Feeding your dog is one of the top priorities for all dog owners, and finding the perfect dog food that will keep your pup happy and in good health is essential! But whether you’re looking to switch your dog’s food or need to get food for your new dog, shopping for dog food can be time-consuming, especially with so many options out there.

We did all the hard work for you. Here are reviews of 10 of the best dog food for Canadian pups, so you can just read, click, and purchase! Hopefully, you’ll find the best food for your dog.

A Quick Comparison of the Winners in 2024

The 10 Best Dry Dog Foods in Canada

1. Purina ONE SmartBlend Dog Food — Best Overall

The overall best dry dog food for Canadian dogs is Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Dry Dog Food. It has lamb as the first and main ingredient, and it’s a tasty combination of meaty morsels mixed in with crunchy kibble. It has added vitamins, minerals, and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, as well as overall health. It contains a natural source of glucosamine for healthy joints, prebiotic fibre for digestion, and antioxidants for boosting the immune system.

One issue with this dog food is that it does contain chicken by-products, which is important to know if your dog has a food sensitivity to chicken. It’s also caused stomach upset in some dogs.

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2. Pedigree Vitality+ Dry Dog Food — Best Value

The best dry dog food in Canada for the money is Pedigree Vitality+ Dry Dog Food. It’s well-priced and contains a natural fibre source to support a healthy digestive system. The added calcium will keep your dog’s bones and teeth strong, and it doesn’t include any sugar, corn syrup, or artificial flavours.

The flaws with this food are that it doesn’t contain any whole meats and has corn as the first ingredient. There is nothing wrong with corn being in dog food, but it’s best if the first ingredients are whole meat. It also includes artificial colours.

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3. Purina Pro Plan Dry Dog Food — Premium Choice

Purina’s Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dry Dog Food is a great choice for any dog with stomach and/or skin sensitivity problems. Salmon is the main ingredient, and for those dogs that have a food sensitivity to chicken, this food is safe. It contains omega-3 and -6 for skin, coat, and joint health, as well as antioxidants to support the immune system. It doesn’t include chicken by-products, corn, soy, wheat, or artificial colours or flavours.

The problems here are that the food is expensive, and while most dogs seem to enjoy this food, some pickier dogs don’t like it.

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4. Hill’s Science Diet Small Paws Puppy Food — Best for Puppies

If you have a small breed puppy, Hill’s Science Diet Small Paws Dry Puppy Food has been specifically designed with your puppy in mind. The kibble is extra small, and it includes DHA derived from fish oil to support your puppy’s developing brain and eyes. It has added vitamins and minerals to aid a puppy’s bones and teeth, and it uses high-quality protein to help build lean muscles.

The main problems with this food are that it is quite expensive, and some puppies might experience an upset tummy.

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5. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

Nutro’s Natural Choice Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food has whole chicken as the first and main ingredient, as well as healthy whole-grain brown rice. It contains antioxidants for the immune system and chondroitin and glucosamine for much-needed joint support for large dogs. It has the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to support a healthy weight. It does not include soy, corn, wheat, by-products, or any artificial preservatives, flavours, or colours.

However, this food is quite expensive, and some picky dogs might not like it.

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6. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food

Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food has been made to specifically aid dogs with skin and stomach issues due to the addition of beet pulp as a natural prebiotic fibre. It aids in supporting the gut microbiomes and is highly digestible. It has vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin, as well as whole chicken as the main ingredient.

The flaws are that it is expensive, and while this is a food designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs, it includes chicken, which can be a food allergy in some dogs.

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7. Wellness CORE Natural Dry Dog Food

Wellness CORE Natural Dry Dog Food has different options in flavours and sizes, including the choice of chicken-free or grain free. This review is for the chicken and turkey recipe, which is not only grain-free but also doesn’t have gluten, corn, soy, by-products, or artificial preservatives, flavours, or colours. It contains high levels of protein from whole meat ingredients and has omega fatty acids, flaxseed, and salmon oil for healthy skin and coat. It also has taurine, glucosamine, probiotics, and antioxidants for an overall healthy body.

However, this is an expensive food, and some dogs have experienced stomach upset after eating it.

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8. IAMS Adult Minichunks Dry Dog Food

IAMS Adult Minichunks Dry Dog Food is quite well-priced and uses high-protein sources from eggs and chicken for strong muscles. It contains natural prebiotics and fibres for healthy digestion and antioxidants for the immune system. It includes whole grains for essential nutrients and carbohydrates to sustain your dog’s energy levels, as well as omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. It doesn’t have any artificial preservatives or flavours.

However, while it might not contain artificial flavours or preservatives, it does have artificial colours. Some dogs have gotten stomach upset from this food.

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9. Royal Canin Small Adult Dry Dog Food

Royal Canin’s Small Adult Dry Dog Food is perfect for that small dog in your life because it is made specifically to sustain a small breed’s energy and weight requirements. It includes DHA and EPA for your dog’s skin and coat, as well as L-carnitine, which metabolizes fat and helps maintain a healthy weight. The kibble helps remove tartar and plaque buildup and is small enough for tiny mouths and teeth.

But this is an expensive dog food. Also, corn is listed as the first ingredient, and we would prefer to see meat in that spot.

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10. IAMS Adult Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

IAMS Adult Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food is affordable and is made for large breeds, so it supports healthy bones and joints. It contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate for the joints and can help dogs with osteoarthritis. It includes natural fibres and prebiotics for healthy digestion and chicken fat for healthy coat and skin.

The flaws are that it does contain artificial colours, it might cause an upset stomach for some dogs, and picky dogs might not want to eat it.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dry Dog Foods in Canada

This buyer’s guide covers a few points about dog food that can help you make an informed decision.

Price

Canadians tend to pay more for many items, and dog food is no exception. Many brands are manufactured in the United States, which are then imported into Canada. This is one reason for higher prices. If your favourite brand is too expensive online, check the pet stores in your neighbourhood.

Ingredients

It’s important to know what is in your dog’s food. The first three ingredients are also the main ingredients. If you’re worried about fillers in dog food, be aware that ingredients such as corn and wheat are healthy for most dogs. The most common ingredients that trigger allergies and food sensitivities are beef, dairy, wheat, chicken, and egg.

If you’re at all worried or have questions about your dog’s health or any potential allergies, speak to your vet. Don’t assume that dog foods with grains or fillers are bad for your dog.

Size

When buying dry dog food, buying in bulk can save you money. But you must also consider your storage space and the size of your dog. The larger the bag, the longer it will sit around, which can run the risk of it going stale and being invaded by pests. When buying a food for the first time, try to aim for a small size, in case your dog rejects it. Once you’ve established that the food is a good fit, buy in bulk if you can store it properly.

Introducing New Food

Before introducing your pup to a new food, talk to your vet about the food change. Your vet can give you advice on the best kinds of food for your dog or if there are any ingredients that you should be on the lookout for. This is essential if your dog has any health conditions.

When it’s time to introduce a new food, it must be done quite slowly. Start by adding a small amount of new food to the old and gradually increasing the amount of the new food each day. Going this slowly gives your dog’s digestive system and taste buds time to adjust to the new food, which also reduces the risk of your dog experiencing stomach upset.

• See Also: 10 Best Wet Dog Foods in Canada

Final Thoughts

Our overall favourite dry dog food in Canada is Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Dry Dog Food. It has lamb as the first and main ingredient, and it contains a healthy blend of glucosamine, antioxidants, and prebiotic fibre. Pedigree’s Vitality+ Dry Dog Food is well-priced and includes natural fibre and added calcium for strong bones and teeth. Finally, Purina’s Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dry Dog Food is a great choice for dogs with stomach and/or skin sensitivity issues. Salmon is the main ingredient, and there’s no trace of chicken for dogs with chicken-triggered food allergies.

We hope that you can find the right product for your dog, and at the end of the day, your dog enjoys tasty new food.

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Featured Image Credit: Anastasiya Tsiasemnikava, Shutterstock