In a rush and just want my recommendation? I think the Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Adult Canned Wet Dog Food is a great choice.
Does your beloved hound dance around while you prepare their dinner, and then lick the bowl clean? Unless they are ageing, unwell or just a picky eater, your dog will probably pretty much eat anything. So it’s up to us to give them good quality food.
There’s no easy answer to what the best canned dog food is, but there sure are some canned products to avoid. Like most dog lovers, I’ll usually weigh up the quality and affordability of a product. How do you decide if a certain canned dog food is good quality? They all ‘sound’ great if you read the manufacturer’s pitch, so let’s get to the bottom of what to look for when choosing dinner for your hound.
In this article I’m reviewing the following canned dog foods.
- Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Natural Adult Wet Dog Food
- Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Adult Canned Wet Dog Food
- Hills science diet wet dog food
- Merrick Grain Free Wet Dog Food
- Pedigree Homestyle Meals Adult Wet Dog Food
5 Best Canned Dog Foods Reviewed
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Natural Adult Wet Dog Food
The ingredients list ticks all the boxes, with real beef, lamb, turkey, chicken or fish right at the top. The high quality protein is good for muscle maintenance, and helps keep energy levels up.
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Recipe adult dog food makes a delicious treat, adds interest mixed into their favorite dry foods or can be fed as a meal on its own.
Enhanced with vitamins and minerals, each pack contains twelve (12) 12.5-oz cans of BLUE Blue’s Stew Natural Adult Wet Dog Food
Pros:
- Good protein source
- Contains vegetables
- Tasty and palatable
Cons:
- Contains fillers
Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Adult Canned Wet Dog Food
For canned dog food that’s incredibly healthy and sure to whet your dog’s appetite, you can’t go wrong with Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Adult Wet Dog Food. This product comes in twelve (12) 13 oz. cans, and it’s packed with nutrients that will help maintain your dog’s health.
This canned dog food comes in a beef and rice flavor, and real beef is the first ingredient. It’s made with highly digestible rice so it won’t upset your dog’s stomach, and it includes 23 essential vitamins and minerals. It’s formulated with optimal protein and fat levels to help promote an ideal body condition.
Pros:
- Real meat first protein source
- High-quality ingredients
- 23 essential vitamins and nutrients
- Omega-6 fatty acids added
- Dogs love it
Cons:
- Higher price point
Hills science diet wet dog food
Coming in twelve (12) 13 oz cans, Hill’s Science Diet Canned Dog Food claims to be veterinarian recommended. That is possibly out of date as the company has now been purchased by Colgate-Palmolive. The food is supposedly made with high quality protein, however the first ingredient on the can is ‘water’. There are no vegetable ingredients, and the ingredients on the packaging seem to be largely chemical descriptions.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Real meat as main protein source
Cons:
- Quality issues
- Not value for money
Merrick Grain Free Wet Dog Food
Merrick Chunky Recipes Grain Free Wet Dog Food Variety Pack contains twelve (12) 12.7 oz cans. With flavors called ‘Cowboy Cookout’, ‘Thanks Giving Dinner’ and ‘Grammy’s Pot Pie’, your dog will be begging for their dinner.
De-boned beef and chicken are first up on the ingredients list, plus peas and carrots make an appearance high on the listing, too.
High quality ingredients, but ‘grain-free’ on the can isn’t necessarily a selling point for me.
Pros:
- Good protein source
- Contains flaxseed oil
- No artificial colors or preservatives
Cons:
- Higher price point
- No healthy grains
Pedigree Homestyle Meals Adult Wet Dog Food
Extremely affordable and with eleven flavors, this Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner contains twelve (12) 13.2 oz. cans.
The hearty, meaty recipes are 100% complete & balanced. First ingredient is meat, followed by water. Not many vegetables listed on the can.
Great tasting, and made in the USA.
Pros:
- Real meat first source of protein
- Contains dried vegetables
- Dogs love it
- Good odor
- Affordable
- Value for money
Cons:
- Contains added salt
- Meat by-products added
Guide To Buying Canned Food For Active Adult Dogs
Good Ingredients Are Essential
A specified meat source listed as the first ingredient. All ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight (AAFCO). Learning how to compare and analyze dog food labeling will help you to know exactly What’s In Your Dog’s Food.
That means you want to see beef, lamb, chicken, etc. at the top of the ingredient list. This doesn’t mean beef ‘flavoring’, lamb ‘byproducts’, ‘modified’ beef or just ‘meat’. The top ingredient should be real meat, and identified.
Whole and unprocessed grains and vegetables. Things like brown or wild rice. Vegetables like carrots and apples are the best. Limited amounts of thickening veggies like potato, sweet potato or potato starch are common.
Look for the “complete and balanced” label, awarded by AAFCO. You can determine if a pet food meets your pet’s nutritional needs by looking at the nutritional adequacy statement on the label. If this statement includes the phrase “complete and balanced,” then the product is intended to be fed as a pet’s sole diet and should be nutritionally balanced
Things To Avoid
By-products, if possible. If they are in the ingredients, they should be way down the list. Low-cost ingredients such as these are not processed or stored as carefully as higher grade products that go into canned dog food.
Added sweeteners are often used to improve taste, which shouldn’t be necessary with a good quality product. Corn syrup is often used and is extremely high in sugar content.
Artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, although not common in wet dog foods, are worth looking out for. Natural preservatives, such as tocopherols (forms of vitamin E), vitamin C, and rosemary extract, can be used instead.
Note that natural preservatives do not preserve foods as long as artificial preservatives, so you should always check the “best by” date on the label and look for relatively fresh products. Check here for more information on preservatives in food.
Special Dietary Requirements
If your hound has any health issues, is ageing or just a puppy, talk to your local vet for advice on the best nutrition for their specific needs.
‘Grain-Free’ Diets For Your Dog
Leaving grains out of your dog’s diet might be a far greater health risk than keeping them in. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that grain-free food might be giving dogs a life-threatening heart problem called dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM. This is now of such concern, that the FDA has issued a warning, and will continue to investigate this issue.
FAQs
Should dogs eat canned dog food?
Yes! There are many good quality canned dog foods. Reputable dog food companies put the research into making their diets complete and nutritionally sound for your dog.
I like to feed my dogs a combination of dry, and canned food.
Does canned dog food make sloppy poop?
There are many possible reasons for this. Poor quality food is certainly on the list, as are allergies, parasites and sudden change in diet. See your vet if this is an ongoing issue. A high quality canned dog food should not cause diarrhoea.
Can canned dog food be frozen in the freezer?
You can definitely freeze canned dog food if you don’t think you’ll use a can within a certain time period. Make sure that you split the food into single-serve portions and freeze these individually, either in a container or a bag. When you need a portion, simply thaw and allow it to reach room temperature before feeding to your dog.
How long can you keep canned dog food out?
Once a can of canned dog food has been opened, most manufacturers suggest that it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Once you’ve fed your dog, be sure to replace any remaining food in the refrigerator quickly.
Can I mix dry food with canned dog food?
Yes! It’s a great way to add flavor and variety to your dog’s diet. Also, canned dog food contains a lot of water (though is not a substitute for a bowl of fresh water) so helps keep your hound hydrated. Dry food, or kibble, is great for helping to keep teeth clean. As long as it’s a ‘complete and balanced’ meal, it’s fine.
The Final Decision
Always pick nutritionally balanced food, the highest quality you can afford. Sometimes, what you get is what you pay for, and this is true of canned adult dog food.
Conclusion
There was a clear winner for me after assessing these five products. For quality and affordability I don’t think you can beat Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Adult Canned Wet Dog Food. After reading this article, you will have a good understanding of what to look for in a high quality canned dog food. The Purina brand is made from excellent quality products, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Customer ratings show high satisfaction for all features.
