Millie's WolfheartMillies Wolfheart Turkey & Veg
Dry
£1.10 / day approx.38% meat
- High meat38% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Rated & compared
Dry dog food for puppy food
Dry food is the default for most households: it is usually the cheapest way to feed a complete diet, it keeps for weeks once opened, and the choice is wider here than in any other format. For puppies, the question is whether the recipe is built for the job.
Dry dog food for puppy food
70.4/100
average ODF Score
- Foods on this list551
- Price per day£0.25 - £7.96
Top score 94/100 - Waita Freeze Dried Complete Food
551 foods
Nature's WayNature's Way Grain Free Puppy & Small Dog
Dry
£0.95 / day approx.65% meat
- High meat65% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
- Sensitive stomachFormulated to be gentle on digestion.
Air-dried
£6.31 / day approx.55% meat
- High meat55% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Air-dried
£7.23 / day approx.37% meat
- High meat37% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
PiccoloPiccolo Smaller Dogs
Dry
£2.17 / day approx.31% meat
- High meat31% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
PlatinumPlatinum Puppy Dry
DryPuppy
£1.31 / day approx.73% meat
- High meat73% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Pooch & MuttPooch & Mutt Primal Dry Food
Dry
£1.35 / day approx.32% meat
- High meat32% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
RocketoRocketo Really Good Dog Food
Air-dried
£5.25 / day approx.85% meat
- High meat85% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Wild Pet Food 20Wild Pet Food Omega+ 80/20 Complete
Cold-pressed
£2.07 / day approx.79% meat
- High meat79% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- Sensitive stomachFormulated to be gentle on digestion.
Cold-pressedPuppy
£1.49 / day approx.75% meat
- High meat75% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
Dry
£1.34 / day approx.9% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
AcanaAcana Puppy Recipe
DryPuppy
£1.08 / day approx.7% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
DryPuppy
£1.25 / day approx.7% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
Alpha SpiritAlpha Spirit The Only One Complete Puppy Food
Cold-pressedPuppy
£1.24 / day approx.35% meat
- High meat35% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
AngellAngell Superior Puppy
DryPuppy
£1.07 / day approx.21% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- Sensitive stomachFormulated to be gentle on digestion.
DryPuppy
£0.96 / day approx.30% meat
- High meat30% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
CanaganCanagan Puppy Grain-Free
DryPuppy
£1.54 / day approx.29% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- Sensitive stomachFormulated to be gentle on digestion.
LovelLovel Dry
Dry
£1.10 / day approx.16% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Millie's WolfheartMillies Wolfheart Forager
Dry
£0.98 / day approx.22% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Millie's WolfheartMillies Wolfheart Salmon & Veg
Dry
£1.01 / day approx.46% meat
- High meat46% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Nature’s VarietyNature's Variety Selected Puppy Junior
DryPuppy
£1.30 / day approx.30% meat
- High meat30% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- HypoallergenicLimited, single-source ingredients - kinder to sensitive dogs.
NourishNourish Grain Free Puppy
DryPuppy
£0.73 / day approx.21% meat
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
- Sensitive stomachFormulated to be gentle on digestion.
PalaPala Chicken
Air-dried
£5.98 / day approx.76% meat
- High meat76% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Grain-freeMade without any grains.
ScrumblesScrumbles Puppies & Toys
DryPuppy
£0.65 / day approx.65% meat
- High meat65% named meat (30% or more counts as high).
- NaturalNo artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Puppies are building a body, so they need more energy, more protein and a controlled calcium-to-phosphorus balance than an adult dog does. Large-breed puppies in particular should not grow too fast, which is why growth-specific recipes exist. Kibble hides its ingredients better than any other format, which is exactly why the label matters. "Meat and animal derivatives" can legally mean almost anything, and "with chicken" can mean as little as 4%. Look for named meats with percentages, and check what fills the rest of the bag.
Puppies need a food labelled for growth or for all life stages, not an adult maintenance recipe. Every food below is filtered to dry dog food suitable for puppies, and scored out of 100 on its label alone, with the full breakdown on each food page so you can see exactly where its points went.
Dry dog food for puppy food FAQs
What is the best dry dog food for puppies?
The one whose label holds up. Our list ranks every dry dog food suitable for puppies by the ODF Score, which reads the ingredients rather than the marketing. Puppies need a food labelled for growth or for all life stages, not an adult maintenance recipe.
Is dry food good for puppy dogs?
It can be an excellent choice, and it is the format most puppy dogs are fed on. Quality varies enormously though, and the difference sits in the ingredients list rather than the price. Puppies need a food labelled for growth or for all life stages, not an adult maintenance recipe.
How long should a dog stay on puppy food?
Most dogs move to adult food somewhere between nine and eighteen months, later for large and giant breeds because they keep growing for longer. Your vet or the feeding guide on the pack is the better guide than a fixed number.
Related guides
Go deeper on the topics behind this page.
How to switch your dog’s food without upsetting their stomachThe 7-day transition, what normal looks like on day three, and when to stop. Most "this food upset my dog" is actually a rushed changeover.Read the guide
Puppy feeding guide: how much, how often, and when to switchHow much to feed a puppy, how often, when to move to adult food - and the one mistake that can permanently damage a large-breed dog.Read the guide
How much does it really cost to feed a dog?The gap between the cheapest and priciest way to feed the same dog is 72x - and 62 foods score 80+ for under a pound a day. The real numbers.Read the guide
Is grain-free dog food bad for dogs?Grain-free scores better in our data - but not for the reason the packaging implies. The DCM question, the price confound, and who it is actually for.Read the guide