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The 12 Best Puppy Foods In Canada

Congratulations on bringing a new puppy into your household. This joyful and enjoyable period in your life may be accompanied by many questions, especially if you are a first-time dog owner.

The question "What should my puppy be eating?" should be at the top of your list. While we cannot offer a definitive answer to this issue, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) can provide you with a list of the best puppy foods in Canada to get you started.

Continue reading to discover everything you need to know about puppy dietary requirements in order to be properly prepared to welcome your new puppy into your home.

Reviews

Wellness Small Breed Puppy Food

Wellness Total Wellness Tiny Breed food has all the nutrition a small breed puppy requires to flourish. It contains DHA for brain development, calcium for bone growth, Vitamin A for healthy eyes, and omega fatty acids for skin and coat health.

In addition to glucosamine for joint health, this mix incorporates prebiotics to assist digestion. The kibble is puppy-sized and crunchy to aid with dental hygiene.

This meal is the finest overall puppy food in Canada because it has the balanced nutrients your puppy requires in a mix designed to promote whole-body wellness. In addition, it is manufactured with natural ingredients and contains no artificial flavors or colors.

Pros

  • Dog food improves oral health.
  • Offers balanced and adequate nourishment
  • Promotes skin and hair health
  • Boosts immune system
  • Natural ingredients

Cons

  • Expensive

 

IAMS Puppy Chicken Recipe Puppy Food

To feed your developing puppy high-quality food, you need not spend a fortune. IAMS’ Chicken & Whole Grains Recipe is the most cost-effective puppy food in Canada because of its reasonable price and high-quality recipe. This kibble has been formulated with the same 22 nutrients present in your puppy’s mother’s milk.

These nutrients are required for your dog to have strong bones. Additionally, antioxidants have been included in this recipe to support a healthy immune system.

It contains genuine chicken as the first component, which offers the necessary protein for your dog’s growing muscles. This formula also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve your dog’s intellect and brain health.

Pros

  • High in protein content
  • Antioxidant-rich
  • Boosts brain development
  • Provides nourishment that is 100% complete and balanced

Cons

  • Heavy in fat

 

Recipe for Taste of the Wild Puppy Food

Taste of the Wild is a dog food brand that provides nutrients based on a dog’s “ancestral diet.” The primary component in their puppy formula is genuine meat (water buffalo), and it offers an appropriate amino acid profile for your developing dog. It contains DHA for brain health, probiotics and dried chicory root for digestive health, and chicory root extract.

Its distinctive flavor is derived from roasted meat, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, and its excellent digestibility is a result. This food’s tiny kibble is designed for smaller mouths, so your puppy should have no trouble consuming or digesting it.

This food is more expensive than others on our list, but it’s well worth the investment if you’re wanting to provide your puppy with the healthiest possible diet.

This kibble has no grains. Before placing your puppy on a grain-free diet, you should consult with their veterinarian, since it is typically unnecessary unless your pet is allergic to grains.

Pros

  • Small kibble size
  • Probiotics for healthy immune function
  • An antioxidant-rich dish
  • Excellent grade protein

Cons

  • Elevated in carbs
  • It contains an opaque “ocean fish meal.”

 

Pro Plan Puppy Chicken & Rice Food for Dogs

The primary ingredient of the Purina Pro Plan Puppy formula is actual chicken, which is a source of high-quality protein. This high-protein composition is designed to fulfill the demands of your puppy’s growing muscles, so he has the energy to play.

It contains antioxidant-rich ingredients to boost your growing puppy’s immune system, as well as brain-nourishing omega fatty acids such as DHA. This kibble is supplemented with live probiotics to improve both the immune and digestive systems. The addition of vitamin A and omega-6 fatty acids ensures good skin and coat health.

Pros

  • Authentic meat as the primary element
  • Probiotics for healthy digestion
  • Improves skin and fur health
  • DHA enhances eyesight development

Cons

  • Heavy in fat

 

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Paws

The Hill’s Science Diets Puppy Small Paws formula is the best dog food in Canada, according to our veterinarians. This tasty wet food gives your developing small-breed puppy the appropriate nourishment he needs to develop lean muscles. It does not include any artificial flavorings or preservatives and has high-quality nutrients that aid good digestion.

This cuisine is packaged in a peel-and-serve tray that eliminates the need to estimate portion quantities. It is cooked with genuine chicken, brown rice, and carefully chosen veggies to enhance not only the recipe’s flavor but also its nutritional value.

Pros

  • Enticing texture and fragrance for canines
  • Organic ingredients
  • Single-portion trays for simple serving
  • Excellent grade protein
  • Easy to absorb

Cons

  • Pricy
  • Containing less protein than alternatives

 

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Puppy Food

This Blue Buffalo puppy chow has elements that encourage a healthy lifestyle. With chicken as its primary component, this wet pet food is strong in protein to promote healthy muscular growth and energy levels. The chicken liver increases the recipe’s iron and vitamin A content while imparting a natural taste that your dog will like.

Carrots supply your dog with the beta-carotene and fiber necessary for eye health and digestion. This food includes no thickening agents, artificial flavors, preservatives, or chicken by-product meals, focusing instead on offering the healthiest and most natural elements your dog needs to grow.

Pros

  • Can be eaten alone or as a topping on kibble.
  • Organic formulation
  • No preservatives
  • Big can size
  • Using actual chicken

Cons

  • Contains the contentious component carrageenan

 

Royal Canin Puppy Food in Cans

Royal Canin’s Puppy recipe is formulated to suit the nutritional demands of 10- to 15-month-old pups. It has been created to increase the appetite, ensuring that your dog consumes the food it requires during this crucial growth stage.

This moist snack improves digestive health and maintains healthy stool consistency by containing the ideal ratio of fiber to easily digestible proteins. It contains an antioxidant combination to help the immunological development of your puppy. This food’s moisture content can also improve your dog’s hydration.

Pros

  • Can be used alone or as a topping for kibble
  • Vitamin C eliminates damaging free radicals.
  • Vitamin E supports immune system health
  • Fish oil for healthy skin and hair

Cons

  • Using by-products as primary components

 

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Puppy Food

This nutritious dog food has high-quality protein as its primary element. It is prepared with non-genetically modified ingredients and contains no corn, soy, or chicken by-product meal. It contains antioxidants to strengthen your dog’s immune system and calcium to help their developing bones and joints.

This product contains DHA to promote brain growth and eye health. It is intended to be provided to pups of big breeds until they are 18 months old and has been created to fulfill the unique nutritional requirements of larger dogs.

Pros

  • Contains only non-GMO ingredients
  • Domesticated chicken is the primary component.
  • DHA for development and expansion
  • High in protein content

Cons

  • Pricing might be variable.
  • Elevated in carbs

 

EUKANUBA Small Breed Puppy Food

EUKANUBA’s formula for small breed puppies is available in two flavors: Chicken and Lamb & Rice. Both recipes use genuine meat as the primary component, supplying your dog with a substantial amount of nutritious protein to promote lean muscular growth.

The incorporation of DHA, supports healthy brain growth. The fat and carbohydrate content in dog food provides the concentrated energy required for development and play.

This solution contains a combination of natural fibers and probiotics that will support their delicate digestive system. It also contains the optimal quantity of vitamin E for immune system support. This dish is formulated for adult dogs weighing less than 23 pounds.

Pros

  • Boosts energy levels
  • A complete and nutritious diet
  • Enhances mental health
  • Facilitates muscular growth

Cons

  • The bag cannot be resealed
  • Corn may be allergenic.

 

Cesar Canine Cuisine Puppy Food

Cesar’s moist puppy chow is available in a 24-pack of 3.5-ounce, easy-to-serve trays. These pre-portioned trays will offer your puppy the proper quantity of food at mealtime.

It has been created to supply your developing puppy with adequate and balanced nourishment and has been enriched with minerals and vitamins to help him maintain his health. It includes vitamin E for the health of the immune system, biotin for healthy hair and skin, and thiamine for brain health.

Pros

  • Contains added vitamins and minerals
  • Convenient packing
  • Texture dogs love

Cons

  • If feeding this solely, excessive feeding is required.
  • No openness on the origin of ingredients
  • Contains additional hue

Buyer's Guide

Now that you are aware of some of the best puppy feeds now available in Canada, you must make the difficult decision of deciding which one to try with your pet.

The good news is that you are never required to feed your dog a single diet for its whole life. Even your dog may become bored with the same meal every day, suggesting that variety is indeed the spice of life—even for dogs.

Before feeding your dog one of the meals listed above, continue reading for additional information on selecting the best food for your dog.

Think About Breed Size

While the majority of the feeds mentioned above are created for pups of all sizes and breeds, some are developed for specific breeds.

Small and toy dog breeds have differing dietary needs compared to huge and enormous dog breeds. If your dog falls into one of these size groups, you may want to consider feeding them breed-specific food.

Small Animals

Despite their little stature, miniature and toy dog breeds require more calories per pound than their bigger counterparts. Due to their quick metabolic rate and little body fat stores, small breed puppies, particularly toy breeds, are prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

This implies that they require food with a higher calorie density and may need to be fed more often. You should seek out a diet that has more protein and fat.

Consider the size of the kibble while searching for the finest diet for your small-breed dog. Oversized kibble will be difficult to chew and may provide a choking hazard.

Large Breeds

Large and enormous puppy breeds require a healthy growth rate to avoid damaging growing bones and joints, as well as skeletal deformities. When bones develop too quickly, they become less thick and fragile.

When dogs’ bones grow too quickly and they gain weight too soon, more stress is placed on their bones and joints, which may wreak havoc on your dear pet. Developmental Orthopedic Disease (DOD) and conditions such as hip dysplasia are more prevalent in huge and enormous dog breeds.

A meal containing excessive amounts of fat might lead your dog to develop faster than his bones can support. The same concept applies to protein; excessive amounts can result in an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus, which can significantly affect bone and joint growth. It is crucial that the food you give your huge or gigantic breed puppy does not include excessive amounts of fat or protein.

Examine Food Labels

A degree in veterinary nutrition is not required to comprehend the fundamentals of dog food labeling. With a fundamental comprehension, you will be able to distinguish between high-quality and low-quality food.

Ingredient Order

As with human food labels, pet food labels display components in descending order by weight. This indicates that the first few components listed on your dog’s food label are present in greater proportions than those listed farther down.

You’ll note that we’ve included the first five components for each of the items we covered in the previous section. This is so you can know at a glance what the primary components are in each food.

Nutrition Adequacy Declaration

Find the nutritional sufficiency statement. On the food label, you may see terms such as “complete and balanced” or “100% nutrition.” These terms indicate that the food has fulfilled regulatory criteria and will offer your dog with full and balanced nourishment for his or her life stage.

In other words, this food will have the correct proportion of important elements to meet the nutritional requirements of a healthy dog. Since we’re discussing feeding a puppy, you’ll want to check that the food satisfies the “Growth” or “all life phases” criteria.

Feeding Guidelines

The food label for your dog will also provide feeding instructions. Consider these instructions with a pinch of salt. If you have questions about how much to feed your puppy, we recommend seeing your veterinarian.

Up to 30 percent of North American dogs are considered fat, so it is essential to start your puppy off on the right foot by ensuring he receives the optimum amount of food to prevent obesity.

Product Title

Additionally, you should pay great attention to the food’s name. Manufacturers are sneaky and are permitted to use certain terms to deceive consumers. If the name of your dog’s food contains a source of protein (such as “beef” or “chicken”), the protein must comprise at least 70% of the overall product.

If the product’s name contains “dinner,” “entrée,” or “platter” (for example, “beef dinner” or “chicken entrée”), the protein source must comprise at least 10% of the overall product.

If a food’s label contains the term “flavor” (e.g., “beef flavor” or “chicken flavor”), it indicates that there is enough of that protein to impart taste, but it makes up less than 3 percent of the product as a whole.

Conclusion

Wellness Complete Health offers the most nutrient-dense and all-natural mix for the best overall dog food in Canada. IAMS provides the best value for money due to its emphasis on healthy cognition and inexpensive price. Taste of the Wild delivers a high-quality, superfood-rich, and highly digestible mix for premium dog chow. Due to its antioxidant-rich and high-protein composition, the puppy formula from Purina Pro Plan is ranked fourth. The wet puppy food from Hill’s Science Diet earned our Vet’s Choice because of its soft fibers for digestion and high-quality lean protein for muscular development.

Your puppy needs optimal nourishment to begin his life. BestForPets (bestforpets.org)’s evaluations give the best puppy foods in Canada for ensuring that your dog receives the nourishment he needs to flourish.

Author Image

Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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