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Top 5 dry puppy foods?

22K views 27 replies 22 participants last post by  georgiapeach 
#1 ·
I have a headache from researching... In your opionions what are your top 5 picks for dry puppy food.
 
#7 ·
We live in Canada and are feeding Performatrin Ultra Grain free formula. It gets if proten from salmon, duck and turkey, with whole veggies and fruits. 99% of its food sources come from Canada and US.
Also handy that it is an all stages food. Great for a growing puppy, a 10 yr old fiesty dal and a tiny chi-hua-hua. we have been feeding Performatrin for years in different forms and never had an issue.
 
#8 ·
Orijen
Acana
Fromm

are the top three per my vet. Orijen is grain free and very rich. My little girl was too loose on it so we transitioned to Acana, made by the same people, however it has grain in it.

Acana has single source (protein and grain) so it is easy to determine if there are any problems tolerating the food. I am feeding the lamb mix. Acana is not puppy specific but rather is all ages.

Fromm has mixed sources of protein and grain however is again a top quality food.

Price wise, I pay around $80 a 30 lb bag whichever I select. Since Karat demolishes 5-6 cups each day, it is expensive.

You get what you pay for.
 
#9 ·
I agree, I got a headache too from researching. Everytime I would settle on something I thought was good for Ranger that I could afford, then there would be a recall or something. My breeder recommended Bil-jac and has used it for years, so that's what I bought. It doesn't rate as high on the dog food ratings, but Ellie likes it and is doing very well with it, and there has never been a recall. So, for now, I plan on staying with it.
 
#10 ·
Fromm is less expensive than the others. Orijen is too pricey for me. I consider Fromm to be a "cheap" food. Not low quality, just one of the most affordable good grain free foods.

I change what I feed a lot. Lately I've been getting the pricey stuff at 50% off. But the pet store is under new ownership and I don't know if the new owner will clearance out foods. Or if they will carry decent brands.

I used to drive 90 mile round trip to buy dog food. I don't want to have to go back to that to feed my dog. I'd probably switch back to raw feeding first.
 
#11 ·
I like Blue Buffalo. It's easy to find in all the flavors (at least here) and my dogs do well on it. It is a 5 star dog food with few recalls. I emailed and asked them a couple questions and they answered right back. They have both grain free and with grain varieties. It is average priced for a premium dog food. I use the BB Wilderness and vary the flavors each bag. Origen is so expensive, I didn't want to go there. My SIL did try Origen, but her dog got the runs (too rich for some dogs).
 
#18 ·
Origen is expensive if you buy one bag!... It is excellent food with no problems, although a bit rich for some. We feed raw, as well to our babies.

Origen does have breeders pricing... If you order 10 bags the price is signifigantly reduced... Affordable even... They also give a "Free" bag with every 10-11 bags purchased... depending on outlet.

We have lots of kids, and the food is in vac paced bags, so it will keep for a bit. If you have only one SPOO this might not work, but for MPS it works for us. Especially for moms with puppies....

Paragon
 
#19 ·
Mack was on Acana Pacifica (Grain free) previously.

We switched him to Canine Caviar, many choices, duck, venison, bison, fish All Life Stage grain free foods.

He's doing well on this, his coat is shinier and redder than before.
 
#20 ·
I was using TOTW (lamb) and when the recall came out I was scrambling to find something. My pup has a very sensitive stomach and takes a while to transition - the shop we use suggested Earthborn - grain free (also lamb) since it is very similar. We haven't had a problem at all, plus the price is right. Orijen was too rich for her.
 
#23 ·
My dog had problems with both Orijen and Acana puppy foods. He was very sensitive. If he had even 1/4 c. of either mixed in with his usual 1 1/2 c. of Precise Holistic Puppy, he had horrible diarrhea. On the other hand, I'm almost finished transitioning him to Fromm's adult Surf and Turf and he's had no issues. So, if Orijen and Acana don't work out, Fromm's may still work for you.
 
#24 ·
I feed our 14 week old spoo Organix puppy food. It's about $20 for a small bag. Its all organic ingredients and is grain free. She seems to like it but it took sometime for her to make the transition. She would still prefer to eat crap food. Right now, she is on boiled chicken and rice deit, she got into some candy and cat poop. Very upset tummy and she wasn't eating her food. The vet suggested I put her on it until her tummy troubles seemed to pass. She is feeling better, going to give her a few more feedings though.
 
#25 ·
I feed Fromm Gold (does contain grain) and love it, as do my dogs. At $45 a 33 lb bag..very economical. The company has been family owned since 1909 (I think I got the date right) and has never had a recall. Their grain free line is more expensive, but my dogs do great on the Gold line. To me, it's very important WHO I do business with and support.. I Love that they are family owned, and do not have a humongous ad campaign (keeps prices affordable). Their breeder support is fabulous and personal, and I recommend it to all my puppy people. Several times, puppy folks have switched feed, only to re-contact me wanting to know again my recommendation, as their dog "did so much better on that". So that is my two cents.
 
#26 ·
I clicked something by accident.. didnt mean to quote anyone, hope this message goes through ok.

Has anyone heard of canidae? Someone told me wonderful things about this brand....

Im trying to find the right food for my almost 5 month old puppy, she is on cheap-dry food now (mixed with a couple spoons of canned food) , cause thats what the breeder was feeding them all. But im running out of this bag and wanna find a new GOOD food to switch to... nothing too rich though... she wont be able to handle it

Any suggestions? Thank u :)
 
#27 ·
I've used Orijen 6 Fish & Natures Variety Instinct (which has a freeze dried raw coating) - these are both All Life Stages. I've also tried Wellness Core for Puppies. All are grain free and rated 5 star on Dog Food Advisor. I'd also feed Innova or Acana or EVO. There are probably more that I'm going to rotate into the mix I just haven't found them yet!


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#28 ·
Foods I've tried and liked (all grain free; some also potato free):
*Acana
*Wellness Core
*Earthborn Holistic Grain Free - currently feeding Coastal Catch to my poodle and boxer
*Evo Herring and Salmon (also potato free and limited ingredients; only kibble my allergy dog can tolerate)
*Innova Prime (also potato free)
*Taste of the Wild [my dogs did fine on it (except my allergy dog - can't have potatoes), despite the recalls]

Most puppies don't really need a puppy food. A good all life stages kibble is fine.

Of the above kibbles, Taste of the Wild and Earthborn are the most budget friendly in my area. I'd feed Acana grain free to all three if my budget allowed.
 
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