Best puppy food for a whippet
A whippet puppy does best on a complete puppy food built for a small-to-medium breed, with a controlled level of calcium and phosphorus to support steady bone growth rather than the fastest possible growth. Whippets are lean, athletic dogs, not giant-breed dogs, so a large-breed puppy formula is the wrong shape of food for them even though they end up long and lanky.
Why a whippet's growth is different from a giant breed's
Large-breed puppy foods are formulated to slow bone growth deliberately, because giant breeds are prone to joint problems when they grow too fast. A whippet is a medium-sized sighthound, not a giant breed, and does not need that same deliberate slowing — what it needs is a well-balanced, complete puppy food with the calcium and phosphorus levels kept in proportion rather than restricted.
Whippets also carry very little body fat naturally, which makes it easy to under-feed a growing puppy without realising, since ribs and a visible waist are normal on this breed even in good condition. A reliable complete food fed to the amount on the pack, adjusted as your puppy grows, does more good here than trying to judge condition by eye alone.
What to look for on the label
Look for a food labelled complete and suitable for puppies of small or medium breeds, since that is the growth profile a whippet actually needs. A named meat as the first ingredient and a clear puppy or growth life-stage statement are both good signs of a properly formulated food rather than an adult recipe repurposed for a young dog.
Whippets are prone to a sensitive stomach in some lines, so a straightforward recipe without a long list of unnecessary extras is often easier on a young digestive system than something heavily fortified with ingredients a puppy does not need.
Wet, dry, or a mix
Dry puppy food is the easiest to portion accurately and is what most whippet breeders recommend as the base of the diet, since it is simple to measure out and track as the puppy's requirements change through the first year.
A little wet food mixed in can help encourage a fussy eater or add moisture for a puppy transitioning off milk, but it should not replace the dry food as the main source of balanced nutrition unless a vet has recommended feeding wet food exclusively for a particular reason.
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Common questions
- Does a whippet puppy need a large-breed puppy food?
- No. Large-breed formulas are built for genuinely giant dogs whose fast growth puts real strain on developing joints. A whippet is a medium-sized sighthound and does better on a standard small-to-medium breed puppy food that supports steady, well-balanced growth.
- Why does my whippet puppy always look thin?
- A visible waist and some rib definition are normal for the breed even in a healthy, well-fed puppy, since whippets carry very little natural body fat. If you are ever unsure whether your puppy's weight is right for its age, a vet check is the quickest way to be sure rather than judging by eye.
- When should I switch a whippet puppy to adult food?
- Most whippets can move to an adult diet from around twelve months old, once growth has largely levelled off, though the exact timing depends on the individual dog. Your vet can advise on the right point for your puppy at a routine check-up.
- Do whippet puppies need a grain-free diet?
- Not as standard. Grain-free is a choice some owners make for a dog with a specific sensitivity, but there is nothing about being a whippet puppy that requires it, and a well-formulated grain-inclusive puppy food is perfectly suitable for most of the breed.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.