Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Dog Food Review (Dry)

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food product range consists of eight recipes with ratings varying from 3.5 to 4 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4 stars.

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Brown Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The third ingredient is oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

The fourth ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The fifth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The sixth item is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The seventh ingredient is pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label – a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The eighth ingredient is brewer’s rice, which is a by-product of rice milling for human consumption, and is also used for brewing beer. It consists of the small fragments of rice left over after milling whole rice, finely ground to a flour. Like whole rice, its main contribution is as an energy source within a diet. The fiber contributed by brewer’s rice is less than from whole grain rice.

We highlight brewer’s rice as a controversial ingredient, as some pet owners prefer to avoid brewer’s rice and consider it a low-quality ingredient used by pet food companies to reduce their recipe costs. Whilst we agree that whole grains are preferable, brewer’s rice is a safe ingredient utilising a source of carbohydrates which sustainably doesn’t compete with human food.

A study comparing brewer’s rice to other carbohydrate sources noted that the digestibility of brewer’s rice was greatest of the ingredients studied, and the immediate post-prandial (or immediately after meal) blood sugar and insulin responses were greatest for Brewer’s Rice. This indicates that brewer’s rice caused a sudden peak in blood sugar, and then insulin to manage that. If your dog is susceptible to diabetes or fizzy behaviour this is not a preferable carbohydrate source. Similarly, for weight loss, satiety diets, or requirements for slow release energy brewer’s rice as a carbohydrate source is not ideal. If you are looking to provide instant energy with your dog’s food however, this may be an ideal choice.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With five notable exceptions…

First, fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high-quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

Next, we find corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Next, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.

And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Brown Rice looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 26.3%, a fat level of 15.4% and estimated carbohydrates of about 49%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28.4% and a mean fat level of 18.7%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 42.9% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 66%.

Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble still containing a notable amount of meat.

Hill's Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Hill's through June 2026.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Hill's Science Diet Puppy Dry Dog Food

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

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About

Hill’s Pet Nutrition is an international pet food brand that’s known for selling scientifically developed foods.

In 1948, Hill’s officially went into business. Dr. Mark Morris Sr. teamed up with Topeka-based Hill Packing Company to can his recipe, Canine k/d, and produce new pet food formulas.

In 1968, Hill’s launched its Science Diet range under the guidance of Mark Morris Jr. In 1976, Colgate-Palmolive Co. purchased Hill’s Pet

Nutrition. Today, Hill’s products are available in 86 countries worldwide.

It now employs a team of more than 220 veterinarians, nutritionists, technicians, and food scientists to develop pet foods in the Hill research facility that’s still located in Topeka.

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