🐶 What is the Best Food for my Dog?How to Choose the Right Type of Dog Food (Raw, Dry, Cold-Pressed & More)

Go into a pet store today and the food options can feel very overwhelming. Shelves stuffed with hundreds of almost identical brands. Then there is online, every second a new advert claiming to have the perfect food for your dog! How are you supposed to make a choice?

Raw. Kibble. Cold-pressed. Wet food. Grain-free. Fresh food subscriptions.

Every brand claims to be “the best.” But what actually matters? And how to Choose the right type of dog food?

In this guide, we’ll break down the main types of dog food, the pros and cons of each, and how to decide what fits your dog’s lifestyle, digestion, and your daily routine.

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🥩 1. Raw Dog Food

Raw feeding (often called the BARF diet – Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) usually includes:

• Raw meat

• Bones

• Organs

• Vegetables

• Supplements
  

✅ Pros

• Minimally processed

• High protein

• Can produce small, firm stools

• Often very palatable
  

⚠️ Considerations

• Requires careful nutritional balancing (you have to make the recipe yourself or rely on another company's formula)

• It all depends on the quality of the ingredients (poor quality is easy to find and the premium stuff can be very expensive)

• Risk of bacterial contamination (Forgetting to clean the bowl or freeze before feeding can cause bacteria build up).

• Needs freezer storage

• Travel can be difficult

• Not always convenient for busy households
  

Raw feeding can work very well when done properly. However, it requires research and LOTS of time and commitment to ensure nutritional completeness (and safety).

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🍪 2. Traditional Dry Food (Kibble)

Kibble is the most common type of dog food. It is typically made using high-temperature extrusion, which cooks ingredients into uniform pellets.

✅ Pros

• Convenient

• Long shelf life

• Easy to store

• Usually affordable

  
  

⚠️ Considerations

• High heat processing (the nutrients are often destroyed along with the natural taste and smell, with artificial components added to replace them).

• Some formulas use low-quality fillers (look for cereals and random ingredients)

• Can be harder to digest for sensitive dogs

• Often very low moisture

  
  

Not all kibble is equal, ingredient quality matters enormously. Learning to read labels is essential. You can learn more about decoding dog food labels in this article

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🌿 3. Cold-Pressed Dog Food

Cold-pressed food is gently pressed at lower temperatures compared to traditional kibble. This helps preserve more natural nutrients and aroma.

✅ Pros

• Less processed than extruded kibble

• Retains natural smell and flavour

• Breaks down more gently in the stomach

• No expansion after eating

• Convenient like kibble but closer nutritionally to a raw diet

• Can be fed alongside raw (extruded foods often upset dogs fed with raw food)

  
  

⚖️ Why Many Owners Choose Cold-Pressed

For many dog owners, cold-pressed offers a middle ground:

• More natural than heavily processed kibble

• More convenient and stable than raw

• Easier to balance nutritionally

  
  

It’s particularly popular for:

• Dogs with sensitive digestion

• Owners who want quality but need convenience

• Households that travel

• People transitioning from raw

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🥫 4. Wet / Tinned Dog Food

Wet or tinned food is made by mixing ground, fresh or frozen meat (often by-products like liver or kidney) with vegetables, grains, vitamins, and minerals, and sealing this into cans or pouches. The containers are then cooked and labelled.

As wet food is sealed it retains a high moisture content and is often very appealing to dogs.

✅ Pros

• Highly palatable (It can look more appetising to dogs)

• Good for hydration

• Softer for older dogs
  

⚠️ Considerations

• Short shelf life once opened

• Can be expensive long-term

• Often lower in protein quality (depends on brand)

• Not ideal alone for dental health (you can mix with cold pressed no problem)
  

Many owners use wet food as a topper rather than a complete long-term solution.

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🧠 So… Which Type Is Best?

There is no single “perfect” food for every dog.

The right choice depends on:

• Your dog’s digestion

• Energy levels

• Age

• Health conditions

• Your storage space

• Your schedule

• Your budget

  
  

Ask Yourself:

• Does my dog have a sensitive stomach?

• Do I have freezer space for raw?

• Do I travel often?

• Do I want minimal processing?

• Do I have time to balance meals myself?

If you are looking for convenience, nutrition and balance, many people go for cold pressed as it offers a great mix of these three.

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🍎 A Quick Word on Nutrition

No matter which feeding style you choose, what matters most is:

• Complete & balanced nutrition

• Appropriate protein levels

• Proper fat content

• Essential vitamins & minerals

• Quality ingredient sourcing
  

If you’d like a deeper breakdown of:

• What dogs can and cannot eat

• Superfoods for dogs

• Common nutrition mistakes

• Ingredient red flags
  

👉 Read our Ultimate Guide to Dog Nutrition 

That article explains exactly how to assess food quality, regardless of type.

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🔄 Can You Mix Feeding Types?

Yes, many owners successfully:

• Mix cold-pressed with raw

• Add wet food as a topper

• Rotate proteins

• Transition gradually between styles

  
  

The key is introducing changes slowly and monitoring your dog’s digestion.

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🐾 How to Choose the Right Type of Dog Food?

The “best” dog food isn’t about trends.

It’s about:

✔ Quality ingredients

✔ Nutritional balance

✔ Digestibility

✔ Practicality for your lifestyle

Some owners thrive with raw. Some prefer traditional kibble. Many are discovering cold-pressed as a balanced, less-processed alternative.

The most important thing? Feed intentionally, not emotionally or based on marketing.

Your dog will thank you for it.

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