Freeze-Dried vs. Air-Dried vs. Dehydrated Dog Food

The short answer: freeze-dried, air-dried, and dehydrated dog foods all remove water so the food keeps without a freezer, but they do it differently. Freeze-dried food is usually raw, air-dried food is dried slowly with gentle heat, and dehydrated food is dried with warm air, which cooks it. All three are convenient and appealing to many dogs, all three cost more than kibble, and the biggest practical question is whether the food is raw.

How each one is made

Freeze-dried

Freeze-drying keeps much of the original food's texture and flavor, which is why freeze-dried food is so popular with picky eaters and as a topper.

The key point: freeze-drying doesn't reliably kill bacteria. Most freeze-dried dog foods are raw meat with the water removed, so they carry the same handling concerns as frozen raw food. Many brands add a pathogen-reduction step such as high-pressure processing (HPP); look for that on the label. Our raw dog food guide covers who should skip raw and how to handle it safely.

Air-dried

Air-dried foods are dried slowly at low temperatures over many hours. The result is a dense, chewy, shelf-stable food that's usually served as is, with no rehydrating.

Some brands say their air-drying process is enough to reduce harmful bacteria; others don't. If raw versus cooked matters to you or your household, check the label or the company's website for how the food is processed.

Dehydrated

Dehydrated foods are dried with warm air, which gently cooks them. They usually come as flakes or a coarse powder that you mix with warm water before serving, turning into something like a fresh, cooked meal.

Because they're cooked, dehydrated foods avoid most of the bacterial concerns of raw diets while keeping the convenience of a shelf-stable bag.

What they have in common

• Calorie dense. With the water removed, a small scoop packs a lot of calories. Measure carefully, because it's easy to overfeed.
• Expensive. Feeding any of these as a full diet usually costs considerably more than kibble, and the cost climbs quickly for larger dogs.
• Very appealing to dogs. All three tend to be highly palatable.
• Good as toppers. Many owners use a small amount on kibble to add flavor and variety at a lower cost.

Choosing among them

• For a full diet, choose a food labeled complete and balanced for your dog's life stage under AAFCO standards. Many freeze-dried and air-dried products are treats or "mixers" not meant to be fed alone.
• If raw isn't right for your household, choose a dehydrated (cooked) food, or a freeze-dried or air-dried food whose label clearly states it was cooked or went through a pathogen-reduction step.
• For dogs who don't drink much, rehydrating with water adds moisture to the meal.
• For dogs with sensitive stomachs or a history of pancreatitis, check the fat content. Many of these foods are rich, and richness is a common cause of digestive upset.

When to talk to your vet

Check with your vet before switching if your dog has a diagnosed health condition, is a puppy, or lives in a home with someone who is very young, elderly, pregnant, or immunocompromised (in which case, avoid raw options). Call your vet if your dog has vomiting or diarrhea that lasts more than a day after a diet change.

Our picks: Dehydrated/Air-Dried

If a dehydrated/air-dried food makes sense for your dog, these are good places to start. Every dog is different, so introduce any new food gradually.