Top Puppy Food of 2023

Puppies’ bodies and brains are growing rapidly, so most puppy food is high in protein to support all that growth. Developing dogs need protein for their muscles, skin and fur and for the overall function of their immune systems. However, too much protein at the expense of fat and carbohydrates will deprive your puppy of other valuable nutrients. The best food for puppies is balanced and enriched with supplements so they have all the building blocks necessary for growing into strong adult dogs.

Puppies digest food in about 4 hours. Because their developing bodies burn through all those puppy vitamins, minerals and other nutrients so quickly, puppies should eat multiple small meals throughout the day for the first several months after weaning. Giving your dog the best puppy food won’t provide them with maximum nutrition unless you feed your puppy at the correct intervals. Three or four small meals throughout the day are better than two larger meals until your dog is 6 to 12 months old.

The best food for puppies as they’re weaning—between 4 and 6 weeks old—is soft food. Many pet parents soak puppy kibble in a little water to soften it up. Chances are you won’t bring your puppy home until they’re about 8 weeks old. Around this age, your puppy should have all their teeth and be able to eat dry puppy food. Since puppy teeth are soft, make sure not to introduce dog bones and chews until your puppy is about 6 months old.

Some pet parents who want to provide the best puppy food possible for their growing dog become interested in making their own puppy food at home. That’s completely understandable, because who could love a puppy more—or be more invested in their nutritional wellbeing—than a puppy’s own pet parents? But there are several reasons it might be better to purchase puppy food instead of making it at home.

Not all the ingredients you can get at a grocery store are safe for puppies, whereas age-appropriate dog food is formulated specifically to be consumed by developing dogs. Pet parents may also have a difficult time processing their own food into the tiny, easily chewable and digestible bite sizes necessary for puppies. And most importantly, many dog food brands are formulated using the guidance of scientists and veterinarians, and they contain puppy vitamins and minerals you may have a hard time sourcing yourself. It’s good to want fresh, natural puppy food for your little companion, but you can find human grade dog food at Petco without needing to make it yourself.