Spoiler Alert: The best senior dog food is different for every dog! Is your older dog healthy? Have a sensitive stomach? Lost some teeth? Suffering from arthritis? Overweight? Hint: you need to match your dog’s health to his dog food.
As your dog gets older, her nutritional requirements change. Not only is she less active, but arthritis, worn teeth and uneasy stomachs (to name a few) can accompany the golden years.
And when our dogs’ nutritional needs change, it’s our duty to do exactly what you’re doing right now…research, then make diet changes to give her the best in every life stage.
And it’s your lucky day because we’ve done all the research for you. You just need to identify which category fits your dog best and act.
Best Senior Dog Food 2024
Best Dry
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Also contains these ingredients to address common pain points in senior dogs:
- DHA for brain and eye health
- Glucosamine chondroitin for hip and joint pain
Check out all of our dry dog food picks.
Best Wet
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As you’ll learn below, senior dogs have different nutrient requirements (when compared to dogs in other life stages) and Taste of the Wild wet dog food checks all the boxes:
- Above average protein content
- Near average fat content
- Below average carbohydrates
Check out all of our top wet food picks.
Best Grain-Free
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Protein to the max! This is like feeding your dog raw…without all the prep!
With 80% more meat than dog foods containing grains, it seems like Wellness CORE took out all the grains and replaced it with meaty protein.
Best Grain-Free (Wet)
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Wet dog food is a fantastic food for senior dogs, especially for small dogs (easier on the wallet), picky dogs, and dogs with poor dental health.
Check out all of our picks with no grain.
Best Small Breed
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- Small kibble = perfect for small mouths
- Lower calories and less fat for less active canines
- L-Carnitine to boost metabolism
Check out all of our picks for smaller breeds.
Best Large Breed
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Contains loads of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for knee and shoulder joint support.
These anti-inflammatory supplements promote joint flexibility and pain relief. This is especially important for older large breed dogs because their joints take a beating over the years.
Check out the rest of our picks for best large breeds.
Best for Sensitive Stomach
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Sensitive Stomach (Upgrade Pick)
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Best for Arthritis
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Arthritis (Upgrade Pick)
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Our Research
- What happens as your dog gets older?
- Is senior dog food necessary?
- Senior dog food vs. regular dog food
- When to switch to senior dog food?
- How much to feed your senior dog
- Best Senior Dog Food
- Dry
- Wet
- Grain-Free
- Small Breeds
- Large Breeds
- Best for Sensitive Stomach
- Best for Arthritis/Joints
- Best for Overweight Senior Dogs
- Best for Bad/No Teeth
- Best Soft Dry
- How to soften dry dog food