Best Air-Dried Dog Food
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Air-dried dog food is made by slowly removing moisture from raw ingredients through a low-temperature air-drying process. This technique helps preserve nutrients while naturally preventing bacteria growth, eliminating the need for artificial preservatives. Unlike dehydrated food, air-dried food does not require rehydration before serving.
How does air-dried food differ from normal dry food (kibble)?
What are the pros and cons of air-dried dog food?
Pros:
✔ More Nutrient-Dense – Retains more vitamins, minerals, and natural enzymes than kibble.
✔ Less Processed – Uses gentle air-drying instead of high-heat extrusion.
✔ No Artificial Preservatives – Naturally preserved with no fillers.
✔ High in Protein & Healthy Fats – Often contains more meat than kibble.
✔ Soft & Palatable – Easier to chew than hard kibble, great for picky eaters.
Cons:
✘ Expensive – Costs more than traditional kibble due to high-quality ingredients and processing.
✘ Shorter Shelf Life Once Opened – More prone to moisture absorption than kibble.
✘ Can Be Greasy – Higher fat content may make it slightly oily to the touch.
✘ Less Crunchy – Doesn’t provide the same teeth-cleaning benefits as kibble.
What are the best air-dried dog foods?
If you’re looking for the best air-dried dog food to feed your pet, see our list below. These top-rated picks have been chosen by the Dog Food Advisor team, which is made up of researchers, pet nutritionists and veterinarians, to help you make an informed choice when selecting a food for your dog.
Best Air-Dried Dog Food February 2026
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Best Air-Dried Dog Food
Pawstruck Air Dried Beef
Pawstruck Air Dried Beef is made with 95% beef and beef organs, is packed with salmon oil, vitamins, and minerals to support hip and joint health, and is free of artificial preservatives.
The brand uses a slow-cooked process to retain natural nutrition and is made in the USA with real, wholesome ingredients. They are free from grain, soy, and gluten, non-GMO, and contains no harmful additives.
Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 39.8% protein, 28.4% fat and 23.8% estimated carbs… and a fat-to-protein ratio of about 71%.
Read our review of the full Pawstruck Air Dried Dog Food (Air Dried) range here
Things we like
- Slowly cooked to lock in flavor and nutrition
- Flaxseed and salmon oil to support to support healthy joints
- No by-products or fillers
Main Ingredients Beef, beef lung, beef liver, dicalcium phosphate, flaxseed Type Grain-Free Protein Percentage 39.8% AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For All Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at pawstruck.com"Air-dried premium dog food beef flavour. My dog absolutely loves it."
We also highly recommend
Redbarn Air-Dried Fish Recipe
Made with high-quality, simple ingredients, Redbarn uses a slow-cooking process to retain the food’s nutritional value — we love the fact it uses plenty of ocean-fish-based omega fatty acids to benefit young Beagle pups’ growth.
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Best Grain-Free Air-Dried Food
Open Farm Air-Dried Pollock & Lamb
The Air-dried Pollock and Lamb recipe is gently air-dried and infused with bone broth, which is rich in glucosamine and chondroitin. It is free from grains, legumes, and glycerin.
Open Farm is a premium brand dedicated to providing high-quality nutrition for dogs, utilizing sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients.
Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 48.8% protein, 18.3% fat and 24.9% estimated carbs… and a fat-to-protein ratio of about 38%.
Read our review of the full Open Farm Air Dried Dog Food (Air Dried) range here
Things we like
- Transparency on ingredient quality and sourcing
- Strongly committed to animal welfare
- Non-GMO fruits and vegetables
Main Ingredients Pollock, ocean whitefish, lamb, lamb liver, sweet potatoes Type Grain-Free Protein Percentage 48.8% AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For All Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at openfarm.com"They are loving the Open Farms lamb and pollock! "
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Best Human Grade Air Dried Food
Raised Right Gently Cooked And Then Air Dried Turkey Recipe
The Raised Right Gently Cooked & Air Dried Turkey Recipe is gently cooked and then air-dried, a whole food recipe that is high in protein and low in carbs.
This family-owned business emphasizes “home-style” human-grade pet food. It is also environmentally conscious, partnering with Plastic Neutral Certified and Carbonfree Shipping to minimize plastic waste and carbon emissions.
Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 64% protein, 25.6% fat and 2.8% estimated carbs… and a fat-to-protein ratio of about 40%.
Things we like
- Traceable ingredients
- No added preservatives
- Low carbs
Main Ingredients Turkey thigh, turkey heart, turkey liver, carrots, blueberries Type Grain-Free Protein Percentage 64% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For All adult dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at raisedrightpets.com"They absolutely love their food. And I love it because there aren’t that many. They absolutely love their food. And I love it because there’s not that many Ingredients in it. "
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Best Air-Dried Food for Small Breeds
The Pets Table Air-Dried Beef and Berries
The Pets Table Air-Dried Beef and Berries is an excellent option for all small breeds because it is nutrient dense which is ideal for their smaller stomachs. It is made from a single source of animal protein and cooked at lower temperatures to retain healthy proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants. This product contains no added fillers, preservatives, or artificial flavors.
Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 31.3% protein, 31.3% fat and 29.5% estimated carbs… and a fat-to-protein ratio of about 100%.
Please note: If your dog is susceptible to weight gain this range would not be an ideal choice due to the high fat-to-protein ratio.
Read our review of the full The Pets Table Air-Dried Dog Food range here
Things we like
- Beef with 10 essential amino acids
- Review by board certified vet nutritionist
- Single-protein
Main Ingredients Beef, eggs, carrots, dried apples, vegetable glycerin Type Grain-Free Protein Percentage 31.3% AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For All Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at thepetstable.com"The Pets Table air-dried option makes it affordable and convenient to provide my dogs with the nutrition they need."
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Best Air-Dried Food for Large Breeds
Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete Chicken
Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete Chicken is ideal for large breeds. It is made with high-quality whole-food ingredients, including fruits and vegetables that provide antioxidants to help improve disease resistance. The significant protein content supports large breed dogs in retaining lean muscle mass.
Badlands recipes are gently air-dried to retain nutrients and are free of preservatives and fillers.
Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 44.7% protein, 25.9% fat and 21.4% estimated carbs… and a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
Read our review of the full Badlands Ranch Dog Food (Air-Dried) range here
Things we like
- Non-GMO ingredients
- Free from wheat, soy, corn and dairy
- Humanely-raised chicken
Main Ingredients Chicken, chicken heart, chicken gizzards, chicken liver, salmon Type Grain-Free Protein Percentage 44.7% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For All Adult Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at badlandsranch.com"My 10 month Corso has had stomach issues with other foods. Since i switched to Badlands Ranch food, he has not had any stomach issues and seems very happy with the nutritional switch. "
How we review dog foods
We read the label.
This may sound simple, but there are thousands of dog foods on the market, and the label is the only source of reliable, standardized and government-regulated data available on every one of them. This includes the AAFCO nutrient profile, the Guaranteed Analysis and the ingredients.
We use our algorithm.
We take the data and enter it into our unique algorithm to produce a different set of figures, including the Dry Matter Analysis (the nutrient levels after water has been removed). This algorithm gives us a base score range on our five-star rating system.
We refine the score.
We take into account other factors, such as the quality of ingredients and the nature of the first few ingredients on the list (and therefore the most prevalent in the food), and narrow the score. The key ingredients are explained in-depth in the review.
Our expert nutritionist takes over.
At this point, our expert pet nutritionist, Laura Ward, goes through the review to check and approve it. She has the authority to make small discretionary changes to the star-rating based on her judgment of a food. We now have our final star-rating.
What other information do we include for dog parents?
Each dog food review includes sample consumer reviews and links to other reviews. It also includes the brand’s recall history. Our Best Dog Food pages also include consumer reviews.
Why we don’t just feed foods to our dogs.
Despite what other dog food review sites claim, simply giving a food to a dog and seeing if they eat it is completely unscientific and has little value as a review method. If you give a kid candy, they’ll happily eat it, but it doesn’t mean it’s good for them. And no one food suits every dog.
It’s also dangerous for dogs. We rate every dog food, good and bad. Why would we deliberately feed a dog bad dog food?
That said, we understand that personal experience of a food is important to dog parents and include consumer reviews on our pages.
What about lab-testing dog food?
Lab-testing dog food can provide useful, in-depth information, but as mentioned, there are thousands of dog foods on the market. We’d love to test them all, but there isn’t a facility in the country that could. Therefore, it’s impossible to have a fair universal rating system using lab tests.
It’s worth noting that dog food brands carry out their own testing. This ensures compliance with AAFCO and FDA pet food standards, as well as checking for pathogens.
Why you should trust our dog food reviews
Dog Food Advisor has been impartially reviewing dog food since 2008. We are the most trusted dog food review site in the United States, with a 4.9-star TrustPilot rating.
Here's why:
We do not accept money, gifts, samples or any other incentives in exchange for special consideration in writing our reviews.
We rate every dog food in the same way, using the only information we believe is equally available for all foods, reliable and therefore fair: what’s on the label. It’s the only way for any review site to rate every dog food on the market.
We focus on ingredients, nutrient profiles and recipes. We look at the ingredients used, including their quality, and review the nutritional analysis and macronutrient balance. We take into account any controversial or harmful ingredients.
Every review is expertly checked and approved by our highly qualified in-house animal nutritionist, Laura Ward.
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For more information, read our How We Rate Dog Food and Disclaimer and Disclosure pages.
More Top Picks
To view more top dog foods by category… click the link below that best meets your personal feeding needs.
Final word
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