiliate links. We've partnered with DogFoodReviews.com to ensure dog owners have unbiased, objective criteria to help them select the best dry dog ​​food on the market.

Now that you know how we rate foods, let's find the best natural dry dog ​​foods for 2023.

1. sundays

7,5/10

Ingredients list for the beef recipe:USDA beef, beef heart, beef liver, beef bones, quinoa, pumpkin, wild salmon oil, sunflower oil, zucchini, kale, flaxseed, sea salt, parsley, kelp, chicory root, turmeric , Mixed Tocopherols, Ginger, Selenium Yeast, Blueberries, Carrots, Apples, Tomatoes, Shiitake - Mushrooms, Broccoli, Oranges, Blueberries, Spinach, Beets, Cherries, Strawberries

Sundays makes 2 recipes and does not use any added vitamins or minerals, which puts it at the top of this list with a score of 7.5/10. His recipes average 37% protein and 22% carbs, which puts him #1 on this list. It also deserves the top spot because it is easier to process than others on the list.

There are a few things to keep in mind that will lower your overall score. Carbohydrates are higher than we would like to see, although most are obtained from fruits and vegetables. These recipes contain sunflower oil, which is a flammable seed oil. The recipes contain several ingredients known to have high pesticide or herbicide residues, such as kale, apples, tomatoes, and spinach. It would be nice to see the company use organic ingredients to address pesticide concerns.

These are air-dried foods, so some heat is involved in processing, resulting in a loss of some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, and phytonutrients. However, since no vitamins or minerals are added, the ingredients are sufficient to meet nutritional standards.

Sundays uses wild salmon, which is more nutritious than farmed fish and has a better balance of omega fatty acids.

Overall, Sundays seems to be a company that focuses on whole food ingredients and nutrition in their dog food. We want them to improve the quality of these ingredients to make this meal even better.

Sundays For Dogs is a small boutique brand owned and operated by a vet and her husband. Food was released publicly in 2020 after a 2-year private beta. Recipes were written by owner Dr. Tory Waxman created and formulated by registered veterinary nutritionists. They are also reviewed by an animal nutrition doctor and a human nutritionist. The food is prepared in a USDA-regulated jerky kitchen for people in Ohio (where Sundays is based).

To date, there have been no product recalls on Sundays.

Advantages

• No added vitamins or minerals
• easy processing

Affair

• high carbs
• seed oil
• High pesticide ingredients

Read the full review at DogFoodReviews.com

2. Nature's Logic dose diet

7.7/10

Ingredients for the Canine Meat Banquet recipe:Beef, beef broth, beef liver, sardines, pork plasma, montmorillonite clay, herring oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), eggshell flour, brewer's yeast, dried apple, dried apricot, flour Alfalfa, Dried Artichoke, Dried Cranberry, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrot, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Cranberry, Dried Seaweed, Dried Parsley, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Rosemary, Dried Spinach, Dried Tomato, Dried Rosemary Extract

We reviewed other lines of canned dog food with recipes that worked well. Unfortunately, all of these recipes had long lists of added vitamins and minerals...so they didn't meet our criteria for Best Natural Dog Foods.

Nature's Logic Canned Diet has 9 recipes with an overall score of 7.7/10. Regarding the quality of the ingredients, 4 recipes get 10/10 points, while the rest of the recipes lose points because they contain more carbohydrates. Overall, these recipes average 39% protein, which is less than what we would expect in a canned dog food.

The average carbohydrate content, calculated on a dry matter basis, is 16%, which is a bit high for a premium can, but the carbohydrates come from the alfalfa and fruits and vegetables, not from high-carbohydrate ingredients. starch.

Nature's Logic makes this canned dog food without added vitamins or minerals. The company strives to extract essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in its foods from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other natural food ingredients. Fruits and vegetables contribute to carbohydrate content, but it's a small price to pay for a whole-food diet compared to foods made with synthetic supplements.

These are canned, so they are highly processed. That's why we placed them at number 2 on the list, despite scoring slightly better than the number 1 food. Processing results in a loss of some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, and phytonutrients, although Nature's Logic includes many whole food ingredients to ensure these dog foods are balanced with the proper nutrients.

One downside is that these ingredients are not organic, so many of them are known for their high pesticide/herbicide residues that affect the safe memory of the contents. Alfalfa meal in recipes costs one point because alfalfa is a known GM crop. Organic ingredients would eliminate concerns about pesticides and GMOs.

Nature's Logic began as a small independent business founded in 2006 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He used several different co-manufacturers for his dry foods, canned foods, and raw products. In 2017, Nature's Logic owner Scott Freeman partnered with investment firm VisioCap. In 2021, the company was acquired by Mid America Pet Food, which makes Victor, Wayne Feeds, and Eagle Mountain. MAPF manufactures its products in Mt. Pleasant, Texas and it is understood that Nature's Logic is currently manufactured at this facility.

To date, neither Nature's Logic nor its parent company Mid America Pet Food have been recalled.

Advantages

• No added vitamins or minerals
• Low carb in most recipes.

Affair

• top processed
• Foods rich in pesticides/herbicides
• A GMO ingredient

Read the full review at DogFoodReviews.com

3. Karna4

7.3/10

Easy-Chew Venison Formula dry dog ​​food ingredient list:Venison, deer liver, eggs, ground organic barley seed, herring, perch, salmon, sweet potato, ground broad beans, ground organic flaxseed, ground organic lentils, ground organic peas, potato starch, apples, carrots, sea salt, seaweed, pastry powder

Carna4 is a line of baked and air-dried foods with 6 recipes that do not contain added vitamins, minerals or amino acids. This indicates higher quality ingredients and moderate processing. These recipes have an average protein content of 28% and average carbohydrates of 35% calculated and an acceptable fat content, resulting in a score of 7.3/10.

The carbohydrate content is quite high and costs the food some ingredient quality points. The carbohydrate source for Carna4 comes from sprouted organic barley seeds. While barley is a pesticide-rich crop, the barley is sprouted and organic, so it isn't spray-dried with Roundup like most barley crops. Sprouted grains are also easier for dogs to digest and are possibly a higher quality ingredient.

These are air dried recipes so moderate processing will result in a slight drop in score. Not all ingredients are organic and ingredients include potatoes classified as genetically modified crops with high pesticide/herbicide residues. Apples are also a high pesticide ingredient. Both foods are further down the ingredient list and there are no genetically modified or high pesticide foods in the top 5 ingredients.

Carna4 is a small boutique brand made in Canada. The food has the appearance of kibble but is not extruded and is described as being quick baked at 195°F for 4 minutes and then air dried. The food is made in an EU certified family bakery called Bio Biscuit in Quebec, Canada.

So far there have been no product recalls at Carna4.

Advantages

• No added vitamins or minerals
• moderate processing

Affair

• high carbs
• transgenic ingredient
• High pesticide ingredients

Read the full review at DogFoodReviews.com

4. Nature's Logic Distinction Grain-Free Dry

7.3/10

Nature's Logic® Distinction™ Grain-Free Dog Poultry Recipe:Chicken (source of cystine methionine), chicken meal, tapioca root, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), turkey meal, duck meal, spray-dried chicken liver, pumpkin seeds, yeast culture, plasma Spray Dried Pork, Dried Egg Product, Dried Kale, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Seaweed, Haddock Meal (source of Taurine), Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Cranberry , dried apricot, dried spinach, dried broccoli, dried parsley, dried cranberry, dried artichoke, dried mushroom, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, Enterococcus fermentation product dried faecium, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, dried pineapple extract, dried Aspergillus niger akt fermentation extract, dried fermentation extract of Aspergillus oryzae, dry extract of Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation

Nature's Logic makes the only ultra-processed kibble we know of that doesn't contain any added vitamins or minerals. That puts Distinction Grain-Free Dry on this list of the best natural dog foods.

These 3 recipes average 32% protein and 29% carbs and have an acceptable fat content of 15% for a score of 7.3/10. It should be noted that Nature's Logic Distinction Grain-Free is our highest ranked dry food on our previous list ofBest Dry Dog Food 2023.

The meal contains more carbs than we'd like to see, but still less than many comparable kibbles. The carbohydrate source is tapioca root, which is not known for its high pesticide or herbicide residues. Like all Nature's Logic foods, this line offers whole-food nutrition with no added vitamins or minerals to earn a spot on this list of the best natural dog foods.

Distinction Grain-Free is a dry and ultra-processed food. It's also worth noting that it contains flour as a second ingredient, which is another ultra-processed ingredient. But for pet owners who prefer dry food, Nature's Logic ranks high on our list.

In addition to processing, the food safety rating is influenced by the inclusion of ingredients known to be high in pesticide or herbicide residues, such as kale, tomato, apple, and spinach, but appear lower on the label and are not in the top five -Ingredients.

Nature's Logic started as a small business in Lincoln, Nebraska and was acquired in 2021 by Mid America Pet Food, which makes Victor, Wayne Feeds and Eagle Mountain. MAPF manufactures its product in Mt. Pleasant, Texas and it is understood that Nature's Logic is currently manufactured at this facility.

To date, neither Nature's Logic nor its parent company Mid America Pet Food have been recalled.

Advantages

• No added vitamins or minerals

Affair

• Contains high pesticide components
• ultra-processed
• high carbs

Read the full review at DogFoodReviews.com

5. Nature's Logic Original Grain-Free Dry

7.3/10

Nature's Logic Grain-Free Dog Chicken Food Festival Recipe:Chicken Meal (Source of Cystine Methionine), Tapioca Root, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Menhaden Fish Meal (Source of Taurine), Spray-Dried Chicken Liver, Pumpkin Seeds, Yeast Culture, Product Dried Egg, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Seaweed, Spray Dried Pork Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Cranberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli , dried parsley, dried cranberry, dried artichoke, dried mushrooms, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Bacillus coagulans, dried Pineapple extract, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, fermentation dry extract of Trichoderma longibrachiatum

This line is similar to Nature's Logic Distinction Grain-Free, but with a little more carbs to place it here on the list. There are 2 recipes averaging 35% protein and 30% carbs and an acceptable fat content of 15%, giving a rating of 7.3/10.

These recipes are high in carbohydrates, but the source is tapioca root, which is not known for its high pesticide or herbicide residues. These recipes do not contain any added vitamins or minerals, which keeps the quality of the ingredients quite high. However, it should also be noted that it was formulated using feed testing and is not formulated to meet AAFCO's minimum requirements.

When it comes to ingredient safety, this is a dry food, so it is an ultra-processed food. The extruded food is heated four separate times during production, which causes great losses of some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients, so the food loses some safety points here.

There are also some ingredients known to be high in pesticide or herbicide residue (kale, tomato, apple, and spinach), but they are listed further down the label and are not in the top five ingredients.

Advantages

• No added vitamins or minerals

Affair

• ultra-processed
• high carbs
• Contains high pesticide components

Read the full review at DogFoodReviews.com

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6. Farmina dry ocean

6.3/10

Zutatenliste für Farmina N&D Ocean Salmon, Cod & Cantaloupe Melon Adult Mini Dry Dog Food Receta:Salmon, dried salmon, sweet potato, cod, dried cod, herring oil, dried herring protein, pea fiber, dried carrot, alfalfa meal, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, yeast extract (source of manno-oligosaccharides), cantaloupe dried cranberry, dried apple, dried spinach, psyllium husks and seeds, dried pomegranate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, dried brewer's yeast, turmeric, aloe vera extract, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate.

Farmina offers 11 recipes in this line of dry foods, but only 4 recipes do not contain added vitamins or minerals.

The 4 recipes without added vitamins and minerals are: Farmina N&D Ocean Salmon, Cod & Cantaloupe Melon in 3 different sizes, for "Mini", "Medium & Maxi" and "Maxi Giant", plus Farmina N&D Cod, Pumpkin & Orange Adult Mini dry dog ​​food

On the ingredient quality side, these 4 recipes have an average protein content of 30% with 32% calculated carbs and 18% fat. These foods are lower in protein and higher in carbs than we'd like, but there are no synthetic nutrients (although they do add glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, which are likely synthetic). These recipes include sweet potatoes, which are a starch and contribute to the higher levels of carbohydrates.

Farmina Ocean Dry is a dry food, that is, ultra-processed. Extruded feeds are heated four separate times during production, which causes large losses of some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients, so the feed loses some ingredient safety points here.

In addition to processing, the ingredient safety rating is significantly affected by the inclusion of peas, apples, and spinach, which are ingredients known to have high levels of pesticide residue or herbicide residue. However, they are listed further down the label and are not in the top 5 ingredients. These recipes also include alfalfa, which is a known GMO ingredient. Organic ingredients would greatly improve the ingredient safety rating of these recipes.

Farmina Pet Foods began in 1965 as Russo Mangimi, a family business specializing in pet nutrition in Naples, Italy. The company is headquartered in Italy and operates production facilities in Italy, Brazil and Serbia. In 2021, Farmina added a location in Reidsville, North Carolina, which includes manufacturing, research and development, and warehousing operations.

To date, Farmina has not had any recalls or voluntary recalls in the United States or Europe.

Advantages

• No added vitamins or minerals

Affair

• ultra-processed
• high carbs
• High pesticide ingredients
• transgenic ingredients

Read the full review at DogFoodReviews.com

Other "natural" dog foods

There are many companies and foods that use "natural" in their name but didn't make it to this list of the best natural dry dog ​​foods. Here are some examples.

Northwest Naturals and K9 Naturals make high-quality raw, canned, and freeze-dried foods. They do contain a limited amount of synthetic minerals, but they are a far cry from the standard premix we see in other brands.

Darwin's offers Natural Selections, a line of raw foods that contain trace elements such as zinc, copper, iron and manganese, which are added as proteinate from natural sources for better bioavailability.

The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Company manufactures a range of air-cured dog foods. It is 60% protein, low fat, and 8% carbs as calculated. It does have some added vitamins and minerals, so it doesn't meet our criteria for this list of the best natural dog foods.

Only Natural Pet produces 4 lines of pet food: ultra-processed dry food, highly processed canned food, moderately processed dehydrated food, and cold-pressed food. There are 15 kibble recipes that score less than 5/10 with an average protein content of 37% and an average carbohydrate content of 26% by calculation. Every recipe is high in carbs. All but one recipe contains a long list of added vitamins and minerals, grains that include many crops high in pesticides, non-GMO ingredients like alfalfa and natural flavorings, seed oils, and vegetable proteins. We would expect the other lines to do better with less processing and a nice collection of dried fruits and vegetables, but they are high in carbohydrates and also rely on extensive lists of vitamins and minerals to meet nutritional needs. Even the can contains more carbohydrates than we would like to see.

Natural Balance scores range from 1.5 to 3.8 for its food lines, which include 4 types of dry foods and 3 types of canned foods. The worst culprit is the limited ingredient diet of 5 whole foods, followed by up to 38 additional ingredients and vitamins and minerals. The other foods contain similar long lists of additives. Other ingredients of concern include high levels of carbohydrates, many pesticide components, seed oils, GMOs, natural flavors, and vegetable proteins. The vegetarian diet is based on rice, cereals and potatoes. Non-starchy vegetables only appear at the bottom of the list, after the extensive list of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, where they are found in trace amounts that offer no nutritional value. There are 2 freeze-dried foods with minimal added minerals, but they contain more carbohydrates than most freeze-dried foods.

Instinct's Be Natural brand has a score of 3.5/10. A laundry list of vitamins and minerals feature prominently in these 5 recipes, along with high carbs, high pesticides, rice, GMOs like alfalfa, plus highly processed seed oils and natural flavors...things we wouldn't expect. find in "natural" recipes. " dog food. Instinct offers better grade lines for frozen and freeze-dried raw foods that contain higher quality ingredients and a minimum of added minerals.

Diamond Naturals produces Naturals Dry, Natural Grain Free Dry with 3.8/10 and 2.7/10 and Naturals Canned with 6.3/10. Naturals Dry and Natural Canned contain grains in all 5 main ingredients, resulting in a high carbohydrate content. Fruits and vegetables are further down the list, where they are included in trace amounts that provide no nutritional benefit, along with an extensive list of vitamins and minerals. Diamond Natural Grain Free does not include grains, but does include sweet potatoes and lentils in its top 5 ingredients to keep carbohydrate levels high, with added vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to round out the ingredient list. Each of these lines also contains ingredients rich in pesticides, rice, GMOs, and seed oils...things that are common in these "natural" dog foods.

So these foods are natural by name... but not by our criteria.

As you can see from this list of the best natural dog foods, there are very few manufactured dog foods that get their nutrients from whole food ingredients with no added vitamins or minerals. And those who call themselves "natural" often don't fit that description.

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