Chow Chow’s have one of the unique personalities and appearances in the canine world. Your dog looks like a teddy bear but is probably not the cuddliest family friend to have around.
These dogs originated in Northern China amongst the cold tundra, and they were typically used to hunt, herd, and pull sleds.
These dogs have a reputation for being difficult to train and unfriendly to anyone they’re not familiar with. While this might be true to a certain extent, proper training and socialization can result in your Chow Chow becoming the best companion for your family.
- Best Dog Food For Chow Chows
- 1. Chicken Goodness by Ollie
- 2. Now Fresh Good Gravy Ancient Grains Salmon Recipe
- 3. We Feed Raw Beef Patty
- 4. Zignature Lamb Limited Ingredient Formula
- 5. Merrick Backcountry Great Plains Red Recipe
- 6. Ziwi Peak Air Dried Beef Recipe
- 7. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy
- 8. Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plate
- Best Senior Dog Food for Chow Chows
- Why Quality Food Matters
- Chow Chow Common Health Issues
- What to Look For in a Quality Dog
- Ingredients to Avoid
- Bad Dog Food Brands for Chow Chows
- Feeding Chart
- Wrapping it up
Best Dog Food For Chow Chows
1. Chicken Goodness by Ollie
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, rice, carrots, chicken livers, peas
Protein: 8.0% min
Fat: 3.0% min
Fiber: 2.0% max
Moisture: 74.0% max
Food Type: Fresh, Frozen
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Best Overall – This food suits your Chow perfectly, and this all-natural blend from Ollie contains human-grade ingredients prepared in a way that would make it entirely edible for human consumption.
It features real chicken as the primary protein, combined with nutrient-rich vegetables like carrots, peas, and spinach. Formulated without artificial additives or fillers, it provides balanced nutrition, promoting healthy digestion, strong muscles, and overall vitality for dogs of all sizes.
It is crafted to deliver tasty, wholesome meals that dogs love while supporting their long-term health.
About The Company – This company uses only the freshest ingredients, and their preparation of the food is next to none. Each batch is carefully created and prepared alongside staff veterinarians to ensure your pet gets the best of every ingredient.
What Customers Like:
- Real Ingredients
- Pre-packaged servings
- Easy to understand labeling
Common Complaints:
- Requires refrigeration
- Limited options
2. Now Fresh Good Gravy Ancient Grains Salmon Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
De-Boned Salmon, Peas, Oatmeal, Rye, Potatoes
Protein: 26.0% min
Fat: 16.0% min
Fiber: 4.5% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
This kibble combines wholesome ingredients with exceptional flavor to provide adult dogs with a balanced and nourishing diet.
Made with fresh de-boned salmon as the primary protein source, this recipe delivers high-quality omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to support a shiny coat and healthy skin.
The addition of ancient grains like oats, millet and quinoa ensures sustained energy and easy digestibility, while a blend of fresh fruits and vegetables like pumpkin, carrots and blueberries provides essential vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber for optimal health.
Crafted without by-product meals, artificial preservatives, or fillers, this recipe is ideal for pet parents seeking a natural, high-quality option for their canine companions.
Enhanced with prebiotics and probiotics for digestive health and tailored for adult dogs’ nutritional needs, it offers a delicious and satisfying meal to keep your dog happy and thriving.
About The Company – A premium pet food brand known for crafting recipes with fresh, wholesome ingredients to support pets’ overall health and well-being. Part of the Petcurean family, Now Fresh emphasizes the use of market-fresh proteins, nutrient-dense ancient grains, and a variety of fruits and vegetables to create balanced, natural meals for dogs and cats. The brand avoids artificial preservatives, by-product meals, and fillers, focusing instead on high-quality, thoughtfully selected ingredients.
What Customers Like:
- Picky eaters eat this
- Made from real salmon
- Notable difference in pet’s coat and skin health
- Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids
Common Complaints:
- Caused digestive upset in some pets
3. We Feed Raw Beef Patty
First 5 ingredients:
Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Necks (with bone), WFR vitamin + mineral mix
Protein: 13.0% min
Fat: 10.0% min
Fiber: 1.0% max
Moisture: 69.4% max
Food Type: Raw
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
This is the top choice among their premium raw recipes, celebrated for its exceptional taste and nutritional value.
Expertly formulated by a PhD nutritionist, this best-selling recipe ensures complete and balanced nutrition for dogs of all life stages.
Made with high-quality beef as the primary ingredient, it delivers a rich source of protein to support muscle development, energy and overall vitality.
Each patty is crafted with precision, combining fresh meat, organ components, and finely ground bone to mirror the ancestral diet of dogs while providing essential vitamins and minerals.
Free from fillers, artificial additives, or preservatives, this recipe is as pure as it is delicious. Easy to portion and serve, it is a convenient way to give your furry friend the optimal nutrition they deserve, with every bite supporting a healthy coat, strong teeth and an active lifestyle.
About The Company – We Feed Raw is a leading pet food company dedicated to providing biologically appropriate, raw diets that mimic the ancestral eating habits of dogs and cats. Founded on the belief that pets thrive on fresh, whole-food nutrition, the company crafts recipes using high-quality meats, organ components, and finely ground bones for a complete and balanced meal. Each formula is expertly designed by a PhD nutritionist to ensure it meets all nutritional standards for pets of all life stages.
What Customers Like:
- Made by a PhD nutritionist
- Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
- Naturally hydrating and nutrient-dense
- Provides a highly appealing protein that dogs adore
- Supports heart health and a robust immune system
Common Complaints:
- Storage issues
- Steep price
4. Zignature Lamb Limited Ingredient Formula
First 5 ingredients:
Lamb, Lamb Meal, Chickpeas, Peas, Flaxseed
Protein: 29.0% min
Fat: 16.0% min
Fiber: 4.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
This formula contains lamb from New Zealand as its key ingredient. The lamb provides a complete protein for your pet plus it is combined with essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidants from natural sources.
This food is suitable for all sizes and all breeds. This is a grain free formula and has no fillers that can cause allergic reactions.
About The Company – Zignature believes research and education are the keys to crafting the ideal dog food. They get all their information from nature and try to make sure their food closely resembles what the dog ate in its natural upbringing.
What Customers Like:
- Great for dogs with allergies
- Works for sensitive stomachs
- Helps to maintain a healthy weight
Common Complaints:
- Some dogs won’t eat it
- Lamb is challenging to adjust to
5. Merrick Backcountry Great Plains Red Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Deboned Beef, Pork and Bone Meal, Salmon Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes
Protein: 35.0% min
Fat: 17.0% min
Fiber: 3.5% max
Moisture: 11.0% max
Food Type: Dry, Freeze-Dried
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Merrick’s recipe uses bits of raw meat in their formula to ramp up the protein and encourage even picky Malamutes to eat.
The raw bits are freeze-dried and mixed in with quality kibble that includes whole veggies for vitamins, essential fatty acids for skin support, and chondroitin to keep joints healthy.
About The Company – Merrick is a smaller company that tests each individual recipe to ensure maximum quality. They source ingredients from reputable places and strive to produce a diet similar to what your Malamute’s wild ancestors would have consumed.
What Customers Like:
- Raw bits of meat
- Glucosamine and chondroitin
- Comes in larger bags
Common Complaints:
- Some dogs pick out raw bits and leave the kibble
- Raw bits need redistribution
6. Ziwi Peak Air Dried Beef Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Beef, Beef Tripe, Beef Heart, Beef Lung, Beef Liver
Protein: 38.0% min
Fat: 30.0% min
Fiber: 3.0% max
Moisture: 14.0% max
Food Type: Air-Dried, Dehydrated
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
It uses proteins from animal sources that are free range and ethically sourced. It’s gently air dried to preserve the ingredients without harsh heats but still destroy dangerous pathogens.
It features 95% animal ingredients and never any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It’s also free of conventional fillers, including soy and corn, and doesn’t use peas or potatoes.
It has more dense nutrition than a raw food or kibble diet, so you can feed less food while still providing your pet plenty of nutrition.
About The Company – Ziwi Peak uses a unique air dried formula for processing food that helps retain more of the vital nutrients than traditional kibble. There’s no need for cold storage like raw diets, and you don’t have to feed your dogs as much of the food.
The company is 100% family owned and located in New Zealand. They create foods designed to mimic ancestral diets and give pets lifelong health.
What Customers Like:
- Air dried formula
- Mostly animal protein
- No fillers
- Easier to store than raw food
- More nutrient dense than kibble
Common Complaints:
- Portion sizes can be hard to master
- Has a high-fat content
7. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy
First 5 ingredients:
Water Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product, Garbanzo Beans
Protein: 28.0% min
Fat: 17.0% min
Fiber: 5.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: Puppy, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Chow puppies need a strict diet because their bodies are not cut out for excessive protein, they prefer more fat to support their digestion and skin.
Taste of the Wild contains all-natural ingredients with buffalo and bison being some of the first ingredients; this food has all the vitamins and minerals they need for their brain development as well as their physical health.
About The Company – Taste of the Wild has state of the art facilities all over the USA, and they hold some of the highest nutritional standards in the pet food industry. All their recipes are grain-free, and they only use premium and properly sourced meats to satisfy your pets natural cravings.
What Customers Like:
- Reliably Sourced Ingredients
- Helps with allergies
- Great for picky eaters
Common Complaints:
- The bags are not re-sealable
- Strong food odor
8. Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plate
First 5 ingredients:
Deboned Beef, Beef Broth, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Apples
Protein: 8.0% min
Fat: 3.0% min
Fiber: 3.0% max
Moisture: 82.0% max
Food Type: Wet, Chunks in Gravy
Best for: Puppy, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
This stew contains some of the best ingredients available with turkey, chicken, duck and fresh cut vegetables. Blended in are some apples to help balance out the fiber and minerals in the food.<