Dog food types
What is air dried dog food?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Air dried dog food is raw or lightly cooked meat that has been slowly dried at a low, controlled temperature over many hours until it reaches a firm, jerky like texture, rather than being puffed through an extruder like kibble or flash frozen like freeze dried food. It sits between raw feeding and standard dry kibble in both processing method and price.
How the slow drying process works
Manufacturers circulate warm air, typically around 40 to 60 degrees Celsius, over thin layers of meat for 12 to 20 hours, gradually reducing moisture without the high heat extrusion uses or the vacuum sublimation freeze drying relies on.
Why the texture feels so different from kibble
The finished product is dense, chewy, and often 60 to 90 percent meat by weight, closer in feel to a thick jerky strip than a light, puffed kibble piece, and most dogs can eat it straight from the bag without any rehydration step.
Where it lands on cost and storage
Because moisture is reduced substantially, though usually not as low as freeze dried food, an unopened bag stores well for several months at room temperature, while the slower, gentler process keeps the price noticeably higher than standard kibble.
Key takeaways
- Air drying uses long, low temperature drying rather than extrusion or freeze drying's vacuum process.
- The result is a dense, chewy, high meat content food that most dogs can eat without rehydrating.
- It stores well at room temperature but costs more than standard kibble because of the slower process.