The Worst Dog Foods to Avoid for Your Furry Friend

When it comes to your beloved pet, you want to make sure that they are getting the best nutrition possible. Unfortunately, not all dog food brands are created equal. Some brands contain ingredients that can be harmful to your pup, while others are simply not nutritionally balanced. To help you make the best decision for your furry friend, we have compiled a list of the 10 worst dog foods that you should avoid.

The first brand on our list is one that has been around for more than 80 years, but has unfortunately disappointed many consumers.

This brand

has been found to use many artificial additives and meat by-products in their wet food products. Founded in 1968, this brand has many product differentiations that suit many niches and even offers specific pet food for each breed. However, they mention corn or wheat as the key ingredient in some of their dry foods.

In other products, they list a meat by-product as the first ingredient. In addition, they have had multiple product returns for various reasons, namely high levels of vitamin D3 and melamine contamination. Natural Balance tends to be too low in protein for most dogs to stay healthy, as they get less than 20 percent of their calories from protein. Composed mainly of carbohydrates, this brand will leave your dog hungry for more fat and protein after dinner.

Nature's Recipe dog foods contain a reasonable ingredient profile, but a below-average level of protein and fat, the two most essential nutrients for dogs to lead a healthy life. The pedigree is by far the worst when it comes to ingredients. The first ingredient is corn, which has little nutritional value for a dog. The next most important ingredient is “poultry by-product flour”.

It is a dry-processed product from slaughterhouse waste that is obtained from the leftover waste of slaughtered poultry once all the main pieces are removed. If you care about your pet, you might want to leave these bags on the shelf. The main ingredient in many types of Purina dog food is “chicken by-product flour”, which is mainly composed of parts of chicken that are indigestible or that provide lower nutritional value. In addition, beef in foods is loaded with chemical preservatives. This brand may be a popular choice, but it doesn't seem to be smart.

Cesar Filets is considered to be one of the worst foods for dogs because of its high salt content (we looked at the best food options for dogs that are low in sodium). Dogs with allergies should generally avoid wheat flour, cornmeal, soybean meal, and bone meal. Unfortunately, Gravy Train includes almost all of these ingredients for dog food, making them a dangerous option for dogs that can't eat them. While it is best to avoid meat by-products, this does not mean that they are the worst ingredient that dog food can contain, as some brands are known to use controversial 4D meats.

While meat by-products are usually leftovers extracted from slaughterhouses, 4D meats include any meat product collected across the country, meaning that your dog could be eating dead zoo animals, run over and even other dead pets. However, the worst thing about 4D meats is that dog food manufacturers don't have to say where they purchased the meat from, which means that many brands usually label waste as meat by-products. Like many dog food brands, Kal Kan Complete Adult uses several filling products to create their recipes, and corn is usually the main ingredient. At first glance, IAMS dog food may seem like a sufficient brand for your beloved dog, since the product includes chicken as the main source of protein. Finally, the IAMS dog food includes beet pulp as a key ingredient, which is high in sugar and could cause obesity. Wegman's varied Bruiser Kibble mix proves the adage that you usually get what you pay for its price is attractive, but if you are looking to give your dog a balanced nutrition, you should look for an alternative.

Purina Dog Chow is so harmful to dogs that a class action lawsuit was filed to get the company to admit the thousands of deaths it has supposedly caused. In addition to complaints on the Internet about this formula, many dog owners are annoyed by the fact that Purina denies problems with dog food. If you're really passionate about giving your dogs the best possible nutrition, why not try one of the recommended food brands today? Stay away from these 10 worst dog foods if possible and choose high-quality dog food for your canine companion instead: look for one with 47% high-quality proteins and a large amount of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Choosing healthy and nutritious food for your pup isn't as difficult as you might think: it just takes a little time and research to learn how to read pet food labels properly! Put on your seat belt and read on to learn more about what you should and should NOT put on your pup's plate.