What’s the best dog food? A guide to dog food formats

Choosing dog food used to feel like a fairly simple question: kibble or cans? Now, the shelves can include wet, fresh, frozen, raw, air-dried and freeze-dried options – each offering a different way to fill the bowl.

So, what’s the best dog food? There isn’t one best food for every dog. The right choice starts with a complete and balanced food that suits your dog’s life stage, health and individual nutritional needs – and is something they enjoy and tolerate well.

The food format is one part of that decision. This guide compares the benefits and practical considerations of each, including how different formats can work alone or together through mixed feeding, so you can build a bowl that works for your dog and your routine.

Contents: 

• How to choose the best dog food
• Dry dog food
• Wet dog food
• Fresh and frozen dog food 
  • Gently cooked dog food 
  • Raw dog food 
• Air-dried dog food
• Freeze-dried dog food
• FAQs about dog food formats 

How to choose the best dog food

The dog food aisle can be a lot to take in. When choosing your dog’s main food, start with five questions:

1. Is the food complete and balanced?
2. Is it appropriate for my dog’s life stage?
3. Does it suit their breed size and any individual health needs?
4. Do they enjoy eating it and tolerate it well?
5. Does the format work for my budget, storage space and feeding routine?

If a food ticks these boxes, it can be a strong choice – whether it comes dry, wet, fresh, raw, air-dried or freeze-dried. If your dog has a diagnosed health condition or specific dietary needs, speak with your vet before changing their food.

You don't have to stick to one food format

Mixed feeding means combining two or more food formats, either in the same bowl or across different meals. You might pair kibble with wet or fresh food, or add a suitable topper. This can introduce new aromas and textures and, when a higher-moisture format is included, add moisture to the bowl.

Just keep the bigger nutritional picture in balance. Check how each product is intended to be fed and adjust portions to account for every part of the meal. Introduce new foods gradually, and ask your vet for guidance if your dog has specific health or dietary needs.

Popular Dog Food Formats

Dry Dog Food

Dry dog food, also known as kibble or dog biscuits, is one of the most widely fed dog food formats. Options range from affordable everyday foods to specialized veterinary diets formulated for particular health needs, which should only be fed on your vet’s recommendation.

If dry food will make up your dog’s main diet, check that it is complete and balanced for their life stage. It can be a practical fit for pet parents who value convenient storage, simple serving and easy-to-measure portions – provided their dog enjoys and tolerates it well.

Benefits of dry dog food

• Convenient, widely available and easy to buy in larger bags 
• Has a long shelf life when stored correctly and is less likely to spoil quickly in the bowl than wet or fresh food 
• Easy to measure, portion and serve 
• Nutrient- and energy-dense, so serving volumes are generally smaller than with higher-moisture formats 
• Most dry food is cooked, which helps control harmful microorganisms 
• Creates minimal mess and works well in puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing toys and training 
• Its uniform pieces make selective eating more difficult 
• Adds a crunchy texture when combined with softer formats through mixed feeding 

Things to consider about dry dog food

• Some dogs may prefer the stronger aroma or softer texture of other formats
• It provides less moisture than wet, fresh or frozen food
• Its energy density can make overfeeding easy if portions are not measured carefully
• The firm texture may not suit every dog, particularly those with certain dental or chewing difficulties

Wet Dog Food

Wet dog food contains considerably more water than dry food and most commonly comes in cans, trays or sachets. It also tends to have a stronger aroma, which can be particularly tempting for dogs who turn up their nose at drier options.

While kibble generally comes in small, uniform pieces, wet food offers plenty of variety in texture and consistency. Common options include:

• Gravy
• Jelly
• Pâté or loaf
• Stews and casseroles
• Chilled rolls

If wet food will make up your dog’s main diet, check that it is complete and balanced for their life stage. Some wet foods, toppers and broths are complementary products designed to be fed alongside a complete diet rather than as the sole food source. When used as directed, these can add aroma, moisture and variety through mixed feeding.

Benefits of wet dog food

• Its high moisture content can help support your dog’s daily water intake
• Its stronger aroma and softer texture may appeal to fussy eaters
• Available in a wide variety of flavours, textures and consistencies
• Unopened cans, trays and sachets generally have a long shelf life and do not require refrigeration
• Cooking helps control harmful microorganisms
• Its softer texture may be easier for some dogs to eat, including those with certain chewing difficulties
• Can add aroma and moisture to the bowl when combined with dry food through mixed feeding

Things to consider about wet dog food

• It can create more mess and require more clean-up than dry food
• Once opened, it must be refrigerated and used within the timeframe stated on the label
• Uneaten wet food should not remain in the bowl for extended periods, particularly in warm weather
• It often costs more per day than dry food
• Because it contains more water, a larger volume may be needed to provide the same number of calories as dry food
• When mixed with other foods, portions should be adjusted to keep your dog’s overall calorie intake appropriate

Fresh and frozen dog food

Fresh and frozen dog food is a broad category covering diets that need to be kept chilled or frozen rather than stored at room temperature. The two main formats are gently cooked and raw. Gently cooked food undergoes controlled cooking, while raw food is not cooked – a distinction that affects how each should be handled and fed.

Fresh doesn’t automatically mean more nutritious

Many pet parents are drawn to fresh food because its ingredients, such as meat, vegetables and grains, may be easy to recognise. While that can make a meal feel appealing, it does not tell you whether the finished diet provides every nutrient your dog needs in the right proportions. The quality and nutritional balance of the finished diet matter more than whether its ingredients are cooked, mixed and extruded, or left raw.  

Freshness describes the format, not its nutritional quality. If fresh food will make up your dog’s main diet, check that it is complete and balanced for their life stage. 

Homemade Fresh Food Diets

Preparing your dog’s food at home gives you control over the ingredients and preparation, but it also increases the risk of nutritional imbalance and inconsistency. Combining meat, organs, bones and vegetables in estimated proportions is not enough to ensure your dog receives every nutrient they need. 

If you wish to feed your dog a homemade diet, speak with your vet, who may refer you to a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a complete and balanced recipe for your individual dog. Follow the recipe exactly, including every ingredient quantity and supplement, to ensure your dog gets all the nutrients they need. 

Gently Cooked Dog Food

Gently cooked dog food is made by cooking ingredients using a controlled process. These foods are typically kept refrigerated or frozen and often have varied textures and consistencies, a high moisture content and a rich aroma that many dogs find appealing.

Commercial gently cooked products may be complete diets or complementary foods, so check how the product is intended to be fed. If it will make up your dog’s main diet, make sure it is complete and balanced for their life stage.

Benefits of gently cooked dog food

• Its rich aroma and varied textures can appeal to many dogs
• Its high moisture content can help support daily water intake
• Controlled cooking helps reduce harmful microorganisms
• Commercial options are often conveniently portioned
• Its softer texture may be easier for some dogs with chewing difficulties to eat
• Homemade recipes can be tailored to an individual dog when formulated under appropriate veterinary nutritional guidance

Things to consider about gently-cooked dog food

• Must be stored in the fridge or freezer
• Usually has a relatively short shelf life once opened or defrosted
• Can cost more per day than traditional dry or wet food
• Food safety depends on correct cooking, handling and storage
• Preparing food at home requires additional time, care and clean-up
• Home-cooked recipes can cause nutritional deficiencies or excesses unless they are professionally formulated and followed exactly
• Handling uncooked ingredients during preparation carries a risk of cross-contamination
• Dogs may pick out preferred ingredients if the recipe’s components remain separate

Raw Dog Food

Raw dog food is made with uncooked ingredients such as meat, organs and edible bone. Recipes may also contain vegetables, fruit, oils, grains, vitamins, minerals and other supplements.

Some pet parents choose raw food because they prefer a minimally heat-processed format or feel it more closely resembles an ancestral canine diet. Common approaches include prey-model diets based largely on meat, organs and bone, and BARF-style diets that may also include plant ingredients, oils and supplements. Neither approach automatically guarantees that the finished diet is complete and balanced. If you intend to feed your dog raw food, always check if a diet or recipe is intended to be a topper or complete diet.

Benefits of raw dog food

• Its aroma can appeal to many dogs
• Its higher moisture content can help support daily water intake
• Commercial options may come in convenient pre-portioned packs
• Provides a minimally heat-processed option for pet parents who prefer this format
• Homemade recipes allow control over the ingredients used when they are appropriately formulated under veterinary nutritional guidance and prepared exactly as instructed

Things to consider about raw dog food

• Raw food carries a greater risk of harmful microorganisms than cooked food, which may affect both pets and people
• Homemade recipes can cause nutritional deficiencies or excesses if they are not professionally formulated and followed
• Careful preparation, hygiene and clean-up are required
• Must be stored in the fridge or freezer
• Usually has a short shelf life once opened or defrosted
• Can cost more per day than traditional dry or wet food
• Homemade diets require additional time and care
• Dogs may leave behind ingredients they do not like, affecting the balance of what they consume

Raw food safety and hygiene 

Because raw food is not cooked, it may contain harmful bacteria or parasites that heat would ordinarily help control. These can make dogs unwell or be passed to people through the food, contaminated surfaces or contact with the dog and their waste.

Extra caution is needed in households with young children, older people, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system. Speak with your vet before choosing a raw diet if your dog or someone in your household may be more vulnerable to infection.

If you feed raw dog food:

• Follow the product’s directions for refrigeration, freezing, thawing and use-by timeframes
• Keep it separate from human food and use dedicated utensils where practical
• Wash your hands and thoroughly clean bowls, utensils and surfaces after handling it
• Serve it promptly and discard uneaten food according to the manufacturer’s directions

Air-dried dog food

Air-dried dog food is a low-moisture, shelf-stable format that often has a soft, chewy or jerky-like texture and concentrated aroma.

Products may be sold as complete diets, complementary foods, meal toppers or treats. Before filling the bowl, check how the product is intended to be fed and whether it is complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage. If you use it as a topper or training reward, remember to include it in your dog’s overall daily intake.

Benefits of air-dried dog food

• Its concentrated aroma and chewy texture can appeal to many dogs
• Shelf-stable and generally does not require refrigeration
• Ready to serve without cooking or defrosting
• Nutrient- and energy-dense, so serving volumes are often relatively small
• Easy to measure and portion
• Its uniform pieces make selective eating more difficult
• Convenient to store and travel with
• Depending on the product’s size and texture, it may work well in puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing toys and training
• Can be crumbled over dry, wet or fresh food to add aroma and texture through mixed feeding

Things to consider about air-dried dog food

• Can cost more per day than traditional dry food, depending on the product and serving size
• Its energy density can make overfeeding easy if portions are not measured carefully
• Contains less moisture than wet, fresh or frozen food
• If made with raw ingredients, air-drying alone does not guarantee that all harmful microorganisms have been removed
• Not every air-dried product is a complete and balanced diet; some are intended only as toppers or treats
• Some products must be used within a particular timeframe after opening, so always check the label

Freeze-dried dog food

Freeze-dried dog food is a lightweight, low-moisture format available as complete diets, complementary foods, meal toppers or treats. Check how the product is intended to be fed and whether it is complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage before making it their main food.

Despite the name, freeze-dried food does not need to stay in the freezer once the manufacturing process is complete. Removing most of its moisture makes it shelf-stable and easy to store. Depending on the product’s directions, adding water before serving can create a softer, more aromatic meal.

Benefits of freeze-dried dog food

• Its concentrated aroma can appeal to many dogs
• Shelf-stable and generally does not require refrigeration while dry
• Lightweight and convenient to store or travel with
• Nutrient- and energy-dense, so serving volumes are often relatively small
• Easy to measure, portion and crumble over meals
• Its uniform pieces make selective eating more difficult
• Can be served dry or rehydrated, depending on the product’s directions and your dog’s preferences
• Can add aroma and texture when crumbled over dry, wet or fresh food through mixed feeding
• May work as a high-value training reward when included within your dog’s overall daily intake

Things to consider about freeze-dried dog food

• Can cost more per day than traditional dry or wet food, depending on the product and serving size
• Contains little moisture unless it is rehydrated
• Some products must be rehydrated before feeding
• If made with raw ingredients, freeze-drying does not guarantee that all harmful microorganisms have been removed
• Its energy density can make overfeeding easy if portions are not measured carefully
• Not every freeze-dried product is suitable to feed as a complete and balanced diet
• Once rehydrated, it becomes perishable and should be served promptly, with any leftovers handled according to the product directions

Find the food that gives your dog that feed good feeling

Need help building the right bowl? Explore our range of dog food online or visit your local Petbarn, where a team member can help you compare formats and understand product labels.