Best Canned Dog Food: What to Compare
What to check on a can of dog food - the AAFCO statement, the first ingredient, calories per can and the water in the guaranteed analysis - what the Merck Veterinary Manual says about canned versus dry for teeth, and two canned adult dog foods compared on what their makers publish.
AI illustration This is a reading guide to published veterinary advice and to what makers state on their own pages. A dog with a health problem may need a diet your vet chooses.
The short answer: a canned food is as complete as a dry one if it carries an AAFCO statement for your dog’s life stage. But it is mostly water, and the Merck Veterinary Manual gives dry food one advantage. Merck says dry food is usually better than canned, because it helps keep teeth and gums healthy while providing the same nutrition. Its dental chapter adds that dogs on a regular diet of hard kibble develop fewer gum problems, thanks to the mechanical cleaning as they chew (Merck). If you feed canned, keep up the other parts of tooth care below.
What to Read on the Can
- The AAFCO statement and life stage: “maintenance” for adults, “growth” for puppies, or “all life stages”.
- The first ingredient. It is often water, needed for processing. Read on to the first named meat.
- Calories per can. This sets how many cans a day your dog needs. Merck notes that overfeeding is a common issue.
- Moisture in the guaranteed analysis. At 75 to 80%, a can’s protein figure looks small next to kibble’s. Compare on a dry-matter basis.
Two Canned Dog Foods Compared
| Food | First ingredients | Protein | Calories | AAFCO statement | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill’s Science Diet Adult Chicken & Barley Entrée | Water, chicken, pork liver | Hill’s gives dry matter: 26.7% (fat 16.7%) | 369 kcal per 13 oz can | Feeding tests, adult maintenance | See on Amazon · Maker’s page |
| Royal Canin Adult In Gel | Water, chicken, pork liver | 6.5% min, as sold (moisture 77.5% max): about 29% dry matter | 386 kcal per can | Formulated to meet, adult maintenance | See on Amazon · Maker’s page |
How we put this together. Two canned adult foods compared on what each maker states on its own product page, checked on 26 October 2026. We wanted more makers in the table. Purina’s product page refused our request that day, and Blue Buffalo’s page loads its nutrition figures in a way we could not read, so neither is here rather than being filled in from elsewhere. Hill’s publishes dry-matter figures. For Royal Canin, the dry-matter number is our rough arithmetic: minimum protein divided by the share that isn’t water. We have not fed these foods. There are no prices here: the Amazon links search for the exact food, and we may earn a commission if you buy through them.
Feeding Canned Food
- Count it with everything else. Merck says table scraps should never be more than 10% of daily calories, and the same arithmetic applies to toppers and treats.
- Mixing wet and dry: reduce both so the total calories stay right.
- Teeth: brushing with a dog toothpaste, dental toys and professional cleanings as needed are all on Merck’s dental care list (Merck).
