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Food Format

Dry vs wet vs raw vs home-cooked — what “complete and balanced” means, the real risks of raw and homemade, and why grain-free/DCM is unresolved.

Computed from your inputs · sources shown · estimates labeled · risky questions go to a vet.

Your dog
Example answer — Comparing food formats
Routine decision
You can act on this at your own pace.
Look for “complete and balanced”
Fact
By FDA rules, that phrase means the food meets an AAFCO nutrient profile or passed an AAFCO feeding trial — the baseline for a food to be a full diet.
Home-cooked diets
Fact
A UC Davis study found ~95% of 200 home recipes were deficient in at least one essential nutrient. If you home-cook, get the recipe from a board-certified veterinary nutritionist.
Raw diets carry a real pathogen risk
Fact
FDA testing found Salmonella and Listeria far more often in raw food than in dry/cooked, endangering both the dog and people in the home. The AVMA discourages feeding raw or undercooked animal protein.
Grain-free and heart disease (DCM)
Professional guidance
This is unresolved. The FDA has not established a causal link, and studies conflict — we won't claim grain-free either causes or is cleared of DCM. Discuss diet choice with your vet.
4 sources · figures differ across sources
⚠ Raw or undercooked animal-source protein in cat and dog diets (AVMA policy): none between Tier-1 sources (AVMA and FDA aligned); raw-diet advocates and some individual practitioners dispute the position, but those are not Tier 1/2 rule-grade sources
How this was decided — all 4 sources, tiers & dates
Rules fired: complete-and-balanced (AAFCO/FDA); homemade deficiency; raw pathogen risk

Why this answer

For any dog food, look for “complete and balanced” — by FDA rules that means it meets an AAFCO nutrient profile or passed a feeding trial. Home-cooked diets are risky: a UC Davis study found ~95% of home recipes deficient in an essential nutrient, so use a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Raw diets carry a real Salmonella/Listeria risk to dogs and people. The grain-free/heart-disease (DCM) question remains unresolved — no causal link is established.

When this doesn’t apply

  • A dog with a diagnosed condition needs a vet-directed diet, not a general format comparison.
  • This doesn't rank specific brands.

What changes the answer

  • Whether the food is 'complete and balanced' (AAFCO).
  • Home-cooking and raw both need extra safeguards.
  • Your dog's health may dictate a therapeutic diet.

Sources

Common questions

Is wet or dry food better for dogs?
Neither is inherently better — both can be complete and balanced. What matters is that the food meets an AAFCO profile or feeding trial. Pick by your dog's needs, preference, and your budget.
Is a raw diet safe for my dog?
Raw diets carry a documented Salmonella and Listeria risk to both the dog and people in the home; the AVMA discourages raw or undercooked animal protein. If you feed raw, handle it with strict food-safety care.

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