The 15 Best Senior Dog Foods – DISCOVER Magazine

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Senior dogs need specialized nutrition in most cases in order to maintain their health and prevent serious conditions like arthritis, canine heart problems, and more. We need to keep our senior doggos healthy just as much as our young pups, and unfortunately, that’s not always easy with the dog food options out there. Your run-of-the-mill store-bought brand just isn’t going to contain the right high-quality ingredients to help your dog feel his best even in old age.  
We’ve taken the time to put together this list of the 15 best senior dog foods so you don’t have to stand in the dog food aisle for twenty minutes trying to decide what’s best. Each of these blends is formulated for optimal health, and contain only premium ingredients, a good price, and a brand you can trust. These options are available both online and in stores for better options.  
As our pups age, their bodies start to break down. It happens to all living things, and it’s not a pleasant thing to watch—especially when it’s your best friend. But even as dogs age, their love for us never wanes. Senior dogs often encounter particular health complications that make even the simplest tasks, like going for a walk, uncomfortable, painful, or impossible.   
Arthritis: Common in senior dogs and humans, it’s the breakdown of cartilage between joints, which causes bones to rub together and create pain, discomfort, and inflammation.   
Cardiac Issues: As dogs age, their hearts beat less efficiently. A poor diet can make this problem worse. High fat and sodium foods can lead to heart complications, including blocked arteries and damaged blood vessels.  
Obesity: Obesity is one of the leading problems for doggos of all ages. Cheap foods filled with grains and other fattening ingredients add on weight, which can put extra stress on the joints, heart, and bones.   
Tooth Decay: Sugary, low-quality foods can also degrade your dog’s teeth and gums, leaving them less able to eat their regular food.   
While none of these issues can be 100% prevented with a healthy diet for certain, what we do know is that diet plays a key role in each. There are other factors at play, but a poor diet only makes things worse. The bottom line? It’s time to start feeding our dogs better-quality foods.  
Good dog food is loaded with potent vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It’s important to choose food that has all-natural, sustainably sourced ingredients to benefit both your dog and the planet. Good foods are rich in high-quality proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and plenty of dietary fiber. The food you get from the grocery store likely contains things like meat by-products, which, while containing protein, aren’t the highest-quality meat products, and have been linked to things like cancer and other diseases. What you put in your dog’s body matters—especially in their later years.   
When you’re buying senior dog food, be sure to check the label for things that shouldn’t be in your dog’s food and look into the brand you’re supporting. Some brands truly care about the pets they serve, and that’s who deserves our support as pet owners!  
We’ve done the research, and here it is: Our list of the top 15 best senior dog foods. Your best friend deserves the best food he can eat, and you deserve to see your doggo grow up beside your grandkids. Here’s how to keep them healthy.   
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Ingredients: Chippin’s whole, all-natural ingredients are perfect for senior dogs. Featuring omega-3 rich USA wild caught silver carp which is much more digestible than chicken. This pawsome food is anti-allergen & oven-baked. Perfect for dogs with allergies or sensitive stomachs.
Price/Where To Buy: Score this healthy, eco-conscious food at chippinpet.com. There, you can find a 3.5 lb. bag for just $32.99 (+ save 10% when you subscribe). You’ll also find all of Chippin’s drool-worthy dog jerky & oven-baked treats packed with novel proteins like cricket and spirulina.
The Difference: Crafted with a highly nutritious but overpopulated fish in USA waterways, feeding your dog Chippin helps to restore biodiversity and protect the Great Lakes. This all-natural recipe is great for discerning dogs, sensitive tummies, and eco champs that want to reduce their impact on the environment.
This active life blend from American Journey is designed to keep your dog moving, even in old age. Formulated with premium ingredients like chicken, brown rice, and hardy vegetables, your dog will love the flavor as much as you love the value. You can find this product on Chewy.com right now with free shipping on orders over $49. American Journey has been with our doggos every step of the way from infancy to adolescence, and now, to their senior years. There’s a reason so many pet owners trust American Journey to feed their doggos.  
Raw food is something that dogs of all ages love, which is why Instinct formulated this raw boost grain-free blend specifically for senior dogs. It contains only premium raw bits of chicken and salmon meal. There are now grains, so it’s a lean option for dogs that can’t tolerate grains very well. You’ll still get plenty of fiber from veggies like chickpeas and tapioca. This product is currently available from PetCo.com, and you can also find it in select PetCo stores nationwide.  
Life’s Abundance brings this premium all life stages dry dog food for pups of all ages. It’s perfect for the active puppy you just can’t keep up with or for the old dog who’s been with you since childhood. Every ingredient is chosen for its quality and potency, and you’ll love Life’s Abundance as a brand. They’re wholly committed to pets and the welfare of the planet. You can find this product currently on lifesabundance.com and in some PetSmart stores. Check local stores or go online to order direct from Life’s Abundance.   
As dogs age, losing weight becomes much more difficult. Foods like grains can help pack on those pounds, which is why grain-free foods are so good for older dogs. Orijen’s senior grain-free blend is perfect for old dogs who need to watch their weight but still need a good, high-quality, nutritional dog food. Formulated with chicken, turkey, eggs, and mackerel, your dog will get plenty of protein and Omega-3s to keep joints and coat/skin healthy. You can buy this awesome product on Chewy right now, with free shipping on the 25-lb. bag.  
Chicken and sweet potatoes come together in this delicious dog food to bring your dog a flavor they’ll love, as well as nutrients and value that you simply can’t say no to. Merrick has been a trusted name in dog foods for several decades, and the Texas-based brand offers premium ingredients like Texas beef, real chicken meat, free-range lamb, and so much more. You can buy a bag of Merrick Grain-Free senior blend online at Chewy.com.  
This delicious canine kibble is formulated with real lamb for a taste your doggo will love. It also contains white fish for important Omega-3s and other nutrients, so your dog can move around feeling happy and healthy with better joints and bone health. Annameat makes high-quality pet foods from premium ingredients for dogs of all ages, and this senior blend is one of the more affordable options on our list. You can find it online at Chewy.com.  
Let Nutri Source bring your senior dog optimal nutrition with its premium senior chicken and rice dog food blend. With potent chicken, brown rice, barley, oatmeal, fish oil, and vitamins/minerals, this blend has everything your senior dog needs and more. Best of all, Nutri Sources ensures that all of its ingredients are tested for quality, and it’s an affordable option for dog owners with any budget. You can buy it now online at Petflow.com.   
This super nutrition plan from Nulo is designed to keep your senior dog healthy and moving for years to come. You want to have your best friend at your side, after all, wherever you go. The grain-free trout and sweet potato recipe contains potent Omega-3s from delicious trout mixed with fibrous sweet potatoes for intestinal health. What more could you ask for? This delicious food can be delivered straight to your doorstep in just 1-3 with Chewy’s free shipping option.  
One of the most important aspects of keeping a senior dog healthy is watching their weight. Cheaper dog foods will pack on the pounds, which can lead to some serious complications, so Victor has created a healthy weight blend specifically for senior doggos. The formula contains a multi-protein blend, plenty of fiber, Omega-3s, and vitamins and minerals for all-around health for your senior dog. You can get a bag from Chewy.com. 
This small-bite dog food is perfect for senior dogs who can’t handle the larger kibble you find at the grocery store. Despite its small size this is still a great option loaded with nutrients for dogs who are in their later years. This blend doesn’t contain any grain, so you don’t have to worry about your pup packing on extra weight from eating it. It’s lean, high-quality, and affordable. You can buy it right now on Petsupermarket.com.  
Diamond Naturals produces many varieties of premium, great-tasting, affordable dog food blends. This senior care blend is just one of many from the company, which has maintained a 5-star rating with customers across the world. If you’re looking for premium dog food at a price you can afford, you’re looking for the diamond standard. This senior dry dog food blend contains high-quality proteins like chicken, eggs, and oatmeal, as well as other necessary ingredients to help your senior dog flourish in old age.  
Wysong’s senior care blend is different from the competitors in that it’s designed from the ground-up to be genetically compatible with your dog in old age. This potent blend contains everything the senior dog needs for joint, bone, heart, skin, and coat health, with premium ingredients, a viable price point, and a promise you can’t ignore. Wysong produces quality pet foods with the pets in mind and trust us when we say you’ll notice the difference in that. You can buy a bag of this awesome senior dog food on Chewy.com.  
This grain-free chicken and duck senior recipe is made from high-quality meat for optimal protein. It’s formulated with only the best premium ingredients, like probiotics for gut health, and is gluten/grain-free. This is the perfect solution to your senior dog’s nutritional needs, and the company sacrifices nothing when it comes to quality and consistency. The Go! line of dog foods has been serving customers for years, and all you have to do is check the online ratings to see this is one of the best options out there.  
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