Ten of the Best Dry Puppy Foods on the Market Today
Complete Dry Puppy Foods
What shall I feed my hungry new addition? There are so many foods to choose from…
Importance of taking care of your puppy
It is important to have lots of physical contact in the early months. We get that you are busy but you want the best for your puppy. There aren’t nearly enough hours in the day to run a household, earn a living, plus get some quality time with your family and pets. However, one of the most important things you can do to have a happy puppy is to observe and interact with her to learn her cues. Take time to play one-on-one with your pup before you leave for work. You can get a lot of toys for that. Puppies’ needs should be largely met in the first months. A lot of love and care is needed, making your puppy feel safe, comfortable, and promoting a bond.
At this stage food is also important, whether it be wet or dry food. Puppies have special formulated food to cater for their nutrient and calorie requirements.
A few tips for feeding your Pup
- Choose a dry food that is right for the size of your breed of dog. Some puppy foods are aimed at small/medium/large breeds.
- Ensure you feed pup at regular intervals – the bag of food should offer some advice on feeding intervals and amounts based on the expected adult weight of your breed. Check with your vet if you are unsure about which foods are best for your breed.
- Introduce any new food slowly – ideally continue your new pup on the food his breeder started weaning him on and switch gradually if you prefer something else.
- Always ensure a supply of fresh water. Mix with the food to soften it while pup is still young.
- Don’t be tempted to offer more than advised and risk overfeeding, as rapid growth can lead to health problems.
Nutrients essential in your Puppy’s food
- Proteins – essential for growth and repair, the building blocks of life
- Fats – the most concentrated energy source, helps with absorption of some vitamins, protects internal organs and used in some hormone production
- Carbohydrates – useful energy in form of glucose required by the brain, and fibers which help gut health
- Vitamins – in small amounts form part of a balanced diet; vitamins play vital roles, often to aid metabolism. These should be added to a complete dry food in the right amounts for your dog, avoiding the need for extra supplementation.
- Minerals – again help with essential functions and like vitamins cannot be made by the body so are required from the diet. A complete food should provide the necessary amount without you having to worry. Minerals like calcium are necessary for bone and tooth structure.
- Water – probably the most important! Dry dog food is only about 10% moisture so added water is completely necessary.
The dog food market is huge, and is no different with puppy food either. We have trawled through and chosen ten foods we think are worth a further look!
Best Complete Dry Puppy Foods
#1. Eukanuba Puppy Dog Food
You cannot go wrong with Eukanuba puppy dog as it is affordable. Ideal for active puppy breeds, it will make your puppy look bright, have boundless energy and healthy as you will not have any problems with his weight, digestion or health.
Your puppy coat will be in such good, glossy condition too, which I presume is down to all the nutrients in these biscuits. Teeth cleaning is catered for with Eukanuba’s ‘DentaDefense’ and unique hexagonal shape!
Made from tasty ingredients including fresh chicken, it is an enjoyable food for your pup.
The kibbles are available in a range of different sizes to meet the different requirements of toy, small, medium and large breed dog. These provide a balanced source of high-quality animal based protein to support lean muscles and optimal body condition for your dog.
Features:
- Glucosamine to help maintain healthy joints and calcium to help maintain strong bones.
- Tailored puppy food with fresh chicken for medium breed dogs in a resealable bag.
- Improved formula for the healthy digestion and optimal body condition of your dog.
- A distinct hexagon kibble shape which improves palatability.
- Contains DentaDefense to reduce tartar build-up and maintain strong clean teeth
- Planet friendly pet food.
- Rates 4.5 in Amazon.
#2. Harrington’s Puppy Food
Harringtons Puppy food is a complete pet food that can be fed to puppies from 3 weeks onward and ensure great and healthy growth.
It has been carefully formulated to provide wholesome nutrition and contains no artificial colours or flavours, no dairy, no soya and no added wheat great for puppies with sensitive tummies.
Harringtons provides the conventional benefits associated with premium foods as your puppy will grow well, with glossy coats and bright eyes, and will have plenty of energy for her playful activities increasing your bonding times.
Features:
- Complete puppy food.
- No articial colours or flavours, no dairy, no soya and no added wheat.
- With citrus antioxidants, nutrient rich kelp, omega 6 & 3 fatty acids and yucca extract.
- With added yeast to help support healthy digestion.
- Rates 4.3 in Amazon.
#3. Pooch and Mutt Puppy Superfood
Pooch and Mutt brand themselves as a health food for dogs. Containing only natural ingredients with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and containing ‘superfoods’ like spinach, kale antioxidants and probiotics, pooch and mutt are confident your pup will be as healthy as possible. The price is mid range compared to our other reviewed products.
Features:
- Complete dry puppy food chicken flavour
- Contains antioxidants and probiotics
- Promotes healthy coat and skin, joints and mobility
- Good for behaviour with relaxing chamomile and l-tryptophan
- Kibble has small hole in the middle for easy soaking
- Free from Grain, Cereal , Gluten, GM produce, Artificial flavours, colours and preservatives
- A small, ethical, award winning Great British company
- Suitable for all breeds
- Rated 4.4 on Amazon
#4. Wagg Puppy Dry Food
Your puppy will need a balanced food for great development. Wagg Complete Puppy is a balanced formulation packed full of ingredients to help provide your puppy with the best start in life.
It provides nutritious and balanced meal for a healthy, happy puppy as it included vitamins A, C and E and citrus extracts to help your puppy develop a strong immune system, yeast and fibre to promote a healthy digestion and yucca extract to help reduce the unpleasant odours from flatulence.
It is a good value for money puppy food.
Features:
- No added sugar.
- Contains yeast and fibre to promote a healthy digestion.
- Healthy from nose to tail.
- No artificial colour or flavour.
- Strong immune system.
- For healthy teeth and digestion.
- Gives pup shiny and beautiful coat.
- Contains yucca extract to help reduce the unpleasant odours from flatulence.
- Has vitamins A, C and E and citrus extracts to help your puppy develop a strong immune system.
- Rates 4.3 in Amazon.
#5. Vet’s Kitchen Puppy Food
Vets Kitchen food is a complete food for puppies up to 12 months old.
Good for brain development of your puppy as it contains added salmon oil to supply Omega 3. It also contains optimal minerals to support normal bone growth.
It is a tasty feed with easily digestible chicken being the main ingredient, appetizing for even the fussiest puppy.
Features:
- Great for pups with sensitive tummy, had added prebiotic.
- No artificial additives
- Omega 3 and optimal mineral levels for bone development.
- Nucleotides for developing a strong immune system.
- High-quality chicken for easily digestible protein.
- Rates 4.6 in Amazon.
#6. Autarky Hypoallergenic Puppy Dry Food
Autarky puppy food comes complete with numerous nutrients and will help to set your puppy up for life. The tasty Autarky Puppy food has been formulated to include a host of beneficial ingredients where the combination of chicken, rice, herbs and vegetables will prove irresistible for your pup.
The food will ensure your pup will have a smooth growth towards being an adult dog as it contains vitamin E, fatty acids and taurine to support neural development and learning, while antioxidants and herbs protect your dog’s immune system and prebiotics promote digestive health. It is an all-round food as it caters for your puppies development needs.
Made with your puppy in mind as it contains smaller kibbles for small mouths, it is a tasty chicken recipe which provides high quality protein to support muscle development and moderate energy levels which encourage steady growth for any active puppy.
Features:
- Moderate energy levels to encourage steady growth.
- Vitamin E, fatty acids and taurine to support neural development and learning.
- Antioxidants and herbs help support a healthy immune system.
- Prebiotics to promote digestive health.
- Designed with smaller kibbles for smaller mouths.
- Vitamin E, fatty acids and taurine support neural development and learning, while antioxidants and herbs protect your dog’s immune system and prebiotics promote digestive health.
- The diet is wheat gluten and soya free making the diet an ideal option for dogs that suffer sensitives such as itchy skin and delicate stomachs.
- Rates 4.5 in Amazon.
#7. James Wellbeloved Lamb And Rice Hypoallergenic Complete Dry Puppy Food
James Wellbeloved are producing high quality pet food with hypoallergenic qualities. Balanced supply of fibres to support the digestive system. Calcium and Phosphorus for bone development. Smaller kibble for smaller mouths. Yucca extract helps to reduce stool odour. No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives, no fillers.
Features:
- Hypo-allergenic (no wheat, soya, dairy, eggs. beef or pork)
- No unhealthy additives
- Full of natural goodness
- Nourising lamb, brown and pearl rice and whole barley in delicious crunchy nuggets
- Gentle on your dog’s digestion
- Rated 4.6/5 on Amazon
#8. Royal Canin Medium Puppy Food
How do you know which is the right food for your growing puppy ,with countless dog food options out there? No matter how big or small your pup becomes, Royal Canin has a right-sized diet, made with the precise amount of nutrients needed for every stage of their magnificent future. We looked at two Royal Canin foods as an example of a brand that has produced puppy foods for different sized breeds, rather than ‘one size fits all’.
Royal Canin Medium Puppy dry dog food is wholesome puppy food for a healthy start in your puppy’s life. An exclusive mix of antioxidants and minerals supports their developing immune systems and keeps their bodies growing strong.
It is a complete and balanced diet which will helps your puppy develop strong bones and joints.
Attractive to any fussy eater with its exclusive kibble design which helps your pup chew their food properly.
Ideal for pups with sensitive tummy as the food contains highly digestible proteins and prebiotic ingredients which help break down the food and support healthy digestion and optimal stools making your puppy grow healthy.
Features:
- Tailor-made for puppies up to 1 year old with an expected adult weight of 23-55 lbs.
- Meets the high energy needs of medium-sized puppies with key nutrients needed during their short growth period.
- Helps developing immune systems thrive with an exclusive blend of antioxidants and vitamins.
- Supports healthy growth for their bones and joints though a specialized mineral blend.
- Promotes healthy digestion with highly digestible proteins and prebiotics for optimal stool quality.
- Rates 4.5 in Amazon.
#9. Lily’s Kitchen Puppy Dry Food
Puppies deserve the healthiest start in life and Lily Puppy is the absolute best, totally ultimate puppy food on earth which is grain free and ideal for Puppies up to 8 – 14 months, depending on breed.
It is really tasty, gentle on the tummy and easy to digest even for the fussiest eater.
Contains a lot of great ingredients like clear salmon oil to condition the skin and fur, glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints formation, probiotics and prebiotics for good digestion and chelated minerals and vitamins to ensure they are properly absorbed by the body and fasten your puppy growth process.
A little addition of an array of botanical herbs and nutrients from nature for an extra healthy boost for your pup.
Lily’s kitchen ensures great nutrition that builds a healthy immune system for your pup to give them the best chance for a long and happy life free of illness.
Features:
- 100% Natural and grain-free complete dry food for puppies
- Gentle on the tummy and easy to digest!
- Contains clear salmon oil to condition skin and fur.
- High quality food for your puppy that builds a healthy immune system.
- Contains an array of botanical herbs and nutrients from nature’s for an extra healthy boost to your pup.
- Rates 4.4 in Amazon.
#10. Iams ProActive Puppy Food.
Highly recommended by vets as a good food for your puppy. The recipe contains farm-raised chicken, wholesome grains and veggies that are all required by a growing puppy.
Iam ProActive puppy food is tailored to small puppies 20 lb. or less at maturity. The food is easily digestible as ingredients provide your pup with a strong immune system, healthy skin and coat, and strong bones.
Contains Omega-3 DHA which makes your puppy even smarter and assists in your puppy brain development as it grows.
Features:
- Promotes healthy cognition with omega-3 DHA for smarter, more trainable puppies.
- Builds strong muscles with quality protein and supports healthy joints.
- Recommended highly by Veterinarians.
- Nutritious as farm-raised chicken is the 1st ingredient great for your puppy.
- Food is easily digestible.
- Provide your pup with a strong immune system, healthy skin and coat.
- Rates 4.6 in Amazon.
Puppies of different sizes have different needs, and you need a dry food that will have specific ingredients to address this when buying your puppy’s food. Maintaining ideal body condition is key to encouraging proper growth in all puppies, especially large breeds.
Supports your dogs balanced natural nutrition, healthy body mass, overall health and vitality, optimal nutrient absorption, bone and joint health and digestive health. We want healthy and happy puppies at the end of the day.
Your puppy is in a rapid and important period of growth and development. During this time, their weight will increase and they will grow bigger and their organs will continue to develop to support their growing body.
The healthiest start in life can be shaped in your puppy’s first years we have done our research to bring you some of the best dry foods on today’s market. Woof!