Top Recommended Healthy Dog Foods & Treats in Canada: A Complete Guide
In our list below, you’ll find all of our Canadian dog food recommendations listed in order of recommended. This list is updated as much as possible however we recommend always checking the manufacturers website directly to confirm the correct and updated ingredients list.
All of our foods are complete and balanced and need no additions.
What To Prioritise When Choosing A Dog Food:
1. Protein Content: High-quality protein is essential for maintaining your dog’s health.
2. Moisture: Dogs thrive on moisture-rich diets, so dry dog food (kibble) should ideally be paired with fresh, hydrating additions.
Because of the way kibble is manufactured, we always recommend selecting a brand with the highest protein content possible. Additionally, kibble-only diets are not ideal, so incorporating healthy, fresh foods into the bowl is essential. For inspiration, check out our Superfood Library, which includes a variety of foods and herbs you can add to boost your dog’s nutrition.
How Our List Works
• Diet types are ranked from most recommended to least recommended, with fresh diets being at the top of our list and kibble at the bottom.
• Within each diet type, we’ve highlighted trusted brands to make it easier for you to choose the best option for your dog.
By taking this tailored approach, we ensure there’s an option to suit every dog and every lifestyle, while still prioritising your dog’s health and wellbeing. Check out the full list to explore the best feeding options.
Top ten Canadian raw foods
Red dog Blue Kat - everyday raw range (complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10 and raw meaty bones.
K9choicefoods - plus range (complete and balanced) offer in two feeding sizes also offer 80/10/10, tripe minces and raw meaty bones.
Club canine raw - dog mixed meals range (complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10 and raw meaty bones.
Naturawls - complete and balanced only also offer dehydrated dog treats.
Bold by nature - Mega range (complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10, tripe minces, toppers, supplements and raw meaty bones.
Spring Meadows - protein & veggie range (complete and balanced - only two protein options) also offer 80/10/10.
Healthy Paws - canine complete range (contains probiotics - complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10, dehydrated treats, raw meaty bones and supplements.
Tollden Farms - meat and vegetable blend range (complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10 and raw meaty bones.
Big country raw - dinners range (contain synthetic vitamins/minerals - complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10 and supplements.
Rawbone - meals range (contains synthetic vitamins/minerals - complete and balanced) also offer 80/10/10
Freeze dried/Dehydrated Raw
Smack - Dehydrated Raw Food complete and balanced (chicken,pork,salmon,rockfish)
Acana freeze dried dog food - freeze dried raw (complete and balanced) Chicken/duck/beef
Instinct freeze dried raw - freeze dried raw (complete and balanced) chicken/beef & cod/grass fed lamb/grass fed beef
Gently cooked
Caravan Pet - Gently cooked food (complete and balanced) Turkey/Beef/Chicken/Salmon (most optimal cooked option)
Thehealthybarker.ca - Gently cooked food (complete and balanced) Grain free options ONLY chicken/beef/turkey/lamb/fish
Nutrica canine - gently cooked (complete and balanced) grain free recipes ONLY (chicken/lamb/beef/turkey
Dog standards - gently cooked (complete and balanced) grains free recipes ONLY (only have one grain free recipe we would recommend - chicken)
Dry dog food
Carna 4 - grain free only free from synthetic vitamins & minerals (chicken/lamb/venison/fish/goat/duck) DM protein content 32.22%
Stella and chewy - raw coated kibble fish/lamb/beef/fish/lamb & goat & elk/lamb & beef & venison/duck (Protein content 39.77%)
CURRENTLY ON POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED PET FOOD LIST. 08/2
Acana - grain free only; highest protein and Acana singles ranges (fish/duck/beef & lamb & pork/pork/lamb & duck & eggs/chicken & turkey & fish/ protein content 35.23%
CURRENTLY ON POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED PET FOOD LIST. 08/24
Open farm - open prairie grain & legume free range chicken & turkey/pork & beef & lamb/fish/ protein content 33.33%
Farmina n&d prime canine - chicken/lamb/protein content 37.36%
CURRENTLY ON POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED PET FOOD LIST. 08/24
The honest kitchen - grain free only (beef/turkey/chicken/ (protein content 30.11%)
Canned dog food
Acana premium chunks - grain free only (beef/chicken/duck/lamb/pork) (Crude Protein (DMB): 44.44% Carbohydrates (DMB): 27.78%)
Open Farm, Grass Fed Beef Rustic Stew Dog Wet Food - Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Chicken & Salmon, Herring & Mackerel. Crude Protein (DMB): 44.44% Carbohydrates (DMB): 11.11%
Petkind Canada fresh - grain free only Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Salmon, Duck, Venison. (Crude Protein (DMB): 43.18% Carbohydrates (DMB): 13.64%)
Can’t Find A Food Suitable For Your Needs?
To ensure you’re feeding your dog the healthiest food possible, it’s important to understand how to calculate the protein and carbohydrate content in commercial dog foods.
This knowledge can help you evaluate new foods by yourself. Start by checking the Guaranteed Analysis on the food’s label, which provides the minimum percentages of protein, fat, moisture, and sometimes ash.
To calculate the dry matter (DM) basis, remove the moisture percentage to determine the food’s dry matter content.
Then, divide the protein percentage by the dry matter percentage and multiply by 100 to find the protein content on a dry matter basis. For carbohydrates, add the percentages of protein, fat, moisture, and ash (if ash is not listed, assume 7% for kibble or 2% for wet food), and subtract this total from 100. Calculating these values ensures you’re making informed, up-to-date decisions about your dog’s nutrition.
Example Calculation:
If the nutritional analysis label lists
• Protein: 20%
• Fat: 15%
• Moisture: 10%
• Ash: 5%
1. Dry Matter: 100 - 10 (moisture) = 90% dry matter.
2. Protein on Dry Matter Basis: (20 ÷ 90) × 100 = 22.22% protein.
3. Carbohydrate Percentage: 100 - (20 + 15 + 10 + 5) = 50% carbohydrates.
Comparing foods on a dry matter basis gives a more accurate picture of nutrient content. For instance, a wet food might seem lower in protein than a kibble, but when moisture is removed, it could actually contain a higher percentage of protein.
By using the dry matter percentage, along with avoiding certain bad food ingredients, you can confidently choose the best food for your dog’s nutritional needs!
Treats and chews
Tilted barn pet co - Treats and chews
Noah’s ark pet treats and chews
Pure bites dog treats - single ingredient treats
Himalayan dog co - chews and treats
Bold by nature - raw meaty bone treats
Icelandic+ - Icelandic fish treats and chews
