Best Puppy Food 2024: 9 Healthy Wet & Dry Dog Food Brands

Puppyhood is an exciting life stage for both dog owners and their pets. It’s a wonderful time filled with curiosity and discovery as puppies become more aware of the world around them and try to take in as much as they can.

For dog owners, it’s a time of firsts and milestones that are part of the amazing lifetime journey they will have with their pets.

But while this stage is filled with fun and adventure, it’s also a crucial one for your puppy’s growth and development. At this point, your puppy will need a strong foundation of health that will carry on to their adult years and beyond. 

OUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR BEST PUPPY FOODS

Food is your little one’s most important requirement for good health, and not just any food will do. You need to give your pet the best puppy food possible, something that incorporates a solid set of nutrients that support your pet’s developmental needs. 

And to that end, we’ve made up a list of highly recommended dog food products to help your little puppy friend grow healthy and strong. 

Best Dog Food for Puppies

 

1. Ollie Fresh Pet Food Lamb

Rating: 5/5

First 5 ingredients: Lamb, Butternut Squash, Lamb Liver, Kale, Rice

Ollie is a company that was developed with your dog’s health and longevity in mind. It is an alternative to many of the prepackaged foods available on the market because the high-quality food products made by the brand undergo minimal processing and are made to order only.

Since the meals are personalized for each individual pup, the recipes are suitable for puppies to adult dogs to seniors. And they are also ideal for any type of canine, from small breed puppies to large breeds.

There are currently four fresh-made recipes to choose from, but for this review, we’ll focus on lamb. We chose this recipe for its premium and nutritious ingredients that provide the correct balance needed by puppies who are at that delicate stage.

The key nutrients come from lamb (a good source of quality proteins), cranberries (antioxidants), butternut squash (fiber), kale (a superfood that’s rich in vitamins and minerals), and chickpeas (vegetable-based protein and fiber). Together, these five promote a healthy brain development, a properly functioning digestive system, and the overall well-being of your puppy.

All the natural ingredients are human-grade, and there is only one source of animal protein here, which makes it ideal for puppies who may be sensitive to other animal proteins. And because the food is freshly-made in small batches, there is no need for artificial preservatives at all. 

It may be a little more expensive than most commercial dog food brands, but you are paying for your dog’s quality of life. The food has been reported as helping improve energy levels, making coats look thicker and healthier, and enticing enough to tempt incredibly picky eaters to chow down.

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2. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula

Rating: 4.5/5

First 5 ingredients: Water Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product, Pea Protein

Made with different and mostly unique animal proteins, this grain-free food is crafted for little puppers who need support for their growing bones and lean muscles. While water buffalo and lamb make up most of the meal, this food also contains bison, venison, ocean fish meal, and beef for extra protein.

The grain-free dry dog food formula is designed for large and small breed puppies alike. The dry food is formulated to deliver the complete pet nutrition that your furry bud needs, such as a balanced protein and fat ratio; probiotics and prebiotics that are essential for a properly functioning dog’s digestive system; and plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Most of the nutrients come from natural sources like tomatoes, raspberries, and blueberries. The probiotics are courtesy of the brand’s K9 Strain Proprietary Probiotics, while dried chicory root is included in this recipe to offer prebiotic support and encourage a well-functioning digestive tract.

The essential minerals in this formula are chelated with amino acids, which maximizes absorption and consequent benefits.

Each of these ingredients comes from sustainable and trusted locales and the dry dog food is free from fillers like corn and grains and omits artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors.

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3. American Journey Chicken & Brown Rice Protein First Puppy Recipe

Rating: 4.25/5

First 5 ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, Peas

Puppies are inherently energetic and curious and will require a complete and nutritious formula that is crafted with their specific needs in mind.

Real chicken and chicken meal are the main animal protein sources included in this recipe, which offers not only a flavor your puppy will love, but also delivers the ever-important protein he requires to develop strong, lean muscles. The inclusion of turkey meal gives the dry food both protein and flavor boosts.

Antioxidants are included as well to encourage immune system health while omega fatty acids keep puppy coats looking lustrous. With every mouthful, this formula delivers DHA and ARA, which are naturally occurring fatty acids meant to promote cognitive and eye development.

Mineral-rich kelp accompanies other nutritious foods, like blueberries and sweet potatoes, to round out each meal. This product does not contain any soy, wheat, corn, or artificial flavorings.

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4. Merrick Puppy Plate Beef Recipe

Rating:  4.5/5

First 5 ingredients: Deboned Beef, Beef Broth, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes

Merrick offers this canned food for growing puppies to support proper growth and brain development. It has DHA, a fatty acid, to assist your pup with his cognitive functions. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are also present to keep your puppy’s coat gleaming and his skin healthy while B12 supplements support digestive function.

The grain-free wet dog food is made from real, deboned Texas beef that’s cooked in a hearty stew to make it more irresistible to little pups. The texture is chunky so your little buddy can actually get actual pieces with each mouthful. 

Since it’s grain-free, the meal gets its fiber and carbohydrate supply from sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are easily digestible sources of nutrients necessary to support a healthy digestive system.

If your pup is highly sensitive to food ingredients, this recipe’s single-animal-protein-formulation may make it suitable as part of his regular diet.

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5. Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Puppy

Rating: 4.5/5

First 5 ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Barley

Puppies require a precise blend of nutrients to get them from puppyhood to adulthood. And breed size matters too. Small breed puppies need small breed puppy food because little canines go through their energy stores faster than bigger dogs. The ratio of calories and nutrients they need is quite different form their larger counterparts. 

Wellness’s recipe for small breed dogs delivers just that — a balanced ratio of protein, fat, and carbs to provide your little one with all that he needs for a whole day of adventuring.

DHA-rich salmon oil provides cognitive and vision support, and the various healthy grains provide just the right portion of carbs to feed a puppy’s boundless energy.

This formula is easy to digest and includes naturally occuring microorganisms that assists with overall digestive health. Omega fatty acids keep those puppy coats shiny, while added calcium ensures strong teeth and bones for life. 

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6. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy

Rating:  4/5 

First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley

This chicken and brown rice dry dog food recipe by Blue Buffalo is crafted with utmost consideration for your puppy’s health. This recipe starts with deboned chicken to offer protein – a vital aspect of a growing pup’s diet.

The dry food also includes whole grains and garden vegetables for added benefits. Blue Buffalo incorporates LifeSource Bits into this formula, which is a combination of several enhanced nutrients that support immune system health.

These kibbles are designed for small puppy jaws and are much smaller than regular-sized kibbles to encourage dental comfort while also assisting with tartar removal. DHA and ARA support cognition and vision, and omega fatty acids promote good skin health. 

This is a great pet food for puppies of different sized breeds. It is free of fillers like corn, soy, and wheat. 

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7. VICTOR Active Dog & Puppy Formula

Rating:  4/5 

First 5 Ingredients: Beef Meal, Peas, Sweet Potato, Chicken Fat, Menhaden Fish Meal

If you have noticed your puppy is struggling with digesting other dog food formulas, opting for a grain-free dog food recipe that is formulated for sensitive digestive issues is a good move. VICTOR’s active dog and puppy formula is for all life stages and provides dogs that have digestive trouble with a balanced diet that is easy on their tummies.

It remains nutrient-dense but omits specific types of proteins and grains for pups that deal with common allergens. Quality meat ingredients include beef, pork, and fish meals, offering a flavorful meal that supports the healthy development of puppies as they transition into adulthood.

This grain-free, dry dog food formula is also strengthened with essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids to keep your growing pup thriving. 

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8. Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula

Rating:  4/5

First 5 Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Meal, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Cracked Pearled Barley, Grain Sorghum

Starting your large breed puppy on the right food affects his overall development into adulthood and even through the last years of life as a senior dog. Diamond Naturals dry dog food formula includes superfoods and probiotics to promote optimal growth for your adored pet.

Real lamb is the primary protein source included in this dry dog food recipe and is accompanied by real veggies and real fruits, like papaya, peas, coconut, and garbanzo beans.

These varied ingredients provide a host of essential vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids to support overall health, both inside and outside as reflected in shiny coats.

Antioxidants are a great addition to this recipe, as they support immune health and make it much less likely your puppy will fall victim to canine colds, no matter the time of year. This formula is made to feed large breed pups and is made without any fillers, corn, wheat, or artificial ingredients.

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9. The Honest Kitchen One Pot Stews Slow Cooked Chicken Stew

Rating:  4.25/5

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Bone Broth, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Apples

Slow cooked puppy foods made from human grade ingredients for are ideal, and The Honest Kitchen One Pot Stews takes all the guesswork and well, all other work out of the process.

This grain-free recipe is comprised of only the highest quality ingredients you could easily find at a fresh food market. Real chicken is a high-quality protein that leads this meal. After cooking, it is mixed with fruits and veggies and then kettle-cooked to preserve nutrients and protect all the flavor.

With only one source of protein and a grain-free formulation, this is a great option for picky or sensitive pups. The Honest Kitchen has provided a solid blend of nutritious food for excellent puppy health that leaves no room for artificial additives, by-product meals, or fillers like corn, what, or soy.

This product can also be combined with other dry dog food options to make a varied, textured meal.

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What Should You Look For In Puppy Food?

It is important to check labels and be sure you are choosing a formula made for the puppy stage of life. Or if you can’t, for any reason, select a food specifically for puppies, at least choose one that meets the requirements AAFCO has set for all life stages. 

These are what you should look for:

Choose products that use high-quality protein. Not all animal proteins are made equal. Some are infinitely better than others. By quality protein, we mean fresh and named meats. Meat meals are fine too as long as the brand makes known which animal was the source.

Your pet’s food should not contain by-product meals. These are what’s left over after all the muscle meat and choice cuts have been removed. While some of the best puppy foods contain organs for their dense nutrient content, by-product meals have gone through a lot of processing and therefore contain very little nutrition.

It must be a meat-first formulation. Growing puppies need quality proteins and lots of it. Your dog’s food should list a quality meat product as the first ingredient. It’s even better when the first five ingredients are heavily meat-based.

The only exceptions to the meat-first formulation rule are special diets and canned dog food. Wet food usually starts off with water or broth (chicken broth, beef broth, etc.). 

Stay away from harmful ingredients. While the FDA approves lots of ingredients in pet food, not all of them can be good for your pup’s health. For example, artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors can trigger allergies in your puppy. Carrageenan can degrade and cause digestive problems when ingested. 

Choose a pet food that’s made for your pup’s breed size. A great puppy food is one that’s designed with the size of your puppy in mind. A large breed puppy food, for instance, will contain big-sized kibble or large chunks of meat that a smaller puppy may have trouble chewing.

What Are The Benefits of Puppy Food?

Dog food that is meant for adults does not have the complete and balanced nutrition that puppies need and will therefore fall short in meeting the nutritional requirements of a puppy. 

Feeding the wrong kind of food may increase your puppy’s risk of developing a condition that will continue on to adulthood. For example, certain large breeds are prone to bone and joint disorders. If a puppy is allowed to grow rapidly and unchecked, he might grow too big for his bones to support.

Puppy foods are meant to support your little furry friend during his growing stage to make sure that he gets the proper foundation for the adult stage and that his growth is not too slow nor too fast.

Since puppies are also precocious at this stage, they also need lots of calories to support their highly active nature. Adult dog food does not usually contain as much of the calories small puppers need nor the right ratio of nutrients.

Different Types of Food for Puppies

Dry – Dry puppy food is a great economical option that has the nutrients puppies require to grow into adulthood. 

After several weeks on a wet diet, puppies can be introduced to dry dog food that is specially created for puppies. Oftentimes, dry dog food for puppies will have a smaller kibble size that makes chowing down more comfortable for small puppy jaws. 

Wet – Wet puppy food is a great transition food when your puppy is weaning at eight to ten weeks. There are different types of textures available in canned foods that are much easier to eat than dry kibbles when a puppy is just learning how to consume solid foods.

Not only is wet food a great help when transitioning your puppy to solids, it can also be incorporated into your puppy’s diet as a special treat or a topper to help moisten their dry kibbles, make them more aromatic, and offer some extra flavor and texture.

Freeze-Dried – Freeze-dried food offers variety and delivers raw meat in small, bite size pieces mixed with puppy kibble to deliver a tasty, nutritious treat with every mouthful. Freeze-dried recipes are often high-quality food products that are packed with nutrition, because the freeze-drying process helps to preserve the vitamins and enzymes in the raw food that are frequently diminished during long cooking and preparation processes.

Consider Your Puppy’s Size

Teacup – Teacup puppies are dogs that are very small, falling under the height and weight requirements of a small breed puppy. 

These pups will not grow very much and often weigh only a few pounds. These puppies should be handled with care, ideally with veterinary supervision to encourage the healthiest development with the most high-quality foods.

Small Breeds – Small breed canines are ones that weigh around 22 pounds or less. These puppies don’t require the same amount of care and exercise larger dogs need and can be great for pet owners who live in smaller condos and apartments that have limited outdoor space.

Medium Breeds – Medium breed puppies will grow to be a standard size – neither too small to get lost in the commotion of a family or so big that they require a large backyard to roam. These puppies tend to be charismatic and playful, with easygoing personalities. Medium breed puppers usually weigh from 23 to 55 pounds.

Large Breeds – Large breed dogs (56 pounds and over) take up a lot more space than small or medium-sized breeds and make good lifelong companions. Although they are larger, they tend to have calm personalities and like to engage in relaxation at home.

So long as large breed puppies are provided with adequate daily exercise, they will be rather tame when sprawling out at home to enjoy the day. There are several commercial large breed food products available that provide the extra nutrients these puppies require to grow into their full adult size.

Extra Large Breeds – Extra large breed dogs (over 100 pounds) are the kind that make you feel protected. These pups have a lot of appeal and can be very loving and easy to cuddle into, allowing for affection and interaction with your family that is very notable.

These kinds of dogs require added nutrition to help sustain their large bodies and food that is crafted for extra large breed puppies is a wonderful starting point to get these puppies growing and developing normally.

 

Kibble vs Wet Food

Puppy food is usually divided into two types: wet food and dry food. 

Canned foods are the ideal type of food for weaning. Puppies who are only a few months old will be able to chew and digest their food better when presented with canned dog food rather than dry dog food, because it’s much easier on their teeth and gums. 

Wet food is also more palatable and may entice your little furry bud to try and taste something other than their mom’s milk. As for the downside, wet food is usually costlier and quicker to spoil.  

Dry puppy food, on the other hand, affords you the convenience of having food that’s easily stored and brought along on travels. Dry dog food is also less expensive and can last a long time. However, dry pet food is usually more processed than canned dog food and will contain more preservatives.

Many pup parents find a happy medium by feeding a diet of primarily dry dog food kibbles with a little bit of wet food mixed in to provide a flavorful meal that never skimps on optimized nutrition.

FAQs

What is the best dog food for puppies? The best dog foods for puppies are those that are packed with nutrients and specially formulated for this particular stage in life. Human-grade ingredients,  minimally processed food, and limited ingredient dog foods are excellent choices for growing pups.

What kind of puppy food do vets recommend? Vets recommend high-quality, well-balanced foods that are regulated and that undergo demanding testing. This ensures the foods being provided to puppies are standing up to their claims.

Since dogs are not strict carnivores, they benefit from a well-rounded diet that includes protein from meat sources, fruits and vegetables, and grains if your puppy’s tummy tolerates grains. The best puppy foods will incorporate multiple ingredients to deliver essential vitamins and nutrients and will also settle well in your pup’s stomach.

How long should puppies be on puppy food? Puppies should consume puppy food throughout their puppy stage. Once puppies are weaned from their mother’s milk at about eight to ten weeks, they should be started on a nutrient-dense wet food to help them get accustomed to solids.

The transition should be slow and intentional, and each time, a high-quality puppy food should be provided. Only once a puppy outgrows the puppy stage should an adult food be introduced. 

Final Say

Finding the best puppy food brand for your pet may take some time, but if the puppy food meets the guidelines set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), you are already halfway there.

Unless your puppy has a medical condition that affects which kinds of foods he can eat, the dog food options listed above are great starting points for getting your puppy on the right track toward developing into a healthy adult dog. If your pet does suffer from health issues, guidance from your veterinarian around the choices for best puppy foods will always be advised.

We hope the information provided above has helped to make your puppy dog food shopping a little bit easier! Happy shopping!