The best raw dog food
Auto-ranked by our ODF Score - updated July 28, 2026 . See how we rate
Raw food starts with a structural advantage on our score: it is mostly meat and barely processed, which are two of the six things we measure. That is not favouritism - it is the same algorithm every food faces - but it does mean the interesting question for raw is not "is there meat?" but "is it complete, and is the label honest about what else is in there?" The list below ranks the raw foods that answer both well.
Lifestage
Lifestage Raw Puppy- Type
- Raw
- Life stage
- Puppy
- Cost per day
- £3.04 approx.
- Declared meat content 80.5% (added up from every named meat on the label).
- Every ingredient individually named (+5); percentages cover 98% of the recipe (+5.9); meat sources named (+2); recipe reads as a fixed formula (+2).
- Weighted ingredient quality 89/100 across 21 ingredients (declared percentages used for 7, position estimates for the rest).
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Ranked number 2
92/100
Natural Instinct
Natural Instinct Weaning Paste
Every ingredient individually named (+5); percentages cover 100% of the recipe (+6); meat sources named (+2); recipe reads as a fixed formula (+2).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
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Ranked number 3
92/100
ProDog
ProDog Complete Raw Dog Food
Declared meat content 85%.
- High meat85% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
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Ranked number 4
92/100
ROR
ROR Adult
Declared meat content 85% (added up from every named meat on the label).
- High meat50% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
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Ranked number 5
91/100
Dougie's
Dougie's Raw Single Species 80/10/10
Declared meat content 100% (added up from every named meat on the label).
- High meat80% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
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Ranked number 6
91/100
Lifestage
Lifestage Grain Free Raw
Declared meat content 77% (added up from every named meat on the label).
- High meat63% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
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Ranked number 7
91/100
Lifestage
Lifestage Raw Adult
Every ingredient individually named (+5); percentages cover 93% of the recipe (+5.6); meat sources named (+2); recipe reads as a fixed formula (+2).
- High meat63% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
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Ranked number 8
91/100
Natures Menu
Natures Menu Complete & Balanced 80/20 Minced Block
Declared meat content 80%.
- High meat80% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
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Ranked number 9
91/100
Nutriment
Nutriment Complete Puppy
Declared meat content 90% (added up from every named meat on the label).
- High meat60% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
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Ranked number 10
91/100
Nutriwolds
Nutriwolds Complete
Declared meat content 84.9% (added up from every named meat on the label).
- High meat40.4% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Scored, not sponsored
Every food is scored 0-100 on its label alone. No brand can pay to rank.
Filtered for this list
We only show foods that genuinely qualify as raw - never padded to hit a round number.
Reranks automatically
When a score or price changes, the order updates itself. No stale listicle from 2019.
How to choose raw
Complete matters more in raw than anywhere else. A tub of pure mince is not a diet; dogs need the calcium, organs and micronutrients a proper recipe balances in, and a food meeting FEDIAF nutritional guidelines says so on the label. Every food ranked here is a complete commercial raw food - if you want to build DIY raw from scratch, do it with a canine nutritionist, not a Facebook group.
The practical realities: you need freezer space, sensible hygiene (treat it like the raw meat it is - wash bowls and hands, keep it away from little fingers), and usually a bigger budget, since raw tends to cost more per day than good kibble. Households with immunocompromised people, and homes with very young puppies, should talk to a vet before switching.
Frequently asked questions
Is raw food safe for dogs?
Commercial complete raw from a reputable maker is generally safe for healthy adult dogs when you handle it like any raw meat - frozen storage, clean bowls, washed hands. The main risks are bacterial contamination (which hygiene manages) and unbalanced DIY recipes (which buying complete avoids). Vulnerable households should involve a vet first.
Why do raw foods score so well on your algorithm?
Because the algorithm rewards meat content, minimal processing and short, named ingredient lists - and raw food is naturally strong on all three. It is not a thumb on the scale: a raw food with vague labelling or missing nutritional data loses points exactly the way a kibble would.
Is raw feeding expensive?
Usually, yes - expect noticeably more per day than an equivalent-quality dry food, mostly because meat is the expensive ingredient and raw is mostly meat. The price-per-day figure on each card above is the honest comparison point; some raw foods are much better value than others.
More best-of lists
Prefer to pick for yourself? Filter every raw dog food in the directory.
This is label analysis, not veterinary advice - if your dog has a health condition, talk to your vet before switching foods.