The 6 Best Wet Dog Foods Australia: Tested & Evaluated 2024

Choosing what you will feed your dog is one of the most important decisions in every pet parent’s life.

You can probably tell what your pooch likes and doesn't like, but does it necessarily mean that the food your dog likes best is the healthiest option? Not really!

That’s why we've done the research and created this guide to finding the best dog food in Australia. We've teamed up with certified canine nutritionists and have tested dozens of options with our doggo assistants, all in our search for Australia's finest wet dog food. What did we discover? Well, you'll just have to stick around to find out!

Related: How Is Australia's Dog Food Industry Regulated?
Related: What is AAFCO? The Association of American Feed Control Officials
Related: What Is the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA)?
Related: AAFCO vs PFIAA: Dog Food Standards Comparison Australia

Australia's Best Canned Dog Foods Reviewed

A can of wet dog food provides an easy way to serve an extra-delicious meal to your canine companion, although we would always advocate for a raw dog food option if taste is what you're after.

With many options available today, it can be hard to choose the right one. Which one is the healthiest, and which offers the best value for money? After months of extensive research, our team considers these Australia's best wet food options:

Not exactly canned dog food, Petzyo's raw dog food patty range is the perfect option for even the pickiest of eaters. Offering that delicious wet food taste and texture, but comes with the added bonus of being one of the healthiest dog food options out there.

Related: Petzyo Dog Food Review

This Australian company uses high-quality natural ingredients that offer optimum dog nutrition based on the BARF method (biologically appropriate raw food). There are a variety of flavours that are composed of carefully selected ingredients consisting of fresh organs and bones, whole-grains, fruit & veggies, oils, herbs, spices and superfoods. I love that when I feed my dog this Petzyo raw food, I know he is getting the best of the best.

Unlike our number three pick, this is definitely one of the most expensive options on this list. So if you're budgeting, this may not be an option you can offer your dog daily. They also offer a subscription based service meaning you'll never be caught short and find yourself driving to the shops late at night to ensure your precious pup can have dinner.

In short - we know it's not the traditional wet/canned food option that most people think of when choosing a yummy dog food option that their pooch will actually eat. But if you love your dog and want them to be as healthy as possible, it's the option our team recommends most, paws down.

The wet dog food from Ziwi Peak contains only the best of the best for your dog. If we would make our own wet dog food formula, it would look somewhat like this.

So, what makes the Ziwi Peak food so special? First of all, all of the Ziwi Peak wet food formulas are mostly made out of meat, organs, fish, and New Zealand green mussels (which are great for supporting healthy joints, by the way). Whichever recipe you choose, you will find that these 4 ingredients comprise at least 90% of the contents in the can. My dog has gobbled down every flavour he's tried so far, and while he isn't exactly picky, I am glad he's a fan of food that just happens to be wholesome! 

Related: Ziwi Peak Dog Food Review

Moreover, it’s not just about their food having high protein content - the meat used by Ziwi Peak dog food is always ethically sourced from sustainable local farms in New Zealand. The meat in their food always comes from free-range and grass-fed animals. And unlike our number one pick, this wet dog food resembles traditional wet dog food, so you can feed it to your dog as-is or use a portion of it as a topping for their kibble.

Overall, the Ziwi Peak wet dog food is a great choice if you want to be sure your dog is getting a quality meal with a well-balanced nutritional profile. This wet food is a bit more expensive than some other options, but we still find Ziwi offers good value for money considering the quality of the ingredients they use.

Applaws recipes might not be anything to write home about, but their wet dog food options have a decent (and concise!) ingredient list and come at a reasonable price. We don’t recommend Applaws cans as the only food source for your dog, but if you are looking for an occasional tasty treat for your pup, then these are entirely OK!

Looking above, you will see that this recipe includes only six ingredients. That’s always a good sign. Moreover, the first ingredient is chicken breast - a precisely named source of protein and a great option.
The rest of the recipe could be more impressive, though. There is chicken broth, a few veggies, and rice. Rice is technically a grain, so it is not a grain-free food but free of wheat. I'd love it more if, like our number one choice, it contained ingredients that offer more vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, it does not offer chicken-free recipes, so it may limit your dog's diet.

If you're like me, then your beloved doggo may be encroaching on senior territory and you want a wet dog food better suited to his or her needs. The adult 7+ line from Hill’s Science Diet is another wet dog food option that offers well-balanced meals without breaking the bank. When it comes to Hill’s Science Diet, their wet dog food is not filled with superfoods like our number one choice from Petzyo, but it does contain quality ingredients and balanced nutrition to suit any dog’s needs.

The Chicken & Barley option was designed specifically for older dogs. It’s easy to digest, which is especially important for seniors. At the same time, it doesn’t contain any artificial colours or flavours, which I appreciate as a dog owner.

The main ingredients in this stew are chicken and barley (obviously), which are complemented with pork liver and dried beet pulp. Overall, it’s a good combination that your dog will most likely love. You can serve this wet food on its own or mix it with dry dog food to create an extra-appetising meal.

Hill’s Science Diet makes a number of different wet food formulas, so make sure to check out the other options too.

Black Hawk is an Australian dog food manufacturer that focuses on offering simple formulas with quality ingredients - just what your dog needs. Their grain-free formulas are made from real meat and vegetables, enriched with vitamins and minerals to achieve optimal nutritional balance. Moreover, Black Hawk gets all of the ingredients for their dog food from local Australian framers, so you know there are no mystery ingredients inside.

If your pooch doesn’t tolerate grains, or you just prefer using a grain-free formula, you’ll find three options from Black Hawk: Chicken, Beef, and Lamb. Besides meat, their formulas contain carrots and potatoes instead of grains. These formulas also contain Emu oil which is rich in healthy fatty acids that support your pooch’s immunity and skin and coat health. This is important to me since my toy poodle has a thick coat that easily mats as well as dry skin. 

Related: Best Grain Free Dog Food Australia.

The only potential downside of this dog food is that each formula contains protein from multiple sources. If you look at the ingredient list of the chicken formula, for example, you’ll find that it also contains lamb. Unlike the other options on this list, the lamb and beef formulas both have chicken as the second ingredient. Now, this is not a problem in itself, but you should be extra careful if your dog has any specific food sensitivities, like an allergy to chicken, for example.

Black Hawk makes their grain-free wet dog food in 3 versions: Chick, Lamb & Beef.

Ivory Coat is a relatively new Australian dog food brand, and their attention to quality is easy to notice by looking at an Ivory Coat Dog Food Review and their ingredient lists. Their grain-free wet dog food formulas contain lots of quality protein, enriched with nutritious vegetables and some superfoods, like flaxseed oil and blueberries.

Our team of canine nutritionists especially liked the Chicken & Coconut stew formula, which is enriched with coconut oil - an ingredient that is not only tasty but also good for your pooch (5)! Similar to our number five pick, which is enriched with emu oil, this recipe is ideal for dogs with skin and coat sensitivities.

One thing to keep in mind is that Ivory Coat uses multiple sources of protein to create these delicious formulas, also similar to our last pick. The Chicken & Coconut stew, for example, also contains beef, while the Lamb & Kangaroo and Lamb & Sardine formulas contain chicken too. This is definitely not a bad thing, and my dog certainly wasn't complaining. After all, added protein is definitely better than useless fillers, but it is important to note this in case you are trying to avoid a specific ingredient.

Other than meat, the Ivory Coat grain-free wet dog food formulas contain peas, sweet potato, and carrots. All of these veggies make the food easier to digest while also providing lots of vitamins for a healthy and happy dog life.

Ivory coat grain-free canned dog food recipes include: Chicken & Coconut Stew, Lamb & Kangaroo Stew and Lamb & Sardine Stew.

 Factors I Consider When Reviewing Wet Dog Food

Choosing the right food for your dog requires quite a bit of consideration. In Australia, pet food manufacturers don’t have to adhere to specific standards, which leaves it up to the buyer to decide which dog food is good and which is not (1). But you don't have to go it alone. These are the factors our expert team took into consideration in our research:

Protein First

Dogs are omnivores, which means they can eat both meat and plant-based food, but they still need a lot of protein in their diet. That’s why any good dog food should contain lots of quality protein sources, which will be primarily meat.

Related: How Much Wet Food Should You Feed Your Dog?

When reading the ingredient list on the back of a dog food package, the first ingredient should always be a great quality source of protein.

In addition to this, you always want to see ingredients that are properly named. Chicken, beef, lamb, or any other type of meat is ok. However, if a dog food label says only “meat” in the ingredient list, it is usually a sign that the ingredients used are of lower quality. You should also be sceptical about any dog food that contains “animal by-products” (often listed as “poultry by-products” or something similar) as this can mean almost anything - and it’s probably not pure meat.

Other Ingredients

Dog food is usually not made from meat only. So, what else does it contain?

While some pet parents prefer a grain-free diet for various reasons, food that contains quality grains is ok. You don’t want food that contains too much processed flour, corn, or soy for example - these are just cheap fillers that enlarge the volume of the food.

Quality dog foods made today contain whole food additions that can be a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that your dog needs for a happy and healthy life. Vegetables like sweet potato, spinach, and carrots are some of the most common ones, and though my dog certainly isn't a vegetarian, he seems to love foods that contain these types of wholesome veg.

Things to Avoid

In general, it’s a red flag if you can’t identify ingredients on a dog food’s ingredient list - such as mysterious meat ingredients mentioned above. However, you should also be careful about any dog food that contains lots of chemicals. Many dog foods contain artificial preservatives, colours, and flavour enhancers. While these are not necessarily bad for your dog, they certainly don’t do much good either. I strive to keep foods like these out of my dog's bowl since they're just fillers that don't contribute to his overall wellness.

Related: The Best Foods To Hide Dog Pills In.

Additionally, some preservatives are worse than others. Sulphite preservatives, in particular, have been a matter of controversy in Australia a couple of years ago, due to the fact that they can cause serious health issues in dogs.

To avoid cases like these, our experts note that it's always best to choose a dog food that doesn’t contain any artificial additives - and there are plenty of options available.

My Final Verdict

Normally we would recommend the best dry dog food, however we understand some pups are super picky.

So which canned food is the best for your dog? Naturally, this will depend on individual needs, such as the age and the level of activity of your dog. However, our team of nutritionists and researchers have two main recommendations based on our tests. First is the Petzyo Raw Royalty Patties. These are highly nutritious and delicious for your pup.

For wet dog food in the traditional sense, we chose the Ziwi Peak Wet Dog Food as a great universal choice. They offer a variety of formulas, each with high-quality sustainably-sourced protein enriched only with healthy whole food ingredients.

If the price tag of Ziwi Peak food is too high, though, there are some more budget-friendly options available too, like Advance Adult Chicken, Turkey, and Rice formula.

References

1. “How is the pet food industry regulated in Australia?”. RSPCA. Retrieved February 23, 2023. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/how-is-the-pet-food-industry-regulated-in-australia/
2. Lee, E. “How to Read a Dog Food Label”. Fetch by WebMD. Retrieved February 23, 2023. https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/how-to-read-a-dog-food-label#1
3. “Are preservatives in pet food a concern?”. RSPCA. Retrieved February 23, 2023. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/are-preservatives-in-pet-food-products-a-concern/
4. Arford, K. May 29, 2020. “Fish Oil for Dogs”. AKC. Retrieved February 23, 2023. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/fish-oil-for-dogs/
5. Heuer, V. April 14, 2016. “Is Coconut Oil Good for Dogs? Understanding the Benefits and Risks”. PetMD. Retrieved February 23, 2023. https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/coconut-oil-dogs-understanding-benefits-and-risks