best dog foods canada best dog foods canada

Feeding Fido Right: The 10 Best Dog Foods in Canada

If searching for “Best Dog Food Canada” or something similar, read the article below to learn more about the topic. With the increasing number of pet owners, especially dog owners, the demand for good quality dog food and pet food, in general, has reached an all-time high.

In the last decade or so, companies that make dog food in Canada have improved the quality of their food, whether dry dog food, canned food, or wet food.

From making grain-free dog food that uses human-grade ingredients and no artificial preservatives to making good dog food based on the dog’s diet, food sensitivities, and food allergies, dog food brands and the pet food industry, in general, have come a long way.

Dog owners today know what is good and what’s not for their dog’s diet. They select the best dog foods according to their weight, digestive health, diet, whether or not the food will give the dog all the nutrients, healthy skin and coat, and a balanced diet.

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What Are The Things That Should Be Considered While Searching For The Best Dog Food Canada?

Like humans, our canine friends need a complete and balanced diet to keep them healthy and fit. But unlike humans, our canine best friends cannot keep their wants and needs in front of them the same way we do.

Hence, it’s the job of the dog owner or pet parent to look after their nutritional requirements. Here are some of the things dog owners must consider before buying food for their dogs:

  • Your Dog’s Comfort: Only buy the food that your dog(s) can consume comfortably. The best food for dogs should only be selected through their comfort level. If the food is rough on your dog’s food sensitivities, switch them to their liking. Some dogs eat plant-based food, while others might enjoy meat protein more.
  • Don’t Be Fooled By The Fancy Ingredients: The best dog foods are the ones that give appropriate and balanced nutrition to the dogs by having the correct ratio of carbohydrates, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins as needed by the dogs. Whether these are adult dogs or puppy dogs, the only thing their food requires is good nutritional quality. Please do not buy dog food because it has some fancy ingredient name claiming to be great for healthy skin, a healthy digestive system, and the dog’s overall health. When in doubt, consult a specialist.
  • Food To Age Ratio: Age group plays an important role in selecting dog food. The nutritional requirements of your dog will change according to its age. Many dog foods are available for dogs of all ages; puppy food and food for adult dogs. As a dog owner, you must make a conscious effort while selecting dog food.
  • Low Carbs & Low Grain/ Grain Free Diet Is Better: Experts say that making your dog’s diet grain-free, or at least with low grain, low carbs, is good for your dog. The logic they give behind this suggestion is that low grain free or low grain food will save keep them from allergies, whereas low carb will help them maintain a healthy weight.
  • Consulting A Specialist Is The Best: You should always consult a specialist if you are confused about the type of food your dog should consume. Depending on what your dog likes, their life stage, if they have sensitive stomachs, and how certain foods, like, sweet potato or corn gluten meal, make them feel, the specialist will make a diet chart. They will also tell you the dog food brand you should use and what will give your dog’s digestive system.

So now that you know what you should take into consideration, let’s look at the best dry dog food brands in Canada:

1. Orijen

Orijen is an Alberta-made dog food brand by the manufacturer Champion Pet Foods, one of the best Canadian dog food brands. The company has earned goodwill internationally for its food & manufacturing quality and ethical practices.

They procure new sources from local farms for a fresh dog food feel. Champion Pet Foods, Procure all the ingredients required to make Orijen from within a hundred kilometers of their manufacturing factory. They have won the highest number of awards in the dog food field compared to other pet food manufacturers worldwide.

Orijen is made to be the most natural diet of prey animals like wolves. Hence, they are high-quality dog food made with high-quality protein, i.e., meat, in large quantities.

It has some of the highest meat subsumptions compared to other dog food companies. It will provide a complete and balanced diet with balanced nutrition that will become irresistible to picky dogs. Its high-quality protein sources will give your dog’s body the energy needed for maximum performance.

There are many exclusive compositions to select from; red meat, fish, poultry, etc. As a dog owner, if you are contemplating giving an exclusively rare flavor combo for your dog, try Orijen Tundra with arctic char, duck, wild boar, venison, goat, etc., all in one pack.

Best Features:

  • Made in Alberta
  • Self-manufactured
  • Whole-prey, high-meat inclusion
  • Grain-free, all-life stage formulas
  • Fresh ingredients sourced from local farms
  • Food type: dry kibble, dehydrated raw
  • Size options:
    Dry kibble: 2kg, 6kg, 11.4kg
    Dehydrated raw: 170g, 454g

2. FirstMate

The history of FirstMate, a British Columbia-based dog food brand, is wealthy and fascinating, with its commercial and industrial fishing roots.

Even today, FirstMate continues to be a family-owned business, showcasing its expertise through the performance of its products, quality of work, and ethical practices. The Executive Vice president of FirstMate is a Pet Nutritionist and a Veterinarian, living proof of their commitment.

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With a remarkable array of grain-free dog food formulas, they have used high-quality ingredients to make dog food that is ample for dogs of all life stages. This dog food company uses only high-quality ingredients and never uses ingredients with GMOs, antibiotics, or hormones.

Pacific Ocean fish original, chicken with small blueberry bites, Pacific Ocean fish puppy, Pacific Ocean fish large breed, Australian lamb, chicken with blueberries, Pacific Ocean fish weight control, Australian lamb small bites, and Pacific Ocean fish original small bites are some of the grain-free dog foods from FirstMate.

One of the healthiest grains in the world, whole oats, has been complemented with the grain-inclusive line, which includes fish, lamb, and chicken, to prepare a high-quality, low-cost dog food that could be given simply with brown rice.

Best Features:

  • British Columbia Made
  • Family-owned Business
  • Self-manufactured Products
  • Eight grain-free and three grain-friendly selections
  • Value-priced, grain-inclusive selections
  • High-quality, low-price options
  • Food type: dry kibble, cans
  • Size options: 2.3kg, 6.6kg, 13kg

3. PetKind

With their focal point being tripe, PetKind has garnered great appreciation and goodwill in the dog food industry with their tripe-centered dog foods that, as a dog owner, one must buy for their dogs’ good health.

By centering its focus on tripe, whether treats or whole foods, PetKind has created an outstanding array of dog foods made with the best human-grade ingredients to provide our canine friends with the best nutrition.

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Except for a few ingredients like Lamb Tripe, which they import from New Zealand, Quinoa, which they import from Peru, and fruits & veggies, which they import from the USA, all ingredients used in PetKind’s dog foods are sourced from within Canada.

Green beef tripe, green tripe & wild Salmon, green tripe & bison, and green lamb tripe; are the seven grain-free dog food formulas that PetKind offers. Unsurprisingly, all of them contain tripe.

Green tripe, lamb, venison tripe, red meat, and lamb tripe are three of PetKind’s poultry-free formulas to keep your dog safe from allergies and to meet the hypoallergenic needs of allergic dogs.

Best Features:

  • Made in Surrey, British Columbia
  • Made with nutrient-rich tripe
  • Seven grain-free formulas
  • Potato-free
  • Ingredients sourced from New Zealand, Peru, and the USA
  • Food type: dry kibble, cans
  • Size options: 6lb, 14lb, 25lb

4. v-planet

V-planet is one of the newest Canadian dog food brands and the best dry dog food brands. They made their first appearance in the year 2018. V-planet is the child company of the 2005 established dog food company, V-dog, which has produced one of the best dog foods, that are vegan, using the best quality, human-grade ingredients. V-dog was established in California and was one of the best dog food sellers, plant-based dog food, in the entirety of the USA.

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Want to know what makes V-planet so rare? They are purely and completely vegan, which means they are plant-based. Hence, they don’t use any animal product in their products like eggs, dairy, or meat. In place of animal products, they make all their dog foods, keeping mind a dog’s nutritional intake, with whole oats, peas, quinoa, and brown rice, that are some of the most nutritional plant-based ingredients.

Most dogs can eat almost everything. But for the ones with food sensitivities, and extreme food allergies to chicken meal, meat protein, or any form of animal product, the veterinarians suggest and recommend vegan and plant-based dog food. Plus, today, when a smart pet owner knows to use eco-friendly, cruelty-free pet food, the demand for plant-based and vegan dog food options has increased exponentially.

With their mini bites and regular size dog food line, V-planet has taken this demand as a challenge and are meeting them with much enthusiasm.

In comparison to other Canadian dog food brands, V-planet is much more affordable. Also, they meet the nutritive needs of adult dogs and give them a healthy digestive system, which is what every dog owner wants.

Best features:

  • Made in Ontario
  • Completely plant-based; no animal ingredients
  • Great hypoallergenic option for allergy-prone dogs
  • Regular bites, and small bites
  • Food type: dry kibble
  • Size options: 4.4lb, 15lb

5. 1st Choice

A family owned-owned business, PLB, is the parent company of the Quebec based dog food manufacturer, 1st Choice. Established in 1990, 1st Choice became the first premium dog food company to use chicken in its products and recipes. 1st Choice has become the manufacturer of 18 unique dog food recipes for dogs of all life stages, senior dogs, puppy dogs, or adult dogs, of any breed and conditions.

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1st Choice Derma is a product specially formulated to help out dogs with hyperreactive and/or hypersensitive skin to lessen fidgeting, itching, inflammation of skin, and irritation.

1st Choice also formulates products for puppy, adult, and senior dog, focusing on good dental health, grain-free dog food, healthy skin and coat, and maximum performance.

Reduction of their carbon footprint is the commitment that Choice has made. They are extremely progressive-minded. Suppliers from Quebec and Canada are given priority when it comes to ingredient sourcing. The only fishes used in the dog foods are from Ocean Trust, an institution pledged to improve and promote sustainability and ethical fishing practices.

Best Features:

  • Made in Boucherville, Quebec.
  • Eighteen dry dog food formulas to choose
  • Hypoallergenic, dental health high-energy, etc.: Array of unique formulas
  • Food type: dry kibble.
  • Size options: 2kg, 12kg.

6. Boréal

Boréal is among the top Canadian dog food brands based in Ontario. They have been in the dog food market as the manufacturers of the highest-quality pet foods, made from human-grade ingredients, for more than twenty years. They have created all their dog foods based on the diets of the canines of the ancient Boréal forests in North America.

Boréal Vital, Boréal Original, and Boréal Proper are the three dog food lines that they offer. The entirety of their dog food production focuses on giving low-glycemic healthy carbs like beans and peas and grain-free dog food with excellent-quality meats.

Boréal Vital line includes dog foods with whitefish, large chickens, small chickens, red meat, and chicken by-product meal. Boréal Original line offers dog foods with small ducks, Salmon, lamb, and turkey.

Boréal Proper line has dog foods with large red meat pieces, chicken, large chickens, and ocean fish. Boréal’s dog foods are free from potatoes and sweet potatoes. It is one of the best overall dog food for dogs with food allergies and food sensitivities, keeping the dog’s nutritional intake in mind.

Best features:

  • Made in Ontario
  • Except for Lamb (New Zealand), Most ingredients Canada sourced
  • Low-price, high-quality dog food options for the price-conscious consumer
  • Limited ingredient, potato free
  • Food type: dry kibble, canned
  • Size options: 2kg, 4kg, 11kg

7. Rollover

Semi-soft roll-style dog foods are the specialty of a family-oriented company, Rollover, which has been in the dog and pet industries for decades.

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Rollover procures ingredients only from suppliers approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). They use human-grade ingredients of high quality.

They are an Alberta-based dog food company that has introduced three formulas of dog food recipes, premium, super-premium, and grain-free dog food. Rollover does not believe in mass production. They produce limited batches with the utmost care.

Best Features:

  • Made in High River, Alberta.
  • Self-manufactured.
  • Three unique lines of dog food.
  • Great serve for fussy and picky dogs.
  • Food type: semi-soft roll.
  • Size options: 454g, 800g, 908g.

8. Canadian Naturals

With more than 50 years of experience in the pet food industry, comes Canadian Naturals, a family-owned business, based in British Columbia. Local producers are the go-to suppliers for procuring high-quality, fresh meat, and other ingredients for this dog food company.

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In today’s tough competition in the pet food industry, West Coast Kitchen, the manufacturing unit of Canadian Naturals, believe in the most updated and innovative method of small-batch cooking, producing some of the best dry dog foods in the industry.

You can rest assured that your dog is getting the food made with the highest manufacturing, sourcing, and testing standards possible, as all the products go through their quality assurance team. They produce the products while maintaining the most ethical practices. Case in point, West Coast Kitchen is certified by SQF3 and HACCP, the most rigorous and prestigious certifications in the pet food industry.

Limited Ingredients Diets, Grain Free Value Series, Value Series, Omega Fresh Diets, and Turkey & Salmon Recipes are the five manufactured dog food lines of Canadian Recipes.

As a dog owner, if you are looking for the best of both worlds for your dog, meaning getting great quality at lower prices, you should go for the Value series with dog food in pork, chicken, and lamb flavors. Limited Ingredients Diets has flavors of pork & squash, venison & sweet potato, duck & potato, and Salmon & sweet potato for dogs with dietary restrictions and have to cut off some ingredients from their diets.

  •  Made in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
  • Highest manufacturing standards in the industry.
  • Several unique dog food lines
  • Food type: dry kibble.
  • Size options: 5lb, 11lb, 30lb.

9. Gutsy

Making their dog foods using low-glycemic carbs, probiotics, prebiotics, and very digestible ingredients, Gutsy, a Canadian dog food brand by Crump’s Naturals, makes palatable, dry, raw dog foods that are good for dogs’ overall health. They are based in Caledon, Ontario, Canada.

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Gutsy uses plant-based nutritious raw materials like broccoli, chia seeds, sweet potatoes, blueberries, lentils, sweet potatoes, and more, along with meats of high quality. Chicken dinner and Salmon & trout are the two recipes of dog foods in Gutsy.

GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), a community-driven to provide safe food to all, granted certification to Crumps’ Naturals in 2014. All their products are quality controlled and follow the proper food standards.

Best Features:

  • Made in Caledon, Ontario
  • Family-owned business
  • Self-manufactured
  • Great for fussy and picky dogs
  • Low glycemic
  • Two formula options: chicken, Salmon & trout
  • Food type: dehydrated raw
  • Size options: 1.5lb, 6.6lb

10. Pronature

Founded in 1969, Pronature, a dog food company, is the sister company of 1st Choice and the child company of the family-owned pet food company PLB International. They are deep into making superb quality dog foods and pet foods. The company was established in Quebec and all its products are manufactured there.

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With ingredients like chia, kale, juniper berries, cranberries, and more, that are super nutritious, Pronature has come up with nineteen different dog food recipes in between their three lines of dog food formulas; Pronature Holistic, Pronature Life, and Pronature Original.

Pronature Holistic has everything; foods for dogs with food allergies and food sensitivities, healthy, grain-inclusive dog foods, mini bite kibbles, with duck, turkey, fish, and chicken meat available.

Pronature Life has grain-inclusive dog food formulas that are soy, wheat, and corn free. High-quality meat offerings of Salmon, chicken, and turkey are complimented with plant-based nutritious ingredients like spinach, kale, broccoli, and more. There are four recipes in that section.

Pronature Originals are a good option for dog owners who like the high quality and low price combo. This grain-inclusive dog foods line is for dogs of all life stages. These recipes use oatmeal and barley that will keep the nutritional value of the dog food high while, at the same time keeping the prices low.

Best Features:

  • Made in Boucherville, Quebec
  • Three unique dog food lines to pick from
  • Wide selection, great for rotation-diets
  • Affordable options
  • Family-owned
  • Food type: Dry kibble
  • Size options: 2.27kg, 11.33kg, 18kg
Essential Ingredients for Homemade Dog Food
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Last Updated on by ayeshayusuf

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  • Shefali

    Shefali is a writer and an avid reader. She loves to create fantasies and imaginary worlds through her words. She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and is pursuing her master's degree in international relations. She has been writing for a long time, she has become an SEO content writer specializing in lifestyle, health, entertainment, books, and some technical niches.

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