The Best Dry Dog Food Available In Australia - A 2020 Review
Our #1 Pick
The Best Nutritional Option
PRIME100 ZERO G SPD DRY DOG FOOD
Dry dog food can be an excellent choice to provide complete nutrition for your best friend. However, never have there been so many options on the market, which makes choosing the best dog food for our Australian dogs more complicated than ever.
We have done the research, so you don’t have to. Read on to learn which Australian dog food is best for your furry friend.
Dry Dog Food Reviews: Factors We Considered
In our review of the top kibble for dogs in Australia, we considered several important factors. Here are the top considerations:
Nutrition
It is important to understand that the commercial dog food industry in Australia is a largely unregulated industry. That is why it is very important to be sure to learn how to read labels, look for excellent sources of protein as the number one ingredient, and check for a guaranteed nutritional analysis on any dog food you buy.
Our dry dog food comparison includes taking these important nutritional factors into account.
Taste
The best dry food for dogs can’t just be nutritious. It also has to be tasty so that your canine companion will enjoy their meals. We included only those kibble dog foods that were highly rated for taste so that you can rest assured that any of the picks on our list will be a hit with your pooch.
If your set on feeding your dog canned food, check out our guide on the best wet dog food Australia for the most nutritious options.
Price
Although the best dry dog food in Australia does cost more than the cheapest options on the shelves, we made sure that our choices were worth the difference in price. In our review, you will find a good balance between cost and quality, if you're on a tight budget, check out our guide to the best cheap dog foods in Australia.
Ingredient Sourcing
Another important consideration to make when choosing a quality dry dog food is to look for the ingredient sourcing. Domestically sourced meats, fish, and oysters from Australia or New Zealand are best.
Too many low quality dog feeds use meats from other countries such as China which have been the subject of many dog food recalls and problems with transparent labeling. Our choices take responsible ingredient sourcing seriously.
Age & Size Considerations
Before you select kibble from our review below, make sure you look for the right formula to meet your dog’s size and age range. For example, young toy breeds have much different nutritional needs than their giant breed puppy counterparts.
Best Dry Dog Food Australia 2020
Time to move on to our complete review of the best kibble for dogs. Below you will find our top picks in several important categories so that you can make sure your furry mate gets all the nutrition they need from a complete dry food formula.
#1 Best Overall - PRIME100 ZERO G SPD DRY DOG FOOD
Nutritional Analysis (Dried beef formula) | |
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Protein | 33% |
Fat | 15% |
Fiber | 4% |
When it comes to the best dry dog food made in Australia, we really have to give it to Prime100 SPD Zero G. They take quality to the limits, offering kibble that starts with top notch ingredients that has long term canine health in mind.
Their Australian made and owned dry dog food formulas start with responsible sourcing using Australia's own kangaroo, sustainably caught seafood, and free range poultry. They include superfoods such as turmeric, balanced omega 6 & three essential fatty acids, plus fruit and vegetables adding to the natural goodness of their recipe.
In addition to extremely high quality protein as the top ingredient in all of their recipes, Prime100 formulas contain no grains, potatoes or other cheap fillers. You also won’t find any meat by-products or artificial preservatives.
When it is all said and done, Prime100 SPD Zero G dry dog food is also great value.
Other flavours:
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#2 Runner Up Dry Dog Food: Stockman & Paddock Working Dog
Nutritional Analysis (Working Dog Formula) | |
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Protein | 26% |
Fat | 16% |
Our second choice for the best kibble in Australia is the Working Dog recipe by Stockman & Paddock. With 26% protein and real Australian beef as the number one ingredient, this is a formula fit for active dogs who deserve the very best in nutrition.
One of the things that makes the Stockman and Paddock recipe unique is a focus on whole grains for sustained energy throughout the day. They also include lots of whole food superfoods to boost the natural nutrition of their kibble. Prebiotics are included to aid digestion.
Because it doesn’t have cheap fillers, you will probably find that your dog needs less of this kibble than you are used to, making it a good value overall.
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Stockman & Paddock recently added a grain free recipe to their line of high quality dog food:
#3 Best Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food Option: Canidae Pure Line of Dog Food
Limited ingredient diets are a must for some dogs. For example, dogs with food sensitivities or allergies may be reactive to specific proteins, grains, or other ingredients commonly used in commercial dog feeds.
If your vet has recommended a limited ingredient diet, or if you are doing some experimenting with an elimination trial to try to identify your dog’s food allergy, then you may want to consider a limited ingredient kibble.
Although Canidae is made in Texas, it is available online to Australians. This brand uses high quality ingredients, has high protein levels, and offers a large selection of limited diets including life stage recipes and novel proteins. (See below for a full list).
Packed with excellent protein sources and carefully selected whole foods with a simple ingredient label packed with easily recognizable whole foods, there just isn’t any room to hide fillers or mystery meats.
The Canidae Pure line of kibble is also grain free and offers a great choice for pet owners looking to avoid grains in their feed.
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Canidae Pure comes in the following formulas:
#4 Best Grain Free Dog Food Option: Ivory Coat Natural Health Line of Dog Food
Nutritional Analysis (Chicken and Coconut Formula) | |
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Protein | 32% |
Fat | 14% |
Omega-3 | 0.5% |
Omega-6 | 3% |
Ivory Coat is a relatively new dog food brand that has been developed to meet the needs of an increasingly informed public looking for quality dry dog food. The entire line of Ivory Coat is grain free and boasts many novel proteins (great for dogs with food allergies) and age and size calibrated diets.
Australian chicken meal, a solid protein source, is the first ingredient. Additional ingredients in this kibble include whole food additions such as blueberries, coconut oil, kale and broccoli. The addition of these superfoods provides excellent nutritional support in terms of micronutrients. Omega 3 and 6 levels in this formula are also higher than most recipes, offering lots of support for skin and coat.
32% protein is well above the industry average and is plenty to support strong muscles for even the most active working dogs. While grain free diets are not required for most dogs, the Ivory Coat line is an excellent choice whether or not your dog requires a grain free diet.
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The Ivory Coat Line offers a huge selection to fit the needs of any dog, including:
Adult and Senior dry food Formulas from Ivory Coat:
Weight Control formulas by Ivory Coat:
Puppy Formulas from Ivory Coat:
Wet Dog Food Options from Ivory Coat:
#5 Best Dry Puppy Food Australia: Ivory Coat Puppy Formula, Chicken
When it comes to the best puppy food Australia, we have to go again with Ivory Coat (full review of the brand above). Just to cover the highlights again, Ivory Coat is an Australian dog food line made with top notch ingredients, careful addition of whole food ingredients, high levels of Omega 3 & 6, and completely grain free.
One of the most important decisions about food that a pet owner can make for their puppy is to choose a high quality dog food.
For owners of large and giant breeds, this decision is especially critical. The wrong diet in the first year of growth can have disastrous consequences in terms of muscle and bone development that can create major mobility issues down the road. Luckily, Ivory coat offers a special dry dog food selection calibrated to the needs of large breed pups.
Expect to see the Ivory Coat line of kibble aimed at puppies to continue to expand in terms of selection. This relatively new brand has become incredibly popular in Australia thanks to their attention to premium ingredients, grain free recipes, and wide use of high quality novel proteins.
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When it comes to their puppy line of dry food, here are the options from Ivory Coat:
FAQ
If you are planning to make a change to your dog’s diet, it is important to do so gradually. Experts recommend that you start by switching out ¼ of your dog’s food per day until you are feeding exclusively new feed.
It is not unusual for dogs to experience mild stomach upset such as diarrhea when changing their food. However, if your dog has nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that is severe or lasts longer than 24 hours, check in with your vet before feeding more of the new food.
Grain free dog food formulas have become quite popular. And, as long as you choose a quality grain free food that has top notch protein sources and a balanced nutritional profile, then there is nothing wrong with feeding grain free.
However, it is important to understand that most dogs are able to digest grains just fine. In fact, most dog allergies are actually to specific proteins such as beef or chicken. Thus, paying more for a grain-free formula isn’t always the right choice.
When in doubt, check with your vet to find out if a grain free feed will be better for your individual dog.
One of the issues that makes finding quality dog food in Australia so complicated is that the commercial pet food industry is largely unregulated. This can make it difficult for us to make sure we are getting the best for our pets.
There are a few red flags you should be aware of when researching pet food. First, avoid products that feature “meat” as a main ingredient as this can include any number of animal parts from questionable sources. On the other hand, a named protein, such as beef, is more tightly defined and includes only the muscle and connective tissue which assures higher quality.
Second, avoid by-products of any kind if possible. They can include any number of scrap parts and have little regulation in terms of guaranteeing source or final nutritional content. (On the other hand, meals do have to meet specific parameters as long as they are not generically labeled “meat meal.”)
Finally, if you are unable to verify the nutritional analysis with a clear protein, fat, and fiber analysis provided right on the bag of food, then you may want to think twice before purchasing.
The Verdict: Best Dry Dog Food Australia
When it comes to getting the best nutrition for your dog, it may help to first consider their special dietary needs. That is why our review of the best Australian kibble includes picks in a variety of categories.
