Wet food for puppies
Wet food for puppies needs to be labelled complete for growth or for puppies specifically, not simply a wet adult food, since a growing puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog. Beyond that, it comes down to whether you want wet food as the whole diet, mixed with dry, or used as a soft option during weaning.
Why the label matters more than the format
A wet food is not automatically suitable for a puppy just because it is soft and easy to eat — the important detail is whether the packaging states it is complete and balanced for growth. An adult wet food fed to a puppy will not supply the right levels of the nutrients a growing dog needs.
Puppy-specific recipes account for the higher energy and nutrient demands of growth compared with an adult maintenance diet. Nutriment's raw chicken chubb, sold frozen, is one example of a moist puppy-labelled option in the range, alongside more conventional wet pouches and tins.
Wet food during weaning
Wet food's soft texture makes it a useful option while weaning a puppy off milk and onto solid food, since it needs little to no chewing compared with dry kibble and is easier for very young puppies to manage.
As a puppy grows and starts managing dry kibble comfortably, many owners move to a mix of wet and dry, or dry alone, rather than continuing wet food exclusively — either approach is fine as long as whatever is fed is complete for a puppy's life stage.
Mixing wet and dry
Feeding a portion of wet food alongside dry is a common approach that adds moisture and variety without needing to choose one format exclusively. When mixing, check the feeding guidelines on both products, since combining two complete foods at full portions of each can lead to overfeeding.
Wet food can also be useful for encouraging a fussier puppy to eat, or for a puppy recovering from illness who needs a more appealing, easily managed meal, provided whatever is offered remains appropriate for their age.
Making any switch gradually
Introduce a new wet food gradually over several days, watching your puppy's stools and appetite, the same as you would with any dietary change. A young puppy's digestion is still settling in and can react more visibly to a sudden switch than an adult dog's would.
If your puppy shows ongoing loose stools, seems uninterested in food generally, or is not gaining weight as expected, speak to your vet rather than working through several different wet foods on your own.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
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
Forthglade Just 90% Multicase Grain Free 12 Pack (4xChicken, 4xlamb, 4xbeef)
Twelve trays of single-meat food, four each of chicken, lamb and beef, at 90% meat
£23.25
Forthglade Just Grain Free Poultry Mix 12pk
Twelve grain-free poultry trays across three recipes, made to go over a mixer or dry food
£23.25
Burns Puppy/Junior Mini Chicken & Rice
Chicken and rice puppy food with a smaller kibble, made for small and toy breed mouths
£14.99
Burns Puppy Original Lamb & Rice
Complete Burns lamb and rice puppy food in a 2KG bag for up to 12 months
£14.99
Burns Puppy Junior Original Chicken Rice
A complete puppy and junior food with dried chicken 31% and controlled fat at 15%
From£14.99
Forthglade Just Turkey Grain Free
Forthglade Just Turkey Grain Free: complementary dog food with turkey 90% and minerals — 395G
£1.99
Forthglade Just Lamb Grain Free
Forthglade Just Lamb Grain Free: complementary dog food with lamb 90% and minerals — 395G
£1.99
Forthglade Just Chicken Grain Free
Forthglade Just Chicken Grain Free: complementary dog food with chicken 90% and minerals — 395G
£1.99
Forthglade Just Chicken with Liver Grain Free
Forthglade Just Chicken with Liver Grain Free: complementary dog food with chicken 85% — 395G
£1.99
Forthglade Just Beef Grain Free
Forthglade Just Beef Grain Free: complementary dog food with beef 90% and minerals — 395G
£1.99
Common questions
- Can I feed my puppy adult wet food?
- No, not as their main diet. Adult wet food is not formulated for the higher energy and nutrient needs of growth, so a puppy fed on it can miss out on what they need to develop properly. Always check the label states the food is complete for puppies or for growth.
- Should I mix wet and dry food for a puppy?
- You can, and many owners do, for variety and added moisture. Check the feeding guidelines on both products when combining them, since feeding full portions of two complete foods together can lead to overfeeding rather than a balanced combined amount.
- Is wet food better than dry for weaning a puppy?
- Its soft texture makes it easier for a very young puppy to manage while moving off milk, since it needs little to no chewing. As puppies grow and cope with dry kibble, many owners move to a mix or to dry food alone, and either is fine as long as it is complete for their age.
- How do I switch my puppy to a new wet food safely?
- Introduce it gradually over several days, increasing the new food and reducing the old one a little at a time, watching stools and appetite as you go. A young puppy's digestion is still settling in and can react more visibly to a sudden change than an adult dog's would.
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.