Last Updated: 23/09/2026
Raw Food vs Dry Food Diet for Dogs: A Complete Guide to the Benefits and Risks
Raw food for dogs vs dry food: we compare the pros, cons and safety risks so you can choose what suits your dog and household.
Author: Dr Josepha Cox BBiomedSc (Hons) DVM
Reading Time: 14 minutes - short read
Should you feed your dog raw food or stick to kibble? Neither wins outright, dry food is the safer, more convenient, best-researched choice for most households, while a raw diet can offer better digestibility and hydration if you're set up to manage the food safety side. Australian dogs' food has traditionally come out of a bag of kibble, but a growing number of pet parents are looking to raw feeding instead. Here's how the two stack up (if you're weighing up fresh-cooked food specifically, our fresh dog food and raw vs fresh dog food guides cover that).
Quick answer: there's no single "best" diet for every dog. Dry food wins on convenience, cost, shelf life and safety, and has the most research behind it. Raw diets tend to offer higher digestibility and hydration, but need more careful food safety management and cost more. The right pick depends on your dog, your household and how hands-on you want to be.
What's the difference between raw and dry dog food?
Raw food is uncooked meat, bones and organs, plus fruit and veg, homemade, or bought premade, refrigerated or frozen. New to raw? Start with our guide to raw diets for dogs.
Dry food (kibble) is meat/organs, (fresh or in dried form), vegetables, bones and sometimes fruit and seeds mixed into a dough, then processed at high heat (100-200C), cut into various shapes and dried. Removing the moisture is what gives it a long shelf life. Learn more in how dry food is made.
What are the pros of dry food for dogs?
Dry food's biggest strengths are convenience, safety and cost, and far more research behind it than raw.
- Convenient: No prep or refrigeration, can be left out to graze.
- Consistent and complete: Premium brands reliably meet AAFCO's nutrient standards.
- Safer processing: High heat kills parasites and most bacteria; reputable brands quality-test throughout.
- Affordable: Lower cost per kilogram than raw.
- Long shelf life: Just needs a cool, dry spot, no refrigeration.
- More research behind it: Big manufacturers fund large feeding trials, so there's more safety and health data.
- Helps clean teeth: Firm kibble, especially larger pieces, may give some mechanical cleaning as your dog chews.
What are the cons of dry food for dogs?
Dry food's downsides mostly come from processing: nutrient loss, additives, and lower hydration and microbial diversity than raw.
- Nutrient loss in processing: High heat destroys some vitamins and amino acids, so synthetic versions are added back in (Riaz et al. 2009).
- Needs preservatives: Required for safety and shelf life; most are approved, though some like parabens are still being studied for hormonal effects (Nowak et al. 2018).
- Processing by-products: High heat creates compounds like acrylamide, linked to cancer risk in some studies, not yet confirmed in pets (Tareke et al. 2000).
- Lower microbial diversity: Kibble-fed dogs show less diverse gut and skin microbiomes than raw-fed dogs, linked to conditions like atopic dermatitis (Kim et al. 2017).
- Higher carb content: Typically 35-60%, above dogs' natural preference (Hall et al. 2018).
- Higher calorie density and glycaemic index: Can raise the risk of weight gain and blood sugar spikes.
- Less moisture: ~10% moisture versus 65-75% for raw food, so it adds less to daily hydration.
- Digestibility varies: Averages 73-88% depending on ingredients and processing (Daumas et al. 2014), a touch below typical raw food results.
What are the pros of raw food for dogs?
Raw diets can offer higher nutrient availability, better digestibility, and a more diverse gut and skin microbiome than dry food. (For a full research rundown see raw diet evidence for pets):
- Higher nutrient availability: Minimal processing keeps antioxidants and plant compounds largely intact (Galanakis 2017).
- Better digestibility: Studies show raw diets testing around 90% digestibility versus ~87% for dry food, often meaning smaller, firmer stools (Algya et al. 2018).
- More diverse microbiome: Raw-fed dogs show more diverse gut and skin bacteria, linked to better outcomes for conditions like atopic dermatitis (Kim et al. 2017), though this also means more chance of picking up harmful bacteria along the way.
- Improved immunity, potentially anti-inflammatory: Linked to reduced oxidative stress and inflammation versus kibble in some studies (Anderson et al. 2018).
- Whole-food synergy: Nutrients may work better together in whole-food form than added in isolation (Jacobs and Tapsell 2013).
- Minimal preservatives, simple ingredient lists.
- Lower calorie density and glycaemic index: Can help with weight management; cost and storage limits also naturally discourage overfeeding (Stogdale 2019).
What are the cons of raw food for dogs?
The main downsides are cost, shorter shelf life, and food safety risks that need careful management.
- Formulation isn't guaranteed: A large share of homemade raw diets are nutritionally imbalanced (Dillitzer et al. 2011). See raw diet evidence for pets for more on formulation quality and the research.
- Costs more: Generally pricier per kilogram than dry food.
- Food safety risks: Raw food carries real bacterial and parasitic contamination risk for pets and people; WSAVA advises caution (WSAVA 2020). Read our full raw food safety guide for how to manage the risks and who shouldn't feed raw.
- Less teeth cleaning: Often soft (unless raw bones are included), so it does little for dental health.
- Shorter shelf life, less convenient: Needs refrigeration or freezing, can't be left out for long periods.
- Less research, more misinformation risk: A newer, less well-funded industry than dry food.
Take home messages
- Don't DIY a homemade raw diet without expert input, get a vet nutritionist involved.
- Follow good food hygiene and a regular worming schedule if feeding raw. For full precautions, including who shouldn't feed raw, see our raw food safety guide.
- There's no single best diet, it depends on your dog, your household and your budget. Transitioning diets? Do it slowly, and check in with your vet.
Due to the risks, it is not recommended to raw feed in households where there is someone pregnant, elderly, under 5 years of age or otherwise immunocompromised.
FAQs
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Thu 10 Sep 2026
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Josepha Cox BBiomedSc (Hons) DVM
Author, BBiomedSc (Hons) DVM
Dr Josepha graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2015 and has spent her time in small animal practice in Melbourne. She has a special interest in diagnostic imaging, nutrition and geriatric medicine. She is currently completing further study in animal nutrition and her favourite part of being a vet is helping senior animals to live happily and comfortably into their twilight years.
