The pet food industry in the U.S. is virtually unregulated, which means that just about anything can go into your dog’s food.

Fortunately, there are dog food companies dedicated to creating organic, healthy, holistic, and wholesome pet foods. Which is the best dog food? Here are the top six, complete with price comparisons.

Prices range from $1.13/lb (Canidae) to almost double that at $2.24/lb (HALO).

Wellness Dog Food

• Uses premium meats like deboned chicken, New Zealand lamb, and white fish
• Use high quality grains such as oatmeal and barley that provide essential vitamins and nutrients
• Adds selected botanical extracts such as green tea and lycopene
• No meat by-products
• No corn
• No artificial preservatives
• No artificial flavors, colors or dyes

Cost: $58.97 ($1.97 per pound) for a 30 lb bag of Wellness Super5Mix Complete Health Chicken Dog Food

Canidae Dog Food

• Nutritionally dense meals originate from meats processed in a human grade facility
• All natural, high quality, holistic pet food
• No corn, wheat, soy, grain fractions or fillers
• Naturally preserved
• Free-range and/or antibiotic-free meats

Cost: $33.99 ($1.13 per pound) for a 30 lb bag of Canidae Chicken and Rice Formula Dry Dog Food

Natural Balance Dog Food

• Grain-free options for dogs with allergies
• No artificial preservatives, flavors, colors or bleached ingredients
• High in Omega 3, a natural source of DHA
• Natural ingredients to help rebuild a dog’s immune system

Cost: $63.00 ($2.25 per pound) for a 28 lb bag of Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Dog Food

• Deboned chicken, lamb or fish is the first ingredient, which means there is more real meat than any other ingredient
• Wholesome whole grains
• Garden vegetables and antioxidant-rich fruit
• No chicken or poultry by-products
• No corn, wheat, or soy proteins
• No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Cost: $43.00 ($1.44 per pound) for a 30 lb bag of Blue Buffalo Chicken and Brown Rice Adult Dog Food

Solid Gold Dog Food

Solid Gold may be the best dog food brand. When our puppy had chicken allergies, we fed him Solid Gold puppy food and the allergies disappeared.

• No chemical preservatives
• Specialize in the development of “low allergen” products
• Use USDA Choice meats, USDA grade I and II grains, and healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils
• Never add animal or poultry fat to our products
• Use foil “barrier” packaging for all our dry food products, which means we don’t have to use chemical preservatives or flavor enhancers

Cost: $66.60 ($2.02 per pound) for a 33 lb bag of Solid Gold Hund-n-Flocken Adult Maintenance Dog Food

HALO Dog Food

• No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
• No gluten, wheat or corn
• No rendered meats, poultry or fish, animal or plant by-products
• Home-style recipe with easy to recognize and understand ingredients
• Natural sources of soluble and insoluble fiber

Cost: $69.49 ($2.24 per pound) for a 31 lb bag of Halo Spot’s Stew Wholesome Chicken Adult Dry Dog Food

Which is the best dog food?

The short answer is: the best dog food depends on your dog. If your dog has allergies, needs a special diet, or is a picky eater, you might have to try a few different brands of food to find the one that works for your pet. All of the above brands make holistic dog food with your pet’s well-being in mind, so you’ll be able to find a healthy dog food that works for your dog.

This post is part of our Green Travelers at Home series.

This post contains affiliate links. Prices are approximate.