We spend a lot of time thinking about feeding ourselves and our families, and it’s easy—find a recipe, order takeout, or sign up for home delivery, and mostly, eat what tastes good! But how do you pick an all-important food for the one family member that can’t tell you what does or doesn’t taste good?

Picking a puppy food is critical—it starts your pup on the road to adulthood and lifelong health. Here are some reviews on the top foods that are recommended by veterinarians, so that you can go about finding the right food for your furry family member!

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The 10 Best Vet-Recommended Puppy Foods

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Food – Best Overall

There’s a lot that goes into getting the perfect food for a puppy, and The Farmer’s Dog completely recognizes that. That’s why they worked with a team of veterinarians to develop all their dog food recipes, and their chicken recipe is no exception.

They take everything about your puppy into consideration and pre-portion the meals so all you need to do is feed it to them at the right time! The Farmer’s Dog only uses the highest-quality fresh ingredients that even the pickiest eaters love, and it’s extremely easy to sign up and use this service.

Even better, The Farmer’s Dog plans grow with your pup, so you don’t have to worry about transitioning them to a different diet in the future. It might cost a little bit more for one of these meal plans, but you’re feeding your puppy the best of the best, and that’s worth every penny.

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2. Iams Proactive Health Smart Puppy – Budget Buy

Iams is a traditional maker of pet foods, so it has a long reputation in the industry for making quality foods. This is one of the best puppy foods for the money, balancing both quality and value. And it’s easy to find—making it a great option for all-around feeding or to use as a mixer with other foods.

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3. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food

Hill’s Science Diet is another reputable company making quality diets for dogs and cats, and this particular food is no exception. Because large breed puppies have different growth rates than other breeds, this food is formulated specifically for those needs, which can be important in preventing issues down the road.

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4. Royal Canin Small Puppy

Royal Canin is a reputable company making quality diets for dogs and cats, and this size-specific diet is no exception. Based on the needs of smaller breeds, the kibble size and shape are tailored to the feeding preferences of small dogs. It is worth trying, to see what your small-breed puppy thinks!

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5. Purina ONE Natural Puppy Food

Purina is a long-established brand of pet food, with veterinary science backing the product. This food is readily available, and a great value for the money. Plus, puppies seem to like it! It’s good for puppies, tasty, and will set your puppy in the right direction to grow well, given the higher protein levels. It is not tailored to a specific breed size, which makes it especially convenient if you are feeding multiple puppies of different sizes!

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6. Royal Canin Puppy – Best Canned Puppy Food

A different choice than dry food, Royal Canin Puppy canned food provides more moisture and a very different texture. Many dogs have a preference for one over the other, but it is a good idea to expose puppies to both types when they are growing up.

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7. Purina Puppy Chow – Best Availability

Purina Puppy Chow can be found in most stores and online with relative ease. Also a favorite of pups, due to its taste and crunch, it’s good for a pinch, or as the main food.

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8. Purina ProPlan Lamb – Best Chicken and Beef Alternative

Common protein sources in Purina ProLamb puppy food include beef and chicken. For pups that might not enjoy the taste or smell of beef or chicken, or who have sensitivities to either of these proteins, this is a good alternative.

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9. Purina ProPlan Puppy Sensitive Skin and Stomach – Best for Sensitivities

Some puppies have issues with softer stools or vomiting that just don’t seem to go away, no matter what you try. Same with skin—some puppies have dry skin, or poor haircoats that just doesn’t seem quite normal. Purina ProPlan puppy food made specifically for these types of issues can sometimes be helpful.

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10. Pedigree Puppy Growth & Protection – Best for Fussy Eaters

Pedigree is a classic dog food brand, and their puppy food is also tasty. For pups that might be on the fussier side, sometimes simple is best, and this often hits the spot.

Buyer’s Guide: What to Consider When Choosing Your Puppy’s Food Brand

While choosing a puppy food can be daunting, breaking the process into steps can be helpful.

First, it is important to consider the company making the puppy food you purchase, in addition to the value, availability, and taste of the food. Pet foods in recent years have made news for containing imbalanced vitamins and minerals, or for being contaminated with bacteria—neither of which is desired when you have a growing puppy. Therefore, stick to the brands that have been around for a long time, and then decide what your puppy would like, based on what is available.

When buying puppy food, once you know what food your pup likes, it is often a better value to buy a bigger bag. There are mixed opinions about whether you should stick only to one food, or change things up now and again, to get your pup used to different types of foods. There are no hard and fast rules, so it’s worth both speaking with your vet about this idea and experimenting to find out what works best for your pup.

Don’t forget that many companies now make foods that are tailored not only to specific-sized puppies but also to different breeds. These foods are based on lots of data and research—as happy puppies that eat them often report—so make them a consideration as well, if you have one of these types of puppies.

Also, know that some of the more reputable companies will often reimburse you for a bag of food if your puppy doesn’t like the flavor, which means you can worry less about buying food for the first time.

Final Verdict

Picking a puppy’s food is not an easy challenge, but hopefully, these reviews make the process slightly easier. Our choice for the best overall food is The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food, which we like for its convenience, great ingredient list, and because pups love the taste! The best value food we found was Iams Proactive, which was harder to find, but a good value, and well-liked by pups. For large-breed puppies, Hill’s Science Diet is a great choice to keep your pups growing healthy.

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Featured Image Credit: Switlana Sonyashna, Shutterstock