Does your dog turn their nose up at dinner sometimes? You want the best for your furry friend, but the dog food aisle can feel like a confusing maze. So many bags promise amazing health benefits, leaving you wondering which one is truly right for your pup.
Choosing a dog food, especially one with a fancy name like “air-dried,” brings up real worries. Is it really as healthy as it sounds? Will my dog actually eat it? These are common questions dog owners ask every day. We want wholesome ingredients without all the processing fuss.
Inside this post, we will break down exactly what air-dried dog food is. You will learn the real pros and cons so you can compare it easily to other types of food. By the end, you will feel confident picking a meal that keeps your dog happy and healthy.
Top Air-Dried Dog Food Recommendations
- Upgrade to Air Dried for More Nutrients: We slowly oven roast our food at a low temperature so each bite retains maximum nutrition and a crunchy texture bursting with flavor—a great alternative to highly-processed kibble.
- Real Beef is the #1 Ingredient: Single-protein, grain-free, gluten-free, and paleo-inspired recipe made with 96% beef to satisfy your pup’s carnivore cravings and a 4% blend of flaxseed, salmon oil, vitamins, & minerals to help support healthy joints and hips.
- Safely Made in the USA with only wholesome ingredients from around the globe, with added vitamins and minerals - entirely free from fillers. Get the digestibility of raw or freeze dried dog foods with the safety and convenience of dry dog food.
- Vet Recommended Complete Nutrition for All Life Stages: Our healthy dog food is vet recommended, AAFCO Compliant, and made in an SQF (Safe Quality Food) certified facility so you can rest assured that your pup is getting a safe, nutritious meal.
- For Pet Parents, By Pet Parents: All dogs deserve the very best - that’s why as a small business Pawstruck only makes natural & healthy recipes that we proudly feed our own dogs, using the strictest of quality standards.
- Premium Nutrition for Your Pets - Made in the USA with finest ingredients from around the world such as high-quality beef, eggs, and nutrient-rich superfoods, our Air-Dried Dog Food ensures your pup receives essential vitamins for optimal health and vitality, making it the perfect puppy dog food or senior dog food
- Healthy Grain-Free Option - Our Beef & Berries dog food is crafted without grains, artificial preservatives, or fillers like corn, wheat, or soy and is a sensitive stomach dog food alternative to kibble
- Packed with Superfoods for Enhanced Well-Being - Our air dried dog food includes a blend of fruits and vegetables like beet powder and spinach, supporting good vision and promoting a shiny coat for your furry friend
- Quick and Easy Meal Preparation - Mess-free and shelf stable, our premium air dried dog food is perfect for busy professionals who want to nourish their dogs without spending hours in the kitchen
- Gently Air-Dried for Optimal Nutrition - While not organic, our limited ingredient dog food is air-dried at a low temperature for longer to maintain optimal nutrition, freshness and flavor verus dehydrated dog food.
- HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRIENT DENSE: Featuring free-range Chicken, Organs, Bone, and New Zealand Green Mussels, this grain-free dog food delivers nutrition with a mouth-watering taste for all dogs. Gentle air dried processing retains the goodness of the raw ingredients. This food offers stimulating crunchy texture small enough for puppy food but soft enough for senior dog food.
- FRESH FOOD NUTRITION with SHELF STABILITY: This superfood blend of cold-washed Green Tripe, New Zealand Green Mussels, and Organic Kelp supports digestion, joint health, and healthy shiny coats. The air-dry process provides all the shelf stability of freeze dried dog treats and food with the nutritional benefits of fresh dog food.
- GRAIN FREE RAW ALTERNATIVE: Gently air-dries raw ingredients for a nutritious, raw alternative dry dog food with a delicious jerky-like texture that dogs love. This process preserves the nutrition and flavor and is perfect for all life stages, from puppy food to senior dog snacks, with added vitamins and minerals. This formula is free from fillers commonly found in kibble.
- MEALS, TREATS, and FOOD TOPPERS: Serve as a complete balanced meal. Useful as a treat reward, or dog food toppers to provide texture stimulation with a supplement boost.
- ETHICALLY SOURCED: ZIWI sources only 100% free-range, grass-fed, grass-finished meats, and wild-caught seafoods, all from New Zealand farms and pristine oceans. Farmed without added hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants.
- HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRIENT DENSE: Featuring free-range Beef, Organs, Bone, and New Zealand Green Mussels, this grain-free dog food delivers nutrition with a mouth-watering taste for all dogs. Gentle air dried processing retains the goodness of the raw ingredients. This food offers stimulating crunchy texture small enough for puppy food but soft enough for senior dog food.
- GRAIN FREE RAW ALTERNATIVE: Gently air-dries raw ingredients for a nutritious, raw alternative dry dog food with a delicious jerky-like texture that dogs love. This process preserves the nutrition and flavor and is perfect for all life stages, from puppy food to senior dog snacks, with added vitamins and minerals. This formula is free from fillers commonly found in kibble.
- FRESH FOOD NUTRITION with SHELF STABILITY: This superfood blend of cold-washed Green Tripe, New Zealand Green Mussels, and Organic Kelp supports digestion, joint health, and healthy shiny coats. The air-dry process provides all the shelf stability of freeze dried dog treats and food with the nutritional benefits of fresh dog food.
- MEALS, TREATS, and FOOD TOPPERS: Serve as a complete balanced meal. Useful as a treat reward, or dog food toppers to provide texture stimulation with a supplement boost.
- ETHICALLY SOURCED: ZIWI sources only 100% free-range, grass-fed, grass-finished meats, and wild-caught seafoods, all from New Zealand farms and pristine oceans. Farmed without added hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants.
- Nutritious and Delicious Meal - The Pets Table Air-Dried Dog Food is made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world, gently air-dried at a low temperature for longer to maintain optimal nutrition, freshness and flavor, ensuring a wholesome and balanced food that your pets will love
- Vet-Crafted Formula For All Life Stages - Developed in collaboration with a Board Certified veterinary nutritionist, our premium dog food is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of dogs of all sizes, promoting healthy growth and overall well-being
- Mess-Free and Shelf Stable - With our air dried dog food, busy pet parents can quickly provide their dogs with a nutritious meal in just two simple steps, making it ideal for those with limited time for meal preparation
- Superfood Ingredients for Optimal Health - Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like spinach, carrots, and oats, our food supports immune health, shiny coat and skin, gut health, and digestion, leaving them feeling full for longer
- Grain-Inclusive Healthy Option: With no artificial preservatives, fillers or added corn, wheat or soy, our limited ingredient dog food provides a balanced meal option while including wholesome grains like barley and oats
- REAL HUMAN-GRADE QUALITY BEEF - Imagine a bowl filled with air dried dog food made with real human grade quality beefy goodness. This high protein dog food will have your pup's tail thumping with joy. It's not just real meat air dried dog food; it's a meaty party for their taste buds, crafted with care
- NO MORE GRAINS OR PESKY ADDITIVES - Our beef dry dog food small bites are gentle on the tummy making it perfect for pups with allergies and sensitivities. No fillers, coloring, or artificial additives. Just pure wholesome, all-natural real meat dog food
- GENTLY AIR-DRIED TO PAW-FECTION - Real Meat's secret air-drying process seals in the goodness, making every bite a punch of flavor and nutrition. This premium & nutritious beef dog food is perfectly bite-sized, making meal time something to look forward to
- COMPLETE & BALANCED FOR EVERY PUP - Whether it's a full meal or just a topper, these dog food dry bites offer a delicious, holistic feast with vital vitamins and minerals. Perfect for dogs of all life stages and breeds, including puppies, adults, seniors, and small to large dog breeds
- CRAFTED IN THE U.S. OF YAY - Ethically crafted in small, artisanal batches our holistic dog food is as premium, as it is affordable. Made with beef sourced from free-range, grass-fed, hormone-free, and utterly happy cows straight from the USA & New Zealand
- THE ART OF SLOW AIR-DRYING - Our gentle, low-temperature air-drying process preserves the natural nutrients, flavors, and aromas of real ingredients, ensuring your pup experiences peak freshness & mouthwatering taste with every bite.
- REAL CHICKEN, BEEF, OR SALMON IS THE #1 INGREDIENT - Our delicious recipes provide your pup the hearty, protein-packed nutrition they crave for optimal health & happiness.
- NUTRITION YOU CAN SEE - Each bite is full of delicious, real superfoods you can see like carrots, pumpkin, & blueberries to support your pup’s healthy lifestyle.
- GRAIN FREE & NUTRIENT DENSE WITH NO FILLERS - Enjoy peace of mind with a grain-free, filler-free formula that emphasizes real, nutritious ingredients, helping your pup thrive.
- A TASTE THEY’LL BEG FOR - Tender meaty bites packed with flavor and a proven hit with picky eaters, turning every feeding into a joyful, tail-wagging experience.
- NUTRIENT RICH: Air drying naturally retains more vitamins and minerals due to its minimal processing, helping your dog to digest.
- 90% CHICKEN RECIPE: Chicken makes up 90% of our recipe- no rendered meals or pea proteins ñ so your dogs get the essential amino acids they need from high quality pieces of meat you can see.
- THE FLAVOR DOGS LOVE: Our air-dried process locks delicious flavor into tender-jerky style bites without the use of fillers or artificial preservatives. Let your dog taste the difference.
- CONVENIENCE: As easy and convenient as kibble. Experience the benefits of fresh dog food with the convenience of dry. Easy to store, scoop, and serve without handling raw food. Our Air Dried is like kibble, but better!
- 100% HUMAN GRADE: Following quality standards made for people food.
The Ultimate Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Air-Dried Dog Food
Air-dried dog food offers a great middle ground between raw and kibble. It keeps more nutrients than traditional dry food but is safer and easier to store than raw food. This guide helps you pick the best option for your furry friend.
Key Features to Look For
1. High Meat Content
Dogs are natural carnivores. Look for air-dried foods where meat, poultry, or fish is the very first ingredient. A high meat percentage means better protein for strong muscles.
2. Minimal Fillers
Good air-dried food should not have excessive grains like corn, wheat, or soy. These cheap fillers offer little nutritional value to dogs. Check the ingredient list for recognizable, whole-food sources.
3. Nutrient Preservation Method
The ‘air-dried’ process itself is a feature. This method uses low heat over a long time. This gentle drying keeps vitamins and enzymes intact better than high-heat extrusion used for kibble.
Important Ingredients and Materials
Protein Sources
The best protein sources are single-source meats like chicken, beef, salmon, or turkey. Novel proteins, like duck or venison, work well for dogs with common allergies.
Fruits and Vegetables
These add essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Look for ingredients like sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, or spinach. These should complement the meat, not dominate the list.
Added Supplements
High-quality brands often add healthy extras. Check for beneficial additions like probiotics (for gut health) or omega fatty acids (for skin and coat shine).
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Quality Factors (Improvement)
- Human-Grade Ingredients: When ingredients meet standards for human consumption, the overall quality is usually higher.
- Transparency: Brands that clearly state where their ingredients come from show confidence in their sourcing.
- Limited Ingredient Diets (LID): These are excellent for sensitive dogs because they reduce the chance of triggering allergies.
Quality Factors (Reduction)
- Artificial Additives: Avoid foods listing artificial colors, flavors, or chemical preservatives (like BHA or BHT).
- By-Products: Low-quality foods often use meat by-products instead of whole muscle meat. These offer less usable nutrition.
- Excessive Starch: If potatoes or peas make up a large portion of the food, it might be less protein-dense than advertised.
User Experience and Use Cases
Ease of Use
One major benefit is convenience. Air-dried food is shelf-stable, meaning you do not need to refrigerate it after opening, unlike raw food. You can serve it dry, or you can add water to soften it slightly.
Best Use Cases
- Transitioning from Raw: It is a perfect stepping stone for owners who want the benefits of raw food without the strict handling requirements.
- Travel and Camping: Because it is lightweight and shelf-stable, it is much easier to pack for long trips than heavy canned or frozen food.
- Pickier Eaters: Many dogs find the smell and texture of air-dried food highly palatable, often eating it eagerly.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Air-Dried Dog Food
Q: How is air-dried food different from freeze-dried food?
A: Air-drying uses low heat over a long period to remove moisture. Freeze-drying uses a deep freeze followed by a vacuum to remove moisture; freeze-drying generally preserves even more nutrients.
Q: Do I need to add water to air-dried dog food?
A: No, you do not have to. It can be served dry like kibble. Adding a little warm water makes it softer and releases a stronger aroma, which some dogs prefer.
Q: Is air-dried food safe?
A: Yes, it is generally very safe. The drying process reduces moisture content significantly, which prevents the growth of harmful bacteria that can affect raw diets.
Q: Is air-dried food expensive?
A: It is usually more expensive than standard dry kibble. This higher cost reflects the better quality ingredients and the specialized, slower drying process used.
Q: Can I feed this to a puppy?
A: Many brands offer puppy-specific formulas. Always check the packaging to ensure the food supports the high energy and nutrient needs of growing puppies.
Q: How long does air-dried food last once opened?
A: If stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, it generally stays fresh for about 4 to 6 weeks, similar to high-quality kibble.
Q: Does air-dried food have the same protein level as raw food?
A: It often has a higher protein content than kibble, but the overall nutrient density might be slightly lower than a fully raw diet because some water is removed during processing.
Q: What kind of texture does it have?
A: The texture is typically crunchy but slightly softer and more crumbly than hard, extruded kibble. It is very light.
Q: Should I mix it with other foods?
A: You can mix it with wet food or toppers, but if you are transitioning your dog, introduce any new food slowly over a week to prevent stomach upset.
Q: Does the air-drying process destroy vitamins?
A: Some heat-sensitive vitamins are reduced slightly, but far fewer are lost compared to traditional high-heat kibble manufacturing. Good brands compensate by adding necessary vitamins back in.