Our top dog-food picks at PetSmart
1. Merrick — A (90/100)
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Great Plains Red Recipe is our top pick at PetSmart for dogs that thrive on rich, meat-forward nutrition. It leads with deboned beef and lamb, building a multi-red-meat base that reads more like a premium specialty formula than a mass-market kibble. The standout feature is the freeze-dried raw bits coating each piece, which add a hit of unprocessed protein on top of the cooked recipe. For owners drawn to raw feeding but wary of the prep and cost, this is an approachable middle path that PetSmart stocks reliably.
Because it skews red-meat heavy, it’s a smart choice for dogs that do better away from chicken, and the grain-free formula keeps the carbohydrate load moderate. The raw-infused texture also tends to win over picky eaters who turn their noses up at plain kibble. It sits at the higher end of PetSmart’s shelf, so pairing it with Treats Rewards points and Autoship savings softens the per-bag cost. If you want one bag that signals ’premium’ without leaving the store, this is where we’d start. Shop on Amazon →
2. Canidae — B (79/100)
Canidae All Life Stages Multi-Protein Formula is the pick we reach for in busy, multi-dog households. As an all-life-stages recipe, it’s formulated to feed puppies, adults, and seniors from the same bag, which removes the headache of buying separate foods for dogs at different ages. The multi-protein blend draws on several animal sources rather than leaning on a single meat, giving the amino-acid profile some breadth. For homes with a mixed pack, that one-bag simplicity is genuinely useful and keeps the feeding routine sane.
Beyond convenience, Canidae has built a long-standing reputation for steady, no-drama formulas, and this one fits that mold. It’s a sensible everyday base that won’t shock a dog’s system when you switch bags, and the all-life-stages label means a growing puppy gets the nutrient density it needs. Buy it on Autoship and the recurring discount makes feeding several dogs less punishing on the budget. It isn’t the flashiest bag on the wall, but for households juggling multiple mouths, dependable beats fancy. Shop on Amazon →
3. Nutro — B (79/100)
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Chicken, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato is our clean-label pick for owners who want a transparent, easy-to-read ingredient list. Farm-raised chicken leads, followed by recognizable whole-food carbohydrates in brown rice and sweet potato rather than vague filler. Nutro markets this line around non-GMO ingredients and a ’feed clean’ philosophy, and the recipe backs that positioning up with named meat first and no corn, wheat, or soy. For shoppers who scan labels and want every ingredient to mean something, it’s an honest, straightforward bag.
It’s a grain-inclusive formula, which suits the many dogs that digest brown rice and other wholesome grains just fine, and it lands at a sensible mainstream price point. The chicken-and-rice base is gentle and familiar, making it an easy everyday choice for a healthy adult dog with no special dietary flags. PetSmart carries the line broadly and it slots neatly into Autoship. If ’I want to recognize everything on the label without paying boutique prices’ describes you, Nutro Wholesome Essentials is an easy recommendation. Shop on Amazon →
4. Authority — B (78/100)
Authority Adult Chicken & Rice is PetSmart’s own house brand, and it’s the value standout of this guide. Authority is the chain’s value-premium line, and what makes it notable is that it leads with named meat, real chicken, at a price that sits well below comparable national brands. You’re not paying for a marketing budget or a fancy bag here; you’re getting a straightforward chicken-and-rice formula at a shelf price that’s hard to beat for what’s inside. For budget-conscious owners who still want named protein first, it punches above its tier.
The trade-off is transparency: Authority is co-packed by an undisclosed manufacturer, so you won’t find the published feeding-trial track record that backs a brand like Hill’s. That said, it carries a clean recall history for its price class, and PetSmart’s staff stand behind it in store. It’s an everyday workhorse rather than a specialty diet, best suited to a healthy adult dog with no medical complications. Stack it with Treats Rewards and Autoship and the cost-per-meal gets genuinely low, making it the smart-money choice on the wall. Shop on Amazon →
5. Hill's Science Diet — B (78/100)
Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe is the clinically-oriented pick for dogs whose tummies or coats need extra care. Hill’s is the brand most often named by veterinarians, and this formula targets two common complaints at once: digestive upset and itchy, flaky skin. It’s built around easy-to-digest chicken with added vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids to support skin and coat. For owners who’ve watched their dog struggle with loose stools or a dull, scratchy coat, this is the science-backed option PetSmart stocks.
What sets Hill’s apart at PetSmart is the depth behind the bag: the brand is known for rigorous formulation and the kind of feeding research most labels can’t claim. That makes it the natural choice when you want vet-familiar nutrition without a prescription. It costs more than the value brands here, and that premium buys consistency and clinical credibility. If your dog’s stomach or skin is the issue you’re trying to solve, this is the bag we’d hand you, ideally on Autoship so the sensitive-tummy routine never lapses. Shop on Amazon →
How PetSmart's dog-food selection works
PetSmart’s dog-food selection works the way a pet-specialty retailer’s should: a deep wall spanning value house brands up to premium and grain-free lines, with staff who can actually talk through the options. The Treats Rewards program earns 10 points per dollar, and 1,000 points convert to $2 back, so regular food buys quietly build store credit. Autoship layers on real savings, roughly 35% off your first order and around 5% on every recurring delivery, which matters when food is a monthly expense. You can shop in store, on petsmart.com, or get same-day delivery through Instacart.
The bigger draw is that PetSmart is a one-stop destination rather than just a checkout. Many locations bundle services an online-only seller can’t: grooming salons, dog-training classes, and in-store Banfield Pet Hospital vet clinics operating at more than 1,000 stores. That means you can pick up a bag of food, book a nail trim, sign up for a training class, and see a vet under one roof. For owners who value convenience and the chance to ask a real person a real question, the specialty format earns its keep in a way that pure e-commerce simply doesn’t replicate.
Authority and Simply Nourish: PetSmart's house brands
PetSmart runs two house brands, and knowing the difference helps you shop. Authority is the value-premium line, the one featured in this guide. It leads with named meat at a notably low price, making it the smart pick for budget-minded owners who still want real chicken or beef first on the label. Simply Nourish is the step-up option: a premium, natural line made by American Nutrition Inc. that also names meat first, skips corn, wheat, and soy, and offers grain-free and limited-ingredient formulas alongside a well-reviewed grain-inclusive Original dry food. Authority suits cost-conscious shoppers; Simply Nourish suits those wanting natural positioning without a national-brand markup.
Both house brands genuinely punch above their price for store labels, and that’s worth saying plainly. But honesty cuts the other way too: neither carries the published feeding-trial depth that backs a Hill’s Science Diet or a Purina Pro Plan. Those national brands invest in extensive formulation research and feeding studies, and that research depth is part of what their higher price buys. The house brands give you strong everyday value and clean ingredient lists; the clinical-grade names give you documented science. For a healthy adult dog, the value brands are a fine call. For a medical or special-needs situation, the research-heavy options are worth the premium.
What to look for when buying dog food at PetSmart
When you’re standing in front of PetSmart’s wall, a few habits make the selection easier. First, read for named meat at the top of the ingredient list, real chicken, beef, or lamb, rather than a generic ’meat meal’ or a grain leading the panel. That single check filters a lot of the shelf fast. Second, lean on Autoship for the brands you already trust: once you’ve found a food that agrees with your dog, the recurring discount and automatic delivery take the guesswork and the budget sting out of feeding. Don’t pay full retail for a bag you buy every month.
Second, use the things that make PetSmart a specialty store, not just a shelf. The staff can steer you toward formulas for a sensitive stomach, a senior dog, or a multi-dog home, and the in-store services are a real advantage. If your dog’s issue is digestive or dermatological, that’s a cue to talk to the Banfield vet clinic before guessing at a bag. Match the food to the dog: red-meat formulas for chicken-sensitive eaters, all-life-stages bags for mixed packs, clean-label grain-inclusive recipes for healthy adults. The right pick is the one that fits your specific dog, not the priciest one on the wall.
Honorable mention
Nature's Recipe — B (77/100)
Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin earns our honorable mention as an approachable grain-free option that won’t strain the budget. Chicken leads, with sweet potato and pumpkin supplying the carbohydrates, and that pumpkin is a nice touch for dogs with occasionally fussy digestion. It’s an accessible, widely available recipe that gives grain-sensitive households a no-frills entry point without jumping to a boutique price tag. For owners curious about grain-free who want to test the waters affordably, it’s a reasonable place to start.
It doesn’t crack our top five because it’s more of a solid generalist than a standout in any one lane, but that’s also its appeal: a dependable, value-minded grain-free bag from a familiar name. PetSmart carries it broadly, and it slots into Autoship like the rest of this list. If your dog does well off grains and you’d rather not overspend, Nature’s Recipe is a sensible everyday pick that rounds out the shelf nicely. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
PetSmart wins on being a genuine pet-specialty destination, not just a place to grab a bag. The deep selection runs from value house brands to premium raw-infused and clinical formulas, and the bundled grooming, training, and in-store Banfield vet clinics give it a one-stop edge online sellers can’t touch. Our top pick is Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Great Plains Red Recipe for meat-forward eaters; Authority Adult Chicken & Rice is the smart-money house-brand value; and Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin is the vet-familiar choice for tummy and coat trouble. Layer Treats Rewards and Autoship on whichever you choose.