The 5 Best Wet Dog Foods For Your Favorite Pet
Add hydration and flavor to your dog's diet with one of these high-quality wet dog foods.
Wet dog foods provide several key benefits you won’t get from a kibble-only diet. These include added hydration, a meatier taste, and a softer, easier-to-chew texture. We also love that you can spread them over lick mats or slow feeders to help prevent boredom.
However, what we appreciate most is how enticing canned foods are to almost every dog. If you’ve tried different dry foods and appetite stimulants to no avail, a tasty paté or a bowl of meaty chunks may do the trick and get your picky pup eating again. That makes it ideal for elderly pets, underweight rescues, and finicky dogs with health problems.
Best Wet Dog Foods to Consider
There are several specific details you can check out to help you narrow down which wet dog food is best for your particular pooch. The first thing to look for is the ingredient list. Good canned food uses high-quality proteins, whole grains, and fresh produce.
From there, we recommend focusing on textures and flavors. For instance, if your dog loves chunks of chicken, buying beef-based pureed food may lead to missed meals. Then again, some dogs prefer variety. In that case, a variety pack is your best bet for keeping them happy.
It can be tough to find foods that meet all of these requirements, but we have a few options to get you started. For example, Merrick Grain Free Wet Dog Food comes in a variety pack to ensure you find a flavor your pet will love. It also uses excellent ingredients.
While we love foods like Merrick, if you’re on a budget, you may be on the hunt for something a little more affordable. In that case, we recommend Purina Beyond Wet Dog Food. It’s a fantastic balance of quality ingredients at a lower price point. No matter your pet’s needs, there’s a canned food to fit. We have a few below you can check out.
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food
If you’re on the hunt for a nutritiously delicious wet food that even your picky pup will love, look no further than Merrick’s grain-free wet dog food. It has a hearty meat texture with chunks of veggies and thick gravy. The various recipes use deboned chicken, beef, and turkey to ensure plenty of protein. From there, whole foods, such as potatoes, carrots, apples, green beans, and sweet potatoes, provide additional nutrients while enhancing the flavor. Mix it with dry food to make it more palatable, or use it as your pet’s exclusive diet.
Pros:
- Enticing scents and flavors help put an end to most meal strikes
- Real food texture provides added enrichment compared to pureed or pate-style options
- Flavor variety ensures there’s a taste every dog can enjoy
- It doesn’t usually cause as much gas or loose stools, unlike many other common wet foods
Cons:
- On the pricier side
- Large chunks can be too big for small puppies
Purina Beyond Wet Dog Food
Purina Beyond wet dog food is available in several flavors and textures to help you get even the pickiest pooch happily eating. The limited-ingredient recipes use cage-free, pasture-raised beef and poultry, wild-caught fish, and fresh produce to create nutritious foods any dog can enjoy. Meanwhile, the texture varies from big meaty chunks to finely ground pate, allowing you to safely feed it to dogs of any size while making it easier to mix into dry foods.
Pros:
- Limited-ingredient recipes are easy on the tummy
- Scents and flavors can often entice picky or sick dogs to eat
- Well-balanced recipes include added vitamins and minerals to help round out the nutrition
- Affordable compared to many wet dog foods, especially considering the quality
Cons:
- Grain-free recipes still use wheat gluten
- Can cause a little stomach upset as you transition from other foods
Weruva Dogs In The Kitchen Pooch Pouch Party
Whether you have a super picky pup or simply enjoy switching things up occasionally, we recommend the Pooch Pouch Party from Weruva Dogs in the Kitchen. It comes with 12 pouches in six flavors, allowing you to mix and match and keep things fresh for your pet. Meanwhile, the eco-conscious company uses sustainably-sourced proteins while leaving out harmful fillers like gluten, carrageenan, corn, wheat, and soy.
Pros:
- Pouches are easy to open, even if you have painful joints
- Strong scent and flavor make it easier to cover up the smell of medicines or supplements
- Soft enough for small dogs or elderly dogs with tooth loss
- Easily mixes into dry food to help entice your dog to eat more
Cons:
- Takes several pouches to provide enough calories for medium and large dogs
- Pouch is not reesealable
Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner
Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner wet dog food is perfect for any pet parent that wants to entice their picky pooch to eat while sticking to a budget. The flavorful recipes include beef, bacon, and chicken, ensuring there’s an option to fit almost any dog’s preferences. And because it’s ground into a soft form, it’s easy to stir into dry foods as needed. Real meat is also always the first ingredient, so you can always feel confident feeding it to your furry friend.
Pros:
- Much more affordable than most wet foods
- Various recipes help you find a flavor almost any dog will enjoy, even if they tend to turn their nose up at other varieties
- Easy to mix, making it perfect for medications or blending into other foods
- Has a more pleasant scent than many other foods around the same price point
Cons:
- Ingredients aren’t all the best quality
- There are no chicken-free options for dogs with allergies
Zignature Limited-Ingredient Formula Wet Dog Food
Zignature Limited-Ingredient Formula Wet Dog Food is an excellent choice for any dog with allergies or a sensitive tummy. It’s free of all the most common irritants and allergens, including grain, potatoes, and chicken. What it does include, though, are high-quality proteins, fresh produce, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. For example, you can choose from duck, catfish, goat, kangaroo, and other uncommon meat sources, which are often gentler and more easily digested than the more common chicken-based recipes.
Pros:
- Formulated to be gentle on dogs with skin and stomach problems
- Doesn’t cause as much gas during the transition as many other canned foods
- Helps dogs maintain healthy coats and skin
- Nutritionally sound enough to feed exclusively or mix in with dry foods
Cons:
- Expensive option, especially if you feed this food exclusively
- High fat content can lead to weight gain if you aren’t careful with portions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does wet dog food provide all of the nutrition my dog needs?
Most wet dog foods are formulated to provide complete nutrition for your pet. However, it’s essential to pay close attention to the labels. There are some recipes that are meant to mix into dry foods.
Can I save leftover wet dog food for another day?
Wet dog food is as easy to save as your leftover dinner. There are lids you can snap onto the cans the food comes in, or you can put what’s left into food storage containers, like Tupperware.
Should I feed kibble in addition to wet dog food?
While many wet dog foods provide a full balanced meal, we recommend adding kibble to your dog’s diet. It provides added enrichment and often does a better job cleaning your dog’s teeth.
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