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Big support for little puppies.
What to look for in puppy food
Formulas catered to puppies’ developmental needs have extra calcium and protein to help them thrive.
Nutritional balance
Puppy food should be carefully balanced to provide the protein, fat and carbohydrates necessary for optimal bone, muscle and brain growth.
Supplements
Growing bodies need all the support they can get, so look for beneficial supplements like vitamins, minerals, probiotics and omegas.
Quality and value
Puppy food should have balanced nutrition, growth-supporting supplements and a price you feel comfortable paying.
Find the right food
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Pet parent faves
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| Dog Food | Life Stage | Dog Breed Size | First Ingredient | Sizes Available | Average Review* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oats Recipe Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Large Breed | Chicken Meal | 4 lb., 15.5 lb. and 30 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
| Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice Formula Brand Large Breed Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Large Breed | Chicken | 5 lb., 16 lb., 30 lb. and 41 lb. bags | 4.6/5 |
| Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Food | Puppy | Small Breed | Brewers Rice | 15 lb. and 35 lb. bags | 4.8/5 |
| Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Focus Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Large Breed | Chicken | 5 lb., 14 lb. and 28 lb. bags | 4.8/5 |
| Purina Pro Plan High Protein Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Puppy Food | All Life Stages | Most Breed Sizes | Chicken | 12 oz., 4.5 lb., 13 lb. and 25 lb. bags | 4.8/5 |
| Eukanuba Puppy Large Breed Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food | Puppy | Most Breed Sizes | Chicken | 4 lb., 14 lb. and 28.5 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
| Purina Pro Plan High Protein Chicken and Rice Formula Dry Puppy Food | All Life Stages | Large Breed | Chicken | 5 lb., 14 lb., 25 lb. and 40 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
| Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Roasted Bison & Venison Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Most Breed Sizes | Water buffalo | 5 lb., 6 lb., 15 lb. and 30 lb. bags | 4.8/5 |
| Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Smoked Salmon Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Most Breed Sizes | Salmon | 6 lb., 18 lb., 35 lb. and 47 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
| Hill’s Science Diet Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Most Breed Sizes | Chicken Meal | 7.7 lb., 17.6 lb. and 25.3 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
| ORIJEN Puppy Large Grain Free High Protein Fresh & Raw Animal Ingredients Dry Dog Food | Puppy | Large Breed | Deboned Chicken | 7.7 lb., 17.6 lb. and 25.3 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Chicken and Pea Recipe Dry Puppy Food | Puppy | Most Breed Sizes | Chicken | 7.7 lb., 17.6 lb. and 25.3 lb. bags | 4.7/5 |
*Ratings as of April 6, 2022
Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oats Recipe Dry Puppy Food
Large breed puppies have a lot of growing to do before they become the big dogs they’re meant to be. The best puppy food for large breeds is one that supports the growth of their big bodies and brains, like this selection from Hill’s. If a natural puppy food formula is important to you, check out the natural ingredients including balanced whole grains and an assortment of vitamin and mineral supplements.
Features:
- Available in 15.5 lb. and 30 lb. bags
- Balanced minerals for large dog bone and teeth support
- Optimal calcium for bone development
- DHA for brain and eye development
- Natural ingredients
Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice Formula Brand Large Breed Dry Puppy Food
If you’re trying to decide whether to get a puppy food with omega-3, a puppy food specifically for large breeds or simply the best dog food with vitamins and minerals, why not choose one that does it all? This puppy food is formulated specifically for puppies that will weigh over 50 lbs. as adults and is packed with supplements for joint, bone, brain, vision and immune support.
Features:
- Comes in 5 lb., 16 lb., 30 lb. and 41 lb. bags
- High-protein formula supports lean muscles
- Sunflower oil and omega-6 fatty acids nourish skin and coat
- Antioxidants support a healthy immune system
Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Food
Small breed puppies need everything pared down to pint-size—except nutrition. The best puppy food for small breeds has a small kibble size for little mouths but doesn’t skimp on the nutritious puppy vitamins for growing bodies. This Royal Canin formula also contains prebiotics and highly digestible protein for sensitive little tummies.
Features:
- Available in 2.5 lb. and 13 lb. bags
- For puppies that will weigh 9 to 22 lbs. as adults
- Small kibble size
- Antioxidants and vitamins for immune support
- Prebiotics for digestion
Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Focus Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Puppy Food
The best food for puppies that are expected to exceed 50 lbs. as adults is a formula packed with balanced nutrition and growth-supporting supplements. This Purina puppy food contains high quality chicken and whole grains plus omegas, antioxidants and minerals to keep big babies supported through their growth spurts.
Features:
- Available in 47 lb. bags
- Glucosamine for joints and cartilage
- For puppies that will weigh 50+ lbs. as adults
- Antioxidants for immune support
- High protein
- Glucosamine, calcium and other joint and bone supporting ingredients
- Fish oil for brain and eyes
Purina Pro Plan High Protein Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Puppy Food
With its blend of crunchy kibbles and tender shredded pieces, this may have one of the best dry puppy food textures your young dog will ever experience. Even more impressive than its palatability is its nutrient-rich formula, which is full of puppy vitamins and minerals, live probiotics and quality protein. What it doesn’t contain is artificial colors or flavors.
Features:
- Available in 6 lb., 18 lb. and 34 lb. bags
- Fish oil for brain and eyes
- Live probiotics for digestion
- High quality protein
- Antioxidants for immune support
- No artificial colors or flavors
Eukanuba Puppy Large Breed Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food
The best dog food for high-energy puppies is a formula tailored to their age, size and rambunctious nature. Eukanuba’s puppy food for active dogs is formulated to give muscle and bone support to rapidly growing bodies, nurture developing brains and allow for sustained bursts of energy with a balanced protein, carbohydrate and fat recipe.
Features:
- Available in 5 lb., 16 lb. and 33 lb. bags
- DHA for brain development
- Specially formulated for large breed puppies
- Fiber and prebiotics for digestion
- Vitamin E for immune support
- Balanced fat, carbohydrates and quality animal protein;
Purina Pro Plan High Protein Chicken and Rice Formula Dry Puppy Food
Puppy food doesn’t need to be complicated. Often, the best puppy food recipe is a time-tested combination of protein and carbohydrates, plus beneficial supplements to help support your young dog’s growth. This puppy food contains no artificial colors or flavors, just balanced nutrition in a highly digestible formula that’s easy on your puppy’s digestive system.
Features:
- Available in 6 lb., 18 lb. and 34 lb. bags
- High quality protein
- Antioxidants for immune support
- Vitamins and omega-6 fatty acids for skin and coat
- Highly digestible formula
- Fish oil for brain and eyes
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Roasted Bison & Venison Dry Puppy Food
Some pet parents are interested in trying grain-free puppy food. Respected brands like Call of the Wild craft carefully balanced puppy food formulas that are free of grains and grain byproducts but still contain a beneficial balance of proteins, fats and fruit and vegetable carbohydrates. With a 28% protein recipe and nutrient-dense plant ingredients like sweet potatoes and blueberries, this puppy food is filled with energy for optimal growth.
Features:
- Available in 5 lb., 14 lb. and 28 lb. bags
- Grain-free formula
- 28% protein
- Omegas for skin and coat
- Probiotics and prebiotics for digestion
- No artificial colors or flavors
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Smoked Salmon Dry Puppy Food
Yes, kibble-style dry dog food can be made without grains. If you’re looking for a puppy food with omega-3 fatty acids, you may have met your match. This grain-free puppy food puts the focus on salmon, a great source of both protein and omegas—and delicious, too. Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies round out the recipe with fiber and growth-supporting nutrients.
Features:
- Available in 5 lb., 14 lb. and 28 lb. bags
- Grain-free formula
- 27% protein
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
- Vitamins and minerals for bone and joint development
Hill’s Science Diet Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe Dry Puppy Food
Grain can be a good source of fuel for your developing dog’s body and brain. The best dry puppy food with grain ingredients is one that uses whole grains as a source of energy and fiber instead of nutritionally poor grain byproducts as filler. This formula gets its protein—and much of its flavor—from chicken, and it supplies carbohydrates in the form of apples, broccoli and carrots as well as multiple types of whole grains.
Features:
- Available in 4.5 lb., 15.5 lb. and 30 lb. bags
- DHA for brain and eye development
- Balanced minerals for bone and teeth strength
- Includes natural ingredients
- Made in the USA
ORIJEN Puppy Large Grain Free High Protein Fresh & Raw Animal Ingredients Dry Dog Food
If you’re looking for fresh, raw or grain-free puppy food that’s big on protein and equally packed with flavor, you may have met your match. This formula contains 85% animal ingredients, including cage-free eggs, wild-caught fish and various types of poultry protein. Freeze-dried liver infuses this kibble with nutrition and taste, and highly beneficial plant ingredients such as kale, collard greens, pumpkin seeds and whole pears serve as a rich source of puppy vitamins and minerals. It’s like a whole feast in your puppy’s dinner dish.
Features:
- Available in 13 lb. and 25 lb. bags
- 85% animal ingredients
- Protein-rich formula
- Made without grains
- Includes raw ingredients
WholeHearted Grain Free Chicken and Pea Recipe Dry Puppy Food
Your puppy can enjoy all the benefits of a grain-free puppy food without missing out on the energy provided by carbohydrates. Regardless of whether or not it contains grain, the best puppy food for your growing dog is one that includes quality protein, balanced growth-supporting ingredients and all the puppy vitamins and minerals your dog needs for healthy development. This formula has all that plus probiotics for digestion and fatty acids for a shiny coat.
Features:
- Available in 5 lb., 14 lb. and 25 lb. bags
- Made with real chicken
- Grain-free formula
- Antioxidants for immune support
- Omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat
- Probiotics to support digestion
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Learn More About Puppy Food
Puppies’ bodies and brains are growing rapidly, so most puppy food is high in protein to support all that growth. Developing dogs need protein for their muscles, skin and fur and for the overall function of their immune systems. However, too much protein at the expense of fat and carbohydrates will deprive your puppy of other valuable nutrients. The best food for puppies is balanced and enriched with supplements so they have all the building blocks necessary for growing into strong adult dogs.
Puppies digest food in about 4 hours. Because their developing bodies burn through all those puppy vitamins, minerals and other nutrients so quickly, puppies should eat multiple small meals throughout the day for the first several months after weaning. Giving your dog the best puppy food won’t provide them with maximum nutrition unless you feed your puppy at the correct intervals. Three or four small meals throughout the day are better than two larger meals until your dog is 6 to 12 months old.
The best food for puppies as they’re weaning—between 4 and 6 weeks old—is soft food. Many pet parents soak puppy kibble in a little water to soften it up. Chances are you won’t bring your puppy home until they’re about 8 weeks old. Around this age, your puppy should have all their teeth and be able to eat dry puppy food. Since puppy teeth are soft, make sure not to introduce dog bones and chews until your puppy is about 6 months old.
Some pet parents who want to provide the best puppy food possible for their growing dog become interested in making their own puppy food at home. That’s completely understandable, because who could love a puppy more—or be more invested in their nutritional wellbeing—than a puppy’s own pet parents? But there are several reasons it might be better to purchase puppy food instead of making it at home.
Not all the ingredients you can get at a grocery store are safe for puppies, whereas age-appropriate dog food is formulated specifically to be consumed by developing dogs. Pet parents may also have a difficult time processing their own food into the tiny, easily chewable and digestible bite sizes necessary for puppies. And most importantly, many dog food brands are formulated using the guidance of scientists and veterinarians, and they contain puppy vitamins and minerals you may have a hard time sourcing yourself. It’s good to want fresh, natural puppy food for your little companion, but you can find human grade dog food at Petco without needing to make it yourself.
*Based on petco.com customer reviews.
