The U.S. pet population makes this an important category. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reported 89.7 million dogs in U.S. households in 2024, while 59.8 million U.S. households owned a dog. In addition, 88.8% of dog-owning households considered their dog a member of the family.

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That growing focus on pet wellbeing is also pushing owners toward more specialized nutrition, including digestive-support formulas.

What Does “Highly Digestible” Actually Mean?

Digestibility refers to how much of the nutrients in food are available for absorption rather than passing through the digestive tract unused.

It can be influenced by:

• Protein source and quality
• Fat content
• Fiber composition
• Ingredient processing
• Food format
• Overall nutrient balance
• Individual dog’s age and health

Importantly, there is no single percentage that makes every dog food universally “highly digestible.” Different scientific studies use different testing methods, and results can vary between formulas.

The FDA also emphasizes that owners should look for a “complete and balanced” nutritional adequacy statement when selecting a food intended to be a dog’s sole diet. Such products must meet an AAFCO nutrient profile or pass an AAFCO feeding trial.

Which Brands Stand Out for Digestibility?

Several established brands have digestive-care formulas or published research involving their products.

Royal Canin: Strong Focus on Digestive Care

Royal Canin has dedicated digestive-support products, including veterinary gastrointestinal formulas and retail Digestive Care products.

Its gastrointestinal formula is positioned around high digestibility, appropriate fiber, and prebiotic support, making it particularly relevant for dogs requiring nutritional management of digestive issues.

The important distinction is that Royal Canin offers formulas designed for different clinical situations rather than treating every dog as having the same digestive requirements.

Best fit: Dogs requiring a specialized digestive-support or veterinary gastrointestinal formula.

Royal Canin vs. Hill’s

Royal Canin has a particularly broad digestive-care and veterinary GI portfolio, while Hill’s offers similarly extensive veterinary nutrition options. The better choice depends on the dog’s specific nutritional requirements rather than the brand name alone.

Hill’s Science Diet: Established Nutritional Research

Hill’s Science Diet offers multiple formulas designed for different nutritional needs, while Hill’s Prescription Diet includes specialized gastrointestinal options.

Interestingly, a recent peer-reviewed study comparing different dog-food formats included a Hill’s Science Diet extruded diet alongside fresh and raw diets. The researchers evaluated nutrient digestibility, fecal characteristics, metabolites, and other health markers in 10 healthy adult beagles.

This is useful evidence, but it should not be interpreted as proof that every Hill’s formula has the same digestibility.

Hill’s vs. Royal Canin

Hill’s has a strong research-driven veterinary nutrition positioning, while Royal Canin has a particularly extensive portfolio of condition-specific diets. For a dog with a diagnosed gastrointestinal condition, veterinary guidance should determine which formulation is appropriate.

Purina Pro Plan: Specialized Digestive Nutrition

Purina Pro Plan includes specialized formulas for dogs with different nutritional requirements, including veterinary gastrointestinal diets.

Its advantage is the breadth of the portfolio, allowing pet owners and veterinarians to choose among formulas based on age, size, health needs, and digestive requirements.

Purina Pro Plan vs. Royal Canin

Both brands have veterinary-oriented digestive nutrition. The important comparison isn’t simply Purina vs. Royal Canin; it is formula vs. formula.

A dog requiring a low-fat gastrointestinal diet, for example, may need a very different nutritional profile from a healthy dog with occasional digestive sensitivity.

JustFoodForDogs: Strong Published Digestibility Evidence

JustFoodForDogs is particularly interesting because specific recipes have been evaluated in peer-reviewed research.

A University of Illinois study published in the Journal of Animal Science compared four diets in 12 dogs over 28-day periods, including two JustFoodForDogs human-grade recipes, a Freshpet fresh diet, and a Blue Buffalo extruded diet.

The researchers found that the two human-grade diets had higher apparent total-tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, energy, and fat than the fresh and extruded diets tested. The human-grade diets also produced 2.0–2.9 times less fecal output than the extruded diet in the study.

That is interesting evidence but it is important not to turn one controlled study into a universal ranking of all dog foods.

JustFoodForDogs vs. Hill’s

In another University of Illinois study, researchers compared several formats, including JustFoodForDogs fresh food and Hill’s Science Diet extruded food. The study examined digestibility and other biological outcomes in 10 healthy adult dogs.

The results demonstrate that food format and formulation can influence digestibility, but they do not establish that fresh food is automatically superior for every dog.

Freshpet: Fresh-Food Format With Research Behind It

Freshpet was also included in the 2021 University of Illinois study.

The research compared Freshpet’s fresh diet with the JustFoodForDogs human-grade diets and Blue Buffalo’s extruded diet. The study found differences in nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics between the food formats.

Freshpet vs. JustFoodForDogs

Both represent fresh-food approaches, but the published study found higher digestibility for the two human-grade JustFoodForDogs diets than the Freshpet diet tested. That does not mean every JustFoodForDogs product will outperform every Freshpet product—the study evaluated specific formulas.

The Digestibility Numbers Are More Interesting Than the Marketing

A 2020 peer-reviewed study evaluated six JustFoodForDogs recipes using a precision-fed assay and reported true digestibility values.

For the recipes tested, dry-matter digestibility ranged from 67.2% to 82.3%, while gross-energy digestibility ranged from 82.3% to 93.7%. Fat digestibility ranged from 85.0% to 94.6%.

The researchers also reported that most amino-acid digestibility values exceeded 85%, with some exceeding 90%.

These figures demonstrate why looking at actual digestibility studies can be more informative than simply looking at an ingredient panel.

What Does Government Data Tell Us?

The FDA does not rank commercial dog-food brands by digestibility, but it provides an important regulatory benchmark.

For a dog food to carry a “complete and balanced” nutritional adequacy statement, it must either meet the appropriate AAFCO nutrient profile or pass an AAFCO feeding trial.

The FDA also explains that nutritional requirements differ according to life stage. A growing puppy, for example, does not have exactly the same nutritional requirements as an adult dog.

This means pet parents should consider digestibility and nutritional adequacy together.

A food that appears easy to digest isn’t automatically the right long-term diet if it isn’t nutritionally appropriate for the dog’s life stage or medical needs.

Why Are Pet Parents Paying More Attention to Digestion?

The scale of the U.S. dog population helps explain the opportunity.

The AVMA’s 2024 data show:

89.7 million – U.S. dog population
59.8 million – dog-owning households
45.5% – share of U.S. households owning dogs
88.8% – dog owners viewing their dogs as family members

Dog owners are therefore increasingly treating nutrition as part of overall wellness rather than simply a way to provide calories.

What Should Buyers Look for in Digestive Dog Food?

Instead of choosing purely based on brand reputation, pet owners should evaluate:

1. Complete and balanced nutrition

Check the FDA-recognized nutritional adequacy statement and the intended life stage.

2. Digestibility evidence

Look for credible research on the specific formula, not just broad claims about the brand.

3. Protein source

Protein quality and processing can influence amino-acid and nutrient digestibility.

4. Fiber profile

Fiber can influence stool quality and gastrointestinal function, but the appropriate amount and type vary by dog.

5. Fat level

Dogs with certain gastrointestinal conditions may require specifically formulated lower-fat diets.

6. Individual response

Ultimately, stool quality, appetite, body condition, tolerance, and veterinary assessment matter.

So, Which Brands Are Worth Considering?

Royal Canin stands out for its extensive digestive-care and veterinary GI portfolio.

Hill’s Science Diet offers a broad research-oriented nutrition portfolio and specialized veterinary diets.

Purina Pro Plan provides extensive nutritional options, including veterinary gastrointestinal formulations.

JustFoodForDogs has particularly notable published digestibility research involving specific recipes.

Freshpet is another fresh-food option that has appeared in controlled digestibility research.

But these should not be interpreted as a definitive ranking from #1 to #5. Digestibility is formula-specific and dog-specific.

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