Many dog owners are choosing to feed their dogs food that contains salmon as the main ingredient because of the benefits this fish has to offer their dogs in terms of nutrition. Salmon is a common ingredient in high-quality dog foods as it’s a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids that support dogs’ immune systems and help decrease inflammation while nourishing dogs’ skin and coat health.

With these benefits in mind, we have reviewed some of the best salmon-based dog foods available on the market.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 9 Best Salmon Dog Foods

1. American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Dog Food – Best Overall

Our pick for the best overall salmon dog food is the American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato dry dog food because it features real deboned salmon with high protein and essential amino acids needed to keep your dog healthy. These proteins and amino acids work together to help your dog develop leaner muscles, with an exceptional flavor that will entice your dog to eat it. Sweet potatoes and chickpeas are included in this recipe to provide your dog with lasting energy, along with fruits and vegetables (such as carrots, dried kelp, blueberries), beneficial fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants to fulfill dogs’ nutritional requirements.

Aside from real salmon being one of the first ingredients on the list, this food is also rich in omega fatty acids. These fatty acids include DHA which promotes healthy brain and eye development and also keeps your dog’s skin and coat healthy. However, this food contains a high amount of peas and legumes, which are not useful in a dog’s diet.

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2. Purina Pro Plan Adult Shredded Blend Salmon & Rice Dog Food – Best Value

The best salmon dog food for the money is the Purina Pro Plan Salmon Blend dog food as you get a 33-pound bag of quality dog food for an affordable price. This food contains real salmon as the first ingredient with an enticing flavor that appeals to even fussy dogs. It contains vitamin A and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) to nourish your dog’s skin and coat health.

Natural prebiotic fiber sourced from wheat bran has also been added to nourish specific intestinal bacteria for digestive health. This food has a moderately high amount of protein, and very high fat content, so it is best to feed this food to active dog breeds that are not prone to obesity.

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3. Spot and Tango Unkibble Cod & Salmon Dog Food – Premium Choice

A premium choice of salmon dog food is the Spot and Tango Unkibble cod and salmon dog food. This is a subscription-based dog food service where you can build a meal plan for your dog online and have the food delivered right to your door. There are various meal plans and pricing options available with limited and wholesome ingredients in each recipe.

The salmon and cod recipe has these two foods as the main ingredient in the food. In addition to these meats, this recipe includes tapioca, flaxseed, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, apples, chia seeds, and parsley. Since this is a subscription-based dog food delivery service, you can only choose the meal online and you cannot purchase the food separately in a pet store.

The addition of seeds in this recipe is used to dry out the food and create a balance between the salmon, cod, and other wholesome ingredients.

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4. Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Salmon & Potato Dog Food

Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free dog food is easy to digest and contains real salmon as the first ingredient, followed by nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as sweet potato and pumpkin which help to aid in proper digestion for your dog. The fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients in this dry dog food help to support your dog’s immune system and help keep your dog in good health.

This salmon-based food does not contain added corn, wheat, soy protein, poultry by-product, and no artificial flavors or preservatives. The fiber in this food is aimed to help support dogs with sensitive digestive systems, especially those that are sensitive to grains as this food is entirely grain-free. This food does have a low protein content in comparison to the balance of fat and fiber, though.

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5. Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Salmon & Sweet Potato Dog Food

This is a grain-free dog food from Racheal Ray Nutrish that contains real salmon as the first ingredient along with other wholesome ingredients such as sweet potatoes, peas, tapioca, and beet pulp, aimed to improve the health of your dog. It contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and instead, these potentially harmful ingredients are replaced with vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that support dogs’ joint and digestive health while promoting healthy skin and coat from the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

This simple and natural recipe has a moderate level of protein, with a balance of fat and fiber for an affordable price, although it has large-sized kibble unsuitable for smaller dogs.

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6. Merrick Grain-Free Real Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

The Merrick Grain-Free Salmon dog food is made with 60% protein and healthy fat with deboned salmon as the main ingredient. The remaining 40% includes fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other natural ingredients to form a dog food high in protein and fat with decent fiber content. This dog food is grain and gluten-free and is developed with high levels of omega fatty acids to promote healthy skin and coats in dogs along with glucosamine and chondroitin to support hip and joint mobility.

It features high-quality food sourced from trusted farmers without the inclusion of corn, wheat, soy, and artificial preservatives. This food is slightly more expensive than other salmon-based dog food on the market for the amount of food you get, though.

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7. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula

Salmon is the first ingredient in this limited ingredient dog food from Natural Balance, along with sweet potatoes which are an easily digestible source of carbohydrate for dogs. This dog food has been formulated by a team of board-certified clinical veterinarians, animal nutritionists, research scientists, design engineers, and pet feeding analysts with years of experience to ensure that the food meets the nutritional quality that Natural Balance guarantees.

Unlike many other salmon-based dog foods, Natural Balance has excluded peas, pea protein, lentils, legumes, corn, wheat, and soy from the recipe to ensure it’s suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs. It is pricey for the volume of food you receive, but the quality makes the price worth it.

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8. Purina Beyond Alaskan Cod Salmon & Sweet Potato Canned Dog Food

This high-protein wet dog food from Purina contains line-caught Alaskan cod as the main ingredient, while also including salmon, sweet potato, and natural prebiotic fiber. The fish in this canned dog food has been responsibly sourced from fisheries that earn MSC certification. This natural dog food is full of vitamins and minerals to ensure your dog is receiving balanced nutrition from each can.

It contains no corn, wheat, soy, or poultry-by products and is entirely grain-free. There are also no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, although this food has a comparatively high fat content.

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9. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Salmon & Potato Recipe

This limited-ingredient dog food from Blue Buffalo contains a single animal-sourced protein—salmon—as the main ingredient. It also includes pumpkin, peas, and potatoes which are easily digestible carbohydrates. This formula features the brand’s exclusive LifeSource Bits which are a combination of selected antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins chosen by veterinarians and animal nutritionists.

It also contains gluten-free grains which makes it safe for dogs with sensitive stomachs to eat and is free from chicken, beef, corn, wheat, soy, dairy, and eggs, which may further upset your dog’s stomach. Since it is a limited-ingredient dog food, each ingredient has been carefully picked for its health benefits without the addition of any unnecessary by-products. One downside to this food is that it has a low protein content and fairly high-fat content.

Buyer’s Guide – How to Find the Best Salmon Dog Food

Why Choose Salmon Dog Food?

Dogs thrive on meat-rich diets full of quality proteins, and salmon is generally preferred over other types of meats because it is easy for dogs to digest. Many dogs that have sensitive stomachs can thrive on salmon-based dog food. Salmon is a high-quality ingredient and it is a great ingredient to incorporate into your dog’s daily diet. It is ideal for all dog breeds and the benefits are usually noticeable within the first month of switching your dog to food rich in salmon.

Benefits of Dog Food With Salmon

• Related Read: Best Salmon Oil Supplements for Dogs

Conclusion

Of all the salmon-based dog foods we reviewed in this article, the American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe is our top choice overall as it’s affordable and salmon is the first among many great ingredients in this dog food. Our next favorite is the Purina Pro Plan Adult Dog Food known for its high protein and vitamin content. Our premium choice is the Spot and Tango Unkibble recipe because it runs through a convenient delivery service and the food is delivered fresh for your dog.

We hope our in-depth reviews have helped you choose the best salmon-based food for your pooch!

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Featured Image Credit: Irina Kozorog, Shutterstock