You’ll start to notice as your puppy grows to adulthood and beyond that, just like humans, their body starts to slow down and wear out. Once that starts happening, pet owners know that the senior years have started. It may start with them not wanting to go out and play as much or needing more things to keep them healthy, but that time will come.

If your pet has become a senior dog, you’re, of course, going to want to do everything you can to keep him healthy and help him thrive way into his older years. That starts with getting him the best senior dog food on the market today.

If you’re unsure what the best senior food is, join us as we delve into our reviews of what we think are the best 11 senior dog foods for this year. Once we give you our choices, we’ll also give you a few tips on how to choose the best for your older furry friend as well.

A Quick Glance at Our Favorite Picks in 2024

The 11 Best Senior Dog Foods

1. Nom Nom Beef Mash Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

Our choice for the best overall senior dog food is the Nom Nom Beef Mash recipe. Formulated by veterinary nutritionists and made with ingredients sourced from the USA, this food is prepped, cooked, and packaged in the company’s own facilities, allowing them to ensure top quality throughout the entire process. Nom Nom Beef Mash is full of healthy, recognizable ingredients like beef, potatoes, eggs, carrots, and peas. It’s also nutritionally balanced and has the lowest fat content of the four Nom Nom food recipes to help keep your senior dog trim as their metabolism slows. The soft texture of this food makes it a good choice for older dogs who’ve lost a few (or all!) of their teeth over the years. Dog owners who’ve tried Nom Nom find that their pups seem to love the taste. Many also noted improvement in their coats and digestive health.

Only available from the company’s website, Nom Nom is shipped directly to your home on a regular schedule. Because of this, this diet won’t be the best option for those who lack reliable Internet service or mail delivery. It’s also more expensive than other, more widely available senior dog foods due to the human-grade quality of the ingredients. If you’re looking for a senior dog diet that’s delicious, nutritious, and made by a company that prioritizes sustainability and quality, Nom Nom Beef Mash could be just the right fit.

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2. Iams ProActive Health Mature Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy

Our choice for the best senior dog foods for the money is Iams Proactive Health Mature Adult Dry Dog Food. This kibble is much more affordable than many other foods on our list. It’s a dry food that should work well for almost any budget. Your senior dog will be happy with the taste of chicken, and you’ll be happy because the product was made using farm-raised chicken as its first ingredient. The food contains antioxidants and fiber for even more added health benefits for your elderly friend.

The only drawback to this kibble is that it’s been known to upset sensitive stomachs. It also only comes in one flavor option.

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3. Orijen Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

At number three on our list is Orijen Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. It’s a dry food and contains chicken, turkey, and fish as the first ingredients. The manufacturer guarantees that the first five ingredients in their senior dog food will be fresh or raw, which is great for your senior pet. A high-protein formula with plenty of vitamins and minerals added, this is a food that should be on every person with an older dog’s list.

The food only comes in one flavor, which might not work for picky eaters, and it is a bit pricey.

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4. Victor Purpose Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food

Our number four spot goes to Victor Purpose Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food. This is an excellent dry formula to follow your pet into its twilight years. The food promotes joint health with its nutrient-rich ingredients and helps your pet maintain or decrease its weight. If you’re searching for dog food that’s healthy for your senior dog but still within your budget, then we recommend this brand. However, the brand does contain quite a bit of grain and too many carbs for some pet owners’ liking.

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5. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food

At number five on our list of the top 11 best senior dog foods is Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food. This made the top 5 on our list because it features real meat as its first ingredient. Not only does this food have no wheat or corn, but it also works to support the health of your senior dog’s joints. We all know that the older your dog gets, the worse his joints will feel, so this food will help.

The only drawbacks we found to this food are that it can be hard on dogs with sensitive stomachs and is quite expensive.

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6. Nulo Freestyle Trout & Sweet Potato Senior Dog Food

Coming in at number five on the list is Nulo Freestyle Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Senior Dry Dog Food. The makers of this product believe in it exclusively, claiming that the food can “help your dog get better with age.” The formula is grain-free and egg and chicken-free, which is great if your senior dog has allergies. In addition, it aids with digestion because it contains probiotics and is great for joint support, which we all know dogs need as they age.

It’s been reported by some pet owners that their dogs didn’t like the taste, and it is quite expensive compared to some other dog foods on our list.

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7. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Senior Chicken Dog Food

If your older dog doesn’t like dry food or can no longer chew it, then our number six choice of Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Senior Chicken Dinner Canned Dog Food is better for him. There are no artificial flavors or byproducts, and it includes antioxidants for optimal health. Also, since chicken is the first ingredient in this food, you’re comforted in knowing your dog is getting the right amount of protein. The only drawback to this food is that it only comes in one flavor, which could pose a problem if your dog doesn’t like it, so make sure to test him out on a can first.

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8. Wellness Complete Health Senior Deboned Dry Dog Food

We’ve all smelled the foul odor of our elder dogs’ feces and wondered if there was something we could do about it. Our number seven pick of Wellness Complete Health Senior Deboned Dry Dog Food professes to do just that. It contains an extract from the plant Yucca schidigera that lessens the smell, which is good news for you and your pup. It also contains green tea extracts and Taurine to promote heart health. Coupled with joint support, this is a good choice in our opinion. However, some of the ingredients did seem to be a bit lower quality than the rest, and it only comes in one flavor.

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9. Merrick Grain-Free Senior Dry Dog Food

At number eight on the list is Merrick Grain-Free Senior Dry Dog Food. It contains sweet potatoes and is gluten-free, something every dog needs to avoid as they age. In addition, the brand has no artificial flavors or preservatives, which is why it made it to number eight on our list.

However, this kibble doesn’t help maintain a healthy weight, something that’s important in a dog’s life. It says it’s made in the USA, but some of the ingredients aren’t, and some pet owners reported their pets not eating or tolerating the food well. However, every dog is different, but be careful and try a small bit of this food first.

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10. Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Our number nine choice is the Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Dry Dog Food. If you have a large or giant breed dog, this might be the right choice. It also supports healthy brain function as your dog ages and has ingredients for dental support since it contains their Eukanuba 3D Dental Defense.

This food is designed for dogs seven years and older and weigh over 55 pounds. The only drawbacks to this blend are that it is only available for large breeds and is not corn-free. However, if you have a large dog, this is a good choice as he ages.

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11. Canidae Grain-Free Senior Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food

Last on our list is Canidae Grain-Free Pure Senior Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food. When it comes to dogs, you want to keep it simple. Good food, good health, and good owners are all a dog needs to be happy. Full of probiotics and Omega fatty acids, this simple recipe with chicken as its first ingredient is an excellent choice for an elderly dog. If you’re looking for something simple yet nourishing, Canidae can deliver.

The only drawback we saw to this kibble is that it’s very expensive compared to others on our list. However, if you’re looking for a simple recipe full of everything your dog needs to age well, this could be the right choice to meet your needs.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Senior Dog Food

That’s our top 11 reviews of what we consider the best senior dog food on the market. But, of course, now that your dog is in his golden age of adulthood, you want to give him only the healthiest food that’s age-appropriate. If you are unsure how to choose the best for your pet, we’ll give you a few tips in our section below to help you decide.

High-Protein, Low-Fat

While you’ve always tried to give your dog the best food with high protein and low-fat ingredients, it’s even more important now that he’s a senior. In addition, your dog has slowed down and doesn’t get around as much, so it’s important to choose a food that’ll give him his protein but help him maintain his optimal weight at the same time.

Strike a Balance Between Canned and Dry

Some canines lose weight and muscle mass as they age, so you want to strike a balance between canned food and dry food in this case. Remember, dogs can get picky as they age, so canned food might be something that whets your dog’s appetite when dry food doesn’t.

Skip Artificial Ingredients

Artificial ingredients aren’t good for anyone, human or animal, but they are especially bad for the elderly. You can help your dog maintain a healthy older lifestyle by choosing foods with no artificial flavors, ingredients, or preservatives.

The Health of Your Dog is Key

You already know that every dog is different, so your pet’s health going into his senior years is also essential. For example, if your dog suffers from joint pain, a sensitive stomach, or skin problems as he ages, you’ll want a different senior dog food than you would if he was completely healthy.

Vet Recommendations

If you’re having a problem figuring out the best food to feed your senior dog, then it’s best to take him to your vet for a checkup. Not only should you look for foods that have vet recommended on the label, but you should also take your vet’s advice into account as well. They’ve been doing this for a long time, so their advice is the best out there.

We all love our pets like their family and don’t want to think of them entering their twilight years. However, it happens to the best of us, so preparing to deal with it ahead of time is key. Choose the food that you think will keep your senior dog healthy, happy, and moving around fine for at least a few more years to come.

Final Thoughts

This concludes our reviews and guide of the best senior dog foods in. Our first spot went to Nom Nom Beef mash because of its high-quality ingredients and soft texture. Second is Iams Proactive Health Mature Adult Dry Dog Food for its affordability and use of farm-raised chicken. Finally, our premium choice was Orijen Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food for its ingredients and high-protein formula.

Hopefully, these reviews and the guide that comes with them will help you make the right choice for your older dog this year.

• Next on your reading list: Best Dry Dog Foods for Senior Dogs – Reviews & Top Picks

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Featured Image Credit: Jaromir Chalabala, Shutterstock