Top 10 Dry Dog Foods Your Dog (And Your Wallet) Will Love

When you first get a new pooch, it may take time finding a brand and type that both you, your wallet and your pup love. Still, it’s nice to have a place to start from. That’s why we’ve rounded up ten of our favorite dog food brands for you and your furry friend to try out.

In an effort to stay fair (and prevent heart attacks), we tried to find a variety of foods at different price points. But as you likely already know, any super affordable dog food brand (you know the ones) are not always great health-wise for your pup.

But, an easy way to check out the 411 on whatever dog food you’ve been using is to search for it on Bestdogfoods.us. The insanely awesome site has cataloged and reviewed over 3,000 pet food products, including both wet and dry dog food options. They break down each food with a star rating and go into great detail to explain their rating, including picking apart ingredients and how the food is made. To ensure we were picking right by you and your pup, we confirmed that all of our choices meet the five-star approval rating on the site.

None of this info will shock you. Just like humans do best when they eat real food, your dog’s system won’t do well over time on a heavily processed diet. We know you love real ingredients and care about what treats your dog gets. Just think, most pups eat the same thing everyday, sometimes twice a day. If you make it something awesome, they’ll enjoy eating and feel good too. That means a shinier coat, more energy, and an increased lifespan!

Without further ado, here are our top ten picks for dry dog food:

1. Wellness Core 

The Wellness Core product line includes seven dry dog foods, six which claim to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance. This above-average dry product has a dry matter protein reading of 38%, a fat level of 13% and estimated carbohydrates of about 41%. What does this mean? The brand is way above-average with protein, near-average with fat and below-average with carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food. As you might have guessed, these are all very good things. Plus, tons of flaxseed. Yum!

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

2. Taste of the Wild

The Taste of the Wild product line includes seven dry dog foods, and they’re all pretty great. Our top pick is Taste of the Wild High Prairie Formula, which reached its five-star rating on Bestdogfoods.us (note: not all of their products did, though none were less than 3.5). The food has a protein-boosting effect through its pea protein, peas, and flaxseed, as well as a potato protein and garbanzo beans. It’s grain-free, made with purified water, and suitable for pups of all ages.

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

3. Solid Gold Barking at the Moon

Solid Gold Barking at the Moon has been designed for performance dogs (that, of course, doesn’t mean that your pups gotta be training for the doggie Olympics to eat it) and meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance. The first ingredient here is ocean fish meal, which may sound disgusting but is actually awesome because it’s considered a meat concentrate. That means it contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself! Plus, unlike most fish meals, this one is ethoxyquin-free – big ups! If nothing else, the name and bag design are truly glorious.

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

4. Orijen 

The Orijen product line includes six dry dog foods, all of them poptastic. We love that it contains herring (a fatty marine fish naturally high in protein), as well as omega-3 fatty acids and essential oils. These are things needed by every dog to sustain life. It’s got tons of great proteins (including eggs, which are super easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value) and – a personal favorite – probiotics. Just like they do for us, probiotics work to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

5. Nature’s Variety Instinct Duck Meal and Turkey Meal

Nature's Variety Instinct product line includes five dry dog foods, and while all of them are great (and five-stars rated), we especially love this formula. Lots of good protein (from concentrate) and a few interesting and great ingredients (tapioca, canola oil, pumpkin seeds and alfalfa meal). We also love the use of inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root. It’s both a natural source of soluble dietary fiber and a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

6. Natural Balance Synergy 

Synergy is a good word, right? Aside from the obvious good meat ingredients, this food has beet pulp (for intestinal health and blood sugar benefits), oatmeal (naturally rich in B-vitamins and dietary fiber), flaxseed and brewers yeast (which repels fleas and supports the immune system). It’s topped off with salmon oil, which is naturally rich in the EPA and DHA types of omega-3 fatty acids. All in all, super good stuff for pups!

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

7. Merrick Classic Beef, Barley, and Carrot

The Merrick Classic product line includes seven dry dog foods and all are pretty great (though the lamb, brown rice, and apple combo did get a four-star rating). This one boasts sweet potatoes, which is a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates and a naturally rich way to get dietary fiber and beta carotene. It also has pork fat, which may sound gross but is great for flavoring while being high in essential omega-6 fatty acids. Lastly, it contains chelated minerals, which are minerals that have been chemically attached to the protein, making them easier to absorb. If you want a quick way to see if a dog food is a high grade, check for this ingredient. Almost all super healthy, above-the-line dog food will have it.

Best shopping bet:  Amazon.com

8. Honest Kitchen Embark

The Honest Kitchen product line includes seven dehydrated dog foods, three of which got high marks on DogAtHeart.Our favorite is Embark (teehee), an insanely wholesome food for pups. Embark is a gluten-free dog food recipe made with cage-free turkey, as well as produce such as celery, spinach, and apples. It is a higher protein, higher fat natural human grade dog food that works for all ages. It’s obviously great for dogs who need a diet without gluten but is also good for those who need a low carbohydrate dog food, and those who do better without beef or fish. Mix with water and serve!

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

9. EVO Turkey and Chicken Meal Formula

EVO Dog Food is grain-free and hits the spot with the three major areas of importance. It’s fortified with minerals, easily digestible and high in protein content. It’s also low in carbohydrates, with a mix of ingredients that promote healthy skin and coats. High in nutrients and energy dense, this food will help keep your pooch active. Plus, it’s amino acids and essential minerals will keep pups’ strong muscles and bones intact!

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

10. Canidae Single Grain Protein Plus

This is our favorite of the many awesome Canidae food products. Why do we love it? Made in the U.S.A., all of the company’s products are made without corn, wheat, soy, grain fractions, or fillers and are all naturally preserved. Released in 2010, the nutritional focus of Canidae Single Grain Protein Plus is to offer 29% total protein, while restricting its food’s grain source to rice (exclusively using a wholesome combination of both brown and white rice). Additionally, it offers five high-quality protein sources in total, beginning with fresh chicken as the first ingredient, followed by chicken, turkey, lamb, and fish meals.

Best shopping bet: Amazon.com

7 Tips on How to Groom Your Dog at Home

Dog at Heart: Dog Care Advice & Dog Training Tips

If you are on a tight budget and you need to groom your dog, don’t worry, there are a few tips you can follow to groom your pup and save money. We all (I mean pet owners) have been there and it’s not the end of the world. Since many groomers can charge over $40 only for a cut, I think it’s worth learning how to groom your precious pet at home, especially if you have several dogs and they all need a regular trim. With a few easy tips, you can do a great job and leave your dog feeling fresher and cleaner in no time.

1. Brush

Start with brushing your dog. Remove all debris and tangles from the hair, and find all hair knots that must be cut out. Brushing will help you see which parts of your dog’s coat need the most attention. For example, a long-haired dog tends to carry more hair through their belly area and tail, than their head and legs, while a short-haired dog has the same amount of hair all over the body, with a little more on the belly. Many dogs have more hair around the ears. It’s important to choose the right brush. If your dog has a very thick, difficult to manage coat, buy a special detangling brush. This brush is typically thin and slick and it helps to remove tangles better. Just make sure you brush your dog carefully, without hurting your pet. If your dog has a soft, oily hair, choose a bigger bristle brush, which will help to remove excess oil and debris.

2. Talk to your dog gently

Although the next step after brushing should be bathing, talking to your dog gently before bathing them is extremely important. Many dogs find bath time unpleasant and they can run, hide, or howl when they realize it’s time for their bath. Talk to your pet and assure them that you aren’t mad at them. It can help keep your pup more manageable.

3. Bathe

Now, it’s time to bathe your dog. It’s better to wash them in a sink with a spray attachment. Your pet will be more comfortable when you spray them clean instead of using the faucet. Remember that the water must be lukewarm so you don’t make your pet shiver, or burn their skin. For bathing, choose a baby shampoo or a special skin condition shampoo. If your dog has fleas, buy a special flea shampoo. When bathing, lather your pet up and cut the water off because the running water can make your pet even more nervous. Be careful not to get water and shampoo in the mouth, eyes, ears, legs, paws, and bottom. After washing the body, clean your pet’s eyes and inside their ears using a warm cloth. If you see fleas, just pick them off of your dog. Cleanse the shampoo away using lukewarm water and dry your dog with a large towel, getting as much water off your pet as possible. If you see any knots, be sure to work them out.

4. Use a pair of special grooming scissors

If you are not experienced, you should never use regular scissors on your pet. You can buy a pair of special grooming scissors online or at any pet store. They are cheap and they will make grooming your dog much easier. If you can’t buy grooming scissors, opt for sharp scissors with long blades but make sure you cut at a blunt angle. Be careful around their face, especially eyes, belly, bottom, toes and other tender areas.

5. Clean up

If you don’t want the hair to fly everywhere when you dry your pet, clean up all the hair after grooming. This may sound obvious, but many of us often forget about this step and end up finding the dog’s hair all over the house.

6. Dry your dog

Dogs, as well as cats, hate a hair dryer, and it perhaps the scariest part of grooming for them, but a hair dryer will help get your pet’s hair completely dry. Plus, it will help to get rid of the wet dog smell and fluff up the hair. Continue to brush your dog when drying them, because it will help fluff the coat better and will make it more beautiful.

7. Reward

Every professional groomer knows that a small reward is a must after grooming. Rewarding your dog will help them love bath time and associate it with a good reward. You can give your dog a hug and kiss, their favorite treat, or just pat your dog and tell them they did an excellent job.

Although grooming a dog at home takes time and practice, it’s a sure way to save money and help your pet love bath time. After all, it’s always better when you are doing it, not a stranger. Do you have any tips for grooming a dog at home?