Dog food reviews

We scored the food on the shelf. See where yours lands.

Every score here is built from the ingredients a brand lists — order, risk flags, balance and transparency. Open any review and check our work.

Charlie inspecting a label
All Good Caution
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Score A–Z
Scores are NatBuddy's own, computed from each brand's published ingredient list — the same engine the app uses.

Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Lamb leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Turkey leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Turkey leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Turkey Meal (Natural Source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin) leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Water Buffalo leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Turkey leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Beef Meal leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Salmon leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Salmon leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads and the list reads Good on our scale, with a couple of items we'd keep an eye on.

Read the breakdown

Deboned Chicken leads a clean, legible list — a Good score on our scale.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads and the list reads Good on our scale, with a couple of items we'd keep an eye on.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads and the list reads Good on our scale, with a couple of items we'd keep an eye on.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads and the list reads Good on our scale, with a couple of items we'd keep an eye on.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads and the list reads Good on our scale, with a couple of items we'd keep an eye on.

Read the breakdown

Chicken leads and the list reads Good on our scale, with a couple of items we'd keep an eye on.

Read the breakdown

Lists garlic — toxic to dogs (ASPCA), so this lands at the bottom of our scale.

Read the breakdown

Rice-milling by-product fragments — lower grade than whole rice — consider alternatives keeps this one at a Caution on our scale, in our assessment.

Read the breakdown

Lower-grade by-product — consider alternatives keeps this one at a Caution on our scale, in our assessment.

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Lower-grade by-product — consider alternatives keeps this one at a Caution on our scale, in our assessment.

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Plant-protein filler and common allergen — consider alternatives keeps this one at a Caution on our scale, in our assessment.

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Plant-protein filler and common allergen — consider alternatives keeps this one at a Caution on our scale, in our assessment.

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Unnamed source — consider alternatives keeps this one at a Caution on our scale, in our assessment.

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Lists garlic — toxic to dogs (ASPCA), so this lands at the bottom of our scale.

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Dog Food Reviews — Ingredient Scores | NatBuddy

Stop hoping your dog's food is good for them. Know it.

Scan any bag in seconds, cook from a vet-informed recipe library, and watch a week of real meals add up. NatBuddy is the second opinion that lives in your pocket.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days
See how it works
No payment due now. Cancel anytime.
Vet-informed Bags, cans & treats Private by default
Charlie, the NatBuddy dachshund guide, waving
Excellent
Score 94
Beef & sardine bowl
For skin & coat
NatBuddy recipe detail — Beef & sardine bowl with per-pet nutrition
Vet-informed Bags, cans & treats Private by default
The quiet worry

The bag says premium. The label says otherwise.

You read the front. You pay more. You hope. But the truth is buried three lines into the ingredient list — where you were never meant to look.

On the front What sells it
Golden Meadow™
Premium Recipe
Made with real chicken & garden veggies
Real chicken No by-products All-natural Vet-recommended
On the back Ingredients · in order
01 Ground Yellow Corn Filler
02 Chicken By-Product Meal Not real meat
03 Corn Gluten Meal
04 Caramel Color Added dye
05 Natural Flavors + 9 more
Charlie
I've sniffed a lot of bags that smelled better on the front than the inside. Let's go read the back.
You shouldn't need a nutrition degree to feed your dog well. One scan, one straight answer.
How it works

Three steps that loop into one habit.

Start with a single scan. The picture builds from there.

01
Scan

One score, in seconds.

Point your camera at any bag, can or treat. NatBuddy reads the ingredient list and gives you a single rating — mint for good, coral for caution. This is the color you'll see everywhere from here.

Mint — good
Coral — caution
Charlie
Point me at any label. I'll tell you straight.
Excellent
Score 94
Wild salmon recipe
Real salmon first
Caution
Score 38
Grocery kibble
Corn first, vague meat
02
Cook

Real food you actually cook.

A curated library of vet-informed recipes, already portioned for your dog's weight. You browse and pick what fits — it's a library, never a plan you're handed. Every recipe carries the same score you trust from a scan.

Browse the recipe library
96 · Excellent
Vet-informed · 18 min
Chicken thigh & flax bowl
38 g protein·210 kcal·6 items
Cook for Charlie
03
The day

See the full week, treats and all.

Log what your dog actually ate — the cooked bowl, the scoop of kibble, the treats that sneak in. The ring fills with the real story, not a wish, so a coral day shows up as a coral day.

Add to today's log Save to Charlie's day
This week
6 of 7 balanced
83
Chicken bowl210 kcal
Peanut butter treat90 kcal
Meet the pack

Charlie's the guide. These two keep him busy.

Two dogs, two completely different problems, one rule: read the label first.

Charlie
Charlotte
Shih Tzu · 7.8 kg

Came off "premium" kibble after a single scan turned up coral. Six weeks of home-cooked turkey bowls later: less scratching, a coat you'd notice across a room.

Theodor
French Bulldog · 18.3 kg

A sensitive stomach and a drawer full of "maybe" treats. One quiet afternoon of scanning sorted the safe from the questionable for good.

The reveal

No black box. No scare tactics.

One scan turns any label into a single rating — mint for good, coral for caution. Here's the difference it surfaces, side by side.

Charlie
Same shelf, same price. One I'd eat, one I'd walk past.
Excellent
Score 94
Wild salmon recipe
Real salmon first, no fillers
Caution
Score 38
Grocery kibble
Corn first, vague meat
01
Read the label

Every ingredient, in order. What's really first, and what's hiding at the bottom.

02
Flag the risks

Fillers, vague “meat meals,” too much sodium — each one checked against vet-informed limits.

03
One color

It all rolls up to mint or coral: the same rating you've trusted since your first scan.

See the full science
In their words
"I scanned the food I'd trusted for years. Coral. Switched that week — the scratching stopped inside a month."
Maya · Beagle mom · verified review
More from the pack

"Two of the recipes are on permanent rotation now. Cleaner than anything on the shelf, and Theo actually finishes the bowl."

Daniel · Frenchie dad

"The weekly view is the part I didn't know I needed. I can finally see the treats adding up. No guilt — just the picture."

Priya · two rescue mutts

Scan your dog's food once. You'll see what I mean.

One scan is all it takes to see what I mean — and Charlie's right here for the next one.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days
No payment due now. Cancel anytime.
Charlie, the NatBuddy dachshund guide, celebrating
How it works

Five tools. One healthier bowl.

Scan a label, cook a real meal, log the day, ask Charlie, and check on your dog with a photo. Each one feeds the next — follow the thread all the way down.

Charlie, the NatBuddy guide, waving
Stick with me — I'll walk you through all five.
01
Scan

One score, in seconds.

Point your camera at any bag, can or treat. NatBuddy reads the ingredient list and returns a single rating — mint for good, coral for caution. Start with the food you trust most; that's usually the eye-opener.

Mint — good
Coral — caution
Charlie
Point me at any label. I'll tell you straight.
NatBuddy scan result — ingredient breakdown
02
Cook

Real food you actually cook.

Open the library, choose what fits your dog, follow the steps. Portions come pre-sized to their weight and calorie target. Tap Cook for Charlie and it's queued for the day.

A library you pick from, never a plan you're handed.
Charlie
Every recipe carries the same score you trust from a scan.
NatBuddy recipe library — discover recipes
03
Track

Watch the day add up to 92.

Log what your dog actually ate — the cooked bowl, the scoop of kibble, the treats that sneak in. The ring fills with the real story, not a wish, so a coral day shows up as a coral day.

Add to today's log Save to Charlie's day
NatBuddy nutrition tracker — Luna's day
04
Ask Charlie

A straight answer, in Charlie's voice.

Stuck on an ingredient, a portion, a sudden upset stomach? Ask Charlie. You get a friendly, specific answer grounded in vet nutrition literature — not a search-engine shrug.

Grounded in vet literature. Never a diagnosis.
Charlie
Ask me anything. I've read the literature so you don't have to.
Charlie
Charlie
Always here
Bella's a Lab — is salmon good for her coat?
Charlie
Salmon's gold for a Lab's coat — the omega-3s do the work. 🐟 Want the wild-salmon recipe? It scored 94.
How much for 22 kg?
Charlie
About 410 kcal a day across two meals. I'll size the bowl for you.
Ask Charlie anything…
05
Photo health scan

Point the camera. Get a read.

Three quick photos — body, mouth, coat — and Charlie turns them into a Health Report Card: a wellness snapshot across the zones that matter, with plain-language notes you can act on.

Informational only — consult your vet.
Charlie
A snapshot, not a diagnosis. If something looks off, I'll tell you to ring the vet.
Health report · today
88Looking good
Charlie
Charlie's take
Coat's looking great. Eyes a touch cloudy — worth a mention next vet visit.
Coat & skinExcellent
Body conditionGood
EyesKeep an eye
Informational only — consult your vet.
The whole pack

One app, every dog in the house.

Add each dog once. Scores, recipes and portions all right-size to the pet you've got selected — switch between them with a tap.

Charlie
Same recipe, two right-sized bowls. I do the math per pet.
Skin & coat · high protein
Beef & sardine bowl
94
520kcal · daily portion100% of Theodor's day
French Bulldog · 11.3 kg
Protein
84 g
Carbs
14 g
Fat
60 g
374kcal · daily portion100% of Luna's day
Border Collie · 5.0 kg
Protein
75 g
Carbs
10 g
Fat
51 g
Save to the day

It all starts with one scan.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days
The science

How the dog food score is built.

One number on a single scale, built from the label and weighed against vet-informed thresholds. No black box, no scare tactics.

One scale, four bands
0 → 100
CautionFairGoodExcellent

On the surface you see two colors — mint for good, coral for caution. The number underneath is what moves the badge, so two foods that both look "fine" still rank against each other on the same scale.

Four things move the number.

01
Ingredient order

What's listed first is what's mostly in the bag. A named whole protein up top lifts the score; corn or "meat meal" first pulls it down.

02
Risk flags

Fillers, artificial dyes, vague by-products and known irritants are checked against a vet-informed watchlist. Every flag is a deduction you can see.

03
Nutrient balance

Protein, fat, fiber and sodium are read against the range for your dog's size and life stage — not a one-size-fits-all average.

04
Transparency

Specific labels score better than vague ones. If a brand won't say what's actually in the bag, that uncertainty counts against the score, not for it.

A worked example

Same shelf. Two very different scores.

Wild salmon recipe
94 · Excellent
Salmon is the first ingredient
No fillers, no artificial dyes
Fat & sodium in range
"Premium" grocery kibble
38 · Caution
Corn listed first
Vague "meat meal"
Two artificial dyes flagged
Charlie

Vet-informed, not vet-replacing.

Our thresholds are built on veterinary nutrition guidance and kept current. A score is a fast second opinion on a label — it doesn't diagnose, and it never replaces a conversation with your own vet about your dog.

See a real score on your dog's food.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days
Get the app

One scan away from knowing.

Scan, cook, track, and ask Charlie — the whole picture of your dog's nutrition, in one app.

Download on theApp Store
Scan to download NatBuddy on the App Store
Scan to download on your phone
3-day free trial, then a subscription. Cancel anytime.
Vet-informed Bags, cans & treats Private by default
NatBuddy scan result screen
What's inside

Everything NatBuddy does.

Five tools, one shared number — the score you trust from a single scan runs through all of them.

NatBuddy scan result
Barcode scanner

Scan any bag for a score

A quality score for any commercial food, personalized to each dog.

NatBuddy recipe library
Recipe library

A library of vet-informed recipes

25–30 home-cook recipes, already portioned. You pick what fits — never a plan.

NatBuddy nutrition counter
Nutrition counter

Track what they actually ate

Log every bowl, scoop and treat. See the real day, not a wishful plan.

Is salmon oil okay for Luna?
Charlie
Great for her coat — a little goes a long way. Want a recipe that uses it?
Charlie, the companion

Ask Charlie anything

A wellness companion grounded in vet literature — friendly guidance, never a diagnosis.

Health report · LunaLooking good
CoatHealthy shine
Teeth & gumsKeep an eye
Body conditionOn target
Photo health scan

Turn photos into a health report

Scan coat, mouth and body — get a Health Report Card you can track over time.

Why it matters

Plain answers to the quiet questions.

Know what's really in the bowl.

Cook vet-informed, portioned to your dog.

Track what they actually eat.

Ask Charlie anything, anytime.

Catch changes early with health scans.

Why you can trust it

Credibility you can check.

No paid reviews. No "vet-approved" badge. Just method — and a clear line on your data.

Vet-informed method

Scores and recipes are built on vet-informed thresholds — not marketing claims or opinions.

Grounded in 11+ peer-reviewed sources

Charlie's guidance draws on published canine-nutrition literature, not guesswork.

Private by default

Your pets' data stays yours. We don't sell it — and the Privacy Notice spells out exactly what's collected.

Good to know

Questions, answered plainly.

Is there a free version?

NatBuddy starts with a 3-day free trial, then continues as a subscription. You'll see the current price for your region on the App Store before you're ever charged.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes — anytime from the App Store. Cancel before your 3-day trial ends and you won't be charged.

Does NatBuddy sell my data?

No. The Privacy Policy and AI Privacy Notice explain exactly what is and isn't collected.

Does it work for multiple dogs?

Yes — multi-pet is first-class. Add each dog once, and scores, recipes and portions all right-size to whichever pet you've selected.

Which dogs is it for?

Any dog, any age or size. You set weight and sensitivities per pet, and the scores and portions adjust from there.

Your dog can't read the label. You can.

Start with one scan tonight — and let Charlie help with the rest.

Download on theApp Store
Scan to download NatBuddy on the App Store
Scan to download on your phone
3-day free trial, then a subscription. Cancel anytime.
Charlie waving
Dog food reviews

We scored the food on the shelf. See where yours lands.

Every score here is built from the ingredients a brand lists — order, risk flags, balance and transparency. Open any review and check our work.

Charlie inspecting a label
All Good Caution
Sort
Score A–Z
Scores are NatBuddy's own, computed from each brand's published ingredient list — the same engine the app uses.

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Read the breakdown
All reviews
Dog food review

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Our score
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CautionFairGoodExcellent

What's in {{ review.brand }} {{ review.product }}

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How it scores on our method

We read the label against four things. Each result is neutral — we flag items against our watchlist, we don't call any product dangerous.

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Read the full method on The Science

Our score

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This is NatBuddy's opinion based on the listed ingredients, not a statement of fact about the product or a health claim.

If you want a higher-scoring option

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Read the breakdown
Charlie
Or cook it yourself

A home-cooked bowl skips the label guessing entirely. NatBuddy has vet-informed recipes built around your dog.

Browse recipes

See the current score in the app

Recipes change without warning. The app reads whatever bag you scan tonight and scores today's label — not last year's.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days

Common questions

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The fine print

NatBuddy scores are our opinion, based on the ingredients each manufacturer publicly lists as of the date shown, weighed against our published method (see The Science). They are informational, are not veterinary advice, and are not statements that any product is unsafe. Formulations change — always read the current label and consult your vet.

Brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. NatBuddy is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any brand reviewed here.
Charlie, the NatBuddy dachshund, taking notes on a clipboard
Support

How can we help?

Most things get sorted fastest by email — we usually reply within 2 business days.

Email support@natbuddy.com Replies within 2 business days

NatBuddy is made by Granviex, LLC in the US, so we answer during US business hours.

01 — Contact us

Email is the fastest way in

Email support@natbuddy.com with your question. If it helps, add a short note on what you were doing and which device you're on. We aim to reply within 2 business days.

02 — Subscriptions, billing & refunds

Subscriptions, billing & refunds

NatBuddy Pro is an optional subscription, offered in Weekly and Yearly plans, and new subscribers may get a 3-day free trial. Current pricing is shown in the App Store and at checkout before you subscribe. Because purchases go through the App Store, you manage and cancel in your Apple ID subscription settings — turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the period ends. Refunds are handled by Apple under Apple's policies; NatBuddy can't process refunds or cancel on your behalf.

Terms of Service
03 — Privacy & data requests

Privacy & data requests

You can delete your account and its personal information any time, right in the app. California residents can also exercise privacy rights (to know, delete, correct and more) via our Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information page — no account needed, and we respond within 45 days. To make a request, email support@natbuddy.com.

04 — Account & technical help

Account & technical help

For sign-in trouble, account recovery, syncing issues or a bug, email support@natbuddy.com and include your device model, iOS version, app version, and steps to reproduce if you can — the more detail, the faster we can help. NatBuddy's recipes, scans, scanner results and Charlie are informational only and not a substitute for veterinary care; for anything about your dog's health, please consult your vet.

Vet Disclaimer
05 — Company & mailing address

Company & mailing address

Granviex, LLC
4700 NW Boca Raton Blvd #202
Boca Raton, FL 33431
United States
support@natbuddy.com
Last updated: June 25, 2026
Blog

Real food, real answers for your dog.

Recipes you can actually cook, nutrition explained without the jargon, and vet-informed guides — from the team behind NatBuddy and Charlie.

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Featured
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Home / What can dogs eat
Food safety A–Z

What can dogs eat? The complete A–Z.

One clear verdict per food — safe, in moderation, or best avoided — each linking to the full guide with portions, prep and the safe-vs-risky details. Grounded in ASPCA and AAFCO guidance.

Informational only — always consult your vet for dietary decisions, and for any suspected poisoning call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Every food, one clear verdict

Safe In moderation Avoid
SafeApples — yes, with the core and seeds removed. In moderationBananas — small amounts; high in natural sugar. SafeBlueberries — a great low-calorie treat. In moderationBread — plain bread is safe but mostly empty calories. SafeCarrots — one of the best low-calorie treats. In moderationCheese — small amounts; watch the fat and salt. AvoidChocolate — toxic to dogs; keep it well out of reach. SafeEggs — cooked, never raw. AvoidGrapes & raisins — can cause kidney failure; never feed. SafeGreen beans — a great low-calorie treat, plain. In moderationPeanut butter — yes, but only if it's xylitol-free. SafePumpkin — plain pumpkin is gentle on digestion. SafeRice — plain, cooked rice is easy to digest. In moderationStrawberries — fine in moderation; high in natural sugar. SafeSweet potato — cooked and plain, never raw. SafeWatermelon — seeds and rind removed. In moderationYogurt — plain and unsweetened, small amounts.

More foods are added regularly. For anything not listed, scan the label in the app or ask your vet.

Not on the list? Scan it.

Point NatBuddy at any dog food or ingredient for an instant safety score, personalized to your dog.

Get NatBuddy free for 3 days
Home / Blog / Emma Hart
NatBuddy editorial

Emma Hart

Dog nutrition writer · NatBuddy

Emma Hart writes NatBuddy's dog-nutrition guides — the food-safety explainers, feeding math, and homemade recipes you'll find on this blog. She isn't a veterinarian, and nothing she writes replaces yours.

What these guides cover

01
Food safety

Can dogs eat this? Clear answers on everyday foods — with genuine hazards like chocolate, grapes and xylitol flagged firmly, and the rest kept in proportion.

02
Feeding & portions

How much to feed, how often, and why it changes with a dog's weight, age and activity — the same math the NatBuddy app runs per pet.

03
Homemade recipes

Simple, real-food recipes with actual nutrition numbers, weighed against AAFCO baselines — a starting point to cook from, not a prescription.

04
Labels & ingredients

What ingredient lists actually tell you, what the marketing hides, and how to read a bag before you trust it.

Read the latest guides on the blog

How these guides are made

Every article is grounded in published guidance from the ASPCA, AAFCO, the National Research Council (NRC) and WSAVA — and each one lists its sources at the bottom, so you can check them yourself instead of taking our word for it.

Health topics use cautious language on purpose. We flag real dangers clearly, but we won't scare you about a food that's simply worth a quick word with your vet. The scores in our reviews come from the same method the app uses — you can read it in full on The Science.

Emma Hart is the byline for NatBuddy's editorial work — the writing, research and editing behind our nutrition content. She is not a veterinarian. For anything specific to your dog's health, talk to your vet. See our Vet Disclaimer.

Put a guide in your pocket.

Scan any dog food for an instant score, cook vet-informed recipes, and log what your dog really eats.

Download on iOS
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Charlie, the NatBuddy guide

Want this portioned to your dog?

Portioned to your dog's exact weight, scored for nutrition, and saved to their day — that part lives in the app. Tap Cook for your dog to scale it, then Save to their day to log it.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days

Common questions

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Sources

Guidance on this page is grounded in established veterinary-nutrition and animal-health authorities.

Keep reading

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See the whole picture in the app.

Scan their food, cook vet-informed recipes, and log what your dog really eats — with Charlie along for the ride.

Try NatBuddy free for 3 days

Informational only — not a substitute for veterinary advice. Recipes here are vet-informed and use no ingredients known to be toxic to dogs, but every dog is different. Consult your vet before changing your dog's diet.