Choosing the best brand of puppy food is crucial for ensuring your puppy's health and development. The market is brimming with options, each claiming to provide the best nutrition for your furry friend. It's important to consider factors such as ingredient quality, nutritional balance, and trustworthiness of the brand. Below, we have compiled a list of the top brands that have consistently received high praise from both veterinarians and pet owners alike.
Illustration of puppy food
Best brands of puppy food in 2025
Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo, acquired by General Mills in 2018, has emerged as a leading producer of natural and healthy puppy food, with its pet food segment growing at a compound annual rate of 15% since the acquisition. The brand has significantly expanded its distribution in the U.S., increasing it by four times and more than doubling its household penetration. Blue Buffalo's Life Protection Formula has resumed sales-volume growth in early 2024, with high-single-digit increases after a period of decline. The company is investing $200 million to expand its Indiana operations, adding new production lines and increasing its capacity to serve pets across the U.S. and Canada. With a strong focus on high-quality, natural ingredients, Blue Buffalo remains the #1-selling natural pet food brand.
Royal Canin
Royal Canin is a renowned brand in the pet food industry, particularly noted for its high-quality puppy food. Despite a slight decline in market share of 0.3% over the past five years, Royal Canin remains a trusted name, especially among veterinarians and pet owners who value its scientifically formulated diets. As a part of Mars Incorporated, one of the largest pet food manufacturers globally, the brand boasts a significant presence in the market. Royal Canin's formulas are meticulously crafted to meet the specific nutritional needs of puppies at various stages of growth. Their products are widely accessible across multiple distribution channels, including supermarkets, specialty stores, and online platforms.
Hill's Science Diet
Hill's Science Diet is a leading brand in puppy nutrition, offering science-led formulas that support the critical development stages of puppies. Their products, such as the Puppy Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe, are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of puppies up to 1 year of age, as well as pregnant and nursing dogs, with ingredients like DHA from fish oil for healthy brain and eye development and a breakthrough blend of prebiotic fibers for gut health. Hill's Pet Nutrition, owned by Colgate-Palmolive, saw a 9% increase in profits in Q1 2024, contributing 22% to Colgate's sales growth, and operates in over 80 countries with major facilities in the USA, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. Their products are designed to support five essential building blocks for lifelong health, including high-quality protein, balanced minerals, and antioxidant blends. With a strong research center in Topeka, Kansas, Hill's continues to innovate and expand its production capacity.
Purina Pro Plan
Purina Pro Plan is a leading brand in puppy food, known for its advanced and purposeful nutrition that supports healthy growth and development. Each Pro Plan dry puppy formula contains DHA for brain and vision development, antioxidants for immune system support, and guaranteed live probiotics. As part of Nestle Purina PetCare, the brand contributes significantly to the company's strong market position, with Purina holding a 29% market share in the U.S. pet food market as of 2022. Pro Plan achieved nearly $3 billion in sales in 2022, making it one of the highest-selling brands within the Purina portfolio. The brand's commitment to quality and innovation has earned it a reputation as one of the best producers of puppy food. For more details about their products, visit the Purina Pro Plan puppy food page.
Wellness CORE
Wellness CORE is a renowned brand for puppy food, offering a grain-free, protein-rich diet that aligns with the primal ancestry of dogs. The CORE Puppy food contains at least 36% crude protein, 17% crude fat, and 0.10% of the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are crucial for healthy brain, bone, and muscle development. This formula is enriched with premium protein sources, nutrient-rich superfoods, and nutritional supplements. The brand's commitment to using high-quality, human-grade ingredients ensures that puppies receive the optimal nutrition they need. With a balanced nutrient profile, Wellness CORE is an excellent choice for puppy owners seeking a natural and healthy diet for their pets.
Orijen
ORIJEN is renowned as one of the best producers of puppy food, crafting diets that are biologically appropriate and rich in nutrient-dense animal ingredients. Their puppy food formulas, such as ORIJEN Puppy and ORIJEN Amazing Grains Puppy, feature 85% to 90% quality animal ingredients, including fresh or raw free-run chicken, turkey, and wild-caught fish, which provide essential protein, vitamins, and minerals. These diets are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, including the growth of large size dogs. The calorie distribution is optimized, with approximately 38% to 41% of calories coming from protein, 17% to 21% from carbohydrates, and 45% to 46% from fat. ORIJEN's commitment to using the world's finest ingredients and ethical sourcing practices further enhances the quality of their products. For more details about their puppy food options, visit ORIJEN's official page.
Nutro Ultra
Nutro Ultra is a highly regarded brand for puppy food, known for its high-quality ingredients and nutrient-rich formulas. Each recipe features a trio of proteins from chicken, lamb, and salmon, with real chicken as the number one ingredient. The food contains essential antioxidants, DHA for healthy brain and eye development, and natural sources of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for joint health. Nutro Ultra puppy food has a dry matter protein reading of 31%, a fat level of 21.1%, and estimated carbohydrates of about 39.8%, making it an above-average dry product. You can explore more about their large breed puppy superfood plate.
Merrick Grain-Free
Merrick Grain-Free is a highly regarded brand for puppy food, offering a balanced and natural diet with real deboned chicken as the first ingredient. Their recipes are crafted with 57% protein and healthy fat ingredients, and 43% produce, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, ensuring high-quality nutrition for puppies. The food contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and is rich in omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin to support skin, coat, hip, and joint health. Additionally, it includes DHA for brain development and is made in USA facilities, founded in Hereford, Texas. This grain-free formula is ideal for puppies of all breeds and sizes. For more details on their puppy food offerings, visit their official website.
Natural Balance
Natural Balance is a highly regarded brand in the pet food industry, particularly for its Limited Ingredient Diets, which are designed to meet the nutritional needs of puppies with sensitivity to certain ingredients. The Lamb & Brown Rice Puppy Recipe, for example, features lamb as the first ingredient and provides 24.0% crude protein, 12.5% crude fat, and 4.5% crude fiber, ensuring complete and balanced nutrition for growing puppies. This formula also includes DHA for healthy brain development and taurine for heart health. With a focus on quality and simplicity, Natural Balance has earned a 3.5-star rating across its product line, making it a trusted choice for pet owners. The brand's commitment to wellness and innovation was further enhanced by its merger with Canidae in March 2023, aiming to create more innovative and high-quality pet food products.
Eukanuba
Eukanuba, introduced by Paul F. Iams in 1969, is a renowned brand for supreme dog nutrition, particularly excelling in puppy food with its tailored life stage concept. The brand, now owned by Spectrum Brands since 2014, offers high-quality recipes such as the Puppy Lamb 1st Ingredient dry dog food, which provides complete and balanced nutrition with 27.0% crude protein, 15.0% crude fat, and clinically proven DHA levels for healthy brain development. Eukanuba's commitment to nutritional wellbeing is evident in its continuous development of recipes, including the introduction of prebiotics in 2010 and patented hexagonal kibble in 2018. The brand's focus on sustainability and optimal body condition has made it a trusted choice for pet owners. With decades of experience, Eukanuba ensures lifelong wellbeing for puppies through its premium pet nutrition.
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