The best dry dog food for your furry friend: tried and tested

My dogs thoroughly enjoy eating Bakers Small Dog Dry Dog Food and empty their bowls every time (my two Jack Russell's can sometimes be fussy eaters in their older age, so it says a lot for the food).

I have three dogs in total and we get through a lot of food because they enjoy it so much!
Each piece is hard but small in size and they seem to crunch through it with ease. Although it is classed as a "complete" food, I sprinkle a generous amount into a bowl with some wet food so that they get a variety of textures and flavours.

Tested by our Commercial Content Writer, Arabella Horspool, who has three dogs, two Jack Russell Terriers and a Dachshund.

Royal Canin make great dry food for dogs and this specific formula is mini and therefore perfect for small dogs to crunch through and chew. I love that it contains Omega 3 to keep their fur looking its best.

My Yorkshire Terrier Jack Russell cross, Gina, is notoriously fussy with her food, but she's been on the Royal Canin Mini Adult kibble for just over a year now, and she's not turned her nose up to it yet. As she's entering her senior years, her teeth just aren't as strong as they used to be, so she needs a food that she can still easily crunch up. The adapted kibble size for the Royal Canin Mini Adult food is just the right size for her, and she can easily break it down with her teeth.

The recipe contains L-Carnitine, which helps your pooch maintain a healthy metabolism, and Omega 3 to keep their coat looking shiny and glossy. I have definitely noticed a difference in Gina's coat condition since switching her from cheaper dog foods that I've fed her before. Her coat always has a lovely sheen to it, and it feels like the overall colour is brighter too.

Rosie Floyd, a Commercial Content Writer at Yours.co.uk reviewed this dry dog food. She has three dogs including Gina, who tested this product.

As any dog owner will know, you want to make sure your puppy is getting the best start in life, which is why we decided to go with this dry food for our four month old border collie pup, as it came highly recommended from our vet as well as the breeder. Although our puppy isn’t very food orientated, she loves this food, always licking the bowl clean.

We have however found that at times, she likes it to be mixed into something like a puppy pate or scrambled egg as a treat. We’ve found that this food keeps her tummy happy and very regular with very healthy poops! We’re also big fans of the packaging an clever Velcro-like seal that keeps the food fresh.

Yours.co.uk Senior Digital Writer Lorna White and her Border Collie puppy reviewed this dry dog food.

My three small dogs can be quite set in their ways when it comes to their food, but as soon as I put down a bowl full of Pooch & Mutt Small Dog Complete Superfood they gobbled it all up. Each piece is uniformly small and is easy for their little teeth to break up (even for my senior dogs).

Since switching to Pooch & Mutt's products, they have had no tummy troubles and don't appear to be bloated after their meals. This is probably due to their clear indication of recommended portion sizes in their feeding guide, as well as their nutritious ingredients which include spinach, cranberries and kale.

Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer at Yours.co.uk. Her dogs (a dachshund and Jack Russell terriers) have tried and tested this dry dog food.

Brilliant for fussy eaters and working dogs, this Skinner's Field & Trial Muesli for dogs contains a broad selection of ingredients - such as vegetables, wheat biscuits, cooked cereals and beef protein - to create and interesting and balanced meal.

We struggled in the past to find food for our lurcher, he’s a really fussy eater and won’t eat a lot of the foods we’ve tried with him. We even gave raw food a go for a while, but it’s so much more practical to feed dry. This Skinners muesli mix is the only thing that he will happily eat, and he’s been on it for around a year now and not turned his nose up at it. This food has lots of different textures and he seems to genuinely enjoy his meals. His poos look healthy, his coat is shiny and he doesn’t get super hyper on it, which we were a bit concerned about, as it is a working dog mix and he’s a real couch potato! But he’s still perfectly happy lounging around so that’s good.

Our terrier also loves it, but he will eat anything! We tend to mix this with a little bit of Skinner’s Field and Trial wet dog food, and it’s turned out to be a winning combination. I’d particularly recommend it to anyone struggling with a fussy eater.

Reviewed by Stephanie Spencer, the Hub Editor at Yours.co.uk who has two dogs, a terrier and a lurcher.

Arden Grange is the dry dog food that the breeder who sold us our Labrador Retriever recommended. I’ve kept our puppy on this brand because it offers a well-balanced, all-natural diet for growing dogs and I was impressed with the Arden Grange website which includes handy information about the nutritional needs of dogs, tips for sensitive tummies and when to progress onto adult kibble.

It caters to different sized dog breeds which apparently require different levels of calories and fat, and our dog has remained a healthy, happy weight by following the feeding guidelines. I’ve also noticed our dog’s stools are a good consistency and don’t smell too bad – which is not to be underestimated as a benefit! I think we’ll continue to use Arden Grange into adulthood as we’ve been happy with it to date. It’s a British company, which isn’t the main reason for sticking with it, but it’s a nice thought that we’re supporting local.

Reviewed by Robyn Cann, dog owner and Features & Reviews Editor at Yours.co.uk.

We've been using Chappie dry food for at least 20 years now, and never had a reason to switch. Our current dog, Hurley, isn't a working dog and so doesn't need a heavy protein diet since he won't be running it off. In addition, his stomach struggles handling rich food, so this is a great balance for him. The only complaints he'd give is that he wants more as soon as he's finished!

Reviewed by Digital Writer Olivia Sheed and Hurley the Black Labrador who is 6 1/2 years old.

This dry dog food from Royal Canin is perfect for pooches who put weight on easily. The small hoop-shaped biscuits are designed to fit between the teeth of dogs of sizes. Each portion of doggy kibble is said to provide all the nutrients they need for a healthy diet while helping prevent your pet from becoming overweight.

My 12-year-old Border Terrier has been eating this dog food for the last couple of years. As he’s got older, he’s become less active and a little slower on walks so to stop him piling on the pounds we decided to try a lower calorie dog food option.
I was initially quite worried that being ‘a doggy diet food’ he would turn his nose up at it, but he really seems to enjoy the taste. Even now, he still runs straight over to bowl to wolf it down.
He also has always had a very sensitive tummy, and many other dog foods have caused him to be sick in the past. I haven’t found this at all with this food. It seems to suit dogs with delicate tummies.

What I also love about this food is that we tend to use it a treat. We take a small amount of his daily allowance and out it in his treat dog toy so he can fun trying to get it out. I can’t vouch for the taste personally, but he certainly seems to enjoy it!

Just because your four-legged friend is "getting on", it doesn't mean that they need to be on a soft-food diet (unless otherwise told by your vet), so why not add some texture to their meals with this crunchy IAMS Complete Dry Dog Food for seniors? It's made using fresh chicken, nutrients and animal proteins to look after their joints and heart.

My two senior Jack Russell Terriers are 14 years and the absolutely love IAMS Complete Dry Dog Food. Since they've gotten older they have become slightly picky with their food, but they always eat this. I mix in a handful of the IAMS with some wet food and mix it together before serving it to them; each piece is small in size and they find it easy to crunch.

Our Commercial Content Writer, Arabella Horspool wrote this review. She has three dogs, including two senior Jack Russells who tried the IAMS Complete Dry Dog Food.

Packed full of meat, vegetables and botanicals, this Walker and Drake Cold Pressed Dog Food can be served by itself, but my three like to have a sprinkle mixed in with their wet food. It has been cold pressed, meaning that it's slightly softer than regular dry food and is easier for them to break up with their teeth and digest - you can even soak it in some water before serving it to allow it to soften further.

Walker and Drake say that their cold-pressed method 'keeps natural enzymes and vitamins locked in as well as retaining fibre and molecular structures'.

This review has been written by our Commercial Content Writer, Arabella Horspool.

If your canine companion can be a bit picky about their food or you believe they can benefit from a personalised food plan, tails.com offers an ideal solution. This tailored meal package ensures you receive exclusive recipes conveniently delivered to your doorstep, precisely formulated based on the information you provide about your pet. Whether your dog has specific health concerns or dietary requirements, you can request customised recipes to address their individual needs.

As Frankie is food driven, he'll eat almost anything, but it's clear that tails.com is on another level for him. Alaskan Malamutes are a vocal breed, so when they really love something, you'll know about it. Dinner time has now become an almighty song and dance - he leaps around the room, barking and howling at us until we're done dishing up and he can dig in, wolfing it down in just a few minutes. He's never been this vocal about any previous food brands, so I know he loves it."

This was reviewed by Jade Moscrop, a Lifestyle Commercial Content Editor at Bauer Media who has an Alaskan Malamute named Frankie.
Read our full Tails.com review to find out more.

Specially formulated for sausage dogs, this Royal Canin Dog Food Dachshund Puppy Dry Mix consists of little pieces that are easy to digest and minimise stool odour. It will support the development of their joints as it contains glucosamine, chondroitin, EPA and DHA.

When taking home our dachshund puppy for the first time, we were recommended this specific Royal Canin Dachshund Puppy Dry Mix and the little fella could not get enough of it! He enjoyed this food for his first few months with us (along with a small amount of goat milk), before we expanded his palate with other foods.

Arabella Horspool, a Commercial Content Writer at Yours.co.uk who has a Dachshund puppy, reviewed the Royal Canin Dog Food Dachshund Puppy Dry Mix.

Discover a nourishing blend of natural ingredients in James Wellbeloved Adult Superfoods, which is formulated for dogs aged 1 to 7 years old. Made with turkey, kale and quinoa, many owners have said that their fussy dogs are drawn to this food and lap it up.

It's hypoallergenic, enriched with omega 3 and 6 oils, and features prebiotics to support radiant skin, a lustrous coat, and a thriving digestive system. Plus, you can rest easy knowing that it contains no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives.

While it isn't the cheapest option, customers like that the food is a high quality, with one saying, "I was conscious that my dog's foods we’re too heavily cereal based and didn't have enough meat derivative. This ticks the boxes and she never turns her nose up at it.".

Pooch & Mutt has earned a reputation for making top-tier grain-free and hypoallergenic dog food. The PRIMAL line of dry dog food is no exception, aiming to mirror the ancestral diet of dogs so they can deliver maximum nutritional value from naturally sourced ingredients found in the wild.

This high-quality formula boasts an impressive 80 per cent meat content, featuring a delectable mix of lamb, ostrich, chicken, and salmon, along with an abundance of wholesome vegetables and superfoods such as turmeric.

Pooch and Mutt Primal High Meat Dog Food is especially beneficial for active and working dogs, providing them with the nourishment they need to thrive. Users commented on its "great ingredients and high meat content—all the right things for your dog."

Wagg Complete Wheat Free is a tasty dry food option as it’s infused with flavours of chicken and rice, making it a good option to complement your dog’s wet tins, pouches or trays. As the formulation is wheat-free, it’s gentle on sensitive stomachs so it’s one to consider if your pooch has any wheat allergies or intolerances.

Although a few reviewers aren't keen on the smell, they do say that it's worth it for the food is nutritious and has appeared to clear up some of their pets' allergy symptoms and digestive issues. It contains added Vitamin E, which plays a crucial role in building up your dog's immune system. Plus, it's completely free from artificial flavours and colourings.

AVA dry dog food is a reliable option that comes with the Veterinary Approval stamp, making it an excellent choice for those seeking to provide their canine companion with high-quality, natural nutrition.

With its hypoallergenic white fish recipe and specialised formulations for sensitive stomachs, this AVA Optimum Health Sensitive Skin and Stomach Dog Food is not only easily digestible but also delivers comprehensive well-being support, including promoting a luscious coat and aiding in brain development. Tailored to suit adult dogs aged one to seven years, the kibble size and shape are designed with the needs of pets in that age range in mind.

Reviewers found that it has helped with their pooches digestive health, with one saying, "Finally kibbles which suit to my miniature dachshund. We tried few different brands and she always ended up with digestive issues, a lot of grass eating and painful tummy. But not anymore since she is on AVA sensitive stomach. She was also very fussy but she really likes this one.".

Harringtons Complete Natural Dry Adult Dog Food offers a comprehensive and well-rounded meal for your furry friend. Meticulously crafted to ensure wholesome nutrition, this formula is free from artificial colours, flavours, dairy and soya, with no added wheat.

Several customers have said that they were recommended to switch to Harringtons by their vet and noticed that their dog seemed healthier and had better bowel movements, with one saying, "it also keeps her 'solid' unlike some other dried food".

Instead, it's packed with quality meat ingredients, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals in every bite to keep your dog in the best of health and spirits. The turkey flavour not only provides a rich source of protein but also features a delectable gravy surrounding the kibble, making it a truly lip-smacking and satisfying meal for your pooch.