Searching for a safe and healthy dry dog food can be a challenge! Dog food labels are confusing and leave important details out. So, we did the legwork for you and compiled our list of Best Dry Dog Foods For 2022.
DOG FOOD REVIEW CRITERIA
Each of the foods on this listing has been assessed regarding ingredient quality and the safety of the ingredients through DogFoodReviews.com. It’s okay to check the amount of protein and fat in the food; ultimately, food must remain safe for your dog to consume (and certain foods contain hazardous ingredients). Therefore, each food’s score is a measure of the ingredients’ quality and safety of the element.
DOG FOOD INGREDIENT QUALITY
- Does the food have excessive amounts of carbohydrates?
- Are plant-based sources used to increase protein levels?
- Does it contain unidentified animal protein?
- Are there too many vitamins and minerals?
- Do free amino acids get used to counterbalance low protein quality?
- Is it made up of processed seeds oils?
DOG FOOD INGREDIENT SAFETY
- What processing steps are involved in the preparation of the food?
- Does the food contain rice?
- Does the food have known genetically modified food items?
- Does the food have ingredients that are high in pesticides?
- Does the food have a natural flavor?
These standards evaluate every food item objectively—the complete evaluation criteria for a thorough review of the dog food.
This isn’t an affiliate list, and there aren’t any affiliate hyperlinks. Instead, we’ve collaborated with Dog Food Reviews to make sure that dog owners can use independent and objective guidelines to help them pick the most effective dry dog food available on the market.
Once you’ve figured out what we look for in the recommended food, let’s determine the top dried dog foods for 2022. We evaluate cold-pressed, air-dried, and baked food items, along with more traditional dog food.
1. THE NEW ZEALAND NATURAL PET FOOD CO.WOOF AIR-DRIED
According to calculations, the New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. Air-dried food line averages 47 percent proteins and 11% carbohydrates. Foods with lower than 15 percent carbohydrates are not penalized for high carbohydrate content. The majority of kibbles contain at least 30 percent carbohydrate that is starchy. The Air-Dried line is about 25 percent of fat. This is surprisingly expensive for a food item like this.
Regarding ingredient quality, the primary source of carbohydrates comes from food items such as Bok Choy and carrots, which are not high in starch and aren’t high in pesticides and GMO crops. This is superior to those grains and legumes typically found in dry food. It also has various types of meat and organ meats that are naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals. There are a few added minerals; however, they are of high quality, and they are less than five added, which gives this food an excellent score in terms of ingredient quality. There is one exception: that of the Chicken Recipe, which contains five vitamins added. It scored 9/10.
There are no loss points to this; coconut oil is added to the diet. However, it’s important to note that in certain studies, coconut oil has been linked to increased intestinal permeability and inflammation in dogs.
The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. is a small business that utilizes ingredients sourced locally from New Zealand. The company also sells dried food items that are freeze-dried and treats.
2. ZIWI PEAK ORIGINAL AIR-DRIED
Ziti Peak provides six air-dried dog food recipes within their original line with an average score of 9/10. Each food is stripped of an ingredient safety point for intermediate processing; however, this is the case for all air-dried foods. All in all, air-dried and baked foods are more processed than kibble, a highly processed food item.
Ziti Peak’s Provenance Air-Dried food line is 33 percent protein and 4 percent carbohydrate when calculated. Foods with fewer than 15% carbohydrates are not penalized due to excessive carbohydrates, and this particular food is undoubtedly low in carbohydrates. However, it is a bit high in fat. The original line is relatively high in fat, with an average of 24%, and it’s slightly lower in protein than rival brands.
In Regarding ngredient quality, the carbohydrate sources from starch-free and top-quality ingredients such as the inulin found in chicory and Kelp. These are all low in starch and aren’t high in pesticides, as well as GMO crops. Both are good additions to your diet. The food also includes various meat and organ meats that give natural nutrients and minerals. In addition, a few vitamins added and many added minerals cost the food a quality point. But the minerals added are high-quality and organic.
Ziti Peak originated as a smaller company but was purchased through Fountain Vest Partners, a large private equity company based in China. Although this isn’t directly linked to the quality of the product, giant corporations tend to have more obligations toward their customers, and product quality is more likely to decrease in larger firms.
3. ZIWI PEAK PROVENANCE AIR-DRIED
Ziti Peak provides three dog food recipes that are air-dried in their Provenance line, which has an overall score of 8.10. The Provenance line is averaged at 38 percent protein and one percent carbohydrate. The fat content is averaged at 32 percent, which is in the higher range. Ideally, it should contain more protein than fat, but there aren’t any issues here.
In terms of the quality of the ingredients, Provenance drops point to a wide range of vitamins and minerals. These are not as good as micronutrients found in food and could suggest lower-quality components. However, the minerals added natural and top quality.
Concerning the safety of ingredients, air-dried foods are processed moderately, so there’s only a small risk. In addition, certain crop ingredients high in pesticides, such as apples, are also present in the ingredient list; they’re not as problematic.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/QIbjKOsmIhQ
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