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Ingredient file // Ingredient

Water

Plain water, used to make the recipe mixable and, in wet food, to fill the can.

Water

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 16 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

6%

156 of the 2,523 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 20 brands. 97 wet dog food, 29 dog food topper, 18 frozen dog food.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 3. In the top five of 139 foods, so it is usually a main ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

97%

Almost always listed before the salt, so there is more of it than a pinch.

Price per lb

Foods with it $2.08
All foods $3.23

Median of the cheapest bag price across 17 priced foods, 36% below the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

28%

of the foods that list it are from Cesar. 20 brands use it in total.

What it is

Why it turns up in dog food

  • Carries no nutrients itself, but it is what allows wet food to be canned and what keeps a dog hydrated. In dry food it is largely driven off during cooking.

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Cesar 43
  2. Blue 22
  3. Lotus 18
  4. Purina 13
  5. INABA 10
  6. Hill's 9
  7. Iams 6
  8. Artemis 5
  9. Rayne Nutrition 5
  10. Kibbles n Bits 5

Plus 10 more brands.

Amazon best sellers that list it

  1. #21 Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables Garnish Dry Dog Food
  2. #45 Kibbles n Bits Original Savory Beef & Chicken Flavors Dry Dog Food
  3. #50 Kibbles n Bits Small Breed Mini Bits Savory Beef & Chicken Flavors Dry Dog Food

Rank on Amazon's dog food best seller list, checked October 2026.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Chicken 61%
  2. Beef 32%
  3. Chicken Liver 31%
  4. Chicken Broth 30%
  5. Tapioca Starch 25%
  6. Carrots 22%
  7. Guar Gum 18%
  8. Dried Egg Product 17%
  9. Potatoes 16%
  10. Calcium Carbonate 16%
  11. Salt 16%
  12. Natural Flavor 13%

On the shelf

Foods that list it

156 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.

Artemis Osopure Grain Free Beef Formula Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinArtemis Osopure Grain Free Chicken Formula Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinArtemis Osopure Grain Free Duck Formula Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinArtemis Osopure Grain Free Lamb Formula Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinArtemis Osopure Grain Free Turkey & Salmon Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinBlue Basics Skin And Stomach Care Salmon Gravy Dog Food Topper54.5% proteinBlue Delectables Beef Dog Food Topper50.0% proteinBlue Delectables Savoury Lamb Dog Food Topper43.8% protein
Show 55 more Blue Natural Veterinary Diet WU Wet Dog Food31.8% proteinEvanger’s Grain Free LID Venison + Beef Dinner Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinBlue Natural Veterinary Diet WM Wet Dog Food31.8% proteinEvanger’s Heritage Classic Beef with Chicken & Liver - Case of 12 Dog Food Topper45.5% proteinInaba Churu Meal Tuna with Beef Recipe Dog Food Topper46.7% proteinInaba Churu Meal Chicken with Pumpkin Recipe Dog Food Topper46.7% proteinInaba Churu Meal Chicken with Cheese Recipe Dog Food Topper46.7% proteinInaba Churu Sprinkles Chicken and Vegetables Recipe Dog Food Topper80.0% proteinInaba Churu Meal Chicken Recipe Dog Food Topper46.7% proteinInaba Churu Meal Chicken with Beef Recipe Dog Food Topper46.7% proteinInaba Churu Sprinkles Chicken Recipe Dog Food Topper80.0% proteinInaba Churu Sprinkles Chicken and Cheese Recipe Dog Food Topper80.0% proteinInaba Churu Sprinkles Chicken and Beef Recipe Dog Food Topper80.0% proteinINABA Churu Sprinkles Tuna Recipe Dog Food Topper80.0% proteinSimply Nourish Original Adult - Shreds, Salmon, Chicken & Rice Stew Wet Dog Food27.3% proteinBlue Wild Meals High Protein Beef Chicken Sweet Potato Feast Wet Dog Food37.9% proteinIams Proactive Health Adult Lamb, Peas and Carrots Recipe Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinRayne Nutrition Adult RSS Wet Dog Food43.2% proteinRayne Nutrition Plant-Based Chunky Stew Wet Dog Food27.1% proteinNatural Balance Limited Ingredient Bison & Sweet Potato Recipe Paté Wet Dog Food27.3% proteinWholeHearted Gravy Puree Lamb Recipe in Gravy Dog Meal Dog Food Topper50.0% proteinPedigree Puppy Pouch, Turkey Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinBlue’s Stew Country Chicken Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinPurina Pro Plan Sport Puppy High Protein Beef & Rice Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinPurina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Beef & Oat Meal Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food29.5% proteinPurina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Adult Beef & Vegetables Entrée Slices in Gravy Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinPurina Pro Plan Puppy Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food29.5% proteinPurina Pro Plan Adult 7+ Senior Complete Essentials Chicken & Rice Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinPurina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Grain Free Adult Turkey & Sweet Potato Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinCesar Home Delights Slow Cooked Chicken & Vegetables Dinner in Sauce Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinCesar Filets in Gravy Prime Rib Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinCesar Simply Crafted Adult Chicken Dog Food Topper90.9% proteinCesar Wholesome Bowls Beef, Chicken, Carrots, Barley & Green Beans Wet Dog Food59.4% proteinPurina Pro Plan Puppy Starter Chicken Entrée Ultra Soft Mousse Wet Dog Food38.6% proteinPurina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Adult Chicken & Rice Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinHill’s Science Diet Single Protein Adult Single Protein Lamb & Pumpkin Recipe Fresh Roll Wet Dog Food23.1% proteinHill’s Science Diet Single Protein Adult Single Protein Beef & Carrot Recipe Fresh Roll Wet Dog Food26.5% proteinPurina Pro Plan Sport Adult High Protein Beef & Bison Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinRachael Ray Nutrish Hearty Beef Stew Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinPedigree Choice Cuts IN Gravy Adult Can, Prime Rib, Rice, and Vegetable Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinPedigree Puppy Pouch, Beef Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinGo! Solutions Immune Health Minced Chicken with Gravy Booster Dog Food Topper43.3% proteinRachael Ray Nutrish Lamb Stew With Carrots Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinRayne Nutrition Rabbit-Maint Paté Wet Dog Food27.3% proteinRayne Nutrition Growth/Sensitive-GI Chunky Stew Wet Dog Food27.3% proteinRayne Nutrition Low Fat Kangaroo-Maint Paté Wet Dog Food34.1% proteinRachael Ray Nutrish Chicken Muttballs Wet Dog Food40.9% proteinGo! Solutions Tranquility Minced Chicken with Gravy Dog Food Topper38.2% proteinGo! Solutions Joint Care Minced Chicken with Gravy Dog Food Topper38.2% proteinIams Proactive Health With Chicken AND Whole Grain Rice Classic Ground Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinIams Adult Chicken Chunks IN Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinIams Adult Lamb Chunks IN Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinIams Adult Beef Chunks IN Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinIams Proactive Health Senior With Slow Cooked Chicken AND Rice Classic Ground Wet Dog Food43.8% proteinZignature Original Food Goat Formula Wet Dog Food36.4% protein
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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