What are the worst dog foods on the market? (2024)

We'll go over some of these considerations before recommending which dog food brands you should avoid at all costs.

The Worst Dog Food Ingredients

The question of which ingredients in dog food are low quality or should be avoided is a contentious one, with many in the industry claiming that certain ingredients are not to be feared and can provide adequate nutrition to dogs.

Others, however, will argue that these ingredients are either low-cost fillers or the poorest and least nutritious cuts of meat.

Unnamed Meat & Fish Ingredients

Ingredients in meat and fish that are not clearly named or defined should be avoided as much as possible.not clearly named or defined should beavoided as much as possible.

The reason for this is not that they are unable to provide nutrition to dogs, but rather that they are not accountable or transparent.

The manufacturer may alter or change the composition of these ingredients at their discretion, which may have a negative impact on your dog's health.

Meat Meal, Meat By-Products, and Bone Meal are common examples of unnamed meat or fish ingredients.Meat Meal, Meat By-Products, andBone Meal.

Vegetable & Grain By-Products

Many low-cost dog food brands use a wide variety of low-quality vegetable and grain by-products.

Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Middlings, and Wheat Flour are a few examples.Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Middlings, or Wheat Flour.

Ingredients such as these are processed and are usually extremely dense sources of carbohydrates.extremely dense sources of carbohydrates.

While carbohydrates are an important component of a dog’s diet, the excessive proportions provided by these ingredients in some recipes are not well suited to dogs.

There are also vegetable by-products that are extremely dense sources of protein, such as Pea Protein and Potato Protein.Pea Protein and Potato Protein.

These ingredients are used to boost the overall proportion of protein without spending money on meat or fish ingredients.

Sadly this plant-based protein is not as beneficial for dogs as animal-based protein.

You can learn more about Pea Protein in our article Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Flour, and Pea Fiber in Dog Food.PeaProtein in our article Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Flour, and Pea Fiber in Dog Food.

Poor Dog Food Nutrition

The ideal nutrition for dogs is a hotly debated topic, and there are many ways of thinking. Regardless of these, the AAFCO set out minimum levels of nutrients such as protein and fat that dog food must contain to be sold in the USA.AAFCO set out minimum levels of nutrients such as protein and fat that dog food must contain to be sold in the USA.

While these standards set out minimum levels, we and many others do not believe they are sufficient nutrition for most dogs, especially those that are more active or for puppies that are rapidly growing during the first year of their life.

While dogs can consume large amounts of carbohydrates, they are not the best part of their diet; instead, most dogs would benefit from a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Most low-cost and low-quality dog food brands barely meet the AAFCO's minimum standards before filling the rest of their recipes with low-quality carbohydrates.

Unsafe Dog Food

Unsafe dog food should be a greater concern than poor ingredient quality or nutrition, as it can cause your dog to feel ill or sick, and in extreme cases, it can even cause death.unwell or sick or can even cause death in extreme cases.

There are several ways dog food can be unsafe, including the inclusion of foreign material, pathogen contamination, unsafe nutritional values, or spoilage from improper storage.foreign material, contamination from pathogens, unsafe nutritional values, or spoilage from improperstorage.

Such issues are frequently distributed to consumers through recalls, which aim to provide information while strongly suggesting or insisting that consumers return/throw out the products described.

Consumers should be wary of dog food brands that have a long history of recalls, especially if they involve issues like contamination.

A pattern of contamination or other serious lapses will indicate poor safety and quality procedures.

This risk is far too great for many people, and they are unwilling to put their dogs or puppies in danger.

If you want to learn more about a brand's recalls, such as which recipes were recalled and why, we recommend visiting our brand reviews index, which can be found here.

The 11Worst Dog Foods

Pedigree

Pedigree is a brand that can be found on the shelves of many pet food and grocery stores across the United States, including Walmart and Target.Walmart and Target.

It is, however, popular throughout the world and can be purchased in Canada, the United Kingdom, and several European countries.Canada,the United Kingdom, and several European countries.

Mars Petcare owns the brand, as well as some other well-known pet food brands such as Royal Canin, Iams, and Eukanuba.Mars Petcare, which also owns some other pet food brands that you may be familiar with, like Royal Canin, Iams, and Eukanuba.

One of the reasons Pedigree is regarded as one of the worst dog food brands is their use of low-quality ingredients such as Animal Fat, Bone Meal, Corn, Wheat, Soy, and Brewers Rice.Animal Fat, Bone Meal, Corn, Wheat, Soy, and Brewers Rice.

While some in the industry defend the use of grain ingredients such as corn and wheat, animal fat and bone meal are widely condemned.

These ambiguous and deceptive ingredients are not accountable or transparent, so we cannot trust their nutritional value and quality.

Furthermore, when compared to other dog food brands, the nutrition provided by most Pedigree recipes is below average.below average when compared to other dog food brands.

This subpar nutrition contains extremely high proportions of carbohydrates and only the bare minimum of protein and fat.

Consider their Adult Complete Nutrition recipe, which has a meager minimum of 21% protein and 10% fat.21% protein and 10% fat.

According to our calculations, the carbohydrate proportion would be well over 50% of the recipe's nutritional content.carbohydrate proportionat well over 50% of the recipe’s nutritional content.

Unfortunately, Pedigree has a consistent history of recalls for a variety of reasons, including one in 2014 for the presence of foreign objects and another in 2012 for the same reason.

Pedigree has also had recalls in the past due to Salmonella contamination, casting serious doubt on the company's safety and quality processes.Salmonella contamination. A consistent history of recalls puts severe doubts on Pedigree’s safety and quality processes.

Finally, as if their ingredients, nutrition, and recall record weren't bad enough, Pedigree also gets bad reviews online, such as on Chewy, with many people complaining about how the recipes have changed and deteriorated.nbsp;

If you want to learn more about Pedigree, such as the specifics of their recalls or ingredients, visit our review of the brand, which can be found here.

Kibbles ‘N Bits

Kibbles 'N Bits is a dog food brand that has been around since the mid-1980s. Its distinguishing feature is the combination of soft, chewy bits and traditional kibble.

The company is well-known in the industry for using low-quality and low-cost ingredients in its recipes at the expense of the health and well-being of dogs.

Corn, Soybean Meal, Bone Meal, Wheat, and Animal Fat are examples of low-quality ingredients.Corn, Soybean Meal, Bone Meal, Wheat, and AnimalFat.

As previously stated, these ingredients are poor additions to a dog's diet because they either act as extremely dense sources of carbohydrates or are unaccountable.

Furthermore, the meat ingredients in Kibbles 'N Bits recipes are typically listed as low as the fourth or fifth ingredient.4th or 5th on the ingredient list.

This is a major red flag because it indicates that the majority of the formula is composed of plant-based ingredients with little meat or fish content.major red flag and shows that the majority of the formula is made from plant-based ingredients, and there islittle meat or fish content.

Because of these ingredient choices, their Original Recipe contains a pitiful 19% minimum protein and 8% minimum fat, which is only 1% more than the legally required minimum for adult dog food.19% minimum of protein and 8% minimum of fat. This protein proportion is just 1% above the legally required minimum for adult dog food.

It is also worth noting that Kibbles 'N Bits has been subjected to several recalls in the past, one of which should be highlighted.undergone several recalls in the past, and one of these recalls should draw particular attention.

Kibbles 'N Bits was recalled in 2018 due to low levels of Pentobarbital, a chemical that can be used to euthanize dogs.Pentobarbital, which can be used to euthanize dogs.

The discovery of Pentobarbital in a dog food recipe is extremely concerning, implying a lack of oversight and quality control during the manufacturing and testing of Kibble 'N Bits recipes.extremely concerning and suggests a lack of oversight and quality control during the production and testing of Kibble ‘N Bits recipes.

This recall was so serious that it received extensive coverage on websites such as CNN and CBS.CNN and CBS.

Ol Roy

Ol' Roy is a dog food brand owned by the retail behemoth Walmart; as a result, it can only be found on the shelves of Walmart stores and cannot be purchased from other large retail sellers of pet food.Walmart. As a result of this, it is only found on the shelves of Walmart stores and can’t be purchased from the other large retail sellers of pet food.

While Walmart owns the brand, Mars Petcare, which owns brands such as Pedigree, Iams, and Royal Canin, manufactures Ol' Roy on their behalf.Mars Petcare, which, as we mentioned earlier, owns brands like Pedigree, Iams, and Royal Canin.

Whether it's their dry dog food recipes or their canned dog food recipes, the ingredients in Ol' Roy's dog food recipes are not to be found.

They make extensive use of processed grain ingredients such as corn, soybean, wheat middlings, corn gluten meal, and wheat.Corn, Soybean, Wheat Middlings, Corn Gluten Meal, and Wheat.

These ingredients load up their recipes with carbohydrates and plant-based protein, which is not a suitable diet for an active dog; instead, active dogs require a diet rich in animal or fish-based protein and fat.

We discovered that their Complete Nutrition recipe contains at least 22.5% protein and 8.5% fat, which, while slightly higher than the other brands discussed here, is still a poor offering and nothing to be proud of.22.5% protein and 8.5% fat. While this may be marginally higher than others brands discussed here, it is still a poor offering and nothing to be proud of.

Unfortunately, Ol' Roy has had a long history of recalls, including issues with fungal toxins, Melamine contamination, and Salmonella contamination, all of which have harmed or put dogs in grave danger.fungal toxins, Melamine contamination, and Salmonella contamination. All of the above recalljustifications harmed dogs or put them at serious risk.

This long history of recalls demonstrates that Ol'Roy, at least in the past, did not take the safety and quality of its manufacturing process seriously enough.

There are many other dog food brands that have been in business for a similar amount of time and have perfect or near-perfect records that you should trust to feed your dogs.

Alpo

Purina Alpo is the first brand owned by the pet food behemoth Purina to appear on this list; however, many dog owners will be more familiar with Purina brands such as Purina Pro Plan or others that we will discuss later.Purina to feature in this list. Many dog owners will be more familiar with Purina brands such as Purina Pro Plan or others that we will mention later.

It is also worth noting that Nestle owns the Purina brand, which is not well-known among consumers due to decades of controversy surrounding water, baby formula, and child labor.Nestle, which is far from popular among consumers thanks to decades of controversy related to water, baby formula, and child labor.

The Alpo sub-brand is aimed at the low-cost end of the dog food market, particularly low-cost wet dog food, and this is reflected in the ingredients and nutrition.

One of Alpo's dry dog food recipes contains slightly more than 21% protein, with the vast majority of this protein derived from plant-based sources like corn and soybean.21%protein, with the vast majority of this protein coming from plant-based sources such as Corn and Soybean.

Protein from plant-based sources, such as these, should not be the primary source of protein and should be supplemented with animal or fish-based protein.

The only saving grace for Alpo is that it has a relatively clean recall record; according to our research, the brand has only been recalled once in the last two decades.relatively clean recall record. Based on our research, the brand has only been recalled once in the last 2decades.

This recall was caused by Melamine contamination, which was a widespread recall across the industry that affected many brands, including trusted and credible brands.Melamine contamination, which was a widespread recall across the industry and affected many brands, including brands that are trustworthy and credible.

If you want to learn more about Purina Alpo, we recommend reading our Purina Alpo Brand Review.

Gravy Train

Gravy Train is a long-standing dog food brand that first launched in the late 1950s. It was the first to experiment with adding water to its recipes to create its own gravy, providing a cheaper alternative to wet dog food, and it is still one of a select few brands to do so.

Gravy Train, once again, makes poor ingredient choices, including Soybean Meal, Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, and Animal Digest.Soybean Meal, Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, and Animal Digest.

Some of these are the lowest of the low in terms of dog food ingredients, such as Wheat Middlings, which are byproducts of grain processing that serve no other purpose.

While manufacturers may claim that these ingredients provide valuable nutrition, they are only chosen for their low cost.

We discovered that their dry dog food recipe, Beefy Classic, contained a shameful 17% protein and 8% fat, one of the worst levels we've ever seen, due to this wide range of low-quality ingredients.17% protein and 8% fat, one of the worstlevels we’ve ever seen.

Unfortunately, Gravy Train was included in the same recall as Ol' Roy in 2018 due to low levels of a chemical called Pentobarbital, which can be used to euthanize dogs.Pentobarbital that can be used to euthanize dogs.

The presence of Pentobarbital in a dog food recipe is extremely concerning and indicates a critical lack of quality and safety control during production.extremely concerning and suggests a critical lackof quality and safety control during production.

This lack of quality control puts thousands of dogs in danger across the United States.

We recently completed an overall review of Gravy Train, which discussed their ingredients, recalls, and other topics, and you can find it here.

Dog Chow

Purina Dog Chow is another Purina brand aimed at the low-cost side of the dog food market; it has been available since 1965, making it one of the Purina brands with the longest history.

Dog Chow is another grocery store staple that makes a variety of dry and wet dog food, as well as a puppy equivalent known as Puppy Chow and a cat equivalent known as Cat Chow.Walmart orTarget and makes a range of dry dog food, and wet dog food; and also has a puppy equivalent known as Puppy Chow or a cat equivalent known as Cat Chow.

Aside from the cheerful packaging, Dog Chow's kibble is loaded with grain ingredients like Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, and Soybean Meal, which make up the majority of almost all Dog Chow recipes and serve as dense sources of carbohydrates.Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, and Soybean Meal. These grains make up the bulk of almost all Dog Chow recipes and act as dense sources of carbohydrates.

Most Dog Chow recipes contain only a few named meat ingredients, with Meat and Bone Meal and Poultry By-product Meal accounting for the majority of the meat content in one recipe.Meat and Bone Meal and Poultry By-product Meal.

While these ingredients may provide some nutrition, it is difficult to know if they are consistent and reliable.

Consumers would be much more trusting of Dog Chow if it used named meat ingredients like Chicken or Beef as its primary ingredients.

One example of Dog Chow nutrition is their Complete Adult Real Beef recipe, which contains at least 21% protein and 10% fat.21% protein and 10% fat.

Purina, like many of the other brands mentioned here, has a long history of recalls, including one in 2013 for Salmonella contamination and another in 2012 for low thiamine levels.Salmonella contamination and another in 2012 forlow thiamine levels.

Purina claims to take their safety and quality processes very seriously, so this is disappointing.

Beneful

Purina Beneful is one of Purina's younger brands, having been introduced to consumers in 2001, and has grown significantly since then, undergoing numerous revisions and changes.

Many Purina Beneful recipes do not use as low-quality ingredients as the other brands mentioned here, but this does not excuse them from criticism.

Many Beneful recipes have a meat ingredient listed first, which is a positive trait, but then the recipes have a large number of plant-based ingredients listed after this meat ingredient.

Corn, rice, wheat, corn gluten meal, and soybean are some examples of plant-based ingredients.Corn, Rice, Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, and Soybean.

Because of these ingredients, many Beneful recipes have a poor nutritional profile, with some recipes containing up to 50% of their calories from carbohydrates.50% of their calories from carbohydrates.

Purina Beneful has a relatively short recall history, which is likely due to its affiliation with the larger Purina brand.

Purina Beneful issued a voluntary recall for some wet dog food tubs in 2016, citing recipes that did not contain the recommended levels of certain vitamins and minerals.voluntary recall for some wet dog food tubs. This recall was due to the recipes not containing the recommended levels of select vitamins and minerals.

While recalls like this are not as frightening as those for contamination, they are still necessary because an imbalance of vitamins and minerals can cause health problems.

Grreat Choice

Grreat Choice is not a well-known brand, but it is familiar to PetSmart customers because it is a PetSmart exclusive brand that cannot be found in other pet food stores.Grreat Choice, like the other brands on this list, is aimed squarely at the low-cost dog food market, and it shows.PetSmart exclusive brand and can not be found in other pet food stores. Like all the brands listed here, Grreat Choice is aimed at the low-cost dog food segment, and it shows.

Grreat Choice dog food contains ingredients such as corn, meat and bone meal, wheat middlings, ground wheat, poultry fat, and corn gluten meal.Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Ground Wheat, Poultry Fat, and Corn GlutenMeal.

Many of these have already been discussed, but it is important to emphasize that these ingredients are either not accountable or are extremely dense sources of carbohydrates and plant-based protein.accountable or are extremely dense sources of carbohydrates and plant-based protein.

All dogs would benefit from a diet that includes high-quality meat and fish ingredients as well as a suitable proportion of plant-based ingredients.

During our research, we discovered that Grreat Choice's dry dog food recipes typically contain at least 21% protein and 9% fat, which is comparable to the majority of the other brands mentioned here.21% protein and 9% fat which is equally poor as most other brands mentioned here.

Grreat Choice was subject to a recall in February 2017 due to potential metal contamination.possible metal contamination.

Metal contamination recalls are frequently the result of flaws in quality control or the use of lower-quality ingredients.

They are extremely dangerous because they can be lethal, frequently causing damage to a dog's mouth or throat during digestion.lethal, often causing damage to a dog’s mouth or throat upon digestion.

Kal Kan

Kal Kan is a well-known pet food brand that has been in business since 1936. They were acquired by Mars Petcare, along with many other brands, and have been part of the conglomerate for many years. is anestablished pet food brand that has been in operation since 1936. They were acquired by Mars Petcare like many other brands and have been under the conglomerate for many years now.

Kal Kal is an unusual brand because it only offers one adult dry dog food recipe and no puppy or wet dog food recipes.

Regardless, Kal Kan uses a similar list of ingredients in its recipes as the other brands mentioned here.

Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Soybean Meal, Wheat, Animal Fat, and Wheat Middlings are a few examples.Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Soybean Meal, Wheat, Animal Fat, and Wheat Middlings.

This consistent combination of low-quality or ambiguous meat ingredients and extremely dense grains will yield a poor nutritional profile.

Their adult dry dog food recipe contains at least 20% protein and 8% fat, resulting in a carbohydrate proportion of 50% or higher.20% protein and 8% fat which will result in a carbohydrate proportionwell into the 50%+ range.

This is not the best diet for any dog, especially one that is active or young.

The only positive trait we could find in Kal Kan is that they are recall-free.recall-free.

With most of the other brands mentioned here recently having one or more recalls, Kal Kan may deserve some credit for their safety and quality control.

A good safety record, on the other hand, does not excuse or justify poor nutrition or ingredient quality.

Sportmix

Sportmix is a well-known dog food brand that has been in business since the 1920s and is owned by Midwestern Pet Foods, which also owns brands such as Earthborn Holistic, which we frequently discuss and consider to be a high-quality brand.Midwestern Pet Foods, which also owns brands like Earthborn Holistic, which we regularly discuss and think of as a high-quality brand.

Sportmix was originally intended for sporting and working dogs, but the nutrition provided by their recipes is not appropriate for these breeds.

To fuel their high levels of activity and maintenance, sporting and working dogs require a diet high in protein and fat.

One Sportmix recipe we looked at had as little as 8% fat and 21% protein, which is far from ideal but just above the bare minimum.nbsp;8% fat and 21% protein, which is far from ideal and is just above the bare minimum requirements.

Unfortunately, Sportmix has a recent recall, which is one of the primary reasons we chose to include the brand on this list of the worst dog food.

Up to 110 dogs are reported to have died as a result of consuming Sportmix dog food in late 2020 and early 2021, with over 200 more becoming ill but surviving.up to 110 dogs arereported to have died due to consuming Sportmix dog food, with over 200 more getting sick but surviving.

This recall was issued due to the presence of Aflatoxin, a poisonous mold that grows on corn and other grain ingredients used in Sportmix recipes.Aflatoxin, which is a poison. Aflatoxin is a mold that grows on corn and other grain ingredients that are used in Sportmix recipes.

Because of the magnitude and gravity of the recall, it was covered by news outlets such as the BBC, NBC, and The New York Times.BBC, NBC, and The NY Times.

Luvsome

Luvsome is a pet food brand owned and sold by the grocery chain Kroger, which has thousands of locations across the United States.Kroger. Kroger is a huge brandthat has thousands of locations across the United States.

We couldn't find any definitive information on when Kroger began selling Luvsome, but it's been a while.

Luvsome is one of the few companies mentioned here that uses whole meat and ingredients, such as chicken and beef.

Unfortunately, Luvsome's plant-based ingredients, which include Corn, Wheat, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, and Soybean Meal, let it down.Corn, Wheat, Brewers Rice, Corn GlutenMeal, and Soybean Meal.

These ingredients are not an ideal component of a dog's diet because they contribute to high carbohydrate and plant-based protein proportions.

According to our research, we do not believe Luvsome dog food recipes have ever been recalled, which is important to note.

If you want to learn more about Luvsome, including its ingredients, nutrition, and product line, visit our Luvsome Brand Review Page.

Our Dog Food Recommendations

We'd like to introduce you to some of the best dog food brands and recipes available now that you've learned about some of the worst.best.

First and foremost, if you want to learn more about dog food and canine nutrition, we highly recommend that you read our Dog Food Guide.

We discuss the various types of dog food available, what nutrition dogs require and why, and what ingredients are commonly found in dog food.

Second, if you want to learn about some of the best dry dog food recipes, we recommend reading the article on dry dog food below.nbsp;

Best Dry Dog Food Guide

Finally, if you want to learn more about specific dog food brands that aren't mentioned here or in our best dry dog food guide, visit our brand review page, which can be found here.

To date, we have reviewed hundreds of pet food brands and are gradually expanding and improving our information index.

What are the top ten most dangerous dog foods?

What dog food should you avoid purchasing?

When preparing meals for your dog, there are numerous unhealthy and potentially toxic ingredients to avoid, including chocolate, xylitol, avocado, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and macadamia nuts.

What dog food is bad?

What dog foods are not recommended? Fresh grapes and raisins are not recommended because they can poison your dog's kidney, quickly leading to acute kidney failure.Because the toxic content of grapes, as well as the quantity causing toxicity, is still unknown, it is best to consult with your veterinarian if your dog consumed any.? Fresh grapes and raisins are not recommended. Fresh grapes and raisins may poison your dog’s kidney, quickly leading to acute kidney failure. The toxic content in grapes is still uncertain as well as the quantity causing toxicity. Thus, it is advisable to check with your veterinarian if your dog had some.

What are the potentially harmful ingredients in dog food?

What are the top ten worst dog foods?

What types of dog food should you avoid?

What is the healthiest dog food available?

What are the worst foods to feed your dog?