Top 10 Best Beef Dog Food
While most dog food is filled with wonderful ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and grains, we all know that it’s the protein source that’s the real star — and it’s hard to beat beef. Feeding your dog beef is a great way to keep him lean, healthy, and happy.
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Of course, choosing the right beef food for your dog can be nerve-wracking. Every brand says that it’s the only food that has everything your dog needs. Unless you went to vet school, wading through all those claims can be intimidating — not to mention exhausting.
That’s why we’ve done all that for you. In the reviews below, you’ll discover which beef foods we think are best for your dog (and your budget). To make this list, we pored over ingredient lists, compared nutritional profiles, and checked to see what dogs actually prefer eating.
The foods that made the cut are so healthy and delicious, you may think about trying a bowl yourself.
The 10 Best Beef Dog Food Are
Rachael Ray Nutrish Real Beef, Pea, & Rice Dry Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | New: Beef, Beef Meal, Soybean Meal, Whole Corn, Grain Sorghum |
| Protein Content: | 25% |
| Fat Content: | 14% |
| Calories: | 3508 kcal/kg, 326 kcal/cup |
This beef dry dog food by Rachael Ray is a surprise for pet owners and a favorite of their pups. It’s a complete nutritional powerhouse and helps support lean muscle mass and healthy cognitive functions. It’s made without artificial preservatives, fillers, or gluten and it contains no by-products.
This dry food is a high-protein formula that’s perfect for high-energy dogs. The meal is also full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and it contains brown rice and peas to supply enough fiber for regularity.
Purina Pro Plan High Protein Pate, Beef & Rice Entree Wet Dog Food – Best Value
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Water, Liver, Meat By-Products |
| Protein Content: | 9% min |
| Fat Content: | 6% min |
| Calories: | 1169 kcal/kg |
This high-protein meal is our pick for the best beef dog food for the money due to its affordable price and nutritional profile. This meal is made with real beef and seems to receive excellent feedback from owners as a chosen pick by their pups.
It has a pate texture and is great for dogs who prefer wet food over dry meal options. The recipe is complete with 23 essential vitamins and nutrients and offers dogs a well-balanced source of daily nutrition. The downside is that wet dog food is more perishable than dry dog food, especially once opened.
Purina Pro Plan Adult Shredded Beef & Rice Dry Dog Food– Best Overall
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry |
| Protein Content: | 26% min |
| Fat Content: | 16% min |
| Calories: | 3,752 kcal/kg |
This shredded beef and rice meal is our best overall pick for the best beef dog food. It’s perfect for all dog breeds and is formulated specifically for adult dogs. It’s not only tender but it also has a wide spectrum of nutrients and vitamins. For example, it’s complete with vitamin A, and omega-6 fatty acids to help dogs maintain a healthy coat and skin.
It also comes fortified with live probiotics and prebiotic fiber for immune health and digestive support–something that older dogs may need. If you’re looking for a well-balanced beef recipe for your dog, here is one to consider. Purina is a dependable brand and the price for this meal is comparable to other brands’ dry beef meals.
Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7+ Savory Beef Stew Dog Food – Premium Choice
| Main Ingredients: | Water, Beef, Pork Liver, Brown Rice |
| Protein Content: | 3.5% min |
| Fat Content: | 2.2% min |
| Calories: | 327 kcal/12.8 oz can |
The Adult 7+ Savory Stew by Hill’s Science is another tasty beef meal that’s made with real beef. It includes brown rice and a number of different vegetables that are smothered in a flavorful brown gravy. The recipe contains all the minerals and vitamins needed for mature dogs and is also formulated to help support its digestive system. So, if your dog has issues with regularity or simply loves the taste of beef, this meal is definitely the one to check out. The downside is that it’s not suitable for pups and is perishable once opened.
Purina Pro Plan 7+ Essentials Shredded Blend Beef & Rice– Vet’s Choice
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Rice, Poultry By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, |
| Protein Content: | 29% min |
| Fat Content: | 14% min |
| Calories: | 420 kcal/cup |
Here is another meal that’s part of the 7+ Complete Essentials series by Purina. It simply doesn’t get any better when it comes to beef-based dry food recipes. This meal plan includes real beef that helps support heart health and the kibble is tender enough for older dogs that may have bite issues.
It’s also full of omega fatty acids for mobility and joint health. Not to mention it has prebiotic fibers to support a healthy gut microbe. The downside is that it’s not for puppies and some dogs may not like the flavor.
Stella & Chewy’s Perfectly Puppy Beef & Salmon Patties – Best for Puppies or Kittens
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Salmon with Ground Bone, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney |
| Protein Content: | 46.0% min |
| Fat Content: | 34.5% min |
| Calories: | 4,828 kcal/kg; 36 kcal/patty |
Here is a high-protein meal that will give your pup all of the protein that it needs for the day. This formula is made with a number of different minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A, C, and B, all of which can help build up your dog’s immune system.
And because puppies can sometimes have sensitive stomachs, the meal is free of antibiotics, hormones, and additives. It also includes chia seeds for healthy skin and coat and green mussels for joint support. The downside is that this food is perishable and more expensive than other options.
Castor & Pollux PRISTINE Grain-Free Small Breed Stew Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Beef Broth, Water Sufficient for Processing, Beef Liver |
| Protein Content: | 9.0% min |
| Fat Content: | 2.0% mi |
| Calories: | 988 kcal/kg, 99 kcal/bowl |
Some dogs are sensitive to grains. And if this is your dog, this organic beef-based meal may be the perfect fit. It’s made with free-range, grass-fed beef and contains no hormones or antibiotics. It also includes organic produce such as peas, carrots, and spinach.
This meal is completely free of artificial preservatives, gluten and wheat, and it contains no corn or soy products. If you’re looking for an organic, sustainable meal for a small breed dog, this meal may be worth a try. However, it is perishable and pricey.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Wolf Creek Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Beef Broth, Water, Chicken Liver, Chicken |
| Protein Content: | 8.5% min |
| Fat Content: | 3.0% min |
| Calories: | 917 kcal/kg, 325 kcal/can |
This beef stew recipe by Blue Buffalo is one of its most popular meals. It’s great for all breeds and ideal for adult dogs. It can be combined with dry food, or you can use it as a single meal. This wet food meal is free of any gluten, wheat, soy, and artificial flavors. It contains enough protein for daily supplementation and is a wholesome option for healthy dogs and those recovering from illness.
Purina Pro Plan Sport High Protein Food Beef & Rice Wet Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Liver, Meat By-Products, Chicken |
| Protein Content: | 10% min |
| Fat Content: | 7.5% min |
| Calories: | 470 kcal/cup, 1,278 kcal/kg |
Made with real beef, this satiating meal by Purina seems to be a pup favorite. Beef is first on its list of ingredients, and it also contains chicken, rice, and a few different vegetables. This formula is made to support cognitive development and it’s perfect for growing puppies.
The recipe also has 23 essential vitamins and minerals to support daily nutrition and it’s free of flavors, artificial colors, and preservatives. If you have an active puppy or adult dog that loves wet food, be sure to take a closer look at this recipe.
True Acre Foods Grain-Free Beef & Vegetable Dry Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Beef, Peas, Pea Starch, Poultry By-Product Meal |
| Protein Content: | 24% min |
| Fat Content: | 13% min |
| Calories: | 3424 kcal/kg or 349 kcal/cup |
The beef and veggie dry meal by True Acre makes our list due to its quality ingredients and moderate price point. This meal is made with US-raised beef and includes farm-grown veggies such as carrots and peas. It offers a complete and well-balanced nutritional profile, and the kibble is small enough for puppies.
The formula is also full of antioxidants and contains natural fibers to support easy digestion. It has a simple formula, omega fatty acids, and protein, and is free of artificial colors and flavors. Also contains no corn, wheat, or grain products.
Beef Dog Food Buyer’s Guide
Some things to consider when choosing a beef dog food are the life stage of your dog, and any accompanying food sensitivities or allergies they may have.
Many foods are formulated for all life stages, but there are those that have been designed otherwise. Several of the foods we’ve examined are specifically designed for adults, while several others state explicitly that they are suitable for all life stages. Additionally, for senior dogs, you may want to consider a type of food that has been fortified with glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega fatty acids. These components will help with joint and heart health. With this in mind, there are foods that are formulated for all life stages that have these ingredients. So if you’d like to provide those benefits to your growing puppy or pre-senior dog, they can also enjoy the effects before they begin to experience the issues that often develop in aging dogs, and possibly even prevent them.
Final Thoughts
So that sums up our best beef dog food picks. Purina Pro Plan Adult Shredded Blend Beef & Rice is our number #1 pick for its nutrients and price. Our second pick is another Purina product, the Purina Pro Plan High Protein Pate, Beef & Rice which is a popular wet food high-protein meal that dogs seem to love.
Third, we have Adult 7+ Savory Stew with Beef & Vegetable wet food by Hill’s Science, which is a high-quality wet food option for all adult breeds. Coming in 4th place is Stella & Chewy’s Perfectly Puppy Beef & Salmon Dinner Patties, which are high-protein, freeze-dried, and one of their highest-selling products. And in 5th place is another Purina Pro Plan product, the 7+ Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Beef & Rice, which is our vet’s choice pick for the most recommended beef option.
