Best dog food: a veterinarian’s opinion (2025)

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Our selection

We analyzed 13 kibble brands and selected these 2 products:

# Best value for money 🥇
> Sensitive Dog Kibble all sizes – Ultra Premium Direct

# Best premium kibble
> Sensitive Dog Kibble – Franklin

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Our selection criteria

• % protein: this is the protein content of the kibble. It should be at least 21%.
• % fat: this is the fat content of the kibble. It should be limited for spayed/neutered and/or overweight dogs.
• RPP: the protein-to-phosphorus ratio is a good indicator of the proportion between meat and carcass. The higher it is, the better.
• Price / kg: this is the price per kg of kibble (for larger sizes).
• Customer reviews: this average of customer reviews about the brand comes from the brand’s website, review platforms, or marketplaces like Amazon.

All the kibbles we selected are from French brands, are grain-free, and meet the recommended nutrient intakes.

Best dog kibble

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BEST QUALITY/PRICE RATIO 🥇

We selected these dog kibbles for their high protein content, satisfactory RPP, and excellent value for money.

The fat content is limited (16%) and the mineral and vitamin content is optimized.

These kibbles are suitable for dogs with digestive problems or sensitive skin. The recipe uses lamb, a protein that is particularly digestible and unlikely to cause allergies.

They also contain Ascophyllum nodosum, a seaweed that prevents tartar and bad breath by stopping dental plaque from forming.

Finally, the presence of chondroitin and glucosamine helps support the dog’s joint health on a daily basis.

Ultra Premium Direct is a well-known French company in the pet food market, founded in 2014. The brand has made high-quality cat and dog food more accessible by cutting out middlemen between the factory and the consumer.

By subscribing, you get a 10% discount.

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BEST PREMIUM KIBBLES

Franklin offers premium kibble, grain-free and made with 70% duck meat, accompanied by vegetables and fruits for a good nutritional balance.

These kibbles contain no artificial additives or preservatives but are enriched with prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals.

They are particularly high in protein (34%) and their RPP is very high (48.6), a sign of excellent composition.

Franklin is a French premium brand specializing in natural, transparent pet food, favoring simple, traceable ingredients.

The quality-to-price ratio remains excellent for premium kibble. By subscribing, you get a 15% discount.

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What are the benefits of dog kibble?

A complete food

Because of its long coexistence with humans, the dog is no longer a strict carnivore today — its diet includes meat but also vegetables and starchy foods.

Dog kibble contains all the elements it needs for its metabolism: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, as well as vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.

A safe food

Kibble is produced by an industrial process called cooking-extrusion. The food is first turned into a dough and heated, then it passes through sieves that give it its shape.

Dog kibble is then dehydrated. The moisture content of the final product is between 9% and 14%.

This manufacturing method, combined with strict regulations, makes kibble one of the safest dog foods from a sanitary standpoint. Its low moisture content also allows it to be stored for a long time.

A convenient food

Easy storage, simple dosing and complete composition: dog kibble certainly makes human life easier! Logistics are also simplified with the option to deliver large-format bags.

Moreover, there is kibble for every stage of a dog’s life, and some are even tailored to their health needs.

An economical food

Compared to wet food (pâtés, meatballs…) or home-cooked diets (homemade food, BARF…), kibble proves to be more affordable, especially for medium to large breed animals.

A crunchy food

And yes, it’s no secret: dogs like to use their teeth! Thus kibble strengthens their jaws, fights tartar and allows for better oral health.

An eco-friendly food

And yes, again! Dog kibble is made from animal by-products (offal, poultry necks, fish trimming leftovers…) which are rarely consumed by humans despite their excellent nutritional value.

This therefore helps make better use of meat and fish production for human consumption by avoiding waste.

What criteria should you consider when buying dog kibble?

To find the perfect kibble for your pet, you’ll need to look at their composition, but also take into account the characteristics of your pup.

Ingredients of dog kibble

The composition of kibble is of course one of the key criteria to study before purchase. However, it’s not always easy to navigate the multiplicity of brands and the complexity of labels.

FACCO (Federation of Manufacturers of Food for Dogs, Cats, Birds and Other Companion Animals) recommends the following minimum levels for an adult maintenance dog:

•  Protein content: 18 to 21% of dry matter
•   Fat content: 5.5% (including 1% linoleic acid)
•  Calcium: 0.5%

For sugars, look for a carbohydrate level (or Nitrogen-Free Extract) < 50%

Proteins are an essential component of dog kibble. However, a food with the right protein content is not a sufficient guarantee of quality: those proteins must also have good nutritional value.

Thus, for dogs, animal-derived proteins (eggs, meat or fish meals) are preferred, as they are superior to plant-derived ones (soy, canola, cereals…).

The quality of the proteins in kibble can also be assessed using the RPP (Protein-Phosphorus Ratio), which should ideally be above 35. Indeed, high-quality protein ingredients (meat, fish…) have a high RPP, whereas lower-quality ones (carcass, bone, cereals…) have a low RPP.

To calculate the RPP (which is not listed on labels), you simply need to divide the protein level by the percentage of phosphorus. For example, if your kibble has a protein level of 32% and a phosphorus percentage of 0.8%, your RPP equals 32/0.8 = 40. You’re all set!

The dog’s age

The needs of a puppy that is still growing are different from those of an adult. For young dogs, FACCO recommends a minimum protein level of 25% and a calcium level of 1%.

Fortunately, you can find special puppy kibble on the market that is tailored to the breed (from miniature to giant puppies).

Indeed, you don’t feed a Leonberger puppy, which grows for 18 months, the same way you feed a Chihuahua; for example, large-breed puppy kibbles will be lower in fat to support gentler growth that is better for joint development (12 to 16% fat versus 14 to 20% for a small breed).

Generally, growth kibble is also suitable for pregnant and nursing females.

The senior dog will receive kibble with a preserved protein level to maintain its muscle mass, a higher fiber content (4 to 8%) to combat intestinal sluggishness, and a reduced phosphorus level (0.5 to 1%) to protect the kidneys.

Kibble for sterilized dogs

Ovariectomy in female dogs and castration in males are commonly performed procedures. They result in a change in internal metabolism and can lead to long-term harmful weight gain, promoting the development of certain conditions such as diabetes or osteoarthritis.

The caloric intake of the diet should be reduced without the animal going hungry.

Kibble for neutered dogs is reduced in fat and contains more fiber. This may cause an increase in the number and frequency of stools.

“Medical” kibble for dogs

Veterinary laboratory nutritionists have developed kibble designed to meet the needs of animals suffering from specific conditions. The composition of these foods varies depending on the diseases involved.

For example:

•  foods enriched with quality soluble fibers (substrate for the microbiota) for animals with sensitive intestines,
• kibble with chondroprotective agents (glucosamine, chondroitin…) to combat the effects of osteoarthritis,
• kibble for dogs with renal insufficiency with reduced phosphorus and protein levels
• dry foods that prevent recurrence of urinary stones
• kibble with hydrolyzed proteins for dogs suffering from food allergies…  

These kibbles for dogs should only be used on the advice of a veterinarian.

Organic kibble for dogs

Ingredients from organic farming are obviously a real plus. They are a guarantee of healthier food, free of residues.

However, they must also contain ingredients of good nutritional quality. A chicken carcass, even organic, is less desirable than meat…

Should you buy grain-free kibble for dogs?

The trend is toward grain-free kibble. These nutrients (wheat, corn, rice, barley, rye, oats), though used in dog food for centuries, have suddenly become undesirable.

Why? Grains contain proteins, but also starch, a slow-digesting carbohydrate that provides energy. Poorly cooked starch can cause diarrhea or digestive discomfort in dogs. When well cooked, it generally causes no problems.

Wheat, rye and barley also contain gluten, which is responsible for digestive disorders in humans (gluten intolerance or celiac disease). This disease is extremely rare in dogs. Cases have, however, been documented in the Irish Setter.

But in kibble, starch is not only used to provide protein and energy; it is also an essential agent for texturing the kibble (giving it its consistency). In fact, even grain-free kibble contains… starch, but it comes from other vegetables such as peas, lentils or potatoes.

Foods that are not always well digested by dogs and can cause diarrhea and/or flatulence.

Grain-free dog kibble therefore does not guarantee better digestibility at all.

Where to buy dog kibble?

From veterinarians

Veterinary clinics offer high-quality premium brands. In addition, the professional who knows your animal will be a good source of advice for personalizing your companion’s diet.

Many veterinarians now work with online shops offering more competitive prices.

At pet stores

They offer kibble similar to that from veterinary clinics.

At supermarkets

Supermarkets generally offer kibble of lower nutritional quality, especially when prices are particularly low.

Online

Warning — danger! There’s all sorts on the web! Before ordering, check the website’s reliability, the origin of the kibble, and find out about its composition.

To summarize

Quality dog kibble:

1.  Contain animal-based proteins at a minimum level of 21%

2.  Have an RPP greater than 35

3.  Have carbohydrate content (ENA) < 50%

4.  Preferably organic, but NOT necessarily grain-free

5.  Are appropriate for your pet’s age and health condition

6.  Contain a reduced fat content if your dog is neutered (10-15%)

7.  Are preferably bought from specialized retailers

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BEST VALUE FOR MONEY 🥇

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BEST PREMIUM KIBBLE

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