Puppy Food

A growing puppy needs more calories per kilogram of body weight than an adult dog of the same breed, along with specific levels of calcium and phosphorus to support bone development properly. Too much or too little of either can affect how a large-breed puppy's skeleton develops, which is one reason breed size matters so much here.

Puppy food is also generally more digestible and often has a smaller kibble size, making it easier for young teeth and a still-developing digestive system to manage than an adult-sized biscuit.

Large and giant breed puppies grow fast and are more prone to developmental joint problems if their growth is too rapid — formulas for these breeds are typically lower in calorie density than a small-breed puppy food, to slow growth to a healthier rate rather than maximise it.

A small-breed puppy, by contrast, has a fast metabolism and a genuinely tiny stomach relative to their size, so their food is often more calorie-dense and comes in smaller kibble pieces sized for a small mouth. Picking a formula matched to your puppy's expected adult size, not just their current size, matters from early on.

Dry puppy food is the most common choice for convenience and dental benefit from the chewing action, while wet food is often more palatable for a fussy eater or one just weaning off milk. Many owners mix a little wet through dry kibble in the early weeks to help the transition.

Raw puppy food is a smaller but established part of the range, usually sold frozen and requiring proper handling and storage. Whichever format you choose, look for one labelled complete for puppies specifically, not a complementary product meant to be fed alongside something else.