As our beloved companions, we like to give our dogs the very best in life - and we are here to share the very best wet dog food for your pooch. Just as we wouldn't eat food that's below standard ourselves, we don't expect our dogs to, either. Particularly if you're a new dog owner, then buying the best dog food can come as a challenge when there are so many brands to navigate on the market. That's why, at Yours, we're taking a look at the best wet dog food from the most trusted UK brands.
If your dog already eats wet dog food or you're thinking about making the switch, it can be a delicious, nutritious, and hydrating treat at dinner time. Whether it comes in a can, tray, or tin, wet food is a wonderful choice for dogs. When mixed with dry dog food - it's even better. It allows them the energy that they need for playing with their dog toys or going on walkies.
Best wet dog food at a glance:
• Best all-natural wet dog food: Lily's Kitchen Classic Dinner Multipack Wet Dog Food - Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best wet dog food to promote healthy digestion: Pooch & Mutt Multipack Wet Food - Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best wet dog food for buying in bulk: Winalot Perfect Portions Dog Food Mixed in Gravy - Buy now on Amazon UK
There are so many different types of wet food to choose from to get your hound’s tail wagging at meal times, including hypoallergenic wet food for sensitive stomachs and grain-free food for dogs with allergies, sensitivities or intolerances. There are also great deals to be had on wet dog food, either by buying in bulk or signing up for regular deliveries to your door as part of a ‘Subscribe and Save’ service.
Whatever type you’re looking for, we've rounded up the best wet dog foods available to buy in the UK below, plus included some helpful information below to keep you in the know in our FAQs section.
The best wet dog food for your pooch UK
Best all-natural wet dog food
Tested
Lily's KitchenLily's Kitchen prides itself on providing nutritionally complete and delicious meals for dogs, with no meat meal, no bone meal, no rendered meat, no preservatives or fillers, just wholesome natural ingredients of freshly prepared or fresh meat, vegetables, fruit and herbs. This selection of Lily's Kitchen Classic Dinner Multipack Wet Dog Food tins is no exception to that.
With four different recipes included, Chicken and Turkey Casserole, Cottage Pie, Lamb Hotpot and Sunday Lunch, they will certainly get your dog's mouth-watering at mealtimes, with the variety of flavours meaning they shouldn't get bored of their food easily. There's also a high percentage of meat in each recipe, with up to 60 per cent of the overall composition of the food being a meat source. Meat provides protein which helps with keeping your pup's muscles strong and healthy and with such a higher percentage of meat, combined with fruit, veggies, herbs and botanicals, you won't have to worry about cheap and nasty fillers making up the rest of your hound's meals.
Some customers found that some of their tins arrived with dents in them, which unfortunately can happen in transit when they're being delivered straight to your door. This of course doesn't affect the quality of the food in any way but is just something you might want to take into account if you're worried about how they might look on arrival. Other than the odd comment about tin dents, this food has got plenty of rave reviews from customers and from our Features and Reviews Editor, Emily, with reviews online mentioning they were impressed with the variety and didn't find the smell to be as unpleasant as other dog foods they've fed their dog in the past (although we're sure the dogs would argue that they were all great smells!). Emily and other reviewers loved knowing they were feeding their pooches quality ingredients.
Reviewed by Features & Reviews Editor, Emily Gilber and her sausage dog, Luna: "My dog loves her wet food and wastes no time in getting stuck into her dinner when the Lily's Kitchen wet food is popped into her bowl. As well as her enjoying it, I also really like knowing it's full of good stuff for her as her health is my utmost priority. You also get such a good amount of food in one tin that we actually find that we can stretch it over three meals when mixed with dry food."
Pros
- A variety of delicious flavours to keep your pup interested in their food each mealtime
- All natural ingredients, with no cheap fillers, preservatives and flavours, just quality meat, veg, fruit and herbs
Cons
- The odd customer complained their tins arrived dented, but this shouldn't affect the quality of the food
| Flavours: | Cottage Pie, Chicken and Turkey Casserole, Lamb Hotpot, Sunday Lunch |
| Suitable for: | Dogs over four months old |
Best wet dog food to promote healthy digestion
Pooch & MuttFormulated from fresh ingredients and packed full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, Pooch & Mutt have worked their hardest to create their Multipack Wet Food cartons, made from a combination of meat and vegetables to get some variety in their diet.
To promote healthy digestion, prebiotics have also been added to each recipe to allow all of the good bacteria to thrive, meaning a healthy and happy pooch. Each of the four recipes is formulated with no added artificial flavours, colours and preservatives, with no grain, cereal, gluten, soy, dairy and non-GM produce, so it's a good choice for pups with allergies, intolerances or sensitivities.
Online reviewers have raved about the variety of flavours on offer, the quality of the ingredients and how easy it is to store the food as it comes in cartons. Some customers' fussy dogs weren't keen on the recipes and the odd owner commented their dog had a bit of an upset tummy after trying this food for the first time. To avoid this happening with any food, you should introduce it slowly by adding a small amount to their current food and increasing it bit-by-bit until it's fully integrated into your pup's diet.
Pros
- Made without grain, cereal, gluten, soy, dairy and non-GM produce so a great choice for dogs with allergies, intolerances and sensitivities
- Added prebiotics to help promote healthy digestion
Cons
- Some fussy dogs didn't like the recipes but many other dogs loved them
| Flavours: | Chicken, Pumpkin & Pea, Turkey & Duck, Chicken & Beef, Turkey & Chicken |
| Suitable for: | All life stages |
Best wet dog food for buying in bulk
Winalot/AmazonLooking to save yourself some money in the long run? This mega pack of Winalot Wet Dog Food contains 80 100g pouches for £25, so it’s great value and should last you a while. Coming with a generous helping of jelly over tasty, meaty chunks, this food is not only tasty for your pooch but hydrating too.
With no added artificial colours and containing vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients your pooch needs for growth, this food supports a healthy digestion with its ingredients. Not to mention, it’s designed to promote a healthy skin and coat too so you should notice a change in your pup’s fur condition while feeding them this food.
As well as being great value for money, customers like this food for helping them keep in control of what their feeding their pup as they know each pouch contains 100g. Some reviewers have mentioned this is ideal for smaller dogs but felt that if you had a larger dog, you may be getting through these pouches more quickly as they may need more than 100g per day.
Pros
- Great value for money as you get 80 100g pouches for £25
- As the meaty chunks are in jelly, it's also a source of hydration for your pup
Cons
- Some reviewers felt these pouches suited smaller dogs better than large ones, as larger breeds will get through them quicker
| Flavours: | Chicken, carrots, beef, potatoes, lamb |
| Suitable for: | Adult dogs |
Best wet dog food trays
Harringtons/Pets at HomeHarringtons is all about naturally sourced, wholesome food, and its yummy wet food reflects that. The Harringtons Complete Mixed Wet Food trays are of high quality and include vitamins and minerals to elevate your pup's diet. It doesn't include any ingredients that can mess with your dog's digestion to keep their tummy settled.
The freshly prepared meat and vegetables in this food are gently cooked, which means that the freshness and goodness are locked in so it doesn't lose any of its nutritional value during the making process. As well as being a good source of protein, which your pup needs for energy and growth, it also includes chicory extract, a prebiotic that aids digestive health, green-lipped mussel for keeping your pup's joints in good condition, and rosehip as a source of vitamin C, which is a known immune system booster for dogs.
Customers love the size and shape of the trays that this food comes in, as they can lie it flat and it doesn't take up too much room in cupboards or fridges. It is worth noting that while the food is grain-free, it is made in a factory that processes grains so traces could be found in your dog's food. This will depend on how bad your pup's grain allergy, intolerance or sensitivity is as to whether this would affect your pooch.
Pros
- Good source of protein for energy and growth
- Good for digestive health with added chicory extract as a prebiotic
Cons
- Although the food is formulated without grain, it is processed on a line handling grain, so traces may be present
| Flavours: | Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, and Duck |
| Suitable for: | Eight weeks onwards |
Best grain-free wet dog food
Forthglade/AmazonEasy-to-digest food with no sugars, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, Forthglade Natural Grain Free Complete Wet Food is full of natural goodness. The fishy formulas of the salmon and sardine recipes offer the perfect protein source for adult dogs who are big on flavour.
You won't find any fillers, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives in this food, instead, there are natural ingredients with added vitamins, minerals and botanicals that have been gently steamed to ensure this Forthglade food is bursting with as much goodness as possible. As a grain-free and hypoallergenic recipe, it's gentle on your dog's tum, so it's easy to digest and shouldn't cause them any tummy troubles.
Customers feel like the food is good value for the recipe you're getting as it includes 75 per cent fish in each tray. There are negative comments about the smell of this food, but this is to be expected with a fish recipe, so just be prepared that while your dog will love it, it might be a bit stinky for you to prepare for them every meal time.
Pros
- Grain-free and hypoallergenic so it's gentle on your dog's stomach
- 75 per cent fish so a great source of protein
Cons
- As it includes two fishy recipes, be prepared for a smelly food when you're serving it to your pooch
| Flavours: | Salmon, Sardine |
| Suitable for: | Adult dogs |
Best value wet dog food
Pedigree/AmazonAnother good value buy for your pooch, you get 40 100g pouches of Pedigree’s yummy megapack in jelly for under £15. These pouches make for a tasty complete meal on their own or they can be mixed and added to dry dog food to offer your pooch variety in their bowl at mealtimes.
Cheaper dog food doesn’t always have the best reputation and while there could be a higher percentage of meat in each recipe and higher quality ingredients, you’re not getting any nasties in this recipe as it doesn’t contain artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The recipe was also developed with vets and nutritionists to give you additional peace of mind.
Pedigree markets these pouches as being easy to open, but the opinions of customers are mixed on this. Some reviewers felt like it was hard to get every last morsel of food out of the packets, but then other reviews haven't had issues at all and liked the pouches because it meant that getting the food out wasn’t a messy job.
Pros
- Offering 40 100g pouches for less than £15, it's good value for money
- No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives
Cons
- Opinions are mixed about how easy the food is to get out of the pouches
| Flavours: | Chicken, beef, lamb and poultry |
| Suitable for: | Adult dogs |
Best wet dog food for puppies
Royal Canin/ViovetIntroducing wet food to your puppy will work towards their diet being varied from day dot. This Royal Canin Mini Puppy Food recipe is especially catered towards the digestive and nutritional needs of puppies to give them the best start to life so they grow up happy and healthy.
Enriched with vitamins C and E, this wet food will help build up their immune system and support their natural defences while also giving them the energy they need to keep being the crazy little balls of fluff that we love. It’s also got added Omega-3 fatty acids, which is great for developing your little pup’s brain.
With the pouches being 85g, they’re smaller than others on the list, which for a puppy should be okay but you might want to mix it in with dry food too to bulk up their meals. As it’s designed with small puppies in mind, you’ll find the texture is just right for their baby teeth to break down and the overall size of the chunks in the gravy shouldn’t be too big to overwhelm your baby dog.
Pros
- Contains vitamins C and E that will support a puppy's immune system as it develops
- Made for small mouths with chunks that are just about the right size for their mouths and a soft texture for their baby teeth to break down
Cons
- At 85g, sachets are smaller than others on our list so you may want to mix with dry food to bulk out meals
| Flavours: | Poultry |
| Suitable for: | Puppies up to 10 months old |
Wet dog food UK FAQs
What is wet dog food?
Wet food is a softer type of food that has a high water content. It’s a great option for picky eaters or pups in need of a hydration boost. It’s got a lot of flavours and will most likely come in gravy or jelly. Meaty chunks have to be up there as a dog's favourite treat.
To address all the frequently asked questions about wet dog food, we've sought expert advice from the star of Channel 5's, The Yorkshire Vet and resident vet for dog food brand Harringtons, Peter Wright.
Is wet food good for dogs?
“It is. Wet food can especially benefit dogs who don’t drink enough water or are fussy eaters. Due to its higher water concentration compared to kibble, it’s more hydrating. You’ll also find that it’s easier to eat for some dogs; it can be more palatable because it’s softer and has a mix of textures to tantalise your dog’s tastebuds.
"It's also beneficial for puppies as they have sensitive stomachs that are still developing. Wet food is easier to digest than dry kibble, making it an excellent choice for young, growing pups. Its soft texture ensures gentle digestion, reducing the risk of digestive upset and discomfort. However, puppies should still have kibble, as it will be harder to transition them onto adult dry food if they never have puppy dry food. I would only recommend feeding them wet food as a topper to dry food to increase palatability."
Wet or dry dog food?
"Both wet and dry dog food are good for your dog as they both have their benefits. Wet food is great for hydration, and if your dog has a toothache, it is easier to eat. However, kibble is more convenient to feed as it’s less messy than wet food and has a higher concentration of nutrients."
Should I mix wet and dry dog food?
“I would suggest it. Mixing them gives your dog the benefits of dry and wet food. I would suggest serving wet food as a topper on their dry food, it will entice your dog to their bowl as it has a more intense smell than dry food, making it a good option for fussy eaters.”
How much wet dog food should I feed my dog?
"Like with any food, it depends on the age and size of your dog. Each brand will have their feeding suggestions, but for Harringtons, if you're feeding just wet food, it’s recommended to give a small dog half a tray, small-medium dog breeds one to two trays, medium-large dogs should have two to three trays, and three to five trays for a large breed dog."
How to introduce a new food into your dog's diet
"With any new food, you want to slowly introduce it into their diet over a period of seven to 10 days. You just need to mix a bit into the food they’re eating, so if you’re adding wet to their diet, you’d want to top their kibble with a little bit each day, slowly increasing the amount every two to three days, until you’ve reached half a packet if being used as a topper or a whole packet if alone (based on a small dog up to 5kg).
It's important not to rush into changing your dog's food, the key is to do it gradually to avoid upsetting their stomach. If they are acting differently or start to have different eating habits, we would recommend speaking to your vet if you're worried.
What to bear in mind when buying wet dog food
“When looking for a new wet food, I’d suggest checking the market if there’s food for your dog’s particular need state, such as puppy food if you have a puppy. I’d also check the ingredients to make sure your dog gets all the nutrients they need for their life stage.
"Choosing any food for your dog at any life stage is an individual choice as it depends on a lot of factors from, format, meat content, flavour, desired protein and fat levels, dietary needs and or sensitivities and preference. Like us, appetites towards certain flavours can change over time so it is beneficial to perhaps offer different flavours of the same brand from time to time as this provides variation without the need to slowly introduce the new flavours if it is from the same brand.”
On top of Peter's tips, here are some other things we would suggest thinking about if you're making the switch to wet food:
Budget: How much can you afford to spend per month? You don't want to commit to expensive dog food if your bank balance won't allow it.
Storage space: Some tins and packs will take up more space than others, so make sure you have adequate room to keep it all if you intend to buy in bulk.
Your dog's preferences: If your dog is fussy, it's worth testing them on a new food before committing to buying a whole month's worth.
Allergies and sensitivities: Our dogs are all unique, so if you know they're hypoallergenic or have sensitive stomachs, it's best to avoid ingredients that your dog is sensitive to.
This article contains expert advice from Peter Wright. Peter is the resident vet for affordable pet food brand, Harringtons, and star of Channel 5’s ‘The Yorkshire Vet’. Whilst he does his TV work and shares his expertise for Harringtons, Peter is also a working vet and he is always happy to share this day-to-day experience in his expertise.
Jade Moscrop is the Commercial Content Editor for Yours, specialising in lifestyle topics. When she’s not writing about chic homeware, pet products and beauty buys, she can usually be found wandering the countryside, buying houseplants or listening to female-fronted rock bands.