Are you considering a change to your dog’s diet?
If you’ve been feeding regular store-bought dog food to your canine companion, you may be looking for a fresh, healthier alternative.
Unfortunately some traditional big-name dog food brands aren’t transparent about what goes into their recipes in the ingredient’s label.
Kibble is calorie dense which is another consideration for pet parents who may have a dog that needs to shed some pounds.
But British dog owners can still feed their furry pooches dry food but ensure their faithful pets are getting a complete diet.
Air-dried dog food provides a balanced and healthy way to feed your dog in a format that is often underrated given the chatter around raw food diets.
In fact, air-dried dog food is a great way to feed your pup given the ingredients are gently cooked to retain all their nutritional goodness and exceptional taste.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best air-dried dog food options available in the UK market at the moment.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. It’s always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet's diet or feeding routine.
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Best Air-Dried Dog Food UK
| Rating | Summary | Website | Pure |
|
• Air-dried food • Backed by vets • Customised | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Innocent Hound |
|
• Grain free • British ingredients • Award winning | Buy Now | |
| Ziwi Peak |
|
• No hormones • No grains • Z-TWINTECH | Buy Now |
Why You Should Consider Air-Dried Dog Food
(Photo: Adobe Stock)
• No Additives Or Nasties – Most of the air-dried dog food companies that we’ve encountered don’t use any additives or nasties in their food. They rely on natural ingredients to create their recipes.
• Gently Cooked – Air-dried dog food is created by gently cooking the ingredients and avoiding the use of high temperatures. By using a process of air drying, the meat can retain all its nutritional goodness.
• Packed With Good Stuff – The air-dried dog food companies in this article source their ingredients locally or from reputable suppliers to ensure only good stuff goes into your dog’s food.
• Convenient To Feed – Depending on the type of air-dried dog food you opt for, it can be convenient to feed. This is especially true if you like to feed your dog with your hands throughout the day.
• Perfect For Picky Eaters – If you’ve got a fussy eater, air-dried dog food could be the perfect solution to jazz up your dog’s food. They come in a variety of different recipes to cater to your dog’s tastes.
• Versatile – Air-dried dog food can prove an excellent choice for dogs of all ages and all sizes. In my experience reading customer reviews, it can also prove a great option for dog owners looking to find dog food for dogs with sensitive tummies.
Things To Consider When Picking Air-Dried Dog Food
A French Bulldogs sniffs some fruit (Photo: Adobe Stock)
• Ingredients – In looking for the right air-dried dog food for your pup, you should pay close attention to the ingredients used in the recipes.
• Recipes – For dog owners with picky eaters like me, you’ll want to use a dog food company who provide a range of different protein sources to give you plenty of flexibility.
• Vet Input – Seeing pet nutritionists or veterinarians have had an input into the creation of a company’s recipes can provide a lot of peace of mind.
• Delivery – In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s never been more important to avoid unnecessary trips to the shop. Preferably, you want your air-dried dog food to be shipped direct to your door.
• Price – While air-dried dog food will cost more than your traditional dog food, it doesn’t mean you should pay over the odds for your dog’s grub.
• Customer Reviews – We like to consult with independent review websites to see what other pet parents have to say about a company’s food and get a general sense of how a dog food provider is performing.
• Sustainability – It’s never been more important to leave a green paw print on the world so we like dog food delivery companies who have an eco-friendly approach to their business.
Best Air-Dried Dog Food UK – Our Pick
Editor's note: Be sure to check the latest information shown on the official website of any product you're considering purchasing, as details may change from time to time and therefore may differ from what's shown on this page.
So, now that we have looked at some of the potential reasons to give air-dried dog food a go as well as things to consider when weighing up the pros and cons of different air-dried dog food brands, it’s time to take a look at our pick of three of the best options on the market in the UK at the moment.
1) Pure Pet Food
Where To Buy: purepetfood.com
Alaskan Klee Kai with Pure Pet Food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
Pure Pet Food are one of the leading providers of air-dried dog food in the UK.
Based in their human-grade kitchen in Yorkshire, Pure use an air-dried cooking method to ensure their high-quality ingredients retain all their nutritional goodness.
Pure don’t use any additives or nasties in their food and their recipes have been given the seal of approval from a number of respected veterinarians in the UK.
Dog owners will need to add a scoop of water to a scoop of air-dried dog food before mixing to prepare your pup’s tasty meal.
The Pros
• 9 different recipes
• Tailored to meet your dog’s needs
• High quality ingredients
• Stored in the cupboard
• 4.9 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot
• Delivered to your door
The Cons
• Premium price
• Can only order from Pure’s website
What Customers Are Saying
Pure Pet Food gets 4.9 stars out of 5 based upon over 1,700 reviews.
Louise shed light on the benefits of Pure’s dog food to her Cocker Spaniel.
My Cocker Spaniel Bosley was really poorly with pancreatitis and had to change to a low fat diet, the tins of food the vet prescribed smelt awful so I did some research and came across pure pet food and haven’t looked back since. Bosley loves it, his coat is in much better condition and its delivered straight to the door, what’s not to love about it.
Alex had similar success feeding Pure to his Jack Russell Terrier.
Our gorgeous 12 yo Bugg had been really ill with pancreatitis, after extensive research we decided to have a complete diet change. We found Pure Pet Food when searching for low fat diets. All I can say is our little man is so excited every morning and evening when he eats, he spins, offers his paw and barks! My dads Jack Russell loves the smell of the food and got so excited my dad has now signed up to this food. I don’t think you’ll regret it, we have a very happy healthy dog again!
Our Verdict
Alaskan Klee Kai with their Pure Pet Food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
My Alaskan Klee Kai really enjoyed their Pure samples. They were quick to guzzle down their air-dried food despite previously being picky with kibble.
I could tell that the recipes used high-quality ingredients that smelt like human-grade food.
They’ve got a great range of recipes to cater to picky eaters like my Klee Kai.
I really like that Pure provide a recycling flier you use to return your pouches back to the Yorkshire company via the post.
2) The Innocent Hound
Where To Buy: theinnocentpet.co.uk
The Innocent Hound (Photo: helloBARK!)
The Innocent Hound are dog food company who have built a reputation for creating tasty air-dried dog food.
They’re a small company who have worked with some leading nutritionists to create their ethically soured air-dried food.
The Innocent Hound uses a handmade production method to limit the processing involved.
Their website is grain and cereal free and uses quality British produce, providing complete and balanced food.
The Pros
• Grain and cereal free
• British ingredients
• 7 different recipes
• 100% recyclable packaging
• Award winning
The Cons
• Premium price
What Customers Are Saying
The Innocent Hound get an average rating of 4.8 stars out of 5 on independent pet website Trustpilot.
Paige has happy dogs who love The Innocent Hound’s range.
I can’t recommend this food highly enough. We have two dogs with sensitivities and since feeding them this food, their overall health has improved significantly. We fed fresh raw before we swapped to air dried, which was definitely better than when they were on kibble, but one of our dogs didn’t settle quite as well with it so we did our research and discovered air dried food. We initially tried a different (German) air dried brand before Innocent Pet but this food feels, looks and smells fresher and more wholesome. It has definitely surpassed our expectations, and whilst it is extremely convenient, the greatest benefit to us is that we can also use it for training purposes (which we couldn’t do so easily with fresh raw).
Debra gave a five-star review based upon her experience.
Easy to order. Arrived in good time and well packaged. My dog absolutely loves this food so I have no choice but to order more! It is a really easy way to feed raw food to your dog. No mess, semi-moist so easy to eat and great for using as a high value reward for training. His training has improved no end as he really wants the reward. I am so pleased with it and have already recommended it to others.
Our Verdict
The Innocent Hound (Photo: helloBARK!)
I was sent some The Innocent Pet samples to try – and my mini huskies absolutely loved their air-dried food.
The air-dried food is shaped in rectangles and it makes it a really versatile option for dog owners.
You can use The Innocent Hound as your dog’s main meal, tasty topper or training treats.
3) Ziwi Peak
Where To Buy: www.amazon.co.uk
Alaskan Klee Kai with Ziwi air-dried dog food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
Ziwi Peak provide gently air-dried dog food for British canines.
Their website explains that their recipes are handcrafted and gently air-dried in their kitchens, so there’s no high temperatures used in the cooking process.
They add that their Z-TWINTECH air drying technology allow Ziwi Peak to lock in all the goodness of their raw ingredients. Their food doesn’t contain any nasties or additives.
Ziwi have two different ranges – Originals and Provenance. Their Ziwi Original aid-dried dog food is comprised of six recipes that rely on one or two protein sources. Their Ziwi Provenance feature five meats and fish from a single region in New Zealand.
The Pros
• 9 recipes
• Z-TWINTECH air drying technology
• Free-range farm ingredients
• Sourced from New Zealand
• No grains, sugars or glycerin
• No hormones or growth promotants
• No recalls
The Cons
• Premium price
• Not made in the UK
What Customers Are Saying
For the purposes of this section, we’ll take a look at the reviews of Ziwi’s air-dried cuisine lamb. This particular recipe gets an average of 4.9 stars out of 5 based upon over 12 reviews.
Paul was impressed with the smell of the product.
Our Jack Russel is a very picky eater who only likes things that could be described as “premium”. This certainly ticks that box. He also has a sensitive stomach and this has never, in the six or so years we have been feeding this to him, caused his stomach to become upset. The price may be high, but the quality absolutely matches it. I do not think there is a product marketed as dog food closer to beef jerky than this. It actually smells pretty good when I open up the bag to be fair. I haven’t tried, but in a starvation situation I wouldn’t be scared to.
Constable was pleasantly to see a change in his dog after making the switch.
I have been feeding my dog what is regarded as the best kibble dog food on the market. After a week of feeding her Ziwi peak her energy levels improved and she seems happier, vibrant and more youthful. It’s very expensive but you get what you pay for. What price you pets health and well-being.
Our Verdict
Alaskan Klee Kai with Ziwi air-dried dog food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
Ziwi Peak are an internationally-recognized brand so you’ll be able to find them in most places you travel to with your dog.
I was sent some samples to see if they passed the taste test with my picky Alaskan Klee Kai.
To my delight, my dogs really enjoyed all of the Ziwi Peak recipes.
I found they made an excellent option for training treats or enrichment games.
Anything Else To Consider
If you’re thinking about making a change to your dog’s diet, you should speak to your vet to learn more about the things you’ll need to consider.
Your vet can discuss with you whether they believe air-dried dog food is the right option for your canine companion.
Most dog food companies will provide pet parents with guidance on how to make the transition to their food.
In Conclusion – Wrapping Up
We’ve reached the end of our feature on the best air-dried dog food in the UK.
Our top pick is Pure Pet Food after it passed my Alaskan Klee Kai’s taste test with flying colors.
Their high-quality ingredients are cooked in their human-grade kitchen, ensuring your dog’s food is nutritious and tasty.
Pure have an eco-friendly approach to their business, which will make dog owners feel good about feeding their air-dried food.
Having said that, The Innocent Pet and Ziwi Peak are also good options, with their air-dried food proving an extremely versatile option for dog owners.
