Puppies, like youngsters of any species, can’t just eat any old thing that their adult versions can. Their formula needs to include ingredients to promote healthy growth and to exclude ingredients their body isn’t ready for.
The best puppy formula dog food is the Nulo Freestyle Dry Puppy Food. This dry puppy formula dog food is packed with meats, probiotics, calcium and plenty more to promote healthy growth in all areas of their body while excluding grains and even gluten.
The general idea behind puppy formula dog food over standard formula dog food is that it contains more of everything. It contains a higher amount of calories per serving as puppies burn through more energy and don’t have the stomach size to eat large meals. It also has higher amounts of protein, fat and calcium to aid in healthy growth. Some puppy formula dog foods also contain extra Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Puppy formula dog foods come in wet and dry varieties, just like adult formula dog food.
Dry: Dry puppy formula dog food has a few key benefits over wet puppy formula dog food. It’s much more cost-effective, and it lasts much longer once opened. It can also aid in your puppy’s oral health. Some puppies can be picky with their dry puppy formula dog food though, and it can also cause dehydration if your puppy isn’t drinking enough.
Wet: Wet puppy formula dog food is usually a favorite of even the pickiest eaters thanks to the tendency of wet puppy formula dog foods to contain much higher levels of chunky, gravy-soaked meat. It’s more expensive though, and spoils if the entire can isn’t used fast enough.
Many puppy formula dog foods use cheap, low-quality ingredients that can be a detractor to your puppy’s growth if not directly unhealthy. You’ll want a puppy formula dog food that contains real meat products instead of byproducts, and you’ll want to avoid anything artificial including flavors, colors and preservatives. You can also look for a statement of nutritional adequacy from the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
Dogs have taste buds too, you know. Keep this in mind when buying any new puppy formula dog food, and only buy a small amount initially. If your puppy likes it, you can buy more, and if they don’t, then you won’t waste money on food they won’t eat.
When looking at the cost of puppy formula dog food, you need to consider the price per pound for dry foods and price per can for wet foods. Most dry or wet puppy formula dog food costs no more than a few dollars per pound/can, though expensive brands can reach nearly $10 per pound for dry and nearly $5 per can of wet.
A. That depends on the breed of dog you have. It’s recommended to feed your dog puppy formula dog food until they’ve reached roughly 80% of their full size. This takes roughly one year but varies by breed.
A. You’ll need to feed your puppy three times a day. Once they’re roughly 6 months old, you can start transitioning to larger meals twice a day.
What you need to know: This ultra-healthy puppy formula dog food is packed with meat and avoids common filler ingredients.
What you’ll love: The four top ingredients used in this puppy formula dog food are deboned turkey and turkey meal plus salmon meal and chickpeas. This puppy formula dog food also packs in probiotics to assist in healthy stools and calcium for better bone growth and development.
What you should consider: It’s priced from $3.50 to nearly $8 per pound depending on the size of the bag, making it one of the most expensive puppy formula dog foods.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe
What you need to know: This puppy formula dog food’s ingredients make it a healthy pick, especially for bigger breeds.
What you’ll love: The main ingredients of this puppy formula dog food are deboned chicken and chicken meal as well as sweet and standard potatoes. Full, freeze-dried chunks of chicken are plentiful in this puppy formula dog food. Plenty of Omega fatty acids promote healthy skin and coat.
What you should consider: Some consumers reported a damaged bag on arrival and that some bags did not contain any of the freeze-dried chunks of chicken.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Chewy and PetSmart
Blue Buffalo Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner — Puppy
What you need to know: An excellent wet food puppy formula dog food option for the pickiest of eaters.
What you’ll love: The main ingredients of this wet puppy formula dog food are beef, beef broth, beef liver and turkey, and you get 12 cans for the price. This wet puppy formula dog food can also be used as a treat or a dry food topper.
What you should consider: Many users noted this wet puppy formula dog food has an intense liver odor, which they found to be unpleasant.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
