Dog Food Brands to Avoid Table of Contents
Choosing the right dog food is crucial for your pet’s health, but with so many options on the market, it’s just as important to know which dog food brands to avoid in 2025. Some brands use low-quality ingredients, fillers, and artificial additives that can harm your dog’s well-being. This guide highlights the dog food brands you should steer clear of this year, based on recent reports, ingredient analysis, and expert recommendations.
Why Avoid Certain Dog Food Brands?
Not all dog foods are created equal. Brands to avoid often share these red flags:
- Use of cheap fillers like corn, soy, and wheat as main ingredients
- Inclusion of unidentified meat by-products or animal digest
- Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives (such as BHA)
- Reports of contamination, recalls, or health issues linked to their products127
Top Dog Food Brands to Avoid in 2025
| Brand Name | Main Concerns | Notable Issues/Recalls |
| Alpo | Corn, soy, bone meal, artificial colors, below-average protein, vitamin K variant | FDA warnings, recalls, health reports |
| Beneful | Corn, soy, animal digest, sugar, salt, propylene glycol, BHA, artificial colors | Linked to kidney failure, recall 2016 |
| Cesar | Meat by-products, bone meal, corn, wheat, BHA, high sodium, artificial colors | Reports of foreign debris, recalls |
| Gravy Train | Corn, soybean meal, meat by-products, animal digest, BHA, artificial colors | Vitamin D toxicity, pentobarbital recall |
| Kibbles ‘n Bits | Corn, wheat, bone meal, animal digest, corn syrup, artificial colors, BHA | Vitamin D toxicity, pentobarbital recall |
| Ol’ Roy | Corn, soy, wheat middlings, meat by-products, artificial color | Linked to kidney/liver issues, recall |
| Pedigree | Corn, wheat, soy, chicken by-products, bone meal, artificial color | Recalls 2012-2014, vitamin D excess25 |
| Purina Dog Chow | Corn, by-products, bone meal, soybeans, salt, artificial colors | Vitamin D toxicity, recent recalls |
| MyDog | Flavourings, preservatives, meat by-products, cereal proteins | Lack of transparency, low-quality meat |
| OPTIMUM™ | Sorghum, corn, chicken digest, hidden ingredients | Misleading advertising, low meat content |
| Chum | Cereal, cereal by-products, flavoring, preservatives | Filler-heavy, minimal real meat |
| Baxters & Apollo | Preservatives, flavorings, by-products, harmful chemicals | Linked to stomach ulcers, poor nutrition |
You May Also Read- Household Items Harmful to Pets
Key Ingredients to Watch Out In Dog Food Brands to Avoid
When checking dog food labels, avoid products listing these as main ingredients:
- Corn, wheat, and soy (used as cheap fillers)
- Unidentified “meat by-products” or “animal digest”
- Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2)
- Artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin)
- Excess salt or sugar127
Recent Health and Safety Concerns
- Vitamin D Toxicity: Some brands, including Pedigree and Purina, have been found with dangerously high vitamin D levels, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney failure in dogs25.
- Contamination: Recalls for contamination with substances like pentobarbital (a euthanasia drug) and foreign debris have affected brands such as Gravy Train, Kibbles ‘n Bits, and Ol’ Roy2.
- Low-Quality Protein: Many brands use plant-based proteins and by-products instead of real meat, leading to poor nutrition and potential allergies127.
How to Choose Safer Alternatives
- Look for brands that list real meat (chicken, lamb, fish) as the first ingredient.
- Avoid foods with long lists of artificial additives and fillers.
- Check for AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) nutritional adequacy statements.
- Consult your veterinarian for recommendations tailored to your dog’s health needs15.
Final Thoughts
Feeding your dog a healthy, balanced diet starts with avoiding brands that cut corners with cheap fillers, artificial additives, and questionable by-products. Always read ingredient labels carefully and stay informed about recent recalls and health reports. By steering clear of the dog food brands listed above, you can help ensure your pet’s long-term health and happiness27.