Nutrition
What's the Best Wet Food for Dogs?
When choosing good food for our dog, we always go back and forth between dry kibble or wet food, which is closer to what natural food based on fresh meat would be.
We have so many options available that it becomes hard to know which is the best wet food for a dog. That's why we've spent our time testing the best options, so it's easy for you to decide.
Is Wet Food Better Than Dry Kibble?
As with everything here, there are different opinions on what's healthier or not for a dog. From our own experience, we can confirm that both dry and wet food are suitable for feeding any dog.
Even so, wet food preserves many of the amino acids and proteins present in the food better, compared with dry kibble.
Wet food, in short, is the closest thing to natural feeding for dogs (also known as BARF feeding). But nobody's better than your own dog to try it out and judge the results.
Which Brands Have We Included in This Test?
Our intention is to be entirely neutral — nobody has paid to appear in this article or to get a better or worse rating. We've bought EVERY product featured here so we could use and compare them.
Although we haven't included every brand on the market, since some simply aren't worth it for their low ingredient quality, we have picked up the highest-quality ones so we could compare them and give you our most honest opinion. Both in meat-chunk format and pâté format.
Among the wet foods selected, you'll find Taste of the Wild, Hill's, Venevo, Yarrah, Criadores, Alpha Spirit and Breed Up, among many others.
How Will the Test Be Carried Out to Find the Best Wet Food?
For this section we have two experts on the matter. Our dog Yako, a large breed with an extremely sensitive stomach — anything a bit "heavy" gives him diarrhoea. And our dog Beltxa, a small breed and very fussy about food, who won't eat just anything, let alone something "ordinary".
We'll also assess the quality of the ingredients in each product and its value for money. On top of that, how well it agrees with our dogs and its palatability, smell, appearance and so on… You can judge the product for yourself through the exclusive photos we've taken of each tin.
What's the Best Wet Food?
Every dog has their own needs based on size, age and lifestyle. Broadly speaking, though, we can rate these products' quality based on their ingredients, taste and outcome.
No beating around the bush — let's look at the results. Fair warning, some images are a little unpleasant… though strangely appealing to our dogs.
Criadores - Beef With Courgette
We start with a brand well known in Spain as the own-brand label of the company Tiendanimal. They have several dry and wet food varieties for dogs. We went for the wet beef with courgette.
Ingredients:
- Beef (68%), cooking water, courgette (2%), minerals, safflower oil
- Protein (1.9%), fat content (6.7%), crude ash (2.5%), crude fibre (0.5%), moisture (75%), calcium (0.23%), phosphorus (0.17%), sodium (0.25%), potassium (2,000 mg/kg)
Price:
- 400g tin at €1.99 (€4.97/kilo)
Tin of Criadores beef with courgette
The look, at first glance, is fairly unpleasant, as you can see in the image above. On opening the tin we expected something pâté-like, but the contents were a solid lump of meat with a strange look and unpleasant smell.
The texture is tough, somewhat like not-very-moist, heavily compacted meat. With some "white" bits resembling cartilage or similar.
Given it contains 68% beef, but doesn't state which cut of beef was used, we checked the protein level, where we found a low figure, 1.9%. This tells us low-biological-value by-products have been used.
Our dogs ate it with no problems, despite the strange smell it gave off. It didn't upset their stomachs, so it wasn't spoiled — it's simply how it is.
Given they don't specify the type of meat used and its low protein level, we think animal by-products have been used. Something fairly common in this type of dog food.
Our dogs liked it and it agreed with them. It's fairly palatable, so its smell and taste appeal to them.
Criadores organic beef with peas
Criadores Organic - Beef With Peas
We carry on testing the Criadores brand, this time their "organic" line, to check its ingredients and quality. Within Criadores' organic range you can find several recipes, besides the one we're testing.
Ingredients:
- Beef (30%)**, cooking water, peas (3%)**, carrots (3%)**, mineral substances, sunflower oil. ** certified organic ingredient.
- Protein 10.7%, fat content 6.7%, crude fibre 0.4%, crude ash 2.3%, moisture 76%
Price:
- 400g tin at €2.75 (€6.88/kilo)
Criadores organic - Beef with peas
Our first impression is similar to "Criadores - Beef with Courgette" in terms of look. The texture is also tough, meat not very moist and quite pressed together.
The label states it has 30% beef; we don't know whether that's a typo or genuinely the case. But if it is, what's the rest supposed to be? Because the peas and carrot only make up 6%.
Despite the low beef content, the protein level is somewhat higher, reaching 10.7%, fairly more acceptable than the previous case. Even so, since we don't know every ingredient, we don't know whether this is animal protein or low-biological-value plant protein for a dog.
The product's smell is neutral, with a slight meaty note. For the dogs it's fairly palatable (tasty); they eat it with no trouble and it agreed with them.
Yarrah - Beef Bites
Switching brands, we move on to try Yarrah's wet food in bite-sized chunks (they also have a pâté format). They have several menu options to choose from, so we went for their beef recipe.
Ingredients:
- 35% meat* and animal by-products* (5% beef*), grains* (6% wheat*), minerals and vegetable by-products* (0.2% nettle*, 0.2% tomato*).
- Protein 8%, fat content 5%, crude fibre 0.4%, crude ash 2%, moisture 81%
Price:
- 840g tin at €2.83 (€3.37/kilo)
Yarrah - Beef bites
Opening the tin we were pleasantly surprised to find it's chunks of meat in a fairly runny, neutral sauce, made according to the manufacturer with nettle and tomato. The chunks of meat are firm, with a medium texture and good smell.
The label states it has 35% meat, of which 30% they don't specify is beef. We'd like to know what the other meats used in this formula are, but they don't state it.
The meat level isn't very high, but the protein percentage sits at 8%, so we don't know whether it's animal or plant protein. Among the ingredients they do state they use by-products — kudos for the honesty.
The product's smell is good and intense, smelling of meat appealing even to a human. Our dogs told us it's very palatable — they eat it very happily, licking their lips, which tells you it's tasty.
Venevo - Vegan Wet Food
It goes without saying that we're against vegetarian feeding for dogs, since they're carnivores by nature. But we didn't want to miss this chance to see what our dogs think of this plant-based wet food for dogs.
Ingredients:
- Water, potatoes, carrots, oats, sunflower oil, peas, broad beans, brown rice, tomatoes, avocados, blackberries, blueberries, dried brewer's yeast
- Protein 8%, fat 3%, fibre 3%, moisture 76%
Price:
- 369g tin at €4.95 (€13.41/kilo)
Venevo - Vegan wet food
We didn't know what to expect from this product, but opening the tin we found it's something like pâté, with a slightly rougher texture and a colour showing the use of vegetables. The smell is almost neutral, not very intense.
Since we already know it contains no meat, the 8% protein it has is obviously plant-based. So it's not of great biological value for a dog.
We served it to our dogs and, although they ate it, they hesitated for a few seconds and didn't finish their whole portion, unusual especially for the greedy one. This tells us its palatability isn't very high.
Taste of the Wild - Southwest Canyon
Another brand that's surprised us with the variety in its formulas, in wet dog food format, is Taste of the Wild. We actually bought several wet food ranges to assess, and all fit this description.
Ingredients:
- Beef, beef broth, vegetable broth, dehydrated protein, sunflower oil, natural flavourings, venison, lamb, potato starch, chickpeas, peas, calcium carbonate, guar gum, linseed oil, sodium tripolyphosphates, salt, dextrose, tricalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, dehydrated chicory root extract
- Crude protein 8.25%, crude fat 5%, crude fibre 1.0%, moisture 82.0%
Price:
- 374g tin at €2.99 (€10.91/kilo)
Taste of the Wild - Southwest Canyon
We were surprised to see it's meat chunks, since we expected something pâté-like. So it was a pleasant surprise to see this composition. We know a tin of wet food is going to be a hit with our dog when it appeals to us at first glance, and when its aroma even makes us salivate.
That's right — we have to admit the intense smell it gives off already suggests it'll be delicious, something our dogs proved when they tried it. They literally devoured it, licking the bowl until it was completely clean, so it's without doubt a highly palatable product. Its texture is medium, what you'd expect from meat chunks.
As for its composition, it's very varied but doesn't state the percentage of each ingredient. So we can't rate it as good or bad. The protein level is what's expected for this type of food, but we don't know whether it's animal or plant-derived.
It's a shame we can't have more data, since this is genuinely a product our dogs really liked, and it agreed with them.
Taste of the Wild - Pacific Stream
After the success we saw with the previous Southwest Canyon variety, we couldn't pass up trying the Pacific Stream range.
Ingredients:
- Salmon, fish broth, water, egg, peas, natural flavouring, potato starch, calcium carbonate, sweet potatoes, potatoes, ocean fish, smoked salmon, guar gum, salt, sodium tripolyphosphates, potassium chloride, Yucca Schidigera extract, dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, dehydrated chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, iron proteinate (iron chelate source), zinc proteinate (zinc chelate source), vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate (copper chelate source), manganese proteinate (manganese chelate source), riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 preparation, potassium iodide, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement.
- Crude protein 7.5%, crude fat 3.0%, crude fibre 1.0%, moisture 80.0%
Price:
- 374g tin at €2.99 (€10.91/kilo)
Just like the previous range, this was quite a discovery for us and our dogs alike. Very palatable and it agreed with them.
Hill's - Ideal Balance With Chicken and Vegetables
The tin's photo already made us want to pick it up for this comprehensive test of the best wet food for dogs, since a picture is often worth a thousand words. Hill's is a giant in the dog food industry, so let's see what it offers us.
Worth noting: besides the range we're covering, we also bought and tried Hill's Science Plan with beef and Hill's Ideal Balance with salmon and vegetables. The results are so similar to those with this range that we prefer simply to mention them so you know their quality.
Ingredients:
- Chicken (17%), pork, carrots, rice starch, potato starch, dextrose, powdered animal protein, pea fibre, brown rice, minerals, pea protein meal, peas, digest, linseed, chicken broth powder, potato, trace elements, spinach flakes, vitamins and beta-carotene. Coloured with natural caramel. Total vegetables (4%)
- Protein (6.3%), crude fibre (0.8%), crude ash (1.6%), moisture (78.4%), fat content (3.9%), calcium (0.23%), phosphorus (0.16%), sodium (0.14%), potassium (0.24%)
Price:
- 363g tin at €2.93 (€8.07/kilo)
Hill's Ideal Balance chicken and vegetables
Thanks to the tin's own photo we already knew it was meat chunks in sauce, though it actually looks even better once it's tipped into the bowl. Its texture is medium, the sauce isn't excessively runny and the smell is very good, though not very intense.
Its ingredients are varied, and although they don't specify the percentage of every ingredient, at least we know it contains 17% chicken. A meat percentage higher than the rest of the brands on offer.
The protein level is somewhat low, so we assume parts of the chicken with low nutritional value have been used. Despite its good smell, the dogs didn't devour it the way they did with other products, but they did eat it. One of them didn't agree with it and ended up with loose stools (semi-diarrhoea), though this process would need repeating several times to know if it's a one-off or down to its composition.
Alpha Spirit - Beef and Melon
Another company we know for its dry or semi-moist food, and now also making a strong push into wet food, is Alpha Spirit. We found several recipes that appealed to us at first, so we bought them to assess.
Besides Alpha Spirit beef and salmon, we also tried chicken and pineapple, as well as rabbit and banana. The results are similar across every variety, so this review applies to the rest too.
Ingredients:
- Beef 92%, melon 4%, mineral substances, vegetable gelatine, xylose
- Crude protein 10.1%, crude oils and fats 4.6%, crude fibre 0.3%, crude ash 1.9%, moisture 81.2%
Price:
- 400g tin at €2.46 (€6.15/kilo)
Alpha Spirit beef and melon
Right away we can see this is a pâté-type food, soft in texture and with pieces of what looks like fruit. The smell it gives off isn't very intense but is pleasant, and it seems to interest our dogs, who don't take their eyes off us while we take the photos.
Luckily Alpha Spirit does include a composition stating the percentage of each ingredient in detail, something worth thanking and valuing. The protein and fat levels are what you'd expect, so an initial top mark for the composition.
Our dogs ate it very happily, leaving nothing in the bowl, so it's a highly palatable product. It didn't disagree with them, so it's fairly digestible.
Breed Up - Turkey With Sweet Potato
Any wet food brand is worth testing if we want to do a decent review, and this one, despite us not knowing it before, crossed our path, so we decided to include it in the list.
Besides the one mentioned, we also tried Breed Up's chicken, lamb and oats range. With very similar results to this one, so they apply to both.
Ingredients:
- Turkey (66%), sweet potato (4%), cooking water, mineral substances, safflower oil
- Protein (10.9%), fat content (6.1%), crude ash (2.5%), crude fibre (0.5%), moisture (75%), calcium (0.23%), phosphorus (0.17%), sodium (0.25%), potassium (2,000 mg/kg), gross energy (142.02 kcal/kg), digestible energy (125.46 kcal/kg)
Price:
- 400g tin at €1.99 (€4.97/kilo)
Breed Up - Turkey with sweet potato
Opening the tin we found a solid lump of meat similar to the one from the Criadores brand, tough in texture (nothing like pâté even though it may look like it). It's like pressed meat, with a not-very-intense smell that isn't very pleasant to the human nose.
Its composition is suitable, as are its protein levels, within the average for this type of food. We tried it with our dogs and they ate it, but with no great enthusiasm. One of them had digestive problems the next day (soft stools/mild diarrhoea).
Conclusion on the Best Wet Food Option
Everyone will have their own preferences, based on price or product quality. Personally, we've been surprised and really pleased by the results from Taste of the Wild's ranges.
For value for money, though, other ranges might turn out more affordable. Every dog is different — some will prefer the pâté format while others will go wild for the meat chunks.
Our advice is that if you can, buy several ranges and let your dog tell you which they like most.
IMPORTANT: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary, nutritional or behavioural advice. Every dog is different, and only your trusted vet can advise you on its specific needs.