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If you ask us, the best dog food brands are the ones that will make your dog excited to eat the same thing twice a day, every day. Of course, if you ask a veterinarian, they’ll tell you that taste is just one of several important things to consider when shopping for puppy chow. Jeremy Kimmelstiel, VMD, associate regional medical director at Bond Vet, tells SELF that breed, life stage, size, and medical needs should factor into pet parents’ choice of food. He adds that, rather than narrowing your search to a particular meat or other ingredient, you should look at the whole nutritional picture. We asked veterinarians for their tips and recommendations on finding the best dog food for your furry friend.
Purina Puppy Chow Pet Food Ingredients vs. Hill’s Science Diet Pet Food Ingredients
Purina Puppy Chow and Hills Science Diet both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Liver is a controversial ingredient because the source animal is not specified. Anonymous animal ingredients are typically very low quality and may contain almost any animal, including dogs and cats!
Corn gluten meal is a by-product from the production of various corn products (corn starch, corn syrup, etc). Its very high in protein (nearly 60% protein) and therefore can significant boost the protein content of the product. Because plant based proteins such as corn gluten meal are inferior to meat based proteins (lack many essential amino acids), they are not suitable substitutes.
Whole grain corn is the entire corn kernel (the germ, bran, and endosperm). Corn is a cereal grain which provides a modest amount of vitamins, minerals, and plant based protein. It also happens to be one of the most controversial ingredients in pet food.
Proponents of corn claim that corn is highly digestible and an excellent source of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.
Opponents however believe that positive claims in regards to corn are either half-truths or completely false, well discuss a few of the opposing arguments.
In regards to digestibility, the claims of “highly digestible” are only true if corn is processed into a meal or flour and subsequently cooked. In regards to the protein contribution, we must note that corn is a plant based protein which does not contain all of the necessary amino acids required by pets to sustain life. Therefore substituting corn for meat is an unsuitable substitution and actually degrades the overall protein quality of the product.
Finally, well discuss the claims about vitamins and minerals in corn. Although corn does provide many vitamins and minerals, it not necessarily an exceptional ingredient in this regards. There are many other ingredients which are more complete and biologically appropriate. Therefore the usage of corn as the primary ingredient in pet food should certainly warrant further questioning.
Whole grain wheat contains the entire grain of wheat (the germ, bran, and endosperm). Wheat is the second most-produced cereal grain in the world (corn is the first). Although wheat is a controversial ingredient, it is not necessarily undesirable because it provides dietary fiber and many other nutrients. However, wheat contains a notable amount of plant based protein, which is inferior to meat based protein and therefore an undesirable substitution.
Wheat is also one of the most common ingredients to cause food allergies or intolerance. However, grains such as wheat are typically low offenders in comparison to certain protein sources (such as beef).
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Purina Puppy Chow.
Soybean flour contains more than 50% protein. Therefore, soybean can significantly boost the protein content of the product. The inclusion of non-meat protein typically degrades the overall quality of protein in the recipe. This degradation is due to the inferior amino acid profile of plant based proteins.
Soybean hulls are a by-product of soybean oil and meal processing. They are typically regarded as low quality and inexpensive fillers which lack any significant nutritional value.
By-products are defined by AAFCO as the “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.” Thus, meat by-products contain nearly all parts of the animal which are typically not consumed by humans. These parts include the liver, lung, spleen, kidney, stomach, blood, intestine, bone, etc.
This ingredient is marked controversial because the meat source is not identified. Anonymous ingredients such as meat by-products are typically very low quality additions. The most unpleasing property of this ingredient is that the animal source can contain any mammal, even dogs & cats.
Meat and bone meal is produced by cooking meat and bone using a process called rendering. The rendering process dramatically reduces the natural moisture of meat and thereby results in a highly condensed protein source.
This ingredient is marked controversial because the source animal for the meat is not specified. These type of anonymous ingredient are typically very low quality and certainly inexpensive additions. The most unpleasing property of this ingredient is that the meat source can contain any mammal, even dogs & cats.
Chicken by-product meal is produced by cooking chicken by-products using a process called rendering. By-products are defined by AAFCO as the “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.” Thus, chicken by-products contain nearly all parts of chickens which are typically not consumed by humans. These parts include the liver, lung, spleen, kidney, stomach, blood, intestine, bone, etc.
Like other meat by-products, chicken by-products are considered controversial, mainly because they are inexpensive ingredients which consumers have equated with slaughterhouse waste. However, manufactures and many experts claim that animal by-products are unjustly criticized. Proponents state that “named” by-products, such as chicken by-products, supply many important nutrients required by pets.
Poultry by-product meal is a controversial ingredient because the source animal is not specified. Anonymous ingredients such as poultry by-product meal are typically low-quality ingredients in comparison to named protein by-product meals (e.g. chicken by-product meal, turkey by-product meal, duck by-product meal).
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Hills Science Diet.
Caramel is a widely used natural food colorant. The concentrated form of caramel is typically listed as caramel color and has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals. Since our pets do not care about food color, caramel is an unnecessary addition with possible health risks.
Corn flour a ground cereal grain which provides a modest amount of vitamins, minerals, and plant based protein. It also happens to be one of the most controversial ingredients in pet food.
Proponents of corn claim that corn is highly digestible and an excellent source of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.
Opponents however believe that positive claims in regards to corn are either half-truths or completely false, well discuss a few of the opposing arguments.
In regards to digestibility, the claims of “highly digestible” are only true if corn is processed into a meal or flour and subsequently cooked. In regards to the protein contribution, we must note that corn is a plant based protein which does not contain all of the necessary amino acids required by pets to sustain life. Therefore substituting corn for meat is an unsuitable substitution and actually degrades the overall protein quality of the product.
Finally, well discuss the claims about vitamins and minerals in corn. Although corn does provide many vitamins and minerals, it not necessarily an exceptional ingredient in this regards. There are many other ingredients which are more complete and biologically appropriate. Therefore the usage of corn as the primary ingredient in pet food should certainly warrant further questioning.
Iron oxide is an FDA approved natural food coloring agent. Its commonly found in rusting metal and provides a reddish-brown color.
We believe food colorants are unnecessary ingredients in pet food. Other than potential harm, food colorants do not provide any nutritional value. These type of ingredients are used only to make the food look appealing to humans.
Pea protein is produced by removing the starchy parts of peas. Pea protein is considered controversial because it provides a substantial plant based protein boost. This boost is undesirable because plant based protein is typically lower in biological value when compared to meat based proteins.
Pork plasma is the colorless fluid part of a pigs blood. It may sound disgusting, but its actually very nutritious for pets. Regardless of the nutritional aspects, consumers are shocked by this ingredient, which is why pork plasma is considered a controversial ingredient.
Poultry fat is a by-product of poultry tissue rendering. Poultry fat is a controversial ingredient because the specific protein is not specified. Such ingredients are typically low-quality in comparison to named poultry fats (e.g. chicken fat, turkey fat).
Animal liver is a controversial ingredient because the source animal is not specified. Anonymous animal ingredients are typically very low quality and may contain almost any animal, including dogs and cats!
Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernel that are separated from the larger kernels of milled rice. The fragments do not contain the same nutrition profile of the whole kernel and therefore brewers rice is a lower quality grain. Brewers rice is typically regarded as an inexpensive and low quality filler.
Wheat gluten is the main protein of wheat. Although wheat gluten is mostly protein, wheat gluten is considered controversial because it significantly boosts the protein content of the product. This is undesirable because plant based protein does not provide the same amino acid profile as meat based protein.
Caramel color is a concentrated form of caramel, a natural food colorant. Caramel color has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals. Since our pets do not care about food color, caramel color is an unnecessary addition with possible health risks.
Tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato manufacturing. Its considered a controversial ingredient because many people believe it is an inexpensive low quality filler. However, tomato pomace provides a notable amount of dietary fiber, B vitamins, Lycopene, and vitamin A. Although it is a very inexpensive ingredient, it is not nutritionally empty.
By-products are defined by AAFCO as the “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.” Thus, beef by-products contain nearly all parts of the beef which are typically not consumed by humans. These parts include the liver, lung, spleen, kidney, stomach, blood, intestine, bone, etc.
Like other meat by-products, beef by-products are considered controversial, mainly because they are inexpensive ingredients which consumers have equated with slaughterhouse waste. However, manufactures and many experts claim that animal by-products are unjustly criticized. Proponents state that “named” by-products, such as beef by-products, supply many important nutrients required by pets.
By-products are defined by AAFCO as the “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.” Thus, pork by-products contain nearly all parts of pork which are typically not consumed by humans. These parts include the liver, lung, spleen, kidney, stomach, blood, intestine, bone, etc.
Like other meat by-products, pork by-products are considered controversial, mainly because they are inexpensive ingredients which consumers have equated with slaughterhouse waste. However, manufactures and many experts claim that animal by-products are unjustly criticized. Proponents state that “named” by-products, such as pork by-products, supply many important nutrients required by pets.
Powdered cellulose is produced from minuscule pieces of wood pulp and plant fibers. Other than its fiber content, powdered cellulose lacks any nutritional contribution.
Dried tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato manufacturing. Its considered a controversial ingredient because many people believe it is an inexpensive low quality filler. However, tomato pomace provides a notable amount of dietary fiber, B vitamins, Lycopene, and vitamin A. Although it is a very inexpensive ingredient, it is not nutritionally empty.
Pea protein concentrate is produced by removing the starchy parts of peas. Pea protein concentrate is considered controversial because it provides a substantial plant based protein boost. This boost is undesirable because plant based protein is typically lower in biological value when compared to meat based proteins.
Soy protein isolate is a highly refined/purified form of soy bean protein. Roughly 90% of soy protein isolate is protein. The inclusion of non-meat protein typically degrades the overall quality of protein in the recipe. This degradation is due to the inferior amino acid profile of plant based proteins.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Purina Puppy Chow and Hills Science Diet both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:
Menadione sodium bisulfite complex is a synthetic version of vitamin K that has been linked to many health concerns. Research has suggested possible toxic reactions in liver cells and red blood cells among other serious problems. In fact, one large chemical supplier warns, “The substance is toxic to kidneys, lungs, liver, mucous membranes. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.”
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Purina Puppy Chow.
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is an artificial preservative and possible cancer-causing agent. Studies have show that BHA can be linked to various tumors in laboratory animals.
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an artificial preservative and possible cancer-causing agent. BHT is banned in several countries, but the FDA has classified BHT as “generally recognized as safe.”
Red 3 is an artificial dye which the FDA has confirmed can cause cancer in laboratory animals.
Blue 2 is an artificial dye which can increase the likelihood of tumors according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Like other dyes, blue 2 does not provide any nutritional value.
Red 40 is the most widely used artificial dye in consumer goods. Studies have shown that red 40 may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice, cause allergy-like reactions and trigger hyperactivity in children.
Yellow 5 is an artificial dye which may be contaminated with several cancer-causing chemicals. Like other dyes, yellow 5 does not provide any nutritional value.
Yellow 6 is an artificial food dye which may be contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. According to the Center For Science In The Public Interest, yellow 6 can cause adrenal tumors in animals.
The ingredient “added color” is ambiguous and may include various artificial dyes. Most artificial dyes have been linked to various chronic diseases.
What we’re looking for
Meets AAFCO nutritional standards: “What to feed your puppy is a question I get almost every single day,” says Dr. Karie Anne Johnson, a mobile veterinarian and co-founder of VIP Vet Visit. She and the other vets we spoke to all recommend choosing puppy food that has been thoroughly researched and tested for nutritional adequacy by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and meets AAFCO’s nutritional standards. All of the puppy food recommended below meets or exceeds AAFCO standards.
Formulated for growing puppies: If you have other dogs at home, you might assume it’s okay to feed your adult dogs and your puppy the same food. But according to Dr. Jamie Richardson, chief of staff at Small Door Veterinary in NYC, “Puppies have different dietary requirements compared to adult dogs.” They need higher levels of protein and certain vitamins and minerals. Because of this, Richardson recommends feeding them a formulation that is specific to puppies until they are skeletally mature — around one year for small- and medium-breed dogs or between 14 and 18 months in large- and giant-breed dogs. Still, even among the foods specifically made for puppies, there are hundreds of brands to choose from. Richardson suggests confirming that whatever food you buy says that the diet “meets the nutritional profiles for growth or all life stages.” And veterinarian Dr. Shelly Zacharias, vice-president of medical affairs for Gallant, adds that all good puppy foods should contain some sort of grain, because grain-free diets have been linked to an increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy (a kind of heart disease), especially in large-breed dogs. All of the dog foods on this list have been recommended by veterinarians with growing puppies in mind.
High-quality ingredients: Zacharias also stresses that the ingredients should name the exact type of meat included (instead of “meat” or “meat by-products”) and they should not contain white flour, preservatives such as BHA or BHT, propylene glycol, or rendered fat. If you’re among the people who see their dog more as a member of their family than as a pet, you may want to give them minimally processed food that looks more like your own dinner than traditional kibble or wet food. Richardson says that a growing number of the pet owners she sees are interested in human-grade or fresh pet foods. As this is a relatively new concept in the pet-food world and definitions vary a bit by brand, but generally speaking, something labeled “fresh pet food” is minimally processed, does not use preservatives, and is gently cooked to retain nutrients and reduce the risk of harmful bacteria present in some raw diets. These foods usually come frozen and need to be thawed before each meal.
Breed size: Large- and giant-breed puppies like malamutes, Great Danes, German shepherds, and Saint Bernards have different dietary needs than, say, a Yorkshire terrier or dachshund puppy. Veterinarian Dr. Leslie Brooks, an adviser at Betterpet, says large-breed puppies should eat food that is specifically labeled for “large-breed puppies.” According to Brooks, the mineral and calorie content in those foods is tailored to prevent large-breed puppies from growing too fast and developing bone or joint abnormalities as they grow.
When it comes to small and toy dog breeds, the main difference in their food, Richardson says, is that it’s made in smaller chunks. Because little dogs have smaller mouths and teeth, you want to give them something that’s easy for them to bite and chew. But that’s not the only reason to get food made specifically for small-breed puppies. According to Zacharias, small-breed puppy food also has nutrient differences that are important for small dogs.
Wet versus dry food: For some dog owners, the decision to feed their puppy a wet-food diet rather than a dry-food diet is one of convenience and personal preference. But if you have a puppy who’s reluctant to drink enough water, serving them wet food can be a sneaky way to help them stay hydrated. In addition to puppy foods that come in a can, fresh and human-grade dog foods can be considered wet food since they are lightly cooked to retain the food’s original moisture.
Best food for puppies with sensitive stomachs
First ingredients are salmon, rice, and barley | All breed sizes | Dry food
Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian with the pet-health website Doggie Designer, is also a fan of Purina Pro Plan — the brand she “raised my last two puppies on” — and recommends this food in particular for puppies with sensitive stomachs. “It is a good-quality food made with real meat and probiotics to help nourish and regulate those developing tummies,” Bonk explains. She notes that the size of the dry kibble is “just right for any mouth, no matter how small,” adding that the food is generally easy to find.
First ingredients are ground beef, russet potatoes, and eggs | All breed sizes | Frozen wet food
According to Richardson, many of the fresh pet food brands on the market currently don’t sell food specifically formulated for puppies. She’s also cautious about fresh pet foods because they tend to contain a higher fat content than other dog foods. Still, if you’re looking to go the fresh-food route, Richardson recommends the subscription brand Nom Nom (the direct-to-consumer brand was recently purchased by Mars Petcare with plans to integrate it into its Royal Canin division). Like other brands on this list, Nom Nom works with a veterinary nutritionist to create diets that follow AAFCO standards. To order, you fill out a survey about your pet’s breed, age, activity level, and weight goals. “There are not a lot of other companies who do that,” she says. Nom Nom says its plans start at around $3 a day for the smallest breeds with few dietary restrictions. If you want to try before you subscribe, you can buy a variety pack with four of the brand’s foods for a flat $15.
FAQ
Is Purina or hills better for dogs?
Is Purina better than hills?
Do vets recommend Purina dog chow?
What are the top vet recommended puppy foods?
- Purina ONE Natural Puppy Food – Best Overall. …
- Iams Proactive Health Smart Puppy – Best Value. …
- Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food – Best for Large Breeds. …
- Royal Canin Small Puppy – Best for Small Breeds. …
- Royal Canin Puppy – Best Canned Puppy Food. …
- Purina Puppy Chow – Best Availability.