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freeze-dried and dehydrated dog food

Best Air-Dried, Freeze-Dried, and Dehydrated Dog Food for 2024

More and more pet food companies are entering this diet niche—and innovating all-new manufacturing methods and food forms.
Kangaroo meat dog foods provides a novel protein that may help allergic dogs.

Kangaroo Dog Food, a Potential Solution for Food Allergies

Kangaroo meat, sourced from wild kangaroos native to Australia, is a red meat that has been used as staple in the diets of indigenous Australians for centuries. With its lean protein content and rich nutrient profile, kangaroo meat has gained popularity as a premium protein source for dogs.
Hydrolyzed protein dog food is an option for dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs.

Hydrolyzed Protein Dog Food

The process of hydrolyzation uses enzymes to break proteins in dog food down into smaller, more easily digestible pieces. While hydrolyzed proteins are generally easier to digest, some dogs may experience gastrointestinal upset during the transition period to the new diet.
Chicken is the most common source of protein for dog food, meaning chicken free dog food is a tough find.

Chicken-Free Dog Food

The the number of chicken-free dog foods is small relative to the number of dog foods overall as its wide use in dog food manufacturing can lead to cross contamination of dog foods whose recipes are chicken free.
Large breed puppies need large breed puppy food to support their greater growth.

Finding The Best Large-Breed Puppy Food

Choosing a food for a new puppy is always a bit worrisome, but for those who adopt large or giant breed pups, selecting the...
Low protein dog food is one of many prescription foods for pets pictured here in a display.

Low Protein Dog Food

Many dogs are prescribed low-protein diets to alleviate kidney workload, help with gastrointestinal issues or kidney disease. However, protein is vital to a dog's health and there is dog food that is low in protein, and dog food with really low protein.
A black and white Border Collie sprints after a ball in the grass.

Best Dog Food for Weight Gain

If your dog is too thin, adding calories is the obvious solution. Calories can come from different ingredients, but their sources can be broken down into three main categories: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Photo of a canned dog food label with the protein and carbohydrates circled.

Dry Dog Food Labels: How to Compare Fat, Protein, and Carbs

Federal and state laws require pet food makers to put information about the protein and fat content of their products on pet food labels. Unfortunately, few people understand this critical information.

Which Type of Dog Food is Best?

What kind of dog food is best? Is canned food healthier than kibble? Does a homemade dog food diet require as much work as it appears to? Whole Dog Journal developed a very comprehensive pros and cons chart for various dog food options you may be considering. Remember: no one dog food is best for all dogs! Consider your dog's lifestyle and needs and use this chart to help you decide what kind of food your dog should eat.
A white German Shepherd Dog sits in a Bailey Chair waiting for her meal.

Megaesophagus in Dogs: A Mega Problem?

The esophagus is a muscular, distensible organ that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Megaesophagus is a common disorder in dogs that describes slow motility with resultant dilation of the esophagus. As a result of hypomotility, food will pool in the esophagus and stretch it. The stretching leads to damage to the nerves. This worsens hypomotility - a vicious cycle.

The Best Food Dispensing Dog Toys

We still love the basic Kong toy, as well as the variety of other toys made by Kong. But we have to admit, we also love many of Kongs competitors in the food-stuffable toy category. In fact, there are so many its hard to even have favorites anymore! But at a minimum, we think you should be aware of how many options are available to you and your dog today, so you can select the ones that are best suited to your own dogs needs and wants.

Reporting Dogs’ Adverse Reactions is Your Duty

It seems that is rare for a week to go by that we dont hear about - or even experience - yet another pet illness or reaction to animal food, drugs, vaccines, or pesticides. At times, Whole Dog Journals articles and blog posts will include the advice to report any adverse events. And its excellent advice - so heres when, how, and why you should report these events.

Latest Blog

Rehoming Your Old Dog

Rehoming a dog due to loss of income, loss of a home, or another extreme circumstance is understandable. In other scenarios it's less clear if rehoming is the best option.