6 Best Dry Food for Puppies 2024: Nothing but the Best

Dry dog food can be convenient for pet owners and great for your puppy. Most commercial kibble contains fillers and ingredients you don’t want. But there are some pet food delivery services out there that can bring you healthy dry food for puppies that your little furry friend will gobble up. 

I researched the available dry food choices thoroughly. I searched out services that provide meals that are formulated to meet a growing puppy’s nutritional needs. I checked prices, weighed shipping options, and compiled prices and shipping options to sort out the best of the best services delivering dry food for puppies.

Spot & Tango is my top choice. Its Unkibble is made with fresh, human-grade ingredients and meets or exceeds AAFCO's recommended Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for dogs at every life stage. But every service on this list can provide top-quality dry puppy food for your little bundle of joy. 

The Best Dry Food For Puppies Reviewed

1. Spot & Tango – Best Dry Food for Puppies 2024

Spot & Tango’s UnKibble is formulated for dogs at all life stages, including puppies. Commercial kibbles use many fillers like bone meal and ingredients like downed animals. UnKibble uses only human-grade ingredients with no artificial preservatives, additives, or fillers. 

What’s on Offer?

There are 4 different UnKibble recipes, so your puppy is sure to find a flavor they love. And because Spot & Tango meals are suited for all life stages, puppies can enjoy a healthy and delicious Spot & Tango diet for the rest of their lives. You can choose between:

• Cod + Salmon

• Beef + Barley

• Chicken + Brown Rice

• Turkey + Sweet Potato

Each meal contains between 25% and 27% protein, so your puppy has lots of fuel to build strong muscles. They also contain Spot & Tango’s Nutrient Blend, which includes calcium carbonate to help your growing puppy’s growing bones. Our reviewer thought Spot & Tango’s fresh and dry meals were much healthier than mass-marketed dry dog foods.

What Makes It Special?

Spot & Tango uses its patented FreshDry method to preserve nutrients and flavor. Instead of baking at high heat like most commercial kibbles, Spot & Tango dehydrates the ingredients at lower temperatures. This minimizes the destruction of vitamins and minerals, and preserves the flavor so your puppy gets maximum enjoyment at mealtime. 

Your Spot & Tango UnKibble comes with a portioned spoon to simplify meal times. This spoon is matched to your puppy’s mealtime requirements, so you can be sure your little friend is getting the right amount of food every time. And in addition to UnKibble, Spot & Tango offers a selection of fresh meals. 

Is It Good Value?

Every order comes with a 100% Happy Pup customer satisfaction guarantee. If your puppy doesn’t like any item, you can get a refund. After your first 2-week trial order, you get recurring shipments every 2, 4, or 8 weeks depending on your puppy’s feeding requirements. Spot & Tango also offers a Topper plan that provides 50% of your puppy’s required calories. 

Spot & Tango prices start at $7 per week. While UnKibble is more expensive than the puppy food you get at the grocery store, it’s very reasonably priced for the quality it offers. 

2. Ollie – Best for Fresh and Dry Food for Puppies

Ollie starts with human-grade meats, seafood, and vegetables. Then it adds superfoods like salmon oil and blueberries. There are no byproducts or fillers in any Ollie meals, so you can be sure that your puppy is getting quality dry food that's nutritious and delicious.

What’s on Offer?

Ollie’s Baked Food for Dogs are cooked in small batches over low temperatures in USDA Process Verified kitchens. You can choose between 2 flavors:

• Baked Beef and Sweet Potato

• Baked Chicken and Apples

Each of these meals also includes oats, chickpeas, pea flour, and spinach for vitamins, fiber, and minerals.

There are 3 types of human-grade treats at Ollie. You can choose between single-ingredient Sweet Potato Slices and Chicken jerky with Apple or Beef with sweet potato. Ollie treats are a healthier alternative to table scraps that your pet will love. 

Learn more about Ollie’s offerings in our detailed Ollie review. 

What Makes It Special?

Whatever meals you choose, you can be sure that you are providing your growing puppy with high-quality dog food that is free of most common allergens and is rigorously tested for safety. Every batch is tested for pathogens and ingredient quality before it is shipped to keep your puppy safe.

Every Ollie recipe meets the AAFCO standards for all life stages, thanks to the expertise of a board-certified vet nutritionist. Ollie provides tailored meal plans for puppies that are at least 3 months old and weigh 3 pounds or more. You can start your puppy on a human-grade dog food journey and set them up for a healthier future.

Is It Good Value?

You can also add Ollie’s highly-regarded fresh meals in a Half Baked plan that gives your pup the best of both worlds. Ollie starts your subscription with a quiz that helps it recommend the perfect meals and feeding schedules for your dog. 

Starting at $4-$8 per day, Ollie lets you choose between a full or half plan. If you can’t afford to provide your puppy with a full Ollie diet, you can supplement their current meals with healthy Ollie meals and treats.

3. The Honest Kitchen – Best Dehydrated Dry Food for Puppies

The Honest Kitchen crafts dog food with human-grade ingredients from local farms. A team of vets, including a nutrition expert, ensure each human-grade dog food meets high standards and provides optimal nutrition for your puppy. 

What’s on Offer?

The Ancient Grains and Grain Free Puppy Clusters are great for young puppies. The Honest Kitchen uses 100% cage-free chicken, veggies, salmon oil, and probiotics. 

The Honest Kitchen’s dry and dehydrated food is prepared at low temperatures. This preserves nutrients and vitamins that might be broken down by cooking. But it also kills pathogens and makes the food easier to digest, which is great for the sensitive stomachs and weaker immune systems of young puppies.

Dehydration also preserves the taste of whole food, so not only do puppies get a fully balanced diet. They get meals that smell and taste like food, not processed pellets. And you get the convenience of a 12-24 month shelf life, so long as you keep your bags in a cool, dry area. 

What Makes It Special?

There are no rendered ingredients, no bone meal, and no fillers, just human-grade dog food designed specially for your pup.

If you can’t decide what food best suits your puppy, you can schedule a free 15-minute consultation with an HonestExpert who will help you make the best meal choices. HonestExperts aren’t veterinarians, but they are knowledgeable about animal nutrition and can recommend meals that will help ensure your puppy grows into a healthy, happy dog adulthood.

Is It Good Value?

You can filter recipes by life stage and dietary needs. This makes it simpler to pick a human-grade dog food tailored for your furry friend. Our expert reviewer was very impressed with its large menu and its commitment to using high-quality ingredients.

The Honest Kitchen prices start at $5.99 for dry food. You get a choice between 1-time purchases and subscription options. 

4. Open Farm – Best Sustainable Dry Food for Puppies

Open Farm's dry puppy food promotes healthy development with its high protein recipes. These meals provide the nutrients your pup needs to get the best start in life. While Open Farm has 2 formulations specifically for young puppies, all Open Farm meals are suitable for dogs at all life stages.

What’s on Offer?

You can order Open Farm puppy food made grain-free or with whole grains. Both formulations are made with wild-caught salmon, which provides DHA and omega fatty acids that are important to a growing dog’s brain health, along with humanely-raised chicken and pork and non-GMO vegetables and superfoods. 

In addition to dry foods, Open Farm also offers a dehydrated freeze-dried Raw Mix blend. This is a nutrient-dense kibble alternative topped with raw meat chunks. It’s a great topper to your puppy’s usual diet and can be a great transition to fresh food.

Treats and supplements can complement a puppy's diet. Open Farm offers puppy-friendly add-ons like bone broth and kefir blends to enrich your puppy's meals with both flavor and nutrition.

What Makes It Special?

Sustainability is very important for Open Farm. It only works with suppliers practicing sustainable farming. Any fish used in Open Farm pet foods comes from fishers who adhere to Oceanwise’s sustainable-fishing practices. 

All Open Farm shipments use packaging made from recycled and recyclable materials. And our expert reviewer noted that Open Farm also has a selection of cat foods and treats available.

Is It Good Value?

With Open Farm you know exactly what’s in your puppy’s bowl. Open Farm partners with Certified Humane® to make sure that all proteins come from humanely raised and harvested animals. You can even track the origin of every ingredient in each recipe and learn more about the farmers responsible for your puppy’s meal. 

Prices start at $7/lb without auto-shipment. Open Farm lets you choose between a one-time shipment or a subscription for its dry dog food for puppies. 

5. Jinx – Best Probiotic Dry Food for Puppies

Jinx's proprietary probiotic blend offers a robust blend of over 20M+ microorganisms. This promotes gut health, something that is very important in puppy nutrition. With every Jinx meal, your puppy develops healthier gut flora that can help them avoid illnesses, allergies, and food sensitivities in later life. 

What’s on Offer?

There are no bone meal, rendered meats, or fillers in Jinx, just human-grade ingredients. A team of animal scientists, nutritionists, and veterinarians craft all Jinx meals. Alongside its primary offerings, Jinx also provides treats, dental chews, and kibble toppers. 

Our expert reviewer was very impressed by Jinx’s nutritional profile. Jinx includes supplemental vitamins and taurine to make sure that your pet gets all the nutrients they need for heart, brain, and joint health. 

You can also get Jinx Jr. as part of a Puppy Essentials Bundle. Along with puppy kibble, you get a Chicken & Pumpkin Topper that will add flavor and fiber to your little buddy’s meal. And Jinx Beef Training Treats and Chicken Jerky Bites are a great incentive for housebreaking your puppy. 

What Makes It Special?

Jinx Jr. Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Kibble is specifically formulated to meet the needs of puppies of all breeds and sizes. It’s made with organic chicken, whole grains, and essential vitamins and minerals to support your puppy’s development. 

While all Jinx meals are suitable for dogs at all life stages, I’d recommend Jinx Jr. to owners of young puppies. Jinx's grain-free and gluten-free recipes are great for puppies with allergies or sensitivities. 

Is It Good Value?

Jinx prices start at $30/bag. If your order is over $35, shipping is free. Orders under $35 are charged a flat $5 rate. 

You can place one-time orders, but you’ll save 15% with an autoship order that arrives every 3 to 8 weeks.

6. Chewy – Great Dry Food for Puppies and Other Items Too

Chewy not only offers many dry food options for puppies, it also has items for pets ranging from mice and canaries to llamas and horses. You can get collars, toys, beds, and even veterinary prescriptions at the Chewy pharmacy. 

What’s on Offer?

Alongside mass-market dry puppy foods, you’ll find premium puppy brands like Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, and Orijen. You can find human-grade, non-GMO, and all-natural brands. You don’t have to settle for anything less than the best from your puppy. 

There are many dry puppy food options to choose from, but Chewy’s filters make it easy to find the product you want. You can select puppy foods tailored for small or large breeds, so Chihuahua and Mastiff puppies will get the nutrition they need at Chewy. 

You can also sort by brand and find meals designed for puppies with allergies or sensitive stomachs. If your puppy has specialized dietary needs, you’ll find dry foods tailored to their needs at Chewy. 

What Makes It Special?

Customer service is another Chewy strong point. Many customers who have lost a pet have received condolence cards. Chewy also regularly donates to rescues and animal shelters. It’s always nice to see large companies treating customers with a personal touch. 

Our reviewer was blown away by the variety of items offered at Chewy. 

Is It Good Value?

Because Chewy buys in bulk, it can offer very reasonable prices. And filters let you sort for puppy foods that are on sale, so that you can get high-quality dry food for your puppy and save money in the bargain. You can save another 5% when you sign up for auto shipping, and also ensure that your little buddy never runs out of their favorite food.

Chewy ships to the lower 48 states. Orders over $49 get free shipping, which is a huge plus when you’re ordering big bags of puppy food for your giant breed pup or your new litter.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Dry Food for Puppies

Finding the right dry food for puppies can be challenging. To help you with your decision, here are some tips that will help you find the best meals for your puppy.

• Consider the food prep process: Most commercial dry dog foods are cooked at high heat and contain fillers like bone meal. You want to feed your puppy food without harmful additives. Spot & Tango uses fresh human-grade ingredients in its UnKibble, and prepares it in a meal that preserves valuable nutrients your little friend needs.
• Different puppies have different needs: A 6-month-old St. Bernard has different feeding requirements than a 6-month old Chihuahua. Puppies with allergies or medical conditions will also have different needs. The Honest Kitchen offers a good selection of dry food for puppies of all sizes and dietary needs.
• Consult your veterinarian: If you can’t decide on the best dry food for puppies, consult an expert. Your veterinarian can recommend foods for your puppy and warn you about foods you should avoid. For example, Ollie offers fresh and dry food recommended by veterinarians.
• Consider your budget: The best dry food for puppies costs more than store brand commercial foods, but since it’s more nutrient dense, your puppy will need less. Chewy has a great selection of high-grade dry puppy foods at different price points, so you should be able to find a food that fits your puppy’s needs without breaking your budget.

FAQ

Is dry food good for puppies?

So long as it is properly formulated, dry food is good for puppies. You should only feed the highest quality food to your puppy to ensure they grow up to be healthy and happy adult dogs. Spot & Tango’s UnKibble is a great dry food choice for puppies and dogs at all life stages.  

Are table scraps good for puppies?

Table scraps are NOT good for puppies or adult dogs. Table scraps are a leading cause of canine obesity and stomach upset. And many human foods like garlic, onion, and chocolate are toxic to dogs. Instead of table scraps, reward your canine companion with Ollie dog treats.  

What is the best dry food for puppies with sensitive stomachs?

For puppies with sensitive stomachs, a natural diet works best. Foods that contain no grains, preservatives, or chemical additives will be easier to digest, and limited ingredient meals make it easier to determine what upsets your puppy’s tummy. There’s a great selection of all-natural meals with limited ingredients at The Honest Kitchen. 

Best Dry Food for Puppies in 2024 — Final Score