Best Dry Puppy Food
Types of Puppy Food
Puppy food can be dry or wet and is usually given to match most of the puppy’s high rate of growth from three to six months of age.
Dry Puppy Food
Dry puppy food is a type of dog food that is made from only the highest-quality ingredients. Unlike wet or canned puppy food, dry puppy food contains no moisture, which means it has a very long shelf life, making it perfect for feeding your pup when you’re away from home.
Commonly called kibble, dry food is the most commonly purchased for puppy and dogs. The puppy kibbles are smaller too. As a guide, you can follow the instructions on the puppy dog food bag on the amount to feed a growing puppy. However, your puppy may require more or less food depending on its metabolism.
Mealtimes should always be supervised. Do make sure your puppy has access to clean drinking water as if your puppy is being fed dry dog food as this can make them very thirsty. Dry dog food contains about 10 to 15 per cent moisture typically. There are many brands and options that are available to choose from. Grain-free formulas and formulas with meat sources from poultry to lamb to bison are available.
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Wet Puppy Food
Quality canned foods are highly palatable and most dogs do like them. Designed to be fed alone as a complete diet, they have approximately 70% water and usually contain higher protein levels than dry dog food, depending on the brand and formulation.
It is good to look for meat as the first ingredient, followed by vegetables and fruits. Depending on the brand, they might cost a bit more than dry food. Wet puppy food provides little or no abrasion from chewing, which can result in faster plaque and tartar buildup on your puppy’s teeth.
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Table of Contents
Puppy Nutritional Needs
A puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog. Most of the nutrients required for adult dogs hold true for puppies.
However, there are important requirements to note for your puppy to grow strong and healthy it is important to provide puppy food that is specially formulated with more vitamins, minerals and protein for his or her growing muscles, joints, and bones.
A regular puppy diet should provide the necessary nutrition for any size dog, but a large-breed pup will require food formulated for large breed puppies in order to meet their growth needs.
Puppies Growth
Puppies grow very quickly. Small breeds could attain their adult size by six to eight months, while large and giant breeds may continue to grow for eighteen to twenty-four months.
As puppies, their bones and joints are growing rapidly and this can result in doubling or tripling of their weight in just one month or two. The correct type and amount of puppy nutrition can prevent bone problems known as ‘developmental orthopaedic disease’ which can occur in young, fast-growing dogs.
Essential Nutrients For Puppies
(1) Protein – is needed for their growth throughout the different puppy development stages. But especially, a puppy will require more protein for bone development up until around six months old as they are growing at an astounding rate. Proteins are also important for puppies to form healthy muscles and ensure good nerve and organ function and for healthy skin and coat.
Studies have shown that puppies that did not get enough protein showed signs of stunted growth. Another important point is to feed high-quality protein as it will make a difference. When feeding protein it is often mentioned that quality protein, not the quantity of protein that makes the difference.
2) Carbohydrates – to provide energy and dietary fiber. They add bulk to your dog’s diet and help maintain regular bowel movements. The sources of carbohydrates could be corn, wheat, rice, barley, oats and others.
(3) Fats and Fatty acids – necessary for a variety of body functions and in keeping the puppy’s skin and coat healthy. Fatty acids such as DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) which is a type of omega-3 fat is important as they will aid in your puppy brain, eye and hearing development. In addition, fatty acid can make your dog easier to train.
(4) Vitamins and minerals – for additional nutrients. Vitamin D and vitamin A are essential to healthy development. Minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are needed more to help their skeletons grow.
(5) Glucosamine and Chondroitin can soothe joints and slow down the damage of arthritis. As such, dog foods with glucosamine and chondroitin are particularly useful for your large breed puppy’s joint health.
A puppy requires a well-balanced puppy diet to provide good nutrition to stay fit and healthy. How often and how much puppies need to eat will depend on other factors such as their age and activity levels.
Signs of a healthy puppy include:
- bright, clear eyes with no discharge or swelling of the eyelids
- clean, healthy coat with no signs of excessive scratching, rashes, or bald spots
- healthy, pink gums
- good movement when walking and playing without limping.
Weight Watch
Importantly, you should aim to keep your puppy on the lean side as overweight can bring about bone and joint problems and unwanted diseases. Two simple regular checks you can do to help your dog from becoming overweight are:
(1) Make sure you can see and feel the outline of your dog’s ribs without excess fat covering,
(2) You should be able to see and feel your dog’s waist and it be should be clearly visible when viewed from above.
Overweight and obesity can cause serious health issues and shorten your dog’s lives. These health problems could be arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. As such, do make sure your puppy is fed with a well-balanced diet without being overfed.
But each puppy is different as some could be allergic to grains or certain meat as protein. As such, we have provided our list of dog food for puppies based on these variations:
- Puppy food
- Puppy food for small breed
- Puppy food for large breed
FAQs about dry puppy food
Q: What are the benefits of feeding my dog dry puppy food?
A: Dry puppy food has a number of benefits that make it an excellent choice for many dog owners. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of dry puppy food is that it helps to keep your pup’s teeth and gums healthy by removing plaque and tartar buildup. Additionally, because dry puppy food is low in moisture content, your pup won’t have to drink as much water as they would with other types of dog foods, which can help prevent urinary tract infections.
Q: What should I look for when choosing a dry puppy food?
A: When selecting a dry puppy food, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, look for a food that is made with high-quality ingredients and contains no fillers or artificial additives. Secondly, make sure the food you select is appropriate for your pup’s age, size, and activity level. And lastly, always consult with your veterinarian before making any changes to your pup’s diet.
Q: How often should I feed my puppy dry food?
A: The amount of food your pup consumes each day will depend on their age, weight, breed type, and activity level. Typically speaking though, puppies should be fed two to three times a day until they are about six months old. After that point, you can start feeding them once per day with the appropriate portion sizes based on their current weight and energy levels. Always seek guidance from your veterinarian when determining the right amount of food for your pup to help prevent overfeeding or underfeeding them.
Dry Puppy Food
We have evaluated dozens of top-rated dry puppy food brands in the market to bring you the best ones. Here are our reviews and recommendations on high-quality dry puppy food for you to choose from based on your pup’s diet needs.
Best Dry Puppy Food Brands
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula with lamb and oatmeal is great for puppies that love meat. This PUPPY formula with whole grains provides all the key ingredients for your puppy’s muscle and bone development, cognitive development, healthy skin and coat and immune system health. It also comes with a unique ‘small-bite’ kibble for the smaller jaws of your puppy dog.
Key Ingredients:
Deboned lamb, brown rice, oatmeal, barley, flaxseed, ARA, DHA, Omega 3, Omega 6, etc.
Highlights:
- Lamb and Oatmeal Recipe - Deboned lamb providing high quality protein
- Whole Grains consisting of Brown rice, oatmeal, barley
- Vegetables like peas, sweet potatoes, others
- ARA and DHA for eye and brain development
- Has Blue Buffalo exclusive "LifeSource Bits" that support immune system health
- Formulated with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to improve the overall well-being of your puppies
- 30 lb bag
ORIJEN Puppy food is prepared with chicken and turkey to provide the optimal nutrition for your puppy dog development and growth. In ORIJEN puppy dog food, approximately 2/3 of the animal ingredients are fresh or raw thereby preserving the nutrients for your dog. With its award winning ‘Biologically Appropriate’ dog food formulation, the company has won many “Excellence in Canine Pet Food” awards in the past. Trusted by pet lovers, this dog food prepared in their Kentucky DogStar Kitchen in USA is a great choice for your puppy dog.
Key Ingredients:
Deboned chicken, deboned turkey, flounder, Omega 3 fatty acids, Omega 6 fatty acids, DHA, Calcium, vitamins, minerals, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, etc,
Highlights:
- Fresh and raw animal ingredients from 6 different sources: chicken, turkey, cage-free eggs, herring, flounder, and mackerel
- Protein-rich from its variety of meat protein ingredients.
- Smaller bite sizes for puppies
- Grain-free puppy dog food
- Omega 3 and Omega 6 included with DHA for skin health and coat
- Probiotics and Prebiotics for puppy's immune system health
- Smaller bite sizes makes it easy of puppies to eat
- 25 lb bag
The MERRICK Puppy Recipe dry dog food is made in USA by MERRICK PET CARE with a desire to craft the best pet food possible. There is the beef or chicken as real meat option which provides your puppy with high levels of proteins for their muscle development and mass. The pint-sized puppy bites also will be welcome by your puppy dog while enjoy this dog food.
Key Ingredients:
Deboned chicken, peas, sweet potatoes, blueberries, apples, vitamins, minerals, Omega-6, Omega-3, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, etc.
Highlights:
- Real Chicken and Sweet Potato Recipe
- Protein from deboned real chicken
- Has glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health
- Grain Free recipe with no corn, wheat, gluten.
- Whole foods like sweet potatoes, peas, apples for holistic nutrition
- Omega-3 and 6 fatty for healthy dog’s skin and coat
- Antioxidants for a healthy immune system
- Suitable for puppy of all breeds
- 22 lb bag
PURINA Pro Plan For Puppies
Purina Pro Plan is a great brand made in USA. The smaller kibble is made for puppies up to one year old. The nutrition provided is balanced supporting the overall healthy development of your puppy.
Key Ingredients:
Chicken, Brewer’s Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Vitamins, Minerals, Calcium, DHA, etc.
Highlights:
- Chicken and Rice Recipe
- Formulated for Puppies up to one year old
- DHA from fish oil nourishes brain and eye development
- Chicken is the main ingredient as high quality protein
- Antioxidants rich for stronger immunity
- Minerals and calcium to build strong bones and teeth
- 34 lb bag
Wysong Growth™ – A premium dry dog food for puppies created by Dr Wysong. It has gained its popularity by word of mouth and by veterinary recommendation. Over the past thirty years, this natural puppy diet has been fed to tens of thousands of puppies through multiple generations with remarkable results.
The improved Growth™ formulation takes advantage of new processing methods to preserve natural value and nutritional advances in epigenetics and nutrigenomics. This formula contains 30% protein, high levels of fresh/frozen and dried meats, and fat. It boasts a comprehensive spectrum and higher levels of micronutrients including omega-3s, probiotics, prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, enzymes, and more. Small quantities of fruits and vegetables are included to contribute important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients.
Key Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Turkey Meal, etc.
Highlights:
- Has 30% protein, and contains high levels of fresh/frozen and dried meats, protein, and fat.
- Includes probiotics, probotics, omega 3, antioxidants.
IAMS Proactive Health, Puppy Food
IAMS PROACTIVE HEALTH dog food has a great chicken taste as its main flavor. This special formulation promotes healthy cognition, healthy digestion, healthy skin and coat and builds strong bones, muscles for your puppy dog. This IAMS Proactive Health caters to the diets needs of your small & toy breed puppies.
Key Ingredients:
Chicken, Whole Grain corn, carrots, vitamins, minerals, calcium, Omega-3, Omega-6, etc
Highlights:
- Chicken and Whole Grains Recipe
- Has 22 key nutrients for the overall development of your puppy dog.
- No wheat, soy, artificial preservatives
- Farm-raised chicken for muscle development
- Grains providing carbohydrates and additional nutrients
- Vegetables including carrots and others
- Omega-6 fatty acids support healthy skin and coat
- 15 lb bag
Royal Canin Health Nutrition Dog Food provides one of the highest quality meals for puppies on the market, since it’s specifically formulated to target immune system health, joint health and digestive health.
Key Ingredients:
Brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, dried beet pulp, chicken fat, wheat gluten, fish oil, biotin, taurine, rosemary extract, etc.
Highlights:
- Highly digestible proteins for best possible nutrient absorption
- Small Exclusive kibble - help reduce the formation of tartar.
- Antioxidants and Vitamins - support puppy developing immune system
- Probiotics - promotes healthy digestion
- 13 lb bag.
NUTRISOURCE, Small and Medium Breed Puppy
Nutrisource dog food is made using the Good 4 Life System providing your dog with good gut health and overall well-being.
Key Ingredients:
Chicken, brown rice, oatmeal, flax seeds, Omega 3 fatty acids, Omega 6 fatty acids, DHA, vitamins, minerals, etc,
Highlights:
- Chicken is the key ingredient
- Smaller bite sizes for puppies
- Omega 3 and Omega 6 included with DHA for skin health and coat
- Probiotics and Prebiotics for puppy's immune system health
- Smaller bite sizes makes it easy of puppies to eat
DIAMOND Naturals, Large Breed Puppy Food
The DIAMOND NATURALS large breed puppy food is made in USA by DIAMOND PET FOOD. The formulation includes powerful antioxidants, proprietary probiotics and other exceptional ingredients to provide the optimum nutrition for your large breed puppy’s development and growth.
Key Ingredients:
Lamb, peas, barley, ground white rice, flaxseed, pumpkin, blueberries, carrots, Vitamins, Minerals, Calcium, DHA, Omega-3, Omega-6, etc.
Highlights:
- Pasture-raised lamb as quality protein for large breed puppy
- No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
- Probiotics to support digestive system
- Calcium and minerals for joint and bone development
- Antioxidants immune system support
- DHA included for healthy development of brains and eyes in puppies
If you’re looking for good puppy dog food, then the Royal Canin Health Nutrition Dog Food may be the most beneficial for you. It’s quite likely one of the highest quality meals for large breed puppies on the market, since it’s specifically formulated to target immune system health, joint health and digestive health
Furthermore, this Royal Chain product is great for puppies that are new to chewing, since the kibbles are shaped specifically to help smaller dogs chew thoroughly without choking.
Key Ingredients:
Corn, Wheat, Wheat Gluten, Chicken Fat, Brewer’s Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Natural Flavors, Vegetable Rice, etc.
Highlights:
- Kibble design great for puppies, eliminates the risk of choking
- Highly digestible portions help to promote digestive health
- Specifically targets immune system health
- Specialized blend of minerals encourages bone and joint strength
- Affordable
- 18 lb bag.
Formulated with ingredients specifically designed in order to maintain lean muscle, the Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food is great for anyone that has a large breed puppy that wants the most muscle. More specifically, this food contains high quality proteins that can promote the build of lean muscle.
Aside from muscle growth, this dog food also contains DHA from fish oil in order to also support brain and eye development as well. Because of that, you can provide your puppy with the means to a healthy adult life when they’re fully-grown.
It’s specifically formulated with a balanced amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, DHA amongst others that will benefit your dog overall development.
Key Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Oats, Chicken Fat, Flaxseed, Carrots, Broccoli, Apples, Vitamins, Minerals, Calcium, DHA, etc.
Highlights:
- Chicken Meal & Oats recipe
- Optimal level of calcium for bone growth for large breed puppy
- Contains DHA for brain and eye development
- Has high quality proteins for maintaining lean muscle
- Chicken Meal & Oats recipe for overall growth
- Contains all natural ingredients
- Uses high quality protein for optimal muscle development
- Antioxidants with Vitamins promote healthy immunity
- 30 lb bag
Conclusion
Giving your puppy the right food is important. This will ensure that they grow healthier and happier. We have presented various types of dog food for your puppies, as some puppies may have chicken allergies, grain allergies or other ingredient preferences.
With the above selections, finding the right kind of food for your puppy will become easier as now you know what to look for. As mentioned, go for quality dog food as such we hope the suggestions above are useful and you be able to find the high quality food for your lovely pups!