How to get dog food cheaper

Best and worst dog food brands

There are hundreds of dog food options available, from dry to grain-free to raw, but which ones will have your furry friend licking the bowl clean?

We surveyed 2,304 dog owners about the pet food they buy to uncover the brands that customers (and their dogs) love and which offer the best value for money.

See how brands such as Burns, Harringtons and Royal Canin are rated by customers, as well as supermarket options from the likes of Aldi and Lidl.

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Dog food brands rated

Our top-scoring dog food brand achieved an impressive customer score of 82%, and five-star ratings for how much pets liked it, as well as their wellbeing when eating it.

At the other end of the scale, two brands scored less than 60%, with just two stars out of five each for how healthy the dog seemed when eating food from that brand.

Which? members can log in now to unlock the full results. If you're not yet a member, join Which? today to get instant access to this and thousands of other reviews.

Table notes: Survey of 2,304 Which? Connect members who owned a dog in July 2023. Customer score is based on overall satisfaction with the dog food and how likely people are to recommend it to a friend. n/a means not enough responses to include a star rating.

Make sure your furry friend is covered see our guide to the best pet insurance for your dog

How to choose the best dog food for your pet

Deciphering all the pet nutrition information on the internet can seem like an impossible task. It can range from confusing to completely contradictory.

We spoke to real pet nutrition researchers to understand what actually matters. Good news: it isnt as complicated as it seems.

The most important part of choosing a food is actually monitoring your pet, said Dr Teresa Hollands, senior lecturer in veterinary nutrition at the University of Surrey. If you're feeding your pet a particular brand of food, and they have plenty of energy and seem well in themselves, then you are on the right track.

Dr Nigel Kendall, lecturer in nutrition at the University of Nottingham, agreed: If your pet is on completely the wrong diet, then there will be physical signs.

Signs that your pet is eating a nutritious diet, and the right food for their needs, include:

• good overall health
• plenty of energy
• good sleeping habits
• regularly passing firm stools
• maintaining a healthy weight.

Also a cat owner? See our guide to thebest and worst cat food brands

How to feed your dog the best and healthiest diet

As well as choosing the right food, you can also maximise the nutritional value of your pets diet by feeding them in the right way.

We spoke with Dr David Gardner, professor of physiology at the University of Nottingham, to find out more:

Choosing a complete food

Start by making sure you are feeding your pet a complete food, he said. Thats really important, but it isnt always clearly labelled.

Complete foods are designed to give your pet all the nutrients they need, so you can feed them the same thing every day without causing a nutritional imbalance or deficit.

Weighing your pet food

David also highlighted the importance of weighing your pets food every time you feed them.

Remember, you may not notice that you're overfeeding your pet if you increase the size of their feed very slightly each day.

Varying your pet food

If you want to take additional steps to ensure your pet is getting the best nutrition, David also suggested varying the food you give them, provided that this doesnt upset their stomach.

These changes could be as small as varying the flavour of food that you give to your pet.

If you buy a bag of lamb dog food one month, try the chicken next time, David suggested.

If you do want to try changing the type or brand of your pet food, remember to do so gradually. Your pet's meal should be no more than 25% new food for the first couple of days, increasing over the course of a week.

Dogs can be fussy, so know that varying your pet food is not essential. The main thing is that they eat and enjoy their food and that it's nutritionally complete.

Best dog harnesses see our pick of the best and worst as tested by dog owners

Is wet or dry dog food better?

Both wet and dry foods can be nutritionally complete, meaning that they should contain all the nutrients your pet needs. That means there is no significant advantage to either food type.

David recommended feeding your pet a mixture of wet and dry food.

Evidence suggests that there are slight differences in the nutritional composition of wet and dry food. That means you are going to cover more nutrients if you mix them together.

If you want to feed your dog exclusively one type of food, then wet food does tend to be more appealing. However, it is often more expensive and it can predispose pets to dental disease.

In contrast, dry food is beneficial to dogs teeth and gums, and it is usually easier and cheaper to use and store. Just make sure that your dog has access to plenty of fresh water, as they will not be getting hydration from their food.

Best food and drinkwe've rated the tastiest food for humans too. Discover our top picks, from chicken soup to red wine

Can dogs be vegan?

Yes, provided you are careful about the type of food you give them.

There are commercial dog foods available that are vegetarian or vegan and nutritionally complete.

Some people may want to prepare homemade vegetarian or vegan meals for their dog, which is not typically recommended by experts.

This is because evidence suggests that homemade food (including meat-based diets) is typically not nutritionally complete even when people follow recipes labelled as such.

Is raw food good for dogs?

Raw pet food has become more popular over the past few years, especially for dogs, but experts don't generally recommend it.

I would not recommend a raw food diet due to the risk to human health, says Dr Heather Bacon, dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Central Lancashire.

Bacteria present in raw meat can include salmonella, listeria, campylobacter and E-coli. These cause significant illness in humans and animals, particularly young, old and immune-compromised individuals.

These can be spread around the house during food preparation and eating. They can also be passed from animals to humans if your pet kisses your face after eating.

All of these bacteria are destroyed when meat is correctly cooked.

How much should my dog weigh?

According to a 2022 survey by UK Pet Food, 50% of dogs (and 43% of cats) are overweight or obese.

Your pet being overweight can have a huge impact on its quality of life, including limiting their ability to exercise or sleep properly. According to the RSPCA, it also predisposes them to illness including:

• diabetes
• heart disease
• cancer.

How to if tell your dog is overweight

Dr Teresa Hollands recommends an easy method for checking your pets weight.

Create a fist with your hand, and feel your knuckles with your fingers, she said. If your pets ribs feel like that, they are underweight.

Then lay your hand flat, and feel your knuckles again. If their ribs feel like that, they are the perfect weight.

Finally, keep your hand flat, turn your hand over, and run your fingers over the pads on your palm at the base of your fingers. If their ribs feel like that, they are overweight.

Physical signs that your dog is overweight

• Very thin(more than 20% below ideal body weight) Ribs, spine and hip bones easily seen (in short-haired pets), obvious loss of muscle bulk, no fat can be felt under the skin.
• Underweight (10-20% below ideal body weight)Ribs, spine and hip bones easily seen, obvious waist and abdominal tuck, very little fat can be felt under the skin.
• IdealRibs, spine and hip bones easily felt, visible waist and abdominal tuck, small amount of fat can be felt.
• Overweight(10-15% above ideal body weight): Ribs, spine and hip bones are hard to feel, waist barely visible, broad back, layer of fat on belly and at base of tail.
• Obese (more than 15% above ideal body weight)Ribs, spine and hip bones extremely difficult to feel under a thick layer of fat, no waist can be seen and belly may droop significantly, heavy fat pads on lower back and at base of the tail.

How we rated dog food brands

To uncover the best and worst dog food brands, in July 2023 we surveyed 2,304 Which? members who had bought dog food recently, and asked all about their experiences with their chosen brand.

We asked them to rate the brand on various attributes including value for money, how their dog responded to the food, and its perceived wellbeing on the food.

Overall customer scores are based on how satisfied customers were with the brand overall and whether or not they would recommend it.

Discover the best head torches for taking your dog for a walk in the dark

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7 Failsafe Ways to Get Cheap Dog Food Every Time You Shop

Kibble me this: How do you get cheap dog food every time you shop?

Doggos gotta eat, and you dont want to gobble up your budget. Youre about to learn the best ways to save money and get cheap dog food.

Well talk about the best places to shop, how to figure out if youre getting a good deal, and get some brilliant pet food delivery tips and stock-up prices.

And remember to download the Krazy Coupon Lady app for the latest tips and deals for anything related to dog food, treats, and even clothes. Lets get to it:

Note: The availability of dog food may vary regionally.

Top Pet Food Deals

ONLINE Deal

As low as$33.60$84.00(60% off)

Theres no commitment to continue after your trial ends the option is yours to cancel at any time.

ONLINE Deal

As low as$18.56$27.96(34% off)

$8.00/1 - Cesar Wet Dog Food, Classic, 24 ct with Subscribe & Save, Amazon Coupon, Limit 1

?

1. Shop for dry, cheap dog food at Walmart & Target for as low as $0.15/cup.

When youre on the hunt for cheap dog food, you have to calculate the price per cup. Heres how you do that:

1. Multiply the number of pounds by four (four cups of dry kibble equals 1 lb).
2. Divide the dog foods price by whatever number you found in Step 1.

For cheap dog food, were trying to pay less than $0.28/cup, and you have options that are cheaper, including:

Make that price per cup even lower when you use your Target RedCard; it makes the Pedigree cost just $0.16/cup and the Beneful just $0.24/cup.

2. Walmart & Costco have the best price per ounce for wet, cheap dog food.

With wet dog food, you calculate prices based on cost per ounce. Divide the price of your wet food by the number of ounces listed on the container.

You should never spend more than $0.11/oz, because when you shop regular-priced dog food at Walmart & Costco, you can do better:

See this weeks best deals on Purina dog food here.

3. Walmart actually has the best cheap dog food prices across major brands like Purina, Pedigree, and more.

In addition to having the absolute cheapest price on both wet and dry dog food, Walmart also has the cheapest regular prices on the most popular brands of dog food. Heres how that breakdown looks:

The cheapest dry dog food prices:

Kibbles n Bits Original Dry Dog Food, 45 lbs.:

Pedigree High Protein Adult Dry Dog Food Beef and Lamb Flavor Dog Kibble, 44 lbs.:

The cheapest wet dog food prices:

Pedigree Choice Cuts in Gravy Country Stew and Chicken & Rice Flavor, Wet Dog Food for Dogs of All Sizes, Variety Pack, (24) 13.2 oz. Cans:

Iams Proactive Health Adult Soft Wet Dog Food Pat with Chicken & Rice, (6) 13 oz. Cans:

Purina One Natural, High Protein Gravy Wet Dog Food Variety Pack, SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy, 13 oz. Cans:

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Chicken Pate Wet Dog Food for Adult Dogs, Whole Grain 12.5 oz. can

See this weeks best Walmart deals here.

4. Save $12.75 on your first Amazon dog food order when you Subscribe & Save.

The easiest way to maximize savings on dog food is to subscribe to products sold by retailers such as Amazon, Chewy, Petco, and PetSmart.

Each of these stores offers you the ability to automate repeat orders on a schedule that makes sense for you. But Amazons the best option, because Amazons Subscribe & Save service promises big savings on your first order.

Heres how the discount would work on a product like Royal Canin dog food (reg. $84.99 at Amazon):

Buy 1 30-Pound Bag Royal Canin Health Nutrition Dry dog food reg. $84.99Sign up for Amazon Subscribe & Save, save $12.75Final Price: $72.24 ($0.60/cup)

Every subsequent Subscribe & Save order will have a 5% discount, but if you subscribe to five or more different items, Amazon boosts that discount to 10%.

By the way, we rounded up everything you need to know about the first-ever Amazon pet day sale.

5. The best cheap dog food sale is Chewys Black Friday sale.

Although its a store brand, Chewys American Journey dog food (reg. $0.51/cup) is actually a high-end dog food brand similar to Blue Buffalo (reg. $0.58/cup from PetSmart).

But during Black Friday 2021 (as well as in 2020), Chewy store brands like American Journey were 40% off their regular price. And on top of that, Chewy took 50% off customers first subscription delivery order. Heres how it looked for us:

Buy 1 15-lb Bag American Journey Sensitive Stomach Salmon and Rice Dry Dog Food (reg. $47.99), $28.79 sale priceSign up for repeat delivery for 50% off your first orderFinal Price: $14.40 (70% savings)

That brought the price per cup down to $0.15! Well be watching closely for it to happen again. In the meantime, check out our best Chewy savings tips.

6. Can dogs eat cat food?

Although dogs absolutely can eat cat food, its not something they should do every day, the AKC says. Thats because the higher-protein cat food can lead to digestive issues.

7. Heres how to make homemade dog food treats with pumpkin and banana.

One of my favorite DIY dog tips is making my own dog food treats. Its a piece of cake or, rather, a piece of banana and pumpkin.

All you have to do is mix a can of pureed pumpkin with a banana in your food processor or blender. Then, spoon it into a dog-inspired ice cube tray and freeze.

I hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions about saving money on cheap dog food, let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading.