Above all, puppies want one thing: to grow up quickly! But too fast growth is unhealthy and can lead to lifelong health problems. This article will inform you about the best puppy food for dogs and how to avoid feeding errors. Provide your puppy with all nutrients!

How to find a suitable puppy food

Dog food that is specially adapted to the needs of puppies and young dogs is also called puppy food or junior food. If the packaging doesn’t say anything about it being intended for growing dogs, you shouldn’t buy it.

Make sure that it is a complete food or supplementary food. The complete food is declared as such and contains everything your puppy needs for healthy development. So you don’t need to add any more supplements to complete food, and you shouldn’t do so to avoid upsetting a nutrient balance. If you add minerals (calcium, phosphorus) to complete puppy food, you can seriously damage your dog’s bone development.

Dog food suitable for the growth phase is characterized above all by a high energy content, mineral content adapted to the needs of the puppies and high-quality, easily digestible proteins. An oversupply of protein was long considered harmful and was suspected of causing skeletal diseases such as panosteitis or OCD (Osteochondrosis dissecans = cartilage damage). Scientific studies have refuted this theory in the meantime, even if the fear of high protein contents in puppy food is persistent in some dog places.

It makes sense to buy a puppy food adapted to the size of the dog breed, as small dog breeds grow differently from large ones. For example, a dachshund weighs about 25 times as much at the end of the first year of life as on the day of its birth, while a Great Dane increases its weight a 100 times during the same period and will grow another year until it reaches its final size.

Best dry food for puppies

The simplest type of puppy food is dry food. Pay attention to the contents. The advantages of dry food are obvious:

It is easy to order

The portioning and feeding is simple and less complex than cooking yourself

It is the cheapest puppy food

It does not smell or it smells less than BARF or wet food

Can be stored for a long time

A wide range of brands and flavors (from chicken to deer)

Best Dry Puppy Food For Large Breed Puppies

Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Chicken Meal Large Breed Puppy Food 10 CAGE FREE RUN CHICKEN & MEAT 10.0/10

















NO GRAIN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY 10.0/10

















HEALTHY BONES & TEETH 10.0/10

















HEALTHY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 10.0/10

















HEALTHY SKIN & GLOSSY COAT 10.0/10

















Pros BEAUTIFUL & SOFT COAT

BENEFITS OF RAW IN THE KIBBLE

HIGH QUALITY FOOD

GOOD FOR PICKY EATERS

FOR BEST NUTRITION & ENERGY Cons MAY CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

VERY EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

VERUS Large Breed Puppy Dry Food 10 QUALITY CHICKEN PROTEIN 10.0/10

















COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES 10.0/10

















INNOVATIVE PROBIOTICS 10.0/10

















NO CORN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY, NO SUGAR 10.0/10

















CONTAINS PREBIOTICS 10.0/10

















Pros ENHANCED DIGESTION

CONTAINS OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT

GOOD FOR JOINT HEALTH

MADE IN USA Cons MAY CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food, Chicken & Rice 10 High-Quality Ingredients 10.0/10

















Specialized Nutrition 10.0/10

















Healthy Brain 10.0/10

















Strong Bones 10.0/10

















Healthy Digestion 10.0/10

















Pros HEALTHY WEIGHT GAIN

EASY DIGESTABLE

HEALTHY; SHINY COAT

GOOD FOR GETTING BIG & STRONG

BALANCED FOOD Cons MAY CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

Best Dry Puppy Food For Small Breed Puppies

IAMS® PROACTIVE HEALTH™ SMART PUPPY SMALL & TOY BREED 10 Healthy Brain 10.0/10

















Strong Immune System 10.0/10

















Healthy Digestion 10.0/10

















Strong Bones 10.0/10

















Strong Muscles 10.0/10

















Pros GOOD FOR PICKY DOGS

GREAT MUSCLE TONE

GOOD FOR SMOOTH AND SHINY COAT

LITTLE BITS ARE EASY TO CHEW

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE Cons SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

SOME DOGS GET DIARRHEA

SOME DOGS DEVELOP ALLERGIES Check out Prize on amazon

Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food 10 Healthy Digestion 10.0/10

















Healthy Brain 10.0/10

















Strong Immune System 10.0/10

















Strong Bones 10.0/10

















Pros GOOD FOR PICKY EATERS

LOVELEY HEALTHY COAT

HEALTHY BODY

MORE ENERGY

110% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE Cons FOR SOME DOGS TOO BIG TO CHEW

MAY CAUSE DIGESTION ISSUES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

Annamaet Small Breed All Life Stages 10 Healthy Brain 10.0/10

















Good For Mental Health 10.0/10

















Helps Reduce Weight 10.0/10

















Strong Bones 10.0/10

















Healthy Digestion 10.0/10

















Pros CORN, WHEAT, AND SOY FREE

WITH MARINE MICROALGAE

CONTAINS DHA

WITH L-CARNITINE

PREBIOTICS ADDED Cons EXPENSIVE

KIBBLE SIZE MAYBE TOO BIG FOR SMALL PUPPIES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE Check out Prize on amazon

Wet food for puppies

Wet food (also called wet food or colloquial canned food) is another way to feed your dogs. Wet food is much more expensive than dry food. It is also important that you take a close look at the ingredients of the wet food. Only because wet food comes from the can it is not worse at all and many varieties fulfill the requirements just like other types of food.

Best Wet Puppy Food

Merrick Lil' Plates Grain Free Small Breed Wet Dog Food 10 REAL MEAT, POULTRY OR FISH 10.0/10

















GRAIN FREE 10.0/10

















SINGLE SERVE TRAYS 10.0/10

















FINEST INGREDIENTS 10.0/10

















FOR SMALL BREEDS 10.0/10

















Pros PUPPIES LOVE IT

LOOKS GOOD

SMELLS GOOD

CONTAINS FARM FRESH FRUITS & VEGETABLES

MADE IN USA Cons SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

MAY CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

CONTAINS NATURAL FLAVORS

EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

Nutro Puppy Wet Dog Food 10 HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT 10.0/10

















OPTIMAL GROWTH 10.0/10

















SOFT & SHINY COAT 10.0/10

















NO SOY, NO CHICKEN 10.0/10

















NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES & FLAVORS 10.0/10

















Pros SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR PUPPIES

FOR DOGS WITH PICKY TASTES

DOGS LOVE THE TASTE

"STEW" CONSISTENCY

MADE IN USA Cons CAN CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

Cesar Puppy Wet Dog Food 10 BALANCED NUTRITION 10.0/10

















EASY, PEEL-AWAY FRESHNESS SEALS 10.0/10

















FORTIFIED WITH VITAMINS & MINERALS 10.0/10

















FINEST INGREDIENTS 10.0/10

















JUST FOR PUPPIES 10.0/10

















Pros PUPIES LOVE THE TASTE

FOR PICKY EATERS

EASY STORABLE

NICE & FRESH

MADE IN USA Cons SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

CONTAINS SODIUM NITRITE Check out Prize on amazon

Barfing

The most elaborate form of feeding is barfing (biologically species-appropriate feeding). In essence, it is about serving your loved ones raw meat. In the puppy phase, however, you must make sure that all nutrients are contained in the dog food and therefore you should only barf if you have prepared a feed plan with a nutrition expert. This plan includes meat, vegetables, supplements, and a few other ingredients to ensure that the food contains all the ingredients your puppy need. It has also proven successful to work with additional oils such as salmon oil or linseed oil – provided your furry child is compatible with these oils.

In order for your puppy to be able to eat the meat at all, you have to cut it into small pieces or puree it into a porridge.

Grain Free Puppy Food

It seems as if food incompatibilities are becoming more and more a problem with our four-legged friends. Often these incompatibilities result in grain or a special kind of meat. Especially grain-free dog food is becoming more and more popular and the demand is constantly increasing.

Are you looking for a food for your dog that is grain-free? These varieties are grain-free and therefore also suitable for dogs with incompatibility

Best Grain Free Puppy Food

WHOLEHEARTED GRAIN FREE FOOD FOR DOGS - BEEF & PEA RECIPE 10 Healthy Digestion 10.0/10

















Healthy Skin and Coat 10.0/10

















Strong Immune System 10.0/10

















Strong Teeth & Bones 10.0/10

















Healthy Brain 10.0/10

















Pros NO CORN, WHEAT, OR GRAINS

CONTAINS REAL BEEF

FEATURES DHA

SPECIAL-SMALL-SIZED KIBBLE

ANTIOXIDANT FORMULA Cons MAY BE TOO HARD FOR OLDER DOGS

MAY CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE Check out Prize on amazon

Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Chicken Meal Large Breed Puppy Food 10 CAGE FREE RUN CHICKEN & MEAT 10.0/10

















NO GRAIN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY 10.0/10

















HEALTHY BONES & TEETH 10.0/10

















HEALTHY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 10.0/10

















HEALTHY SKIN & GLOSSY COAT 10.0/10

















Pros BEAUTIFUL & SOFT COAT

BENEFITS OF RAW IN THE KIBBLE

HIGH QUALITY FOOD

GOOD FOR PICKY EATERS

FOR BEST NUTRITION & ENERGY Cons MAY CAUSE DIGESTIVE ISSUES

SOME DOGS DON´T LIKE

VERY EXPENSIVE Check out Prize on amazon

How long should puppy food be given?

Since the breeds grow differently in size and speed, there are only rough guidelines. With large dog breeds, you have to adjust the food relatively early, so that too much protein is not supplied.

As a rough guideline, you can consider twelve months or one year. After that, you slowly change to adult dog food. In order not to overload your dog’s organism, the change should take place again in stages.

So you can add for example in the first week a third of the new food. In the second week of the change, you serve half/half and from the third week only the new dog food.

How often should I feed my puppy?

Puppies are fed more often throughout the day than adult dogs. The stomach is still very small so that there is only a little space. In the first few months feed your puppy three to five times a day.

If you have decided to feed dry food, please also make sure that there is enough water in the bowl or add some water directly to the food. Alternatively, you can also provide other drinking facilities throughout the house.

If the animal gets older, you reduce the feedings to two to three times a day. This way you can make sure that the stomach is always full but never overloaded.

How much does a puppy eat?

There is a big difference if we are talking about a dachshund or a shepherd dog! Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this question. Basically, puppies have a very high energy and food requirement. They should, therefore, be well nourished without becoming fat. The right amount of dog food therefore also depends on how much your dog exercises, how high his final weight will be, how fast he grows and how he processes the food.

Conclusion

Pay attention to the ingredients and the composition of the puppy food in the first place. When feeding puppies, the size, the urge to move and the characteristics of the different breeds play an important role. So whether your dogs get chicken or beef depends entirely on your personal situation. Puppy food that we recommend with a clear conscience can be found here, but we also advise you to consult a veterinarian, a specialist shop or the breeder for detailed advice. Puppy food has a big impact on the healthy growth of your fur-child. The price is not a decision criterion, as puppy food can also be cheap – without a lack of quality.

Puppies need a special diet

Dry food is the cheapest and easiest to feed

Pay attention to the contents, especially the calcium and protein content

Feed your puppy three to five times a day

Leave me a comment below if you enjoyed this article about best puppy food for dogs or have any questions!