Best 5-Star Dry Puppy Foods

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The following is a list of 5-star dog food brands… each containing not less than one dry puppy food.
Basset Hound Puppy Waits for Food
To qualify, every puppy food must meet AAFCO nutritional profiles for either all life stages or growth.

Or it must be recommended for puppies by the manufacturer.

If you know of a puppy food you believe we should have included on this list, please feel free to share your own suggestions in the Comments section below.

Or if you’re looking for some suggestions yourself, why not check out that same Comments area to find more candidates.

Links to More Good Puppy Foods

For yet more ideas, you may wish to visit one of our other puppy food lists or articles…

How to Find the Best 5-Star
Dry Puppy Foods

The following is a list of 5-star dry dog food brands that are known to contain at least one puppy food. Within each brand, search for products that include the word “puppy” in their names.

In addition, many other products are designed for all life stages… a category that includes puppies, too.

Best 5-Star Dry Puppy Foods

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  • SandyDuarte

    If the Canidae Single Grain is not the best fit for her, and it would be better to try grain-free, what would I be looking for health-wise as signs that she would need a change? Any of the above list you prefer? I’ve read a lot of good things on here about Brothers, but I haven’t looked into much else since the Canidae was suggested to me before I started using this sight. I was glad to see it as a 5-star on this list though. I was also looking into Nature’s Variety Freeze Dried Raw before I saw Honest Kitchen Love, would that be a better choice? The protein levels are higher. Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it. I’m new to all this, I know I came to the right place to point me in the right direction. It’s especially nice to here all the success stories!!! 

  • Shawna

    Some people don’t mind grains so much — and as grains go, rice is one of the better ones…  However, I am not one of those that like grains :) .. 

    In my opinion, grains do far more harm then good.  They have anti-nutrients (like phytates), enzyme inhibitors, lectins, are high in omega 6 fatty acids etc..  I can go into more detail on any of the above if interested..

    I really like Honest Kitchen but wish they had MORE protein in the foods…  They are actually lower then some of the better kibbles :( ..  They do have a premix that you can add to meat your purchase.  The premix is called Preference and makes a complete and balanced meal when added correctly to meat (instructions are on the box).  Steve of the website and book ”See Spot Live Longer” has a premix too..

    Evo is a good food but the P&G buy out is making a lot of people nervous about the quality of the food after buy out??? 

    In my opinion, the best place to start researching raw is raw feeder and vet Dr. Karen Becker (Labs had you watch her video).  She has at least two pits and had a rottie but I think she has passed.  Dr. Becker co-wrote a recipe book with animal nutritionist Beth Taylor.. 

  • SandyDuarte

    Is the grain (white and brown rice) in the Canidae Single Grain Protein Plus ok, or should I switch to grain-free? The canned food I’ve been giving has all been grain free and she has enjoyed all of them but not so much the duck in Canidae PureSky, but still ate it. And I’ve been looking into maybe starting her on the Honest Kitchen Love soon and eventually raw when I’ve researched it more. The mother is on Evo dry but at the pet store the Canidae was suggested to me over the Evo.

  • SandyDuarte

    That’s amazing!! And he’s lucky to have you because you never gave up on him :)

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    I like the goat milk because it does have acidophillus in it as well.  And all dogs are different in transition times.  One of mine took 2 months or so to finally have solid, formed stool when going grain free.  He was eating 1 part grain food and 3 parts grain free food for those 2 months or so. He was a sickly boy.  I bought him at the First Monday Trades Day gigantic flea market in Canton, Tx. I think he was 10 or 12 weeks old. They have acres of animals for sale at “Dog Alley”. I’ve adopted ever since and now I foster. But turns out he had mange and kennel cough, lost 50% of his hair and had a very weak immune system, and actually had mange twice in one year.  He had a relapse after needing eye surgery! At this time, I was not feeding quality food. Since the immune system starts in the gut, it just took him a long time to be able to eat good food. Now he is extremely healthy and strong inside and out. And he’s now almost 5.

  • Shawna

    SandyDuarte ~~ Ohhhh my gosh your baby is ADORABLE!!  Pitties are my all time favorite breed..  I grew up with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.. :)

    Labs and Sandy are giving you awesome information!!

    Great thing about raw — you can go all in or you can feed kibble one meal and raw the next or you can even use raw as a topper for the kibble :) ..  Whichever way it is going to be more nutritious then just kibble or kibble and canned alone.  I have 8 dogs — 5 are on raw with a little canned topper–for variety.  The other 3 get kibble with a teaspoon of canned and a heaping teaspoon of raw with both meals of the day. 

    Once your puppies digestive tract is used to a variety of foods you should be able to switch from one kind of kibble to another without ANY transition period.  You can even switch from kibble to raw without transition.  It is the feeding of just one food that actually conditions the digestive tract to only tolerate that food. 

    One thing to be cautious of — don’t add more then 20% of an unbalanced raw, cooked or canned food to the diet.  You can add as much of a balanced topper as you want.

    Also, puppies need MORE protein then adult dogs—–don’t be afraid of the protein.  Even in large breed dogs, protein is not the problem — it is too much calcium and overfeeding.  I don’t think pitties are considered “large breed”.?

  • SandyDuarte

    The second part of the video does mention that switching foods too soon can cause the diarrhea. I thought the 10 days it took to slowly switch her over would have been enough time but maybe a few more days would have helped. But I am glad to say that she hasn’t had any diarrhea the past few days other than the one time I had added the water to the kibble but I will try the goat milk that you suggested instead of the water if it’ll help. Thanks!

  • SandyDuarte

    What do you feed your cats? I was hoping to get my cat off of her beloved Meow Mix and onto something much healthier for her.

  • SandyDuarte

    Yeah I don’t blame you, it can get expensive. Thanks for the help.

  • LabsRawesome

     Hi SandyDuarte, I have 2 large dogs, and 3 cats. Sadly, I can’t afford raw. But if you can afford it, give it a try. I’m sure if you pick one from the 5 star list, it will be excellent. If not, a good canned food is great for added meat and moisture.

  • SandyDuarte

    Thanks, I know she’s a cutie for sure :) I’ve been a little hesitant to try raw food, i’ve heard and read good and bad things, but am willing to try it. Do you try one from the 5-star list on this site, which do your dogs like?

  • LabsRawesome

     Hi SandyDuarte, I am glad that you watched the video, and it helped you realize the best way to feed your puppy. Your puppy has the most adorable little face!  :)

  • SandyDuarte

    The video was very helpful, thanks. I was pretty much following with what the video suggested and have all the right food, but now I know it’s not so necessary for the dog to eat her dry food and actually more beneficial for her to have the wet and raw foods as well.

  • SandyDuarte

    Thank you, I did see the goat milk that you had mentioned before to me at the pet store, I will try it if it continues. She does eat it mixed with the wet for breakfast and lunch, and now I’ve been leaving out the just the dry in a bowl for dinner so she can munch on it when she’s hungry and it’s been working so far.

  • LabsRawesome

     Hi Johnandchristo, You take such great care of Christo! And I agree, Dr. Becker made a very informative video. It should help SandyD out if she watches it! I agree, my 2 are on grain free right now, and I can see a big difference in their energy levels. They also get 1/2 a can of grain free canned dog food each. Also their dinner is topped with some form of protein, Sardines, eggs, various meats. Haven’t tried the Tripe or Trippett yet.

  • Johnandchristo

    HI LabsRawesome….

    I have seen that video, its awesome. part two
    is good too. after I saw them I had to incorporate
    some wet food into my dogs diet. I’m mixing tripett
    with Brother’s, and my dog has been eating well every day now for 5 month’s or so. I wish I Had more time and  money, I would for sure go raw. I love Dr Karen,
    she is my kind of vet. Richard has advised me to add in raw meaty bones into Christo’s diet . 

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    maybe instead of water you can pour in some goat milk.  My dogs aren’t puppies but they sure did lick the bowls clean till they were spotless.  I fed them their normal food with a 2 or 3 tablespoons of milk.

    http://www.answerspetfood.com/additional.html

    If she was eating the Iams, maybe you can still give it to her mixed together for a longer weaning period even it it’s a couple weeks more.

  • LabsRawesome
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