Graphic is available on Downloads page.

This graphic portrays the hierarchy of dog food from healthy real food to what manufacturers call food but most of which gets pooped out and ends up in landfills. A downloadable copy with examples is on the Downloads page.

Logically, the healthiest food is the least processed and most closely resembles the food your dog's distant ancestors ate.

Fresh. Fresh food is just that...fresh. Uncooked. Raw. This is food you would buy at a grocery store or meat market. Also available prepackaged at better pet food stores.

Frozen raw. Found in a freezer case at pet food stores, this is typically a ground complete and balanced mixture (read label). Typically sold in logs and patties or medallions, you simply thaw, warm to body temperature, and serve. Ensure variety by rotating within and between brands.

Freeze-dried Raw. Fresh raw food is ground, freeze-dried, and then formed into manageable shapes and sizes. Re-hydrate before serving.

Dehydrated Raw. As with freeze dried, fresh raw food is ground and dehydrated - much like you would dehydrate foods at home with very low heat (<180^oF). Re-hydrate before serving.

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all food below is cooked

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Fresh Cooked Commercial. The products contain a wide variety of ingredients - not all necessary for your dog, but make the result appealing to humans. Most are "complete and balanced" (read the label). Supplements are included because the food is cooked. Not all require preservatives if they are refrigerated.

Home-cooked. Home cooking includes everything from crock-pot meals to individually prepared ingredients.
Cooking changes the molecular structure of food and destroys many of the nutrients. You must add supplements to cooked food.
Veggies are a poor source of nutrition for your dog. While a nice beef stew crock-pot meal with veggies, rice, potato, etc., may look and actually be healthy for you and me, that is not so for your dog. She's a carnivore and she needs meat.

Canned - premium (see here and here). Premium canned is preferred to premium kibble because canned has few if any chemical additives, artificial colors and flavors, and no preservatives as kibble requires. Premium canned has named meat as first ingredient, whole veggies, and no grain.

Kibble (premium). Premium quality kibble contains specific meat or meat meal as first ingredient and at least one more in first 5 or so ingredients. Protein is over 30% (arbitrary, but a reasonable starting point).

Kibble (other high quality). Other high quality kibble contains a specific meat or meat meal as first ingredient but contains more fillers and has protein of 30% or less (again, arbitrary but a starting point).

Canned (other). The lowest quality in canned food lists water as the first ingredient - a lot of money for water. You will find other lower quality ingredients not very nutritious for your dog.

Kibble (other). If you really love your dog, spend your money on healthier food.