Best-scoring dog foods without beef on the label for a large adult dog, moderately active, holding weight

Kibble

103 kibble foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 103

   Orijen Large Breed Adult Recipe

   99 of 100
   • Balanced protein (38.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (38.0%) for this dog
2. 

   2nd of 103, level with another

   Acana Adult Large Breed Recipe

   96 of 100
   • Balanced protein (31.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog

   3 points under Orijen Large Breed Adult Recipe:

   • Nutritional quality, 21 against 25. Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (0.8%) for this dog's joints and coat. Balanced fat content (15.0%) for this dog. DHA is 0.1% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%. Calories are 3,835 kcal per kg of dry matter. For kibble, full points are given between 4,000 and 5,000.
3. 

   2nd of 103, level with another

   Open Farm RawMix Large Breed Grain-Free

   96 of 100
   • Balanced protein (30.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (30.0%) for this dog
4. 

   4th of 103, level with two others

   Orijen Original Adult Recipe

   95 of 100
   • Balanced protein (38.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (18.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (38.0%) for this dog

   1 point under Open Farm RawMix Large Breed Grain-Free:

   • Format suitability, 6 against 10. Regular kibble — compatible with this dog's size. This is regular kibble. For a large dog, full points are given for large kibble.
5. 

   4th of 103, level with two others

   Acana Highest Protein Pacifica Recipe

   95 of 100
   • Balanced protein (35.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (17.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (35.0%) for this dog
6. 

   4th of 103, level with two others

   Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Ocean Recipe

   95 of 100
   • Balanced protein (32.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog

Gently cooked

12 gently cooked foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 12

   Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice

   86.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (9.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (4.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (9.0%) for this dog
2. 

   2nd of 12

   Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Turkey Dinner

   84.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (8.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (3.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (8.0%) for this dog

   2 points under Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice:

   • Nutritional quality, 18 against 20. Premium protein content (8.0%) for this dog. Balanced fat content (3.0%) for this dog. The label gives no omega-3 figure, so those points could not be given. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Calories are 4,340 kcal per kg of dry matter. For gently cooked food, full points are given between 4,500 and 5,800.
   • Price value, 4 against 5. Good value for this dog. Price per kilogram is in the cheaper half of gently cooked foods, above the cheapest quarter. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
3. 

   3rd of 12

   Tom & Sawyer Turkey Gobbler Feast

   84 of 100
   • Balanced protein (7.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (4.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • High protein content (7.0%) for this dog

   0.5 points under Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Turkey Dinner:

   • Price value, 3.5 against 4. Price per kilogram is above the middle of gently cooked foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.

Air-dried

8 air-dried foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 8

   Smack Chunky Chicken

   82.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (35.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (24.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (35.0%) for this dog
2. 

   2nd of 8, level with another

   Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe

   81.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (32.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (28.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog

   1 point under Smack Chunky Chicken:

   • Price value, 4 against 5. Good value for this dog. Price per kilogram is in the cheaper half of air-dried foods, above the cheapest quarter. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
3. 

   2nd of 8, level with another

   Smack Lip Smacking Lamb

   81.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (40.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (29.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog

Freeze-dried

25 freeze-dried foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 25

   Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets

   87.6 of 100
   • Balanced fat (19.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (57.0%) for this dog
   • Excellent Omega-3 (1.13%) for this dog's joints and coat
2. 

   2nd of 25

   Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Scoopable Pronto Chicken

   86 of 100
   • Balanced protein (39.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (30.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (39.0%) for this dog

   1.6 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets:

   • Nutritional quality, 16 against 23. Premium protein content (39.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (0.93%) for this dog's joints and coat. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Calories are 4,985 kcal per kg of dry matter. For freeze-dried food, full points are given between 5,000 and 6,200. Fat is 32.6% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.
3. 

   3rd of 25

   Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Pork Nuggets

   84 of 100
   • Balanced protein (46.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (26.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (46.0%) for this dog

   2 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Scoopable Pronto Chicken:

   • Nutritional quality, 13 against 16. Premium protein content (46.0%) for this dog. Omega-3 is 0.39% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Calories are 4,891 kcal per kg of dry matter. For freeze-dried food, full points are given between 5,000 and 6,200. Fat is 28.3% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.

Toppers

A topper is added to a meal, not fed as one, and is scored on other parts than a meal. Each topper’s score here is for a dog whose food must not name beef. A topper earns more points for such a dog, so its score here can be higher than on its own page, which is worked out for a dog with no allergy. These are not ranked against the foods above. 8 toppers fit this dog; each number is a topper’s score out of 100:

• Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Meal Mixers69
• Stella & Chewy's Dandy Lamb Meal Mixers65.3
• Stella & Chewy's Duck Duck Goose Meal Mixers72.3
• Stella & Chewy's Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers65.3
• Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs71
• Vital Essentials Turkey Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs73
• Vital Essentials Duck Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs77.8
• Vital Essentials Rabbit Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs78

Left out here because the label names beef

• Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Beef Risotto2nd among gently cooked foods without the allergy, at 85.5. Its label names beef.
• Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Bison & Beef Bowl3rd among gently cooked foods without the allergy, at 84.5. Its label names beef.
• Open Farm Pollock & Lamb Air-Dried Recipe2nd among air-dried foods without the allergy, at 81.5. Its label names beef.
• K9 Natural Beef & Hoki Feast Freeze-Dried Dog Food1st among freeze-dried foods without the allergy, at 88. Its label names beef.
• Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Nuggets3rd among freeze-dried foods without the allergy, at 86. Its label names beef.
• Stella & Chewy's Stella's Super Beef Meal MixersA topper without the allergy, at 60.3 as a topper. Its label names beef.
• Vital Essentials Beef Entree Freeze-Dried Crunchy Mini NibsA topper without the allergy, at 69.8 as a topper. Its label names beef.

What was left out, and why

156 of the 265 foods fit this dog. The others:

• 28 foodsMade for the puppy life stage, not adult.
• 11 foodsMade for the senior life stage, not adult.
• 15 foodsKibble too small for large breed.
• 2 foodsNot a complete diet.
• 1 foodScored under 50, so it is not offered.
• 52 foodsName beef on their label.

BowlWise reads the ingredients printed on each label. It cannot see what a label does not say, such as traces from other foods made in the same place. Check the bag itself before you buy.

A dog a little different

The same dog with every food counted: a large adult dog, moderately active and holding weight.

How to read this

These scores are BowlWise’s own, worked out from each food’s label for one kind of dog at a time. They are not veterinary advice. How a score is worked out: How we score.

Worked out on October 13, 2026.