Dog food for adult dogs
Adult dog food is the biggest and least specialised category on the shelf, which makes it the hardest one to shop by name alone — the real question is not which brand, but which format, protein and size band actually fits your dog's size, activity level and any known sensitivities.
Start with format
Dry kibble is the cheapest per serving, keeps longest, and is easiest to portion precisely for a dog on a fixed daily amount, which makes it the default many households settle on. Wet food carries more moisture and stronger smell and flavour, which can help with a fussier eater, but needs using within a day or two of opening and is less practical to leave down all day.
Raw and frozen formats sit apart from both — they need freezer space, defrosting in the fridge rather than at room temperature, and the same hygiene care you would use with raw meat in your own kitchen. None of the three formats is objectively better; they suit different households and different dogs.
Match the food to your dog's size and activity
A working or very active dog burns meaningfully more energy than a dog getting two lead walks a day, and needs either a higher-calorie food or more of a standard one to keep up — feeding a sedentary dog's portion to a working dog, or vice versa, shows up over time as weight loss or weight gain even on a good-quality food.
Breed size matters too, mainly through kibble size and, for very large or giant breeds, joint-conscious formulation, though this matters far more at the puppy stage than in adulthood, where it becomes more a question of comfort chewing than developmental risk.
Choosing a protein
Chicken and turkey are the most widely used proteins and rarely the cause of a food sensitivity, which is why they are the default starting point for most complete foods. Beef, lamb and fish recipes exist as alternatives for dogs kept off poultry or for owners who simply want variety, without one being nutritionally superior to another for a dog with no known issue.
If your dog has a suspected sensitivity, a single-protein recipe makes it far easier to identify what does or does not agree with them than a recipe blending several meats together, and it is worth introducing any new protein gradually rather than switching outright.
Making a change without upsetting your dog's stomach
Whatever you choose, introduce it gradually over several days, mixing increasing amounts of the new food in with the old rather than swapping in one sitting. Watch stools, appetite and energy over the following week or two as the real test of whether a food suits your dog, rather than the ingredient list alone.
If your dog reacts badly to a new food, or loses weight without explanation on food that should be adequate, that is worth a vet visit rather than a third or fourth food change in a row.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Burgess Supadog Adult Complete Dog Active
Complete dry food for active adult dogs, built around poultry meal and calcium for bone health
£29.15
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey Veg
Grain-free turkey kibble for adult dogs, evenly balanced with potato in the mix
From£12.75
James Wellbeloved Adult Breed Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, in small and large breed versions, built around single-source turkey protein
From£45.75
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Fish Veg
Grain-free fish kibble for adult dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin included
From£12.75
Harringtons Adult Dog Lamb Rice
A complete adult dry food built on lamb and rice, with added seaweed and omega oils
From£3.39
James Wellbeloved Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, built around a single source of turkey protein
From£41.45
Burgess Sensitive Adult Dog Turkey
Complete turkey and rice dry food for adult dogs in a 12.5KG bag
£48.89
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Adult Dog Chicken & Rice
Complete chicken and rice dry dog food for dogs aged 8 weeks onwards
£6.25
Iams Adult Dog Advanced Nutrition Small Medium Breed Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for small and medium adult dogs, 2.5KG
£8.05
Wagg Adult Dog Meaty Goodness Chicken
Adult Dog Meaty Goodness Chicken in a 1KG pack, with 20% protein and 8% fat
£1.90
Common questions
- What's the best format of dog food — dry, wet or raw?
- None is objectively best; each suits different households. Dry is cheapest and easiest to portion, wet suits fussier eaters and needs using quickly once opened, and raw needs freezer space and careful hygiene. Choose based on what fits your routine and your dog's preference.
- Do all adult dogs need the same amount of protein?
- No, activity level makes a real difference — a working or very active dog needs more energy and often more protein than a dog on modest daily walks. Match the food, or the amount fed, to how active your dog actually is rather than a single standard figure.
- How do I know if a protein doesn't agree with my dog?
- Watch for signs like itching, ear problems, or ongoing loose stools after introducing a new food. A single-protein recipe makes it easier to identify the cause than a mixed-meat one, and persistent symptoms are worth discussing with your vet.
- How often should I switch my adult dog's food?
- There is no need to switch regularly if your dog is doing well on their current food — coat condition, stool quality and energy are the signs to watch, not variety for its own sake. Change gradually and only when there is a genuine reason to.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.