Chicken in dog food

In pet food, chicken can be used as a fresh meat (fresh chicken, deboned chicken, freshly prepared chicken) or as a pre-prepared, dry meat meal (chicken meal, dried chicken, dehydrated chicken). When the ingredient is listed simply as 'chicken' it usually refers to the fresh form.

Chicken is the most popular meat found in dog foods. It is highly palatable, relatively inexpensive and provides an excellent source of protein. For most dogs, chicken is very easy to digest but its widespread usage in dog foods has lead to a higher rate of intolerance to chicken than to any other meat so if your dog is particularly prone to dietary intolerance, chicken may not be the best choice.

As with all meats, the quality of the chicken used in pet foods can vary considerably so for more details on the chicken found in your dog's food, please contact the manufacturer directly.

Find foods containing Chicken See the full Ingredient Glossary