What is the best puppy food?
The BIG question is, what is the best puppy food in the UK to give to my new puppy? Should I feed my new puppy, dry puppy food, raw or wet meat? Whatever you decide to do, you should at least keep feeding your puppy the food your breeder was giving them. Over the next 3-4 days, you can then start to introduce your new food to them.
Should I feed them raw meat, wet meat, or dry food (also called Kibble)? This is your choice. But the best dry puppy food is the easiest and most convenient choice. With dry food, you can mix water with it to make a porridge. Young puppies prefer this in the early weeks. Whatever you do, it should always be the best quality puppy food you can afford.
There are many good brands out there which can be a minefield, which one to choose for your puppy. We have made the search easy. We reviewed the best Dry Puppy Food in the UK.
If your dog is having an off day and doesn’t eat all its food within half an hour or so, it will become wasteful and costly. It is also more convenient to store dry food around the home than raw and wet food.
Should I choose a big brand or stick with the brand the breeder was feeding the puppy? Or, are there other smaller brands that offer equally good or better products?
Depending on your dog breed, you may have avoided dog foods labelled ‘for working dogs’. They are not just for working dogs, however, many manufacturers add the phrase to avoid us from having to pay VAT. VAT knocks off 20% of the retail price. Other items are exceptions to VAT too. They include "Assistance dog foods", "Breeder bags", and "Resting Working Dogs". Some manufacturers produce nearly the same product. They sell it without the VAT reduction under different names. They do so because they believe some people will not buy these brands under these titles.
Dry Puppy Food has all the ingredients your puppy needs. Many have high nutritional ratings.
In our 2024 review, Orijen came out top again for the Best Premium dry puppy food, but, its nutritional rating had reduced. This was also true for nearly every brand we rated. The reasoning is more than likely to keep costs down.
There was no change in our top-rated Working Dog Breed, but Harringtons
slipped from the top spot in our Best Value Brand overtaken by Autrky. Below are nine brands that we have reviewed. We recommend them for your puppy. We even fed our puppy one for over 9 months before moving on to adult food.
We cover the review in three sections, Premium, Value and Working Dogs food. Click the highlighted section below to take you to the required area.
You may wish to read our review on Best Wet Puppy Food & Best Dog Food, too.
Best Puppy Dry Food in the UK at a glance.
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9 Dry Dog Foods that will Keep your Puppy Healthy and Happy
Top 3 Best Premium Puppy Food
It's no surprise that Orijen is still the best dry puppy food in the UK since it also ranked highly in our reviews of adult dogs, but it comes with a price tag. Although expensive, it is worth every penny and gives puppies the best start in life. Packed with nutrients and quality ingredients your dog is getting the very best diet.
For peak growth and development, puppies need a diet rich in protein and fat from whole animal ingredients. In comparison to other puppy foods, 2/3 of ORIJEN meats are either FRESH (refrigerated, without preservatives) or RAW (flash-frozen, without preservatives), including the top 10 ingredients as shown below.
Air dried at 90°C, 1/3 of the meats are fresh chicken, turkey and fish to provide your puppy with richly nourishing protein. Fresh meat, organs, cartilage, whole fish and whole eggs provide a natural source of virtually all the nutrients your puppy needs.
This puppy food is delicious even for the fussiest of eaters and excellent food for pups with sensitive tummies.
Key Ingredients - Fresh chicken (23%), raw turkey (10%), fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (8%), raw whole herring (6%), raw whole hake (5%), fresh eggs (5%), dehydrated chicken (4%), dehydrated turkey (4%), dehydrated mackerel (4%), dehydrated sardine (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), chicken fat (4%), whole red lentils, whole peas, whole green lentils, whole chickpeas, lentil fibre, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, raw turkey liver (2%), pollock oil (2%), pea starch, dried kelp, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole zucchini, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh whole pears, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh beet greens, fresh turnip greens, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips.
Type - Grain & Soya free.
Suitable For - All sizes of dogs from weaning to 12 months
AATU for Puppies is meticulously crafted in small batches to ensure each serving is perfected. Their commitment to natural nutrition is reflected in recipes free from artificial colours, preservatives, flavours, and genetically modified ingredients, providing your puppy with a wholesome and nourishing meal.
What sets AATU apart is their unique cooking method, utilising the "low & slow" technique to pre-cook fresh and raw protein. This not only intensifies flavours but also aids in efficient digestion, enhancing the overall nutritional value for your puppy.
Benefits include ethical excellence, as an independently owned British company, they take pride in their ethical practices. Single protein 85/15 diet focused on a single protein source, minimising allergic reactions in puppies.
Preservative-free freshness, including a blend of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and botanicals for vital nutrients.
Grain, white potato, and gluten-free catering for sensitive stomachs. A highly concentrated formula allows for smaller portions without compromising on nutrition.
Added joint support which Includes glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM for healthy joints. On top of that AATU have added probiotics for a balanced gut.
With AATU, you can confidently be reassured that your puppy has a high-quality, natural, and balanced diet. Recognising the importance of a strong start, AATU is dedicated to supporting your puppy's nutrition.
Key Ingredients - 85% Salmon (Includes 44% Salmon, 40% Dehydrated Salmon, 1% Salmon Stock), Sweet Potato, Chickpeas, Peas, Lucerne, Minerals, Vitamins, Prebiotic MOS, Prebiotic FOS, Tapioca, Apple, Cranberry, Pear, Blueberry, Mulberry, Orange, Bilberry, Cowberry, Carrot, Tomato, Chicory, Peppermint, Parsley, Cinnamon, Marigold, Stinging Nettle, Camomile, Rosehip, Yucca, Spirulina, Seaweed, Aniseed, Fenugreek, Oregano, Sage, Marjoram, Thyme
Type - Grain, white potato, and gluten-free catering for sensitive stomachs.
Suitable For - All puppy breeds.
Acana may be a brand that you may never have heard of, but they are an award-winning pet food manufacturer with a worldwide reputation of trust spanning more than a quarter-century and is part of the ‘Champion Pet Food’ group. This is ranked one of the best brands of food for your puppy, but this does come at a price. If costs are not an issue, then this is the one that is highly recommended.
Acana Puppy comes in 4 different sizes, 340g, 2kg, 6kg & 11.4kg, and has a Nutritional rating of 74%. ACANA Puppy & Junior is brimming with 70% quality animal ingredients with fresh Canadian chicken and raw flounder balanced with 30% fruit, vegetables & botanicals, delivered fresh or raw by people they know and trust. In Whole Prey ratios of meat, organs, cartilage, and bone, ACANA delivers nutrients naturally, in their most nourishing form, for peak health and development.
Dogs are born carnivores, bred for a diet that is rich and varied in fresh, whole animal ingredients. Your growing puppy needs protein and fat from animal protein, to support its rapid development.
Key Ingredients - Fresh chicken (18%), chicken meal (18%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (7%), chicken fat (7%), turkey meal (4%), eggs (4%), raw flounder (4%), herring meal (4%), fish oil (3%)
Type - Wheat free.
Suitable For - All puppy breeds
Top 3 Best Value Puppy Food
(Best Value Brand)
Autarky Puppy & Junior is a British manufacturer and prides itself on quality puppy food with a Nutritional rating of 58%. It is ideal for all puppies aged 3 to 12 months old and has a minimum meat content of 35%.
This appetising recipe has been formulated with the correct balance of minerals, energy, protein and trace nutrients to support your puppy's growth and development. The small bite-sized pieces are ideal for small developing mouths and can be fed dry or moistened. To help assist your puppy's intellectual progression Autarky is enriched with vitamin E, selenium, omega 3 fatty acids and taurine to help nutritionally support neural development.
The correct nutrition post-weaning will help to set your puppy up for life, allowing them to go on and lead the most fulfilling life possible.
It comes in two bag sizes, 2 & 12kg for convince and we rate this in the mid-price range bracket and the brand we now feed our adult dogs.
Key Ingredients - Poultry Meal (Including Chicken Meal), Maize, Chicken Fat, Rice (min 5%), Chicken Liver, Linseed, Alfalfa, Maize Gluten, Yeast, Peas, Carrot, Seaweed, Tomato, Milk Thistle, Yucca Schidigera, Marigold, Nettle, Mint, Rosemary, Blackcurrant, Pomegranate, Rosehip, Spinach, Beetroot, Fenugreek, Thyme, Carob Pod Meal, Aniseed, Turmeric, Dandelion, Ginger, Oregano
Type - Wheat gluten and soya free recipe.
Suitable For - All puppy breeds and sizes from small to very large.
Harringtons, this brand has grown over the years and has become a very well-respected brand. A family run business and was established in 1923 and based in North Yorkshire. Still one of the best in its price range.
Harringtons Puppy Rich in Turkey & Rice changed its recipe like many brands in 2023 and lost its top spot for best value. The new recipe is complete pet food that can be fed to puppies from 3 weeks onward up to 12 months old and comes in two pack sizes, 1.7 & 10 kg’s.
The new recipe has been carefully formulated to provide wholesome nutrition to meet the requirements of growing puppies and contains no artificial colours or flavours, no dairy, no soya and no added wheat.
It has a well-balanced ratio of Omega 6 and 3 fats for a glossy coat and ‘Yucca’ to help reduce unpleasant odours from flatulence.
Harrington’s provides the conventional benefits associated with premium pet foods and has a Nutritional rating of 51%.
Key Ingredients - Meat Meals 30% (Including 6.5% Dried Turkey), Maize, Rice (14%), Oats, Poultry Fat, Peas, Beet Pulp, Freshly Prepared Chicken (4%), Salmon Oil (1%), Minerals, Poultry Gravy (0.5%), Seaweed (0.1%), FOS (0.1%), Yucca Extract (0.01%).
Type - No dairy, soya or added wheat.
Suitable For - All puppy breeds.
The Pooch & Mutt company is a small ethical award-winning Great British company, that offers great food at an affordable price.
Pooch and Mutt Puppy is a Complete Chicken and super food and is the ideal choice to start your puppy journey on the right track. This complete chicken and superfood formula is carefully crafted to provide the best nutrition for your puppy. Packed with lean protein and free from grains, it uses real ingredients that are gentle on their sensitive tummies. Additional superfoods like salmon oil, kale, spinach, and berries deliver a powerful punch of vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants.
You can be confident that you're giving your puppy all the nutrition they need to thrive and has a rating of 69%. With options for small dogs, puppies, adults, and seniors. Pooch and Mutt puppy range caters to every stage of their life. That means you can feed them a premium diet from the very beginning till their golden years.
The taste is simply irresistible! Even the pickiest eaters quickly will love this food. The formula contains no wheat, corn, rice, beef, soya, and dairy products. No artificial flavours, colours, or preservatives are added. It's free from grain, cereal, and gluten, and also uses non-GM ingredients.
Pooch and Mutt Dry Dog Food
Key Ingredients - Dried Chicken (min. 26%), Sweet Potato 19%, Potato, Pea Starch, Chicken Fat 11%, Chicken Gravy 5%, Peas, Salmon Oil 2%, Yeast Extract 1%, Chamomile 0.2%, Cranberry 0.155%, Seaweed, Fructo-Oligosaccharides 0.15%, Mannan-Oligosaccharides 0.15%, Glucosamine 0.15%, Blackcurrant 0.01%, Kale 0.005%, Spinach 0.005%, Rosemary 0.005%, Rosehip 0.005%, Pomegranate 0.005%, Yucca Schidigera 0.005%, Olive Extract 0.005%
Type - Free from artificial colours, flavours & preservatives
Suitable For - Weaning to 18 months old.
Top 3 Best Working Dogs Puppy Food
(Best for Working Dogs)
In our list of top puppy foods for working dogs again for 2024 is Skinner's Field & Trial Puppy. Unchanged recipe, this is a complete dog food, specially developed and formulated to support the early growth and development of puppies, especially working dogs. Kibble has the right level of key nutrients in a highly digestible form, and its size and shape suit puppies of different ages, shapes, and sizes.
Many generations of puppies have been raised on Skinner's Field & Trial Puppy, and it remains a favourite among breeders.
A quality brand that is still made in Britain comes in two convenient sizes has a Nutritional rating of 65% and is VAT free in the UK.
Key Ingredients - Poultry Meat Meal 30% (of which min. 90% Chicken Meal), Maize, Brown Rice, Poultry Fat, Naked Oats, Prairie Meal, Beet Pulp, Sunflower Meal, Whole Linseed, Dried Egg, Vitamins & Minerals
Type - Wheat Gluten Free
Suitable For - Working puppy breeds.
Chudley's Puppy/Junior is formulated to enhance a puppy's development throughout the growing phase, allowing them to fulfil its full potential.
The product is ideal for working dogs during their entire growing phase to support steady, balanced growth and correct bone development. The tasty chicken and duck recipe is wheat gluten-free and soy free and contains prebiotics and a joint package.
Chudleys Puppy/Junior has QLC, a unique natural blend that enhances your puppy's antioxidant status, which is also shown to affect learning.
This has a Nutritional rating of 64%
Key Ingredients - Poultry Meal (min 14% Chicken, 14% Duck), Whole Grain Maize, Prairie Meal, Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Fat, Whole Grain Oats, Hydrolysed Chicken Proteins, Peas, Unmolassed Beet Pulp, Full Fat Linseed, Egg Powder, Salmon Oil, Yeast, Minerals, Seaweed
Type - Wheat Gluten Free
Suitable For - Working puppy breeds.
Alpha has a puppy brand under the ‘Sporting Puppy’ which is VAT free in the UK. They have two pack sizes, 3 & 15kg and are suitable for dogs weaning to 9 months old when they will then go onto Alpha Puppy Junior. This is the food we fed our Spaniel up to 11 months old, and she loved it. It has the same Nutritional rating as Harrington's, but as it is branded as a 'Sporting Puppy' range it has the benefit of the VAT reduction in the UK.
The ‘Alpha’ brand is manufactured by Grove Pet Foods which is based in Lincolnshire, UK.
Alpha Sporting Puppy is a complete hypoallergenic ‘wheat gluten-free’ food, nutritionally formulated to provide puppies of sporting, working and racing breeds with the essential ingredients for the best possible start in life. It has a Nutritional rating of 44%.
Using only the highest quality ingredients that have been carefully cooked and fortified with a range of minerals and vitamins to ensure that your puppy receives all the protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and oils, essential for steady growth during its first and most crucial stages of development. Despite how well your sporting puppy is bred, it cannot fulfil its natural potential if its diet does not provide their bodies with the essential nutrients they require for optimal growth and development.
It is Hypo-Allergenic & Wheat gluten-free, with No Added Artificial Colours or Flavours. Fish Meal & Linseed for Essential Omega 3 Oils – Aids Healthy Skin & Coat Condition and the highest quality chicken which is a good source of protein. Each meal is balanced and nutritionally complete.
Key Ingredients - Poultry Meat Meal (26% chicken), Rice (26%), Maize, Poultry Oil, Prairie Meal, Sugar Beet, Fish Meal (2.5%), Linseed (2.5%), Brewers Yeast, Fructo-Oligosaccharide (0.2%), Ext of Yucca Schidigera.
Type - Hypo-Allergenic - Wheat Gluten Free
Suitable For - Working puppy breeds.
30L Dry Food Container
Now you have found your choice of food, why not store it in a container and keep it dry. This 30L plastic storage container will hold up to 15kg of dry kibble and has a scoop to help you dispense your food.
5 FAQ on Puppy Food
1. What's the difference between puppy food and adult dog food?
Puppy food is specially formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of growing puppies. It typically contains higher levels of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals to support their growth and development, while adult dog food is formulated for maintenance.
2. How do I choose the best puppy food for my dog's breed and size?
Selecting the best puppy food depends on your dog's breed, size, and age. Consult with your veterinarian or breeder for specific recommendations. They can consider your puppy's unique requirements and suggest an appropriate formula or brand.
3. Is wet or dry puppy food better?
Both wet and dry puppy food can be nutritionally balanced and suitable for your puppy. The choice between them often comes down to your pup's preferences and specific needs. Some owners choose a combination of both for variety. Ensure that the food you select meets AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards for complete and balanced nutrition.
4. How often should I feed my puppy, and what's the right portion size?
Puppies usually require more frequent feeding than adult dogs. It would be best if you generally fed your puppy three to four times a day, gradually reducing the frequency as they age. Portion sizes should be determined based on your puppy's age, size, and activity level. Follow the feeding guidelines on the food packaging or consult your vet for tailored recommendations.
5. What ingredients should I look for in the best puppy food, and are there any to avoid?
Look for puppy food with high-quality sources of protein, like chicken, beef, or fish, listed as the first ingredient. Avoid artificial additives, excessive fillers, and by-products. Beneficial ingredients include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. If your puppy has allergies or sensitivities, you may need a limited-ingredient or hypoallergenic formula to avoid common allergens.
Remember that it's essential to monitor your puppy's growth and health and adjust their diet if necessary. Regular consultations with a veterinarian can help ensure your puppy is receiving the best food for their specific needs.
Updated 27.03.2024
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