10 Best Wet Dog Food Brands to Keep Your Pup Hydrated
With summer in full swing, it’s easy for dogs to get dehydrated. The trick to prevent that is to feed them the very best wet dog food brands in addition to their regular dry kibble. Me and Moon Pie have reviewed 10 of them to help you choose.
With summer in full swing, it’s easy for dogs to get dehydrated. Dogs get hotter faster than humans do, and even the healthiest dogs can dehydrate quickly. It’s important to note that even indoor dogs can get dehydrated, so offering some good wet dog food options in addition to clean, fresh water can help keep them as hydrated as possible during the warmer months. Now, your job is to find the best wet dog food.
- Dehydration in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment - Summer heat can be a real danger for your dog. We teach you how to recognize dehydration in dogs, as well as how to prevent and treat it.
How to Choose the Best Wet Dog Food
It’s not easy choosing the best wet food for your dog but start by asking yourself these two questions when searching for the right one.
- How old is the dog? If your dog is a puppy, you will want to choose the best wet dog food for puppies, and if your dog is a senior, you’ll want to make sure you choose the best senior dog wet food. These are not the same.
- Do they have any food restrictions or allergies? Checking ingredients and making sure they are gluten-free, grain-free, etc. is also essential and should be your top priority. If you are unsure, definitely ask your vet.
It’s been so hot around here that I decided to let my dog, Moon Pie, a terrier mix, try the ten best wet dog foods for small breeds. Now we share our results with you, and hopefully, you can choose the one that best fits your dogs’ needs and your budget.
- Tiki Dog Taste of The World Dog Food
- Canidae Under The Sun Dog Wet Food
- Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Wet Dog Food
- Purina Bella Single Serve Adult Wet Dog Food
- CESAR Gourmet Wet Dog Food
- Simply Perfection Premium Dinner Canned Dog Food
- Natural Balance Ultra-Premium Wet Dog Food
- Purina ONE Adult Canned Wet Dog Food
- Hill's Science Diet Wet Dog Food
- Pedigree Choice Adult Canned Wet Dog Food
10. Pedigree Choice Cuts in Gravy Steak & Vegetable Flavor Adult Canned Wet Dog Food
- Low Price Point
- Easy to find
- Stew like texture
- Water is the first ingredient
- Only larger packaging available
- Not labeled as grain-free or gluten-free
- Contains meat by-products
- Must refrigerate leftovers
The Pedigree Choice dog food can contains meaty chunks with gravy. The chucks are a little on the larger side, and this one was Moon Pie’s least favorite option. She smelled and ate some, but left the rest untouched. I tried to entice her to eat more, but she wasn’t having it and simply walked away.
9. Hill’s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Adult, Savory Stew
- High protein
- Low price point
- Stew like texture
- Water is the first ingredient
- Not recommended for puppies
- Only large packaging available
- Not labeled as gluten or grain-free
- Must refrigerate leftovers
Moon Pie enjoyed the stew-like texture of this wet dog food from Hill’s Science. She ate some, paused, and then came back for more later. It wasn’t her favorite, but overall, she liked it.
8. Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct Adult Canned Wet Dog Food
- Turkey is the first ingredient
- Grain-free
- Low price point
- Only large packaging available
- Must refrigerate leftovers
Moon Pie enjoyed every last bit of this wet food for dogs. It’s also a classic wet dog food with high-quality, natural ingredients, plus vitamins and minerals.
7. Natural Balance Ultra-Premium Wet Dog Food
- High-quality ingredients
- Grain-free
- Small and Large packaging available
- Medium price point
- Must refrigerate leftovers
The Natural Balance wet dog food is the best deal per price with higher quality ingredients. Moon Pie loved this wet canned food, and it was probably her favorite of the medium to low price points. It’s also a traditional wet canned food.
6. Simply Perfection Super Premium Grain-Free Chicken-Salmon Dinner Canned Dog Food
- Chicken, fish broth, and salmon are the first ingredients
- Includes Omega 3’s and 6’s
- Grain-free
- Only larger packaging available
- Must refrigerate leftovers
Moon Pie absolutely loved this food. It’s probably one of the best canned food overall. I couldn’t get her to stop licking the bowl. It’s a traditionally classic wet food, but she was so happy with the flavor.
5. CESAR Gourmet Wet Dog Food Variety Packs
- Variety of flavors
- Lower cost
- Only small-size packaging available
- Not labeled as grain-free or gluten-free
This brand has a large variety of flavors. Moon Pie enjoyed the Oven Roasted Chicken Flavor, and she seemed to really like the taste. This one had to be stirred with a fork for her to keep eating it. Once stirred, she enjoyed the meatloaf textured pâté.
4. Purina Bella Single Serve Adult Wet Dog Food
- Dogs loved the flavor
- Lower cost
- Not labeled as grain-free or gluten-free
- The first ingredient is meat by-products
Moon Pie enjoyed the filet mignon flavored wet dog food. It’s a pâté of savory flavors and tasty deliciousness. This one had to be stirred with a fork because she kept licking just the gravy.
3. Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Wet Dog Food
- Needed only one tray per day per dog
- High-quality ingredients
- No poultry by-products, fillers, artificial preservatives or flavors
- No corn, wheat, soy or gluten ingredients
- Medium price point
- Dogs weren’t as enthusiastic about the flavors
- Must refrigerate leftovers
This brand offers three flavors that include delicious real meat dogs love, along with healthy vegetables, cooked in a yummy broth. The stew-like texture made this one super easy to eat for her. The 8-ounce tub is a little too much for Moon Pie, so we had to save ¼ of the food for the next feeding.
2. Canidae Under The Sun Dog Wet Food Cups
- Great flavor
- High-quality ingredients
- Grain and potato free
- Only small-size packaging available
- Higher cost
Moon Pie had this turkey in gravy and gobbled it right up. This food also had a stew-like texture with a little more gravy. She drank the gravy first then enjoyed the stewy chunks.
1. Tiki Dog Taste of The World Wet Dog Food
- Great flavor
- High-quality ingredients
- Gluten-free
- Only small-size packaging available
- Higher cost
This good wet dog food made with chicken and shrimp includes chicken broth for supplemental moisture. Tiki has a variety of flavors, but Moon Pie enjoyed the Taste of Spain and absolutely loved this food. She couldn’t resist the stew-like texture and paella flavor. She gobbled this one up quickly and was left wanting more.
Conclusion
So many choices, so little time. Alternating dry dog food with wet dog food in the summer is extremely important. We hope our list of the ten best wet dog food choices can help narrow down your options for choosing the best wet dog food for your furry friend. Moon Pie had a blast getting to try all the flavors and textures.
It seems she liked Tiki Dog Taste of the World, Canidae Under the Sun Dog, and Natural Balance the best. Be sure that when deciding which wet or canned dog food is best for your dog, to check with their veterinarian too.
I am a dog lover, foster, and rescuer. I GREW UP PICKING UP DOGS FROM THE STREETS IN EL PASO, Texas and finding loving homes for them. When I moved to San Antonio, Texas I was shocked at how bad the stray dog population was here and how dogs were not only homeless, but taken to the shelter and euthanized. I became a dog foster mom and quickly adopted my first three dogs: Brobee, Molly and Panini.
Read more »