The 7 Best Dry Food for Labrador Reviewed (Comparison)
If you have a Labrador, then you want to ensure that they are eating the best food that they can eat. After all, if a dog is eating the right foods, they will be healthier. This means that they live longer lives, free from illness.
Here are the 7 best dry food for Labradors available on the market.
Feeding a Labrador: A Circus of Dry Food Options
Many Labrador owners often purchase the wrong food for their furry friends. This is usually through no fault of their own. Pet supply companies cleverly market their products to show all the benefits – and hide all the problems.
For example, many companies will have you convinced that your Labrador needs wet food to be healthy. They do not. We don’t need to waste our money on bad food! Wet food is up to 75% water, and thus not very nutritionally dense (Choice Research). Your Labrador only needs to eat quality dry food (or homemade wet meals).
We are not here to tell you that there is one perfect dog food on the market. There isn’t. The right food for one dog may not be the right food for another one.
What we will tell you, however, is that some foods are far better than others. Even spending a few extra dollars can mean the difference between your dog getting the right food and something that is sorely lacking what your Labrador needs to thrive.
Before diving into the best 7 dry dog foods for Labradors, we want to tell you precisely what standards these quality dry dog foods meet.
Healthy
Labradors need the right selection of nutrients and minerals to thrive. The best dry dog foods on the market will have been carefully balanced to ensure they provide your dog with everything they need.
Remember, the exact nutrients your dog requires will change as they get older. A Teacup Goldendoodle puppy will have different requirements than a giant Bernedoodle. This means that you should always ensure that you are picking up the right product for your pet.
Tasty
Dogs love food, but they need it to taste good too. You want your Labrador to be more than happy to feast upon their nutritious meal.
Natural Ingredients
Food should come from nature, not from a test tube. Natural dog foods contain no additives. This means that there is nothing that could have a significant impact on your dog’s health.
Meat Meat, Meat Meat
Meat heavy products mean that they contain many more natural nutrients, and they just taste a lot better. Dogs are omnivores, but the majority of their diet needs to be meat and protein.
Let’s take a look at what we genuinely believe are the 7 best dry dog foods for Labradors.
#1 Labrador Dry Food Recommendation: Wellness Core Large Dog Food Breed
Labradors are a reasonably large breed, so we will kick start this list with our ‘Top Recommended’ product. This is suitable for adult Labradors (i.e., fully grown dogs). It is especially brilliant for highly active dogs.
- GRAIN-FREE LARGE BREED ADULT DRY DOG FOOD: Premium protein from responsibly sourced chicken is expertly balanced with nutrient rich superfoods for a complete and balanced dog food, with optimal fat...
- LEANER BODY MASS AND MUSCLE TONE: Based on the nutritional philosophy that dogs thrive on a natural diet mainly comprised of meat, this dog food is made with 45% high quality protein ingredients.
- SUPPORTS DIGESTIVE HEALTH & STRONG JOINTS: Guaranteed levels of omega fatty to support healthy skin and coat, glucosamine for strong joints, high fiber and probiotics for digestive health, and taurine...
- NO CORN, WHEAT, OR SOY: Contains only premium, all natural ingredients with no poultry by-products, wheat, wheat gluten, corn, soy, artificial colors, or preservatives.
- MADE IN USA: Using only the finest globally sourced ingredients, we prepare each of our diets in our own state of the art facility; recipes crafted with wholesome, non-GMO ingredients chosen for their...
There are no fillers or artificial ingredients in this product. This means that there are no grains to ‘pad out’ the ingredients list. Absolutely everything packed into this dry dog food will be beneficial to your Labrador in some way.
This product is high in meat content. So, not only does your dog get to enjoy the delicious flavor of the chicken and turkey mix, but they can also enjoy the amount of protein-packed into each and every bit of kibble. 45% of this food is protein, which can help support healthy growth in the dog and provide them with the energy they need to live a happy life.
The Wellness Core dry dog food has several other ingredients added, including Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, to benefit your dog in even more ways. This includes a healthier coat and a more robust immune system.
If you want one of the best dry dog foods on the market for adult Labradors, then this is the route to go down.
Royal Canin Labrador Retriever
This dry food from Royal Canin is one of only a few products on the market that has been specially formulated for Labrador Retrievers. It can be eaten by any Labrador over the age of fifteen months, which means that this is a food that can carry them right into adulthood.
You will be surprised at how much thought has gone into the design of this dry dog food. We are not just talking about the ingredient list either. You will notice that the kibble is a donut shape. This is supposedly good for slowing down the speed that your dog eats at.
As we said, every part of this food has been designed for a Labrador. This means that if your furry friend is eating this food, they will maintain a healthy weight. It also gives them the nutritional tools they need to feel energetic and have a strong immune system.
If you have an adult Labrador, then this product is highly recommended. Dogs seem to love the taste of it.
Hill’s Science Large Breed
If your veterinarian says that your dog needs to trim down their weight or watch what they are eating for health reasons, then Hill’s Science Large Breed dry dog food may be the perfect option for you.
This product offers 18% fewer calories than competing dry dog foods on the market. Despite this, it is nutrient-dense, ensuring that your dog enjoys high energy levels while ensuring that they never feel hungry. In fact, despite boasting fewer calories than competitors, this product can help your dog feel a lot fuller between meals.
This Hill’s dry dog food is made from real chicken meat combined with barley. This should provide your dog with everything that they need to thrive.
You will also find that Hill has added several ingredients to the dog food to help with Labrador weight management while also ensuring that your dog is consuming the nutrients they need. This includes the addition of L-Carnitine. This nutrient has been proven to help with weight management while also supporting a healthy heart.
Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy Food
If you have a growing Labrador puppy, you want to ensure that you provide them with all the food resources they need to grow up healthily. Purina Pro Plan Large Breed puppy food may be just the ticket here.
A chicken and barely mix form the base of this food. Of course, your puppy is going to absolutely love the taste of this. However, the most important thing is that the chicken provides a lot of protein. Larger breeds tend to grow incredibly quickly, and for this, they need a lot of protein in their diet. Far more than what they will need as an adult. This is why it is so vital that you purchase an actual puppy food if you are raising a Labrador puppy. It is the only way to avoid stunting their growth.
Glucosamine has been added to the mix to help support the puppy’s ligament and bone growth. Again, ensuring that they grow up to be friendly and healthy.
To cap it off, this product also contains various probiotics that can aid the puppy with their digestion and ensure that the immune system is excellent and robust. Basically, this food will help set your dog up for a lifetime of being healthy.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein
This dry food offering from Blue Buffalo is available in salmon, duck, and chicken flavors. This means it shouldn’t be too difficult to find the perfect tasting kibble for your Labrador.
- MORE SALMON IS COMING: An evolution of your dog’s formula with more salmon than ever, plus wholesome grains
- PACKED WITH REAL SALMON: A recipe made to satisfy your dog’s natural love for meat, this high protein dog food features real salmon to help build and maintain lean muscle mass
- HEALTHY INGREDIENTS: BLUE Wilderness grain free dog food, made with healthy carbohydrates including sweet potatoes and peas, helps fuel your adult dog’s active lifestyle; It also contains omega 3 &...
- ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support immune system health, life...
- A NATURAL DOG FOOD: BLUE dry dog food is made with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals; BLUE contains NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy,...
Of course, since dogs are omnivores, the meat content isn’t enough for a healthy diet. Luckily, Blue Buffalo has your dog covered. This grain-free product is packed with sweet potato and peas to give your dog the rest of the nutrients that they need.
This product has been specially designed to contain a bit more protein than competing products on the market. The result will be a dog with the resources to support healthy muscle growth while also giving them the energy they need to enjoy their day-to-day life.
The real highlight, however, is the addition of Blue Buffalo’s ‘Lifesource Bits.’ While the company does keep the exact ingredient composition of this a secret, we can tell you that it is 100% natural. Lifesource Bits are designed to give your dog a nutrient and vitamin boost. These Lifesource Bits contains everything that the other ingredients do not. This includes powerful antioxidants and nutrients to help boost your dog’s immune system. This means that your dog will be healthier.
Your dog will absolutely love tucking into this food too. Since it only uses natural ingredients and a unique blend of them, dogs tend to absolutely love the flavor. They probably also enjoy the fact that they get everything that they need to ensure their life in this food too.
This dry dog food is perfect for adult Labradors.
Eukanuba Large Breed
This Eukanuba Large Breed dry dog food is designed for dogs over fifteen months and weighing up 55lbs. This means that it should be suitable for most Labradors.
- FOR ADULT LARGE BREED DOGS: Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food is complete and balanced nutrition for large breed dogs over 15 months old and weighing over 55 lb
- MUSCLE & JOINT SUPPORT: A combination of animal protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate promotes lean muscle development and joint health in active adult dogs
- HEALTHY BRAIN FUNCTION: DHA and vitamin E support healthy brain function and help keep dogs sharp
- SUPPORTS ACTIVE ADULT DOGS: Optimal levels of fats and carbohydrates fuel an active lifestyle
- HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN: High-quality chicken is the first ingredient for protein that powers their day
As with all of the dry dog foods on this list, chicken is at the heart of the ingredient list and provides a good deal of the protein in this kibble. You will actually find more protein in this product than most other dry dog foods on the market. You will also find that there will be more carbohydrates. This is important because Labradors tend to be a lot more active than other dog breeds, and they need the energy that the protein and carbs provide.
The addition of chondroitin sulfate and also the high dose of glucosamine promote healthy joint and bone growth. It can also help to speed up healing in the event of injury. Both of these ingredients come from natural sources.
To cap it off, there is also a healthy dose of extra Vitamin E and DHA. These can help to support healthy brain development in your dog. This can help to keep your dog nice and sharp, even in their twilight years (though watch out for arthritis or limping in your Lab as they age)
Holistic Blue Buffalo
We will round off this list of the best 7 dry dog foods for Labradors with Holistic Blue Buffalo. This product has been specially developed for dogs that may not be in the most excellent health and may need a little bit of a boost to their immune system. However, there is nothing to say that this kibble cannot be eaten by any adult Labrador looking for natural and holistic health.
- REAL MEAT FIRST: Blue Buffalo foods always feature real meat as the first ingredient; High-quality protein from real lamb helps your dog build and maintain healthy muscles; Plus they contain wholesome...
- FOR ADULT DOGS: BLUE Life Protection Formula adult dog food contains essential proteins and carbohydrates to help meet the energy needs of adult dogs, and features omega 3 & 6 fatty acids to promote a...
- ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support immune system health, life...
- A NATURAL DOG FOOD: BLUE dry dog food is made with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals; BLUE contains NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy,...
- Contains one (1) 30 lb. Bag of BLUE Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food, Lamb and Brown Rice
This product is available in various flavors (lamb, chicken, salmon, etc.) combined with multiple grains and vegetables. This means that there will almost certainly be a flavor in the Holistic Blue Buffalo product range that your dog will absolutely love. Remember what we said at the start? Taste is a good signifier of a decent product.
Everything in this product is natural, which means your dog will find it easier to absorb the nutrients, which really helps when it comes to improving their health.
Once again, Blue Buffalo has packed a product with its Lifesource Bits. These are formulated in conjunction with animal nutritionists to ensure that the Labrador and other large breeds of dogs get all of the nutrients that they need.
Which Dry Labrador Dog Food is Right for You?
Honestly? Anyone of these 7 dry dog foods is going to be suitable for your Labrador. Just make sure that you choose one that is suitable for your dog’s age. You should never feed a puppy adult dog food. It will hamper their growth. Choose puppy specific dog foods.
If you are unsure which dry dog food is ideal for your pet, stick with our recommended choice of Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food, Large Breed, 26-Pound Bag. Nearly every Labrador loves it. Unless your dog needs a highly specific diet (i.e., to help deal with certain illnesses or reduce their weight), this should probably be your ‘go-to’ food.
If your Labrador doesn’t wolf the whole bowl every time, then you can check out a couple of the other dry dog foods recommended.