Whole Dog Journal’s 2023 Approved Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Foods

Check out Whole Dog Journal's 2023 list of approved freeze-dried or dehydrated dog food products. Did your dog's food make the list?

By
Nancy Kerns
-
Published:
37
Many of these foods are sold directly by the manufacturer, some by subscription. A few of the largest and oldest companies’ products can be found in chain pet supply stores, but the majority of these foods are sold in independent pet supply stores that specialize in premium or “holistic” foods.
Many of these foods are sold directly by the manufacturer, some by subscription. A few of the largest and oldest companies’ products can be found in chain pet supply stores, but the majority of these foods are sold in independent pet supply stores that specialize in premium or “holistic” foods.

Those of you who have ventured into the dried-food aisle (literally or metaphorically) have discovered “dried” diets that are as convenient as kibble (shelf-stable, not requiring freezing or refrigeration) and made with ingredients that are as high in quality as fresh/frozen foods. This rapidly growing category includes diets that blended fresh ingredients and then freeze-dried, dehydrated, or air-dried the result, as well as products that were made by combining already dried ingredients. 

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37 COMMENTS

  4. Great article! I just wish the pricing had been standardized – $ per oz, for example. I know that nutrition and weight aren’t going to be equivalent, but it’s a good start…

  6. We have been feeding Dr Marty Nature’s Blend for about 6 months for their morning meal and a vet recommended kibble for their evening meal. They love the morning meal but are not so crazy about the kibble. Our vet recommended Hills Kidney Care for our 12 year old Cairn Terrier with liver issues and another Hills product for our Wire Chiwoxie. They both prefer the freeze dried food. I noticed Dr. Marty’s food was not mentioned in your article. We also supplement the food with boiled chicken breast treats. We would like to feed our dogs the best available diet available. Any comments anyone?

  8. Hi Nancy,

    I see a few questions in the comments and would love to know your response…your opinion of Dr. Marty’s is one of the main ones.

    My own question: I haven’t read the whole list yet but it appears to be alphabetical. Do you have, or plan to create, a Best to Worst list, or even just the Top Ten?

    I’ve been feeding plain raw for 20+ years….human grade, straight from the supermarket, or from a meat processor who delivers throughout California. Also a really good source of ground green tripe, organ meat and trachea. I’m looking for a good dry food to keep in my stash of emergency supplies, since raw wouldn’t last very long. I use Honest Kitchen and Vital Essentials for training and treats and would like to expand my choices.

    Thanks!

    • Dr. Marty’s is on the list. We don’t “rank order” the products, as what is most appropriate for your dog may be quite unsuitable for others. We encourage readers to look for appropriate products for their own dogs, checking (in particular) fat and protein levels and ingredients.

      Be aware that the list can be re-ordered by clicking on the top of the columns. You can also set up a search query by adding filters, to find products that are above or below certain levels of fat or protein, for example, or that include or omit certain ingredients. Finally, please note that there are 9 pages of results, but to go from page to page, you have to scroll back to the top of the list. We’ll try to get the button for navigating from page to page at the bottom of each page, too.

  12. I need to find an air dried dog food that is a bit less expensive than Kiwi Peak (which we love). I do not want raw because I need the strep to be killed. I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you.

    • I loved Kiwi, but just discovered they were purchased by a Chinese company. I am now skeptical, thinking regulations may have changed even if still made in New Zealand. Would appreciate any help.

  20. Would appreciate additional insights from author as to why one product is over $3.00 an ounce yet another is just $0.54. Are some just toppers and others whole meals? Such a huge difference is meaningful for folks on a budget but who want to give their pooch the best possible. Protein content ranges from 24% to 55%! Realizing each dog is different, what range of % of protein is best to start with. In a month I’m bringing home a 10 week pup who’s being fed raw. I plan to transition to a high quality kibble (Fromm for pups) and supplement with freeze dried raw. Help!! Give us newbies a place to start.

  21. I’ve been feeding a combination of Vital Essentials (a.m.) and Honest Kitchen (p.m.) for quite some time now. My dogs are 8 and 11 and see vet only for annual checkups, titer. (Dachshund and Beagle mix) NEVER had any digestive issues with either one of them. If one considers the amount one has to feed, it’s well worth investing in some food which is a bit pricier, but better quality. You have to feed less. 😉

  23. Hello, I am a new subscriber and for 12 years we fed Honest Kitchen Chicken (with oatmeal) dehydrated along with a grain-free Wellness Core kibble to our sweet girl Kiki, who we lost in February 2023 (at 15.5 years old). I hope that you will see my comment here, and let us know why Honest Kitchen did not make the cut in your list here. This is very timely for us, as tomorrow we are bringing home a 5.5 month old rescue pup. We want to make the best food choices (that we can *afford*) for her. Thank you.

  24. Christina, I had to hunt for The Honest Kitchen but found it. They only included the grain-free formulas (that I found). We’re feeding the Chicken with oatmeal with good results so far.

  30. Difficult for those of us who live in Canada as most of these brands are unavailable. Please could you review some Canadian brands? e.g., Grand Cru, manufactured in Quebec by CaniSource? Low temp dehydrated raw food. Crude minimum values: protein 28%, fat 16%, fibre 3%, moisture 8%. Several different protein source varieties and available in both grain and grain free formulas. ‘canisource.com/grandcru’