There are many reasons dog owners may choose to feed their dogs canned food, and one primary concern that leads many others to choose not to—the price. High-quality canned foods, especially those rich in animal protein and made with whole ingredients, are often significantly more expensive than dry foods. For those who own large-breed dogs, or for multi-dog households, the expense of feeding canned food exclusively adds up very quickly, making it cost-prohibitive for many families, including my own. However, for certain dogs, the benefits may justify the extra expense.
The biggest advantage of canned food is its high moisture content. With most formulas containing between 75-85% water, a canned diet is an excellent way to boost your dog’s hydration. This makes canned food especially beneficial for dogs with kidney or urinary tract issues, those on diuretic medications, and dogs recovering from gastrointestinal illnesses. Proper hydration supports healing, organ health, digestion, and overall vitality.
Another major benefit of canned diets is their composition. Many high-quality canned foods are naturally lower in carbohydrates (with some being carb-free) while also being rich in animal protein and healthy fats. Because dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates, this balance is ideal for maintaining lean muscle and supporting metabolic health. In particular, low-carbohydrate diets may be advantageous for dogs with cancer, since cancerous cells use carbohydrates, glucose to be specific, as an energy source at a higher rate than most normal cells in the body. Because of this, you want to feed your cancer-patient as few carbs as possible.
Wet food is also typically more aromatic and palatable than dry food options, making it ideal for picky eaters, dogs with decreased appetites due to illness or medication, and senior dogs who have a reduced sense of smell. Many canned diets also utilize fewer preservatives and contain higher levels of animal-based ingredients. The soft texture of canned food also means it can be used to fill enrichment toys, lick mats, or puzzle feeders to provide both mental stimulation as well as a tasty and nutritious snack.
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Best Canned Dog Food by Category
If you are considering a wet-food diet, it is important to select the right product for your dog’s specific needs. The store shelves are full of options, and shopping online can be equally as overwhelming for even the most informed pet parent. To help make choosing a diet that is right for your dog easier, we have selected products we recommend under the following categories:
- Best Adult Maintenance Canned Dog Food
- Best All-Life Stages/Growth Canned Dog Food
- Best Limited Ingredient Canned Dog Food
- Best Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
- Best Lower Fat Canned Dog Food
- Best High Protein Canned Dog Food
- Best Vegetarian Canned Dog Food
- Best Budget Friendly Canned Dog Food
- Search Our Dog Food Database
Many adult dogs thrive on an adult-maintenance diet, which generally contains a lower concentration of fat and protein, and a few other nutrients, compared to diets formulated for puppies. Growing puppies and pregnant or lactating females require an “all life stages” food and many highly active dogs do very well on these diets as well, as the higher fat and protein levels help to support sustained energy and lean muscle mass.
Beyond these two basic categories, your dog may require a limited-ingredient or grain-free diet, or one with lower amounts of fat or higher amounts of protein due to food sensitivities or health issues. We also have selected options for a diet that does not contain meat, and some budget-friendly options too!
Best Adult Maintenance Canned Dog Food
Merrick Adult Grain-Free Beef, Lamb & Bison Pate
Things we like:
- Meat focused recipe with no carbs
- Made in USA
First 10 ingredients: Deboned Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Deboned Lamb, Deboned Bison, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Locust Bean Gum
- Protein: Min 9%
- Fat: 5%
- Calories: 399 Kcal/can
- Cost: $0.30/oz
Runners up:
Best All-Life Stages/Growth Canned Dog Food
The Honest Kitchen’s Butcher Block Turkey & Autumn Veggies Pâté
Things we like:
- Human grade
- Single-species source of animal protein
- Legume-free
First 10 ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Bone Broth, Turkey Liver, Spinach, Apples, Carrots, Brown Rice, Pumpkin, Agar Agar, Minerals
- Protein: Min 10.5%
- Fat: 5.5%
- Calories: 366 Kcal/10.5-oz box
- Cost: $0.38/oz
Runners up:
- BIXBI Liberty Surf ‘n Turf Ocean Whitefish, Beef, and Beef Liver
- Lucy Kettle Creations Chicken Recipe in Gravy
Best Limited Ingredient Canned Dog Food
Evanger’s Hand-Packed Whole Sardines
Things we like:
- Very limited ingredient formula with only one animal source
- No gums
- “All life stages” food
- Also comes in Braised Beef Chunks and Chicken Drumette formulas for alternative proteins
First 10 ingredients: Sardines, Water Sufficient for processing, Carrots, Peas, Vitamins, Minerals.
- Protein: Min 8%
- Fat: 4%
- Calories: 328 Kcal/can
- Cost: $0.35/oz
Runners up:
- Dave’s 95% Premium Meats Beef & Beef Liver
- American Journey Limited Ingredient Diet Duck Recipe
- Zignature Venison Limited Ingredient Formula
Best Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
Wellness Complete Health Turkey & Duck Stew
Things we like:
- No reliance on (and typical over-representation of) legumes to replace grain
- Moderate protein and fat levels
First 10 ingredients: Turkey Broth, Turkey, Duck, Cranberries, Turkey Liver, Sweet Potatoes, Dried Egg Product, Turkey Heart, Carrots, Natural Flavor
- Protein: Min 8%
- Fat: 3.5%
- Calories: 344 Kcal/can
- Cost: $0.33/oz
Runners up:
Best Lower Fat Canned Dog Food
Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
Things we like:
- Meat-first formula
- Legume-free
- High-protein
First 10 ingredients: Chicken (Boneless, Skinless, White Breast), Water Sufficient for Processing, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Protein: Min 10%
- Fat: 1.4%
- Calories: 268 Kcal/can
- Cost: $0.36/oz
Runners up:
- ACANA Premium Chunks Pork in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food (3.0% min fat)
- Nulo Adult Trim Weight Management Grain-Free Turkey & Cod Recipe (3.0% min fat)
- Tiki Dog Meaty High Protein Diet Chicken with Egg Recipe in Broth (2% fat)
- Natural Balance Fat Dogs Chicken & Salmon Recipe (2.5% min fat)
Best High Protein Canned Dog Food
Tiki Dog Meaty High Protein Diet Chicken Recipe in Broth
Things we like:
- High protein without high fat content
- Complete and balanced for all life stages
- All protein is from animal origins instead of plant protein
First 10 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Oil, Calcium Lactate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate
- Protein: Min 14%
- Fat: 2%
- Calories: 74 Kcal/ cup
- Cost: $0.80/oz
Runners up:
- The Honest Kitchen’s Beef, Lamb, & Spring Veggies (13.5% protein)
- American Journey Premium Loaf Beef Recipe Grain-Free Canned Dog Food (9% protein)
Best Vegetarian Canned Dog Food
Evanger’s Complements Vegetarian
Things we like:
- This food, and its ingredients, are from the USA.
- We prefer non-legume carb sources; our top pick (and our runners up) contains minimal legume ingredients.
First 10 ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Water Sufficient for Processing, Brown Rice, Carrots, Tomatoes, Organic Olive Oil, Peas, Blueberries, Cranberries
- Protein: Min 7%
- Fat: 2%
- Calories: 276 Kcal/can
- Cost: $0.23/oz
Runners up:
Best Budget Friendly Canned Dog Food
Purina Beyond Beef, Potato, & Green Bean Ground Entrée
Things we like:
- Very simple formula
- Inexpensive without using meat by-products or food fractions
- Pâté style
First 10 ingredients: Beef, Beef Broth, Chicken, Liver, Potatoes, Green Beans, Guar Gum, Salt, Minerals
- Protein: Min 8%
- Fat: 6%
- Calories: 465 Kcal/ can
- Cost: $0.20/oz
Runners up:
- Chicken Soup for the Soul Classic Chicken & Brown Rice ($0.23/oz)
- Fromm Adult Turkey & Rice Pâté ($0.19/oz)
- Named animal protein sources at the top of the ingredients list. Ingredients in pet food are listed in order of the weight of that ingredient in the formula, so you want to see a named animal protein source or sources in at least one of the top two spots on the list of ingredients. (“Named” means the species is identified: chicken, beef, lamb, etc.)
- Water or broth may be first or second on the list, as the addition of water is often necessary for processing. But the animal protein source or sources should appear immediately after that.
- If plant proteins are present in the food, we like to see them play a supporting role, appearing lower on the ingredient list – no earlier than the fifth or sixth position. The amino acid profiles offered by animal proteins suit dogs better than those of peas, potatoes, corn, soy, etc.
- Named fat sources. Just as with the animal protein sources, any animal fat sources should be identified by species (i.e., chicken fat, beef fat, pork fat, salmon oil, etc.).
- Whole foods. When vegetables, fruits, grains, and/or other carbohydrate sources such as chickpeas, peas, or sweet potatoes are used, to the extent possible, they should be whole.
- Ingredients that have already been processed, shipped, and stored before they are mixed with other ingredients and processed again (canned) lose more of their nutritive value along the way than those that are shipped and stored whole before their inclusion into the wet food mix.
The things we avoid when selecting a diet are:
- Animal products that are not specified by species. Meat, meat meal, poultry, poultry meal, animal fat, poultry fat: If your dog is intolerant of or allergic to certain ingredients, you have to know what specifically you are feeding them.
- Animal by-products. This includes meat by-products and poultry by-product. We would strongly prefer to know what, exactly, is being included in the food, instead of “by-products” being used as a catch-all term. In some cases, the “by-products” used may well be nutritious chicken liver, chicken kidneys, and chicken hearts, but without specific labeling, the composition of the by-product is unknown.
- Ingredient splitting. This is where two or more very similar food “fractions” appear on the ingredients list. Because the ingredients are listed in descending order of their weight, a manufacturer can make it appear that a high-quality ingredient is represented in the food in a greater amount than it is. If all the iterations of an ingredient (to use a common example, brown rice, white rice, brewers rice or yellow peas, green peas, pea protein, etc.) were combined or reconstituted, they would outweigh and push the higher-quality ingredient down on the ingredients list.
- Added sweeteners. Sweeteners are sometimes used in some foods to increase their palatability. In canned foods, the protein- and fat-rich meaty ingredients should be enough to tempt the appetite of any dog.
- Artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. None of these are needed (or common, thankfully) in canned food.
Ultimately, the “best” diet is one that works for your individual dog, supporting their health, appetite, and lifestyle. While canned food may cost more and require some extra handling, its benefits in hydration, digestibility, and palatability can make it a worthwhile addition, particularly for dogs who need a little extra support at mealtime.
Search Our Canned Dog Food Database
If you’re looking for just the right wet food for your dog, we recommend taking a closer look at our list of “Approved Canned Foods” (available to WDJ subscribers only). This year, in addition to updating our list of more than 1000 individual canned dog foods, we’ve upgraded the database itself. Along with being able to filter your search by company, ingredients, price range, and more, you can also now compare specific foods, keep a list of your favorites, and share your search results with others.
When picking the right diet for your dog, remember that there are no one-size-fits-all recommendations for food. Feed each of your dogs what works best for them and consult with your veterinarian or a nutritionist if you have questions.
