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Best High-Protein Dog Food* of 2023

Discover some of the best high-protein dog food for weight gain or muscle growth.

 
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What to look for in high-protein dog food

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Ingredients

Protein is one of the most important nutrients for dogs of all ages and stages. And while protein requirements will vary by breed, life stage and each dog’s unique needs, they’re necessary to help support growth, development and the immune system. Dogs with high energy and who are highly active can often benefit from a high-protein diet. Look for high-protein dog food with whole ingredients, the protein as the first ingredient and a combination of other nutrients to support your pup’s well-rounded diet.

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Benefits

Discover many different recipes that might offer various benefits and functionalities to fit with multiple dietary preferences. For example, you can find a high-protein dog food with grain-free formulas, some suitable for all life stages, some appropriate for only adult dogs and some with limited ingredients.

Value

Quality and Value

Discover the best high-protein dog food for your pet that includes all the specific nutrients your pup needs with a taste they love and a price you feel comfortable paying.

Pet parent faves

From minimally processed to scientifically formulated, these are the best-selling high-protein dog foods bought by Petco’s pet parent customers—ideal for pups with high energy levels.

ORIJEN Original Grain-free High Protein Fresh and Raw Animal Ingredients Dry Dog Food

ORIJEN

Original Grain-free High Protein Fresh and Raw Animal Ingredients Dry Dog Food

Help your pet thrive with this protein-rich recipe from ORIJEN. Made with 85% high-quality animal ingredients like free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish and cage-free eggs, this food is made with the most nutrient-rich parts of the animal. With ORIJEN your dog gets the meal they deserve.

Features:
  • Available in 12 oz., 4.5 lb., 13 lb. and 25 lb. bags
  • First 5 ingredients are always fresh or raw protein using poultry and fish
  • Coated with freeze-dried liver to provide even more delicious taste
  • 100% grain-free
  • Good for all stages of life

ACANA Grain-free Red Meat Ranch-Raised Beef Yorkshire Pork Grass-Fed Lamb Dry Dog Food

ACANA

Grain-free Red Meat Ranch-Raised Beef Yorkshire Pork Grass-Fed Lamb Dry Dog Food

The ACANA Red Meat recipe is balanced with 60% quality animal ingredients, like Yorkshire pork and ranch-raised beef, 40% vegetables, fruits and botanicals. Even better, this tasty recipe from ACANA is free of artificial colors, preservatives and flavors. It’s topped off with natural preservatives, vitamins, minerals and probiotics.

Features:
  • Available in 4.5 lb., 13 lb. and 25 lb. bags
  • Grain-free with no added soy, corn, tapioca or wheat
  • Includes fresh and raw vegetables and fruits, like pumpkin, collard greens, apples and pears
  • Coated with freeze-dried beef, pork and lamb liver for a great taste
  • Crafted from a curated group of farmers in an award-winning kitchen in Kentucky

Merrick Backcountry Grain-free Raw Infused Great Plains Red Meat Dry Dog Food

Merrick

Backcountry Grain-free Raw Infused Great Plains Red Meat Dry Dog Food

This natural, grain-free canine recipe is packed with protein that your dog will crave. The Raw Infused kibble recipes deliver a wonderful combination of protein-rich, grain-free kibble, plus whole pieces of raw, freeze-dried meat, poultry and fish. They give your dog the nutritional advantage that they would get in the wild.

Features:
  • Available in 12 lb. bags
  • The top ingredient is real deboned beef
  • Grain-free with no gluten ingredients for easy digestibility
  • Contains leading levels of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for hip and joint support
  • Rich in omega fatty acids for skin and coat support
  • For adult dogs

Instinct Raw Boost Grain-free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food with Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces

Instinct

Raw Boost Grain-free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food with Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces

If you’ve been looking for a dog food to help your dog gain weight, consider this recipe from Instinct. This boosted nutritional option is made with bites of freeze-dried raw meat for a grain-free, high-protein meal. This delicious dry dog food will allow your dog to thrive and deliver more raw, wholesome nutrition into their life.

Features:
  • Available in 4 lb., 10 lb. and 21 lb. bags
  • Cage-free chicken is the first ingredient for strong and lean muscle development
  • Natural, protein packed and minimally processed bites of real, raw chicken
  • Made grain-free without corn, wheat, soy, potato, artificial colors or preservatives
  • Boosted with probiotics, higher omega fatty acids and more antioxidants for digestion

ORIJEN Regional Red Grain-free and Poultry Free High Protein Fresh and Raw Animal Ingredients Dry Dog Food

ORIJEN

Regional Red Grain-free and Poultry Free High Protein Fresh and Raw Animal Ingredients Dry Dog Food

Help your dog thrive and grow with protein-rich recipes that nurture your pup as nature intended. Historically, dogs are ancestral carnivores so their natural diet is rich and varied in whole animal ingredients. This specific ORIJEN recipe is loaded with 85% high-quality animal ingredients, like ranch-raised beef, wild boar, Boer goat and grass-fed lamb. Because of the addition of Wholeprey animals, this recipe is made with the most nutrient-dense, luscious parts of the prey so your dog gets the nutrition they need.

Features:
  • Available in 12 oz., 4.5 lb., 13 lb. and 25 lb. bags
  • Derived from the unprocessed state of the ingredients
  • First 5 ingredients are always fresh or raw protein including meat and organs
  • Provides a strong source of essential protein, vitamins and minerals
  • For all life stages

ACANA Grain-free Free Run Poultry Chicken and Turkey and Cage-free Eggs Dry Food

ACANA

Grain-free Free Run Poultry Chicken and Turkey and Cage-free Eggs Dry Food

ACANA foods always go beyond the 1st ingredient, constantly crafting their recipes from start to finish. This particular recipe is balanced with 60% fine ingredients, like free-range chicken and turkey, cage-free eggs, as well as 40%-plus fruits, vegetables and botanicals. And it’s free of artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They only use ingredients from curated ranchers, farmers and fishers who have been working with ACANA’s kitchen for years. The end result is a nutritious, protein-rich and tasty dog food that can help your pup thrive.

Features:
  • Available in 4.5 lb., 13 lb. and 25 lb. bags
  • Fresh, raw chicken and turkey make the two main ingredients
  • ACANA uses refrigeration as the sole method of preservation and their raw ingredients are frozen at their freshest state
  • Contains fruits and vegetables, like whole pumpkin, collard greens, apples and pears
  • Coated with freeze-dried chicken liver for taste
  • Made for dogs of all life stages

Merrick Backcountry Grain-free Hero’s Banquet Dry Dog Food

Merrick

Backcountry Grain-free Hero’s Banquet Dry Dog Food

This natural, grain-free ancestral canine diet is full of protein that dogs love and need and is a good dog food to help gain weight. The infused kibble recipes of Merrick Backcountry deliver a punch of protein-rich, grain-free kibble with pieces of real, whole raw and freeze-dried meat, poultry and fish. The Hero’s Banquet recipes showcase the work of K9’s for Warriors, an organization that pairs specially trained rescue dogs with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Features:
  • Available in 12 lb. bags
  • The first and main ingredient is real deboned beef
  • Freeze-dried, raw meat pieces lock in fresh taste
  • Promotes skin and coat with a dose of Omega fatty acids
  • Contains high levels of Glucosamine and Chondroitin to help support the hips and joints
  • Made for adult dogs

CANIDAE PURE Real Salmon and Sweet Potato, Limited Ingredient, Grain-free Recipe Dry Dog Food

CANIDAE PURE

Real Salmon and Sweet Potato, Limited Ingredient, Grain-free Recipe Dry Dog Food

The limited ingredient formulas of CANIDAE PURE offer your pup a well-rounded meal that’s expertly crafted with your dog’s well-being in mind. This recipe is made grain-free and with a limited number of wholesome ingredients that your dog will love. And you’ll never find corn, wheat or soy in CANIDAE PURE’s recipes, making this a great mealtime choice for your adult dog.

Features:
  • Available in 4 lb., 12 lb. and 24 lb. bags
  • Hypoallergenic dog food for pups with a sensitive stomach
  • Made with 10 ingredients or less
  • Loaded with clean and premium protein sources
  • Helps maintain coat and skin with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids
  • A dose of antioxidants help support a strong immune system

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