With so many choices of dog food, and so many different recipes there are definitely many options to choose from. Does your dog have a favorite dog food, have you ever switched your dogs food brand to give them a different alternative?
The world of feeding is a very controversial one as many parents adopt their own methods of feeding some offering a strict: DIY Human grade food diet, Raw Feeding Diets, Dry Kibble Only, or even a Mixed Kibble and Wet Food Diet.
As many of these diets hold merits in there own right, and every parent will find out in time the easiest and most appreciated method their dog prefers for feeding. There is also another factor and this is which diet is the most suitable for a young pup, in comparison to a senior dog.
The topic of this article however will not cover which of these feeding styles is better for your dog, but we took the time to compile a list of the Top 10 brands of dry kibble for young puppies.
Number 10
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Puppy Dry Dog Food
The first brand on our list is Nutro Wholesome Essentials Dry Puppy Food. Nutro takes the number 10 spot on this list due to its reasonable price point, as well as overall standard of product quality, and ingredients. The ingredient combination consists of protein consists of whole farm raised chicken, chicken meal, and lamb meal. Nutro also includes a decent portion of fruits and vegetables such as (Split Peas, Dried Apples, Dried Blueberries, and Dried Carrots).
Ideally, Nutro is a great choice for your puppy if this brand is one you would like to consider its only downside are some additional cheap alternatives and fillers added into the product. For example, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, and Brewer’s Rice are cheap fillers that are used as an alternative to whole grain rice, however this also includes whole grain rice as well. Nutro is not a Grain Free alternative for your puppy, but if this is not necessary then Nutro could be a good option for your dogs dry kibble feeding.
Number 9
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Dog Food
Blue Buffalo in addition contains a multitude of natural vitamins and minerals, and includes the blueberries, and peas like Nutro, but also provides Dried Tomato Pomace, Potato, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, and Dried Kelp.
Similarly to Nutro however, Blue Buffalo is also not a “Grain-Free” Dry food which is another consideration for our list.
Number 8
Number 8 on our list is Lotus Pet Foods. Due to its higher price point, and its healthy ingredient composition, and inclusion of grains we believe Lotus Pet Food belongs next on our list. What is very noteworthy is that like Blue Buffalo, and Nutro which include chicken, and chicken meal for protein Lotus Pet Food in addition to this also includes Chicken Liver. Chicken Liver is very beneficial for puppy and young dog, and underweight dog health because of its high fat content and Vitamin A content.
Vitamin A plays an important role in supporting eye health, and all dogs need high quantities of protein to remain healthy. Wild dogs and wolves consume small quantities of organ meat such as liver on a regular basis because they usually eat all or most of their prey which makes Lotus Pet Foods inclusion of Chicken Liver very special. They also include Pumpkin, Carrots, Apples, Blueberries,Spinach, Garlic, and Potatoes.
Number 7
Nature’s Variety Prairie Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food
The next brand of dry puppy food on our list comes from Nature’s Variety Prairie. Similarly to others mentioned before Prairie provides more source of protein from various sources such as: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Freeze Dried Chicken, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver, Freeze Dried Chicken Heart. In addition to these ingredients adding extra protein they provide other benefits as well. Similarly to the Chicken Liver: Chicken Heart is comprised of Vitamin A as well but is much leaner and also provides added health benefits to your pups heart health due to the extra Iron, and B Vitamins, and Taurine.
Fruits and Veggies that are included into the mix of food includes: (Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, and Pumpkin seeds. Montmorillonite Clay is added as a detoxifying agent and since this brand also uses Brown Rice it is not Grain Free. Although it is not Grain free this would still be an excellent choice for your pup as it does not include any cheap filler replacements.
Number 6
Wellness Complete Health Natural Grain Free Dry Puppy Food
Wellness is the next brand on our list, which comprises of the common protein, vitamins, fruits and veggies as the other previous brands although the major difference is that Wellness is the first on our list which is 100% Grain Free. For protein content wellness contains: (Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, and Salmon Meal).
Instead of containing Brown Rice, or any fillers this brand uses: Chickpeas, Lentils, Potatoes, Ground Flaxseed, Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, and Peas. Although chicken hearts are not used in the food, they do add Taurine for heart health as well.
Number 5
Taste of the Wild Grain Free Real Meat Recipe High Prairie Puppy Premium Dry Dog Food
The next brand of dog food on our list is Taste of the Wild. This brand offers a grain free dry food for pups that includes mainly Buffalo, roasted bison, venison, beef, and lamb meal. Other protein sources are found with some egg, and pea protein within the food. Sweet Potatoes, tomatoes, blueberries, and raspberries.
Although an excellent choice for your pup, we have determined that their are even better choices with a multitude of additional offal added into the product.
Number 4
Solid Gold – Natural Dog Puppy Food
The fourth spot on our list was given to one brand that also stands with the rest in providing an amazing all natural grain free healthy alternative dog food for your dog. Solid Gold natural dry puppy food contains proteins from: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, and Dried Eggs. Solid Gold also provides a foundation for you dogs health with veggies, and fruits such as: Potatoes, Chickpeas, Apples, Carrots, Pumpkin, Parsley, Cranberries, Blueberries, Lettuce, Celery, Beets, Watercress, Spinach, Dried Chicory Root, and even Broccoli.
Although any other dog food have multiple sources of meats for protein this brand has a wide variety of extra fruits, and veggies, without the usage of cheap fillers which makes it an excellent choice for your pup.
Number 3
Go! Fit + Free Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey & Trout Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food
Number 3 on our list is Centurean’s Go! Fit Grain Free Puppy Food. For protein content the makers of this food use: (Chicken meal, turkey meal, salmon meal, de-boned chicken, de-boned turkey, de-boned trout, whole dried egg, duck meal, de-boned duck, de-boned salmon and herring meal). Go! Fit Grain Free Puppy Food contains Taurine for the heart as well, as multiple fruits and veggies which were not seen in previous brands. For instance, juniper berries, licorice, bananas, blackberries, squash, papayas, broccoli, spinach, pomegranate.
Due to the large amount of multiple de-boned protein sources, and value added benefits to this brand we have placed it as Number 3 on our list.
Number 2
For instance Orijen provides protein for you dog with a many meats such as: Deboned chicken, chicken necks, chicken kidney, deboned turkey, atlantic flounder, whole eggs, whole atlantic mackerel, chicken liver, turkey liver, chicken heart, turkey heart, whole atlantic herring, dehydrated chicken, dehydrated turkey, dehydrated mackerel, dehydrated chicken liver, dehydrated egg, freeze-dried chicken liver, ground chicken bone, chicken cartilage. What is very unique about this brand is that not only do they provide multiple sources for the protein but many of them are offals such as hearts, livers, and even many sources of protein from whole fish.
Aside from meats and offals the food contains fruits and veggies like: whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, whole green peas, whole green lentils, whole navy beans, whole chickpeas, , whole pumpkin, whole butternut squash, dried kelp, kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, whole carrots, whole apples, whole pears, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and juniper berries.
Number 1
ACANA Heritage Puppy & Junior Dry Dog Food
The number one healthy dry food choice for your growing pup in our search for the best came out to be Acana Heritage Puppy & Junior Formula. Acana’s protein sources include: Deboned beef, deboned pork, pork meal, beef meal, deboned lamb, beef tripe, beef liver, beef kidney, pork liver, pork kidney, beef cartilage, freeze-dried beef liver, freeze-dried pork liver, freeze-dried lamb liver. Arcana had by far the largest amount of varying protein sources as well as a wonderful addition of offals such as the livers, tripe and cartilages which provide vitiman A, glucosamine, and chondroitin, and Calcium among other benefits.
Arcana does not use any cheap fillers in their food ,are 100% Grain Free, and also contain many fruits and veggies such as: whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, whole green peas whole green lentils, whole chickpeas, whole yellow peas, whole pumpkin, whole butternut squash, collard greens, turnip greens, whole carrots, whole apples, whole pears and even dried kelp.
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