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Home » Guides » New puppy? What’s the best puppy food?

NEW PUPPY? WHAT’S THE BEST PUPPY FOOD?

April 13, 2023
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Are you as confused as I was when I got my first puppy?

There are literally dozens of puppy foods in Australia, and pretty much all of
them have claims on the bag saying how great and healthy they are. But are they?

Then you go on Social Media and ask for advice, only to be swamped with feed
this, don’t feed that, that’s not healthy!

WTF do you do? What will you feed the new furball you’re now responsible for?
You want him to live a long, healthy life after all… but you don’t know where to
start.

Don’t worry – the simple fact you’re researching and reading this is a sign
you’re on the right track.

I’ve researched and reviewed puppy foods for years, and can hopefully point you
in the right direction. I wouldn’t say there’s a best puppy food in Australia,
but I can offer some great recommendations on better puppy foods.

I’ll also offer some invaluable puppy feeding tips to help you choose the best
puppy food, so stick around and keep reading!

* Firstly, what’s a “puppy food”?
* Best of the best puppy foods!
* #1 Lyka – Fresh, delivered to your door!
* #3 Orijen Puppy – Seriously the BEST kibble!
* #3 Frontier Pets – The next best thing to raw!
* Really good, “affordable” puppy foods
* #1 ACANA Puppy – Top spot!
* #2 Canidae All Life Stages – Big Bag!
* #3 Taste of the Wild Puppy – Best all-rounder?
* #4 Healthy Everyday Pets Puppy – High protein Aussie puppy food!
* Invaluable puppy feeding tips
* #1 Think of your puppy as a carnivore
* #2 Always read the ingredients
* #3 Why feed the same food every day?
* #4 Don’t be afraid to experiment
* #5 You can only do your best!
* Different styles of puppy food
* Fresh water
* Dry Puppy Food
* Wet Puppy Food
* BARF Patties
* Raw
* Fresh Foods
* Treats
* Where to buy puppy food in Australia
* Foods to avoid feeding your puppy
* About the Best Puppy Food in Australia List
* Nutrition analysis of the best puppy foods
* I care what you thing – feedback, please!

FIRSTLY, WHAT’S A “PUPPY FOOD”?

For the first year or two the nutritional needs of your puppy are really
important. They need more protein, more fat, and more nutrients in this phase of
life to give them the best start.

That’s why choosing the best puppy food is so important – you’re giving them the
best start in life, and it should pay off for years to come.

Puppy foods differ from adult foods because they have more meat, more fat, and
less carbohydrates. Basically, they’re better than adult dog foods.

You don’t want to feed any dog food labelled as “Adult”, as this won’t meet the
nutritional needs of your puppy.

Some dog foods are labelled “All Life Stages” which means they meet the
nutritional needs of puppies as well as adults.

Good tip for when your pup grows up “All Life Stage” dog foods usually have
better ingredients than regular “Adult” dog foods!

BEST OF THE BEST PUPPY FOODS!

I’ll make some recommendations here of what I’ve found to be the best of the
best when it comes to puppy foods in Australia.

If you want the best you can buy, money no object, then these are hands down
some of the best puppy foods you can buy. I’ve found these foods to completely
turn a dog’s health around, which really shows how good they are.

Consumer feedback is excellent for these puppy foods, and I’m pretty sure you
can’t go wrong with them.

If you’re on a budget, don’t worry. Many of us feed a top food like these as
part of the diet. There’s no reason your puppy shouldn’t be fed a variety of
foods, and combining one of these with a more affordable puppy food is totally
an option. Add variety!

I’m pretty sure these recommendations are some of the best, healthiest puppy
foods in Australia today (and trust me, I’ve researched!).

#1 LYKA – FRESH, DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR!

Lyka

I love this company. They’re basically Hello Fresh for dogs!

If you want your puppy eating human grade, ethical, and carbon-neutral dinners,
then Lyka really is a great choice. Being a fresh, slightly cooked puppy food it
offers you less risk of handling raw meats, and being delivered to your door
makes it really convenient.

Lyka comes as “bowls” rather than being a traditional bag of puppy food. Each
bowl is a mix tailored to your puppy, made from the stuff they really should be
eating – meat, heart, liver, plus a range of really beneficial ingredients.

The puppy recipes may vary, but you’ll likely find sardines, fish or other
beneficial oils, plus a range of other great ingredients added for the benefit
of your puppy.

I find Lyka really hard to fault, and feedback has been amazing. I’ve
recommended this to people with sick dogs, only to have them contact me a couple
of weeks later with astounding results. It’s heartwarming, and I’m glad
companies like Lyka exist in Australia.

Benefits:

* Fresh food tailored for your puppy really takes the effort out of feeding
your new pup!
* Delivered to your door so you can spend more time playing with your puppy
rather than making them fancy meals!
* Made mostly of meat and organs which is what your puppy should be eating.
* Well chosen veggies, oils, and other ingredients to benefit the health of
your puppy in the vital growth phase.
* So easy, so convenient, so healthy – it takes away all the effort completely.

Lyka is only available directly from their website, and as a special Pet Food
Reviews deal:

20% off your first order!

Read the full Lyka dog food review.

#3 ORIJEN PUPPY – SERIOUSLY THE BEST KIBBLE!

Orijen Puppy Food

I had to have a dry food in this list, and Orijen is by far the best puppy food
in terms of your regular, convenient, kibble.

In most dry puppy foods you’ll find ominous ingredients like cereal grains,
by-products, and rendered meats of dubious quality. Your puppy will eat this
stuff if you give it to them, but whether it will lead to long term tip-top
health is questionable.

Orijen Puppy comes at a price, but it’s jam packed with whole-prey ingredients –
chicken, turkey, flounder, cage-free eggs, mackerel, chicken liver, turkey
liver, chicken heart, turkey heart, herring, and more.

I haven’t just cherry picked the ingredients either, that’s how they read on the
bag. It’s simply an amazing dry food, and nothing else in Australia comes close.

I really can’t recommend it enough. It’s been around for many years with amazing
customer feedback and loyalty, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. In terms of
dry food it’s hands down the best puppy food.

Oh, and there’s a large breed formula too, so they cater for all sizes, all
breeds.

Benefits:

* 38% protein and 20% fat is astounding for a dry food, and great for your
puppy.
* Whole-prey ingredients, like nature intended.
* 85% animal ingredients, 15% vegetables, fruits, and botanicals. No grains for
your meat-loving pup!
* Ingredients speak for themselves.
* As a dry food you also benefit from easy storage, convenience, and easy
feeding.

PRICES FROM 1 RECOMMENDED RETAILER(S)

* Pet Circle
$ 61.99
Confirm Price

Last updated: 2023-11-02 18:17:11

Read the full Orijen dog food review.

#3 FRONTIER PETS – THE NEXT BEST THING TO RAW!

Frontier Pets

I flew from Perth to Brisbane, hired a car, and drove all the way to Evans Head
in NSW to meet Di who founded Frontier Pets and see the factory.

The reason I did that is because I see them as being one of the most amazing
Australian dog food companies. Time and consumer feedback has shown this to be
100% the case, and I highly recommend Frontier Pets to new puppy owners who want
the best in health and nutrition – it will pay dividends.

So why is Frontier Pets one of the best puppy foods in Australia?

Firstly, the food is made from all the stuff your puppy should be eating which
is meat, organs, tripe, plus well select fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices to
keep your puppy happy, active, and healthy.

Secondly, being freeze-dried offers you so much convenience. It’s a process
which takes out the moisture while leaving nutrition completely intact, which
for you as the consumer means it keeps for literally ages. You just add water
before feeding.

Frontier Pets is the best way to feed your puppy a nutritious raw diet without
actually mucking around with raw (and who likes chopping up heart, liver, and
tripe).

Actually, when it comes to super-nutritious tripe, most raw feeders avoid it
because in it’s fresh form absolutely stinks. It’s a shame really, because it’s
a fantastic thing to feed your puppy.

I’ve fed Frontier Pets many times to my dogs over the years. It’s not even as
expensive as it may seem, and you’ll probably find the bag lasts longer than
you’d expect.

You can even add some raw meaty bones to your puppy’s diet, which is a great way
to boost health, clean their teeth, and stop them chewing chair legs and ankles.

Out of the top picks Frontier Pets is definitely the best all-rounder, having
both the nutrition of a raw diet, and the convenience of kibble!

Benefits:

* Convenience of kibble, nutrition of raw – you don’t get easier than that!
* Packed with meat, organs, and tripe which are what you should be feeding your
puppy as a meat-eating animal.
* It’s not as expensive as you think – without moisture it’s just the good,
nutritious stuff.
* Long shelf life so it will keep for ages, like a kibble.
* Just add water, and your puppy will love clean, fresh water.

Frontier Pets can be ordered here. A great starting point is the puppy starter
pack!

Read the full Frontier Pets dog food review.

REALLY GOOD, “AFFORDABLE” PUPPY FOODS

I’ll use the term “affordable” loosely, as it really depends on what you can
afford, and if you have a large breed puppy or more than one then price will
always be a factor.

After all, most of us can’t offer our puppies the best puppy foods – that’s just
life.

But we can do our best!

The puppy foods listed below have proven to hold their own, and I’ve had great
feedback for all these brands. The ingredients in all of them are decent, and
should offer your puppy a good start in life.

You’ll find cheaper puppy foods, but most will be made from ingredients like
cereals and by-products which aren’t great for your dog – and the real cost of
these are when your puppy reaches middle age and starts suffering from ill
health. You don’t want that, which is why I’m recommended these “affordable”
puppy foods.

Personally I’ve found rotating between different puppy foods very beneficial –
not only to balance nutrition, but it also helps you take advantage of what’s on
sale.

Most retailers, especially the big online ones like Pet Circle and , always
have something on sale. In fact, I’ve used Pet Circle to determine price per
kilo, which is a really useful feature.

#1 ACANA PUPPY – TOP SPOT!

ACANA Puppy

What I love most about ACANA for puppies is it’s so balanced, with a whole range
of decent ingredients.

It’s made mostly from chicken and turkey, but also fish like flounder and
pollock. You’ll also find chicken broth and cage-free eggs – all good stuff.

It has great protein of 33%, and fat of 20%. This is what your puppy needs to
grow, and also means they’re not eating loads of high-carbohydrate grains.

Speaking of grains, there aren’t any. That’s good, because your puppy doesn’t
need them, and instead we find a mix of healthy stuff which will help them build
immunity, strength, and wellbeing.

Ok, so it’s not the cheapest “affordable” puppy food at $1.27 per 100g for the
11.3kg bag, so if that’s an issue check out the #2 pick below!

Oh, and I fed ACANA to my puppy, which gives me confidence recommending it to
you too.

Benefits:

* Excellent 33% protein and 20% fat ensures your puppy is getting what they
need to grow! Low carbs!
* Great mix of meat, fish, eggs, with legumes to give your puppy a balanced
diet with the health benefits of fish and eggs.
* Even a small amount of turkey livers which are super healthy for your pup!
* No grains – your puppy is better off with a meat-based diet.
* Lots of fruits, veggies, and stuff like turmeric as an immunity boost.
* Good reputation should offer you consumer confidence.
* Made by the same company who make Orijen (from the “best of the best puppy
food” section)!

Sorry, no prices available at this time.

Read the full ACANA dog food review.

#2 CANIDAE ALL LIFE STAGES – BIG BAG!

Canidae All Life Stages

Canidae All Life Stages (ALS) is definitely a great choice if you’re on a
budget, coming in at $0.52/100g (at Pet Circle) which is under half the price of
ACANA Puppy as the #1 pick!

The reason for this is Canidae All Life Stages comes in one bag size – the 20kg
Big Bag!

That makes it a great option if you have a large breed puppy or a more active
breed.

For smaller or less active puppies this isn’t for you, and the kibble will
likely spoil before you feed it all (generally you want to finish a bag within 4
weeks tops).

The tradeoff with Canidae All Life Stages is it doesn’t have as much meat as
you’d think.

It has three meat ingredients to 7 non-meat ingredients which are mostly rice,
oats, barley, peas, and potato.

That said, it’s good to have a mix, and there’s nothing stopping you adding in
some fresh meats, organs, or other puppy foods.

Canidae has consistently shown positive consumer feedback for years. In fact, I
was feeding it to my dog over 10 years ago – it was good then, and still is.

Benefits:

* Best value for money and the convenience of a big 20kg bag
* Good reputation which offers you consumer confidence.
* A good mix of meat and fish to offer your puppy a variety of proteins and the
health benefits of fish
* 24% protein and 10% fat

Sorry, no prices available at this time.

Read the full Canidae ALS dog food review.

#3 TASTE OF THE WILD PUPPY – BEST ALL-ROUNDER?

Taste Of The Wild Puppy

If the #1 pick was too expensive, and #2 didn’t fit the bill either, then you’ll
love this puppy food – Taste of the Wild.

It’s my best all round choice, coming in at $0.85/100g in the 12.2kg bag (at Pet
Circle) which is really good, and as a brand sold worldwide you should have
comfort in established consumer confidence.

Taste of the Wild doesn’t have the same meat content as ACANA Puppy, but it
still has a good mix of ingredients.

In the High Prairie Puppy formula you’ll find water buffalo as a novel meat
source, as well as lamb, venison, and ocean fish meal.

Truth be told it doesn’t quite seem to have the meat content as ACANA Puppy, but
when you consider the price difference it’s hard not to see Taste of the Wild
Puppy as the better option!

Benefits:

* 28% protein and 17% fat which is great for your puppy’s growth, health, and
wellbeing!
* Grain free and not full of fillers your puppy doesn’t need.
* Good mix of meat, fish, and oils which are what your puppy should be eating.
* Good price for a puppy food, meaning you can spend more money on puppy toys!

PRICES FROM 2 RECOMMENDED RETAILER(S)

* Pet Circle
$ 30.99
Confirm Price
* Jumbo Pets
$ 129.95
Confirm Price

Last updated: 2023-11-02 18:17:11

Read the full Taste of the Wild dog food review.

#4 HEALTHY EVERYDAY PETS PUPPY – HIGH PROTEIN AUSSIE PUPPY FOOD!

Healthy Everyday Pets Puppy

It’s great to see Australian dog foods rivalling some of the big worldwide
brands. Healthy Everyday Pets are one such company, putting some of the other
Australian brands to shame.

The company was created by Superman’s personal trainer (I kid you not!), who was
baffled about how much grains and carbs were in most dog foods on the shelves.
We all know how bad carbs are, right?

The great thing about Healthy Everyday Pets Puppy is the amount of protein from
meat, and it’s grain free to boot. This puppy formula has the most protein at
35%, and 15% fat.

It’s a little pricier than the other picks above, at the time of writing
$1.11/100g (at Pet Circle) for the 12kg bag. That’s on sale as well, so you may
find it a bit more when you check the price.

Although Healthy Everyday Pets Puppy doesn’t have the range of meats and fish
like you do with ACANA and Taste of the Wild Puppy, it does have added egg,
probiotics, and prebiotics (good for gut health), and the wonderful omega-rich
green lipped mussels.

Benefits:

* 35% protein and 15% fat which makes it the most protein of all the
recommended “affordable” puppy foods – puppy’s need protein to grow!

PRICES FROM 1 RECOMMENDED RETAILER(S)

* Pet Circle
$ 46.79
Confirm Price

Last updated: 2023-11-02 18:17:11

Read the full Healthy Everyday Pets dog food review.

INVALUABLE PUPPY FEEDING TIPS

My best tip – whenever you decide to change your dog food, make sure you come
back here and read the review. You might be surprised at what trickery goes on
with pet food marketing!

You can bookmark with CTRL + D (on Windows) and Alien Key + Alien Key on Macs.

When you read a review, make sure you read the comments too. The proof is in
those who’ve fed a food.

Choosing the best puppy food is more about a little knowledge, and a little
thought, so here are some invaluable puppy feeding tips to help you out:

#1 THINK OF YOUR PUPPY AS A CARNIVORE

I’m sure pet food manufacturers would love us to believe our dogs are omnivores
like us, especially as non-meat foods are cheap inclusions in dog foods.

Just take a look at your new puppy. Yes, they’re cute. Yes, they’re cuddly. But
look at those jaws, those teeth. Do they look like your jaws, your teeth?

I’m guessing the conclusion you came to was no, they’re not like us, and those
gnashers look better for chewing on meat, organs, and bones.

When you think of your dog as a carnivore in this way, it will help you pick the
right food.

Always opt for a food with more meat, and less other stuff.

#2 ALWAYS READ THE INGREDIENTS

It’s such a simple tip, but something perhaps 1% of new puppy owners will do.
Probably less!

Always look on the front of the bag – what does it tell you. Then turn it over,
read the ingredients, and see if they tell a different story.

They probably do.

From reading the reviews on this website you’ll learn the many tricks of the
trade which convince us a dog food is better than it is.

A good example is “Meat first ingredient” which you’ll see often, but when the
ingredients read meat, grain, grain, grain, grain it means there actually isn’t
much meat!

#3 WHY FEED THE SAME FOOD EVERY DAY?

Do you ever wonder why we feed our dogs the same food for their whole lives?
Doesn’t it sound silly if I suggest you should eat the same thing all the time?

In fact, I see many health issues occur in dogs which are likely the result of
an unvaried diet.

If we eat a food which contains some kind of toxin we probably won’t notice it.
If we kept eating that food, day after day, from the same packet, then it could
be a different story.

Why hasn’t anyone developed the perfect “complete and balanced” food for us
humans? Guaranteed to meet all our complex nutritional needs?

How convenient would that be?

And how bland…

In human nutrition studies there’s plenty of evidence eating the same food for a
long period, or not eating a specific food for a long period, can lead to
intolerances.

It’s the same for our dogs.

I can’t tell you how many times people have complained their dog didn’t eat a
new food, or the new food made their dog vomit, without considering the dog had
probably been on a diet of by-products and wheat for many years.

Vets don’t consider diet as a cause of illness either. Not many, anyway.

They should – we’d probably have a much greater awareness of terrible pet foods
if that were the case.

#4 DON’T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT

Don’t be afraid to try different foods, or different styles of food. There’s no
reason you shouldn’t try different things, like mixing kibble with mince,
feeding sardines for breakfast, or taking a venture into the world of raw
feeding.

Simply adding eggs or chicken broth to a kibble can work wonders for the health
of your puppy!

#5 YOU CAN ONLY DO YOUR BEST!

Taking on a puppy is a responsibility, and you’ll likely feel uncertain at
times. You may feel you’re not offering the puppy the best food, and perhaps the
brands I mentioned in the “best of the best puppy foods” section are simply not
affordable.

Don’t worry!

You can only do your best!

Simply following some of the tips in this section will help boost the health and
wellbeing of your puppy!

Over time you’ll figure out ways to improve your puppy’s diet, take advantage of
meats, organs, meaty bones, fish, chicken broth, or even some of those foods
reduced at the supermarket. I do!

DIFFERENT STYLES OF PUPPY FOOD

There are many styles of puppy food, from commercial dry foods to all out raw
feeding. In this section we’ll look at the different styles, with pros and cons.

Let’s start with some handy bullet points:

* If feeding a dry or wet food, only feed a Puppy Formula or All Life Stages
formula. If neither of these are on the packaging then the food will not
contain the nutrition required for the puppy phase.
* Avoid cheap dry puppy food brands. The puppy phase (up to 1 year) is critical
for the long term health of your dog. If you feed them a cheap food now it
will likely cost you tenfold in years to come.
* Avoid anything with “Wheat”, “Cereals”, or “Cereal By-Products”. If a food is
formulated with these ingredients then they’re not very healthy for your pup.
* Feed a variety! This is often overlooked as many continue to feed whatever
the breeder suggested, or worse whatever the shelter fed the puppy. Feeding
the same product continuously is never a good idea, although this is what
most people believe is correct.
* Do not feed your puppy any of the foods listed further down on this page.

FRESH WATER

Water is absolutely vital to the health of your puppy, so make sure you clean
and refill the bowl at least once a day. As a nutritionist I would recommend
spring water due to the mineral content, but if that sounds extravagant then tap
water will do (it’s the norm after all).

DRY PUPPY FOOD

Dry food is the most convenient, but quality ranges significantly. Don’t be
fooled into thinking an expensive brand is much better than a cheaper brand, as
more often than not they’re still high in grains, high in carbohydrates
(sugars), and not overly species appropriate.

That said, there are some really good dry puppy foods available with a focus on
meat, protein, and fat (the stuff your puppy really does need), and the list a
bit further below will offer you a good starting point.

Most puppy owners opt for dry food out of convenience, but as a convenience food
don’t assume it has to be their entire diet. It can, however, make a good and
reliable base during the puppy phase.

While your puppy is growing they have a huge dependency on nutrition to grow
into a healthy adult dog. Make sure you pick a decent food, or perhaps rotate
between different brands to offer variety and build up tolerance to different
foodstuffs (pet food manufacturers advise against this because they want you to
feed their product for the life of your dog).

When introducing a new food (especially dry food) it’s common to see a few bouts
of diarrhoea. Keep in mind this is often because your puppy’s digestive system
is adapting to the new food, but keep a close eye as it can also mean the food
isn’t good.

WET PUPPY FOOD

Wet food is usually better than the dry counterpart from the same manufacturer.
Avoid the trays you find in the supermarket and opt for cans by more premium
manufacturers.

Many dogs suffer in later years from an exclusive wet food diet (particularly
small and toy breeds where this is more common), with periodontal disease being
common from lack of abrasion in the diet which in nature they get from chewing
on bones.

Having wet food in the diet can be beneficial. As mentioned before, add variety
– mix it up!

Most of the reviews on this website are for dry foods, but usually the wet
offerings from the same company are just as good if not better.

BARF PATTIES

It might be worth avoiding raw in the first few months unless you know what
you’re doing, but many start to slowly introduce it as the puppy grows. For
those inexperienced with raw feeding or making your puppy food at home, then
BARF patties are a safe option but a little more costly than a homemade diet.

BARF patties are frozen “raw” foods which are found at most pet stores and pet
shops these days.

I used to hear all the time that you can’t feed kibble with raw (a fallacy which
likely stemmed from pet food manufacturers), but time has shown many pet owners
to do this with no issues whatsoever. Myself included.

When finding a BARF patty I recommend opting for human grade meats due to the
poor standards of Australian pet grade meats. Thankfully many BARF patties these
days use high quality ingredients, even commonly found brands like Proudi and
Big Dog.

RAW

There’s been a growing trend in recent years to feed a dog what they would’ve
eaten in the wild – fresh meats, organs, blood, and bones. There is so much
nutrition in a raw diet, but if you choose to go this route then make sure you
research heavily. There’s plenty of information and recipes on the Internet
which will really help you, and some excellent social media groups – join them!

An excellent starting point for feeding raw is the book Work Wonders by
Australian veterinarian Tom Lonsdale. It’s the best no-nonsense account of
feeding a dog I’ve come across, and a great base for understanding the
nutritional needs of your dog.

More reading material can be found here.

FRESH FOODS

In olden days (not so long ago), many dogs lived off table scraps. Feeding your
dog some nutritious foodstuffs along the way can be very beneficial, but use
common sense. Non-processed meats, eggs, fish (be careful of bones), tuna,
sardines, veggies, all have beneficial qualities. Just make sure you avoid
foodstuffs which can be bad for a pup, such as chocolate, cooked bones,
processed meats (easy on the sausages) – more information later. Most of it is
common sense if you consider your dog to be essentially a meat eating animal
(what I consider a facultative carnivore).

TREATS

Supermarket (and pet store) treats don’t conform to any requirements, and given
they’re designed for occasional feeding only it’s often overlooked the harm they
can do if fed in excess.

Boiled chicken is an excellent treat, and your dog will love you for that as
much as they would a commercial treat made from wheat, sugar, and chemicals.
Healthy and nutritious is the best way!

There are some excellent freeze dried treats available but they come at a cost.
If you can, opt for freeze dried mussels or some form of freeze dried meat
without additives.

WHERE TO BUY PUPPY FOOD IN AUSTRALIA

Most people buy dog foods in the supermarket. The problem with this is the
target demographic for supermarkets are people who tend to buy a product based
on price, which in terms of dog food is without consideration of quality. Many
supermarket brands are made by Mars or Nestle (yes, the chocolate bar
companies), and in Australia the rest will likely be from our biggest
manufacturer The Real Pet Food Co. Unfortunately most of these brands keep the
cost down by sacrificing quality ingredients (meats) with cheaper alternatives
(grains and by-products).

Thankfully it’s very easy to buy most of the dog foods reviewed on this website
from one of the leading pet food retailers. Pet Circle are our largest online
retailer and often the cheapest, with a close second. Most online retailers
offer free delivery to your door if you spend over $50. The best thing about
online retailers is they’re very competitive, often with many brands on sale.
The reviews on this website check current prices, so check back whenever you’re
about to stock up!

Petbarn also offer home delivery (saves you lugging a 20kg bag of dog food), and
also click and collect if that’s preferable for you.

Local pet supermarkets are an option, but in many ways fall foul of the same
problems with supermarket dog foods. Usually these stores offer one or two
really good brands, but most will still be Mars, Nestle, or Colgate Palmolive
who make the Hill’s products. You’ll also find unique brands, such as Leaps &
Bounds in Petbarn, which are usually from the same Australian manufacturer I
mentioned earlier.

Independent pet stores are well worth considering if you have a good one
locally. Not only is it good to support local Australian businesses, but they’re
often more knowledgeable on pet nutrition and will likely recommend and stock
better brands. Just make sure you check our reviews as well as sometimes brands
change over time (for example: one brand we used to highly recommend established
a very loyal following based on our review, but when the company was bought up
by a big manufacturer it seemed clear the quality dropped significantly.
Unfortunately that brand is still recommended by many pet stores).

Lastly but not leastly, a number of really good dog food brands have sprung up
which offer delivery straight to your door. These companies cut out the middle
men (supermarkets or pet stores) in order to keep costs down. It’s a win win for
them and for you, especially as some pet stores take as much as 40% of the
profits.

FOODS TO AVOID FEEDING YOUR PUPPY

As a simple rule consider your puppy an animal which can be considered
carnivorous in nature (they’re from the order carnivora). With a historical
whole prey diet keep in mind the best foods to feed a puppy revolve around that
specific diet and the contents of whole prey (which can be grains, vegetables,
and so forth to a small extent).

Avoid feeding any food you know to have health implications for yourself –
sweets, sugar, alcohol, etc.

Some foods are healthy for us but very unhealthy for your dog, so pay close
attention to the following list.

* Alcohol – it’s bad for us, and very bad for your dog. Unfortunately dogs will
drink alcohol so don’t leave any lying around. It can lead to vomiting and
diarrhoea, difficulty breathing, loss of coordination (just like us), but
also central nervous system depression, abnormal blood acidity, coma, or even
death.
* Avocado Skin, Leaves, & Pits – the fruit of an avocado has numerous health
benefits for a dog, but whatever you do do not feed the skin, pit, or leaves
of an avocado plant. They are as dangerous for a dog as they are for us.
* Bones (cooked) – A very simple and important rule – never feed your dog
cooked bones. The reason is simple as they can splinter and cause damage.
When feeding bones always feed them raw, always make sure they are
appropriate to your size and breed of dog, and it is highly recommended you
monitor them while eating a bone.
* Caffeine – not only do dogs not need caffeine to stay awake, it is dangerous
to a dog due to methylxanthines (found in coffee plants). Excessive coffee
can lead to vomiting and diarrhoea, panting, hyperactivity, excessive thirst,
abnormal heart rhythm, or more severe reactions can include seizures or
death.
* Chocolate – this is another food containing methylxanthines and can cause the
symptoms mentioned above. Dark chocolate is particularly harmful to a dog,
but all chocolate needs to be avoided.
* Citrus – it’s uncommon for a dog to eat citrus based plants or fruits, but if
they do it can lead to irritation and potentially central nervous system
depression. This is inclusive of seeds, stems, peels, and leaves, not just
the fruit.
* Coconut oil and coconut – you may notice many modern dog food diets contain
coconut oil, which in moderation is beneficial. Some dogs can be allergic to
coconut, and in excessive amounts can lead to vomiting and diarrhoea in any
dog. Also be cautious of coconut water as it contains potassium levels which
are too high for your dog.
* Fruit pits – these can commonly cause an obstruction in the digestive tract
and may need to be surgically removed. Be careful of any fruits containing
pits, such as peaches and plums.
* Garlic – You’ll hear all over social media that garlic is bad for dogs, but
in truth this is only in excessive quantities (I read the research many years
ago, and for an average dog it was considered about 70 cloves to be harmful).
In moderation however, garlic has positive health benefits and helps to ward
off parasites. The reason for the concern is organosulphoxide in garlic which
in high doses can be a poison to dogs (also see Onion & Chives).
* Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts, & Other Nuts – Macadamia nuts must be avoided as
they can cause a number of issues with a dog such as vomiting, depression,
and weakness. A cautionary note on peanuts as like humans it is possible for
a dog to be allergic. Nuts should not be fed in excess due to having a high
fat and oil content (particularly Walnuts, Almonds, and Pecans).
* Milk & Dairy – more a cautionary note, but some dogs can be lactose
intolerant and may not be able to break down the lactose in milk. Symptoms
can be diarrhoea but other digestive issues may arise.
* Onion & Chives – in excessive quantities these ingredients can lead to
gastrointestinal problems and red blood cell damage. They contain
organosulphoxide which is a poison to dogs.
* Persimmons – these may lodge in the digestive system and lead to enteritis.
* Raisins, Currants, Sultanas, & Grapes – these fruits contain toxins which can
lead to kidney failure in dogs.
* Rhubarb leaves – these are poisonous for us, and the same is the case for our
dogs. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalates which affect the digestive and nervous
system.
* Salt – it’s bad for us, it’s even worse for dogs. In a dry food salt will be
around 1% of the formula, but in excess will cause excessive urination,
thirst, and possibly sodium ion poisoning. Initial symptoms can be vomiting
and diarrhoea, leading to a high temperature, seizures, and worst case death.
* Xylitol – this is a sugar alcohol used in a number of products, usually as a
sweetener. It is commonly found in sweets, chewing gum, toothpaste, as well
as other food products. In dogs it causes an insulin release, can cause
hypoglycaemia, low blood sugar, or liver failure. Visible signs can be
vomiting and diarrhoea, but also lethargy and poor coordination.
* Yeast – this can be harmful to your dog as stomach gas may cause it to rise
in the digestive system. This can lead to bloat or twisting, and in some
cases can be life threatening.

I CARE WHAT YOU THING – FEEDBACK, PLEASE!

The best puppy food recommendations depend on your ongoing feedback.

Many people contact me daily with feedback or consumer issues, and I do my best
to keep track of that data.

This feedback is valuable to providing decent, reliable information on this
website, and in turn help other pet owners like us.

Your feedback helps me adjust ratings on the reviews accordingly, and they do
change over time.

In the past, sadly, highly rated brands have suffered formula changes,
ingredient changes, or manufacturer changes, and shown a change in quality.

If you’re aware of any problems – let me know.

All reviews are independent and unbiased by myself. I’m a qualified pet
nutritionist, but given there are no qualifications in pet food marketing per
se, most reviews simply analyse the ingredients and composition, often in
reference to pet food standards.

Hopefully the reviews give you a good idea of what the ingredients really mean,
and what they really say based on Australian Pet Food Standards AS 5812 and pet
food marketing regulations.

Or in other words, tell you what the pet food companies don’t tell you.

Pet Food Reviews is a free resource to you as a pet owner, but it takes up a
great deal of time – huge amounts over the past 10 or so years! If you decide to
buy one of the best puppy foods based on the information on this page, then I’d
be super grateful if you use one of the affiliate links or “Where to buy”
recommendations – thank you!

I hope this guide has got you started on your puppy journey, and you have some
insight into what is the best puppy food in Australia.

Variety is always a good thing, and if in doubt – read the ingredients!

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32 Comments
1. Reply
Nadia April 25, 2023 at 2:51 pm

I love these detailed reviews. BUT: I find it concerning that you do not
mention the massive DCM problem that Acana and Orijen are known for.
I was really hoping that you could recommend some grain-free or low-grain
Aussi Dog and Puppy food that does not cause fatal heart conditions and is
healthy. Now I feel I need to go back to crappy Hills Puppy food

As of July, 2020, more than 1100 dogs with DCM have been reported to the
FDA (and over 20 cats). In the latest update (with numbers as of November
1, 2022), another 255 dogs with DCM had been reported to the FDA, bringing
the total number of dogs with DCM reported to the FDA to 1382.

https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/news/study-grain-free-diet-for-dogs-leads-to-canine-heart-disease/#:~:text=Researchers%20found%20dogs%20eating%20some,congestive%20heart%20failure%20and%20death.

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) May 7, 2023 at 5:39 pm

Hi Nadia,

I’ve written about the DCM saga here, but some quick pointers are as
follows:

* The FDA investigation was dropped due to inconclusive evidence.
* The brands most harmed from being named in the investigation were
Orijen and ACANA (Champion Petfoods), who have since been acquired by
Mars Petcare.
* The investigation was launched on the back of a “hunch” by a Dr Lisa
Freeman DACVM, on the payroll of multiple grain-based pet food
manufacturers, such as the one mentioned above.

Personally I considered the whole DCM “scare” a marketing play by big
corporates to successfully damage their growing competitors in the
grain-free (or lets say Boutique/Exotic/Grain-Free) space.

I also considered the real problem, the one which nobody viralises over
the Internet, to be a lack of meat ingredients in most dog foods (and cat
foods). So regardless of grain or grain-free ingredients used to fill out
a pet food, keep productions costs down, and profits up.

I see people regurgitate the DCM issues all over the Internet daily. It’s
like a cult. Most come armed with an arsenal of website links and videos
to prove their point, but on further investigation not many have any
credibility. The unfortunate nature of the Internet, with the end result
being consumers convinced grain-based dog foods are the only healthy
option for carnivorous animals – which is crazy when you think about it!

2. Reply
Darren December 19, 2022 at 7:48 pm

Been reading these reviews for a while and I really like your systematic
approach to judging pet foods.

Im a new puppy owner who wished had known of this site while I was running
around for my first puppy food.

One food brand that make it into my advertisements was bezzie, not to
mention lyka.

https://bezzie.com.au/#/

Was wondering if you have tried this brand before.

The plus to this brand so far, has been a free scoop and feeding bowl (to
to size but its free), where upon reading your reviews I have slowly
swapped to foods on this list.

One thing that I hope my puppy to eat is the types of food they may have
hunted out in the ‘wild’, which led me to look for ‘fish’ puppy foods where
i was thinking that they would hunt themselves more successfully, alas not
finding much selection aside from TOTW, and blackhawk.

I have since changed to TOTW currently, but loving the fact that my puppy
enjoys raw veggies as much as me and treats baby carrots like a treat.

Regardless, I’m thankful for your approach to reviewing food, as your
approach is similar to mine, investigate the ingredients and the %’s of the
food.

Was also wondering if or when specific wet food reviews may happen, I’m
using these as meal toppers currently, to ensure that my puppy was eating
well as she got desexed recently.

Regardless a few question of more work airing on your radar, I like this
site and have been referring this site to ithers I meet, as other owners
comments are invaluable to new owners.

Keep up the awesome work!

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) December 21, 2022 at 6:15 pm

Hi Darren, I haven’t looked into Bezzie but will do. It looks decent from
a quick investigation, so I’ll do some research.

3. Reply
Gloria December 14, 2022 at 9:00 pm

What do you think about Vetalogica Biologicaly Apropiate.
It is made in Australia
You did not review it yet

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) December 18, 2022 at 12:17 am

Hi Gloria, here you go –
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/vetalogica-dog-food-review/

4. Reply
Jarod November 16, 2022 at 5:51 am

I was deciding between LifeWise and TOTW for my pup and ended up selecting
the former. I noticed it did not make this list however, would you
recommend switching to TOTW?

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) November 16, 2022 at 8:14 pm

Hi Jarod, LifeWise is certainly a good choice and perhaps worthy of being
listed on this page…

5. Reply
Liam November 15, 2022 at 11:42 am

So disappointed to hear that Mars will now make Orijen and Acana. Time to
look for an alternative….

https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/press-releases-statements/mars-petcare-acquire-champion-petfoods

6. Reply
Paul May 11, 2022 at 12:42 pm

The link for the review of meals for mutts puppy food takes me to a page
with a product description but not a full review. Can the full review be
accessed somewhere else?

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) May 11, 2022 at 3:32 pm

Thanks Paul, I’ve fixed the link!

7. Reply
Joanne April 24, 2022 at 3:46 pm

Hi Guys,

I’ve had Proudi balanced raw recommended to me to wean/feed to my puppies
but I can’t find an actual review on the website apart from a brief mention
in your “What’s best to feed puppies” section. Have you done a
comprehensive review? I currently use raw goat milk, Frontier Pets and Ziwi
Peak with human grade raw mince for training treats but am concerned with
getting the balance right and believe the less processed the better. I look
forward to hearing from you and thank you for the valuable work that you
do.

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) April 25, 2022 at 8:39 pm

Hi Joanne, I’ve been meaning to review Proudi for so long now, and so
many have asked. Your comment prompted me to finally write it!
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/proudi-dog-food-review/

8. Reply
Cassie February 22, 2022 at 9:23 pm

Hi guys. We recently tried Orijen and my boy is now suddenly keen on the
idea of dry food which is great.. as a side note it actually smells totally
different to any other dry food I’ve opened and I was pleasantly surprised
at how fresh and meaty it smelled so I really appreciate all the good
advice I’ve been getting from this site.

The reason I’m commenting though, is that I remembered the note about how
expensive Orijen is in this guide when I was doing some costings and
calculations on splitting his food between a couple of different types so I
thought I’d share the thought and results for anyone that’s watching their
budget and attempting to feed premium quality.

Orijen is much more expensive per kg than for example, Healthy Everyday
Pets but it’s actually cheaper on a $/day basis because of the lower
feeding amount required. For the sake of a simple example I have a 30kg
golden retriever just over 12 months and the yearly cost to feed him the
recommended amount of Healthy Everyday Pets Puppy is $2343.52 but the
yearly cost to feed the recommended amount of Orijen Large Breed Puppy is
$2056.22. You should do the feeding amount calculations for $/day if you
want to look into comparable costs because the higher quality foods often
get more expensive per kg but require you to feed smaller amounts. Orijin
in particular appears to be quite reasonably priced compared to other good
quality foods listed on this site.

(This is just using the standard prices on Pet Circle so you can obviously
do better in practice if you shop around and manage to catch specials but
for the sake of this example I’m standardising – data analyst here sorry.)

Anyway, just a thought! If people are watching what they spend then the
answer isn’t always the cheaper bag of food and Orijen specifically is
actually less expensive to feed than at least one other option on this
list.

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) February 23, 2022 at 8:33 pm

Great data analysis Cassie – thank you!

9. Reply
Chris January 11, 2022 at 4:37 pm

Hi there. I’m so please to have stumbled across this website but wish I had
done so a long time ago. We have a border collie puppy and the breeder was
feeding him Optimum. Given this, I have blindly bought the same, along with
vet-suggested foods such as Royal Canin and Hills. Having read your
assessments and having ordered the book by Dr Tom Lonsdale, I’m going to be
much more judicious with my choices from now on.

Additionally, our older border collie cross seems to have had an allergic
reaction to something (I think it’s food-related) and he has started biting
at his paws. The vet has suggested a particular kibble – the name of which
escapes me – but wondered whether there is a hypoallergenic product you’d
recommend.

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) January 11, 2022 at 5:21 pm

Hi Chris, there’s a few hypoallergenic products on the market, but if
it’s a food sensitivity then there are also many other foods which would
work (dry/wet/barf/raw/fresh). My best advice is to try and figure out
the cause as this will give you many more options for the future rather
than being locked into a vet-endorsed kibble. Were your dog’s paws itchy
for an extended period? Did a change in diet/recipe mark the onset? Take
a look at the ingredients of the Optimum recipe you were feeding at the
time – if you were feeding Optimum Puppy my guess is wheat, but that’s
not the only cause of food sensitivities. It gets more complex when meat
proteins are a trigger, especially chicken which is in most commercial
dog foods, or sometimes artificial additivities and preservatives. The
food recommended by your vet isn’t a miraculous cure, it just won’t
contain the key allergens. So if it’s a food sensitivity, and the diet
contained wheat, then most highly rated foods on this website will likely
do the trick.

* Reply
Chris January 11, 2022 at 5:48 pm

Many thanks. I’ve received so much conflicting advice about the issue
and purchased goodness knows how many creams and ointments on the
recommendation of others but it’s simply closing the stable door after
the dog-shaped horse has bolted! I’d much rather address the source
than treat the symptoms and will be changing diets for both dogs. One
vet suggested we may have been feeding our older dog too much raw meat
and told us the animal wouldn’t be able to process so much protein. We
just felt so guilty for being uninformed. I look forward to following
guidelines outlined in the aforementioned book as I am not playing
Russian Roulette with pet food from this day forward.

* Pet Food Reviews (Australia) January 12, 2022 at 12:00 am

Yes, it’s amazing how many people recommend expensive ointments or
hypoallergenic diets without ever considering the underlying cause!
As for vets recommending against raw meats… that’s another subject
largely affected by misinformation, but also a big subject in itself.
A dog’s digestive system is designed to process raw meats, and many
dogs these days show excellent health on raw diets (assuming the raw
diet covers all nutritional basis).

10. Reply
Nicol January 6, 2022 at 3:43 pm

What are your thought on Frontier food for puppies? I believe Frontier is
one of the better foods available for adult dogs but unsure of if it is
suitable for puppies?

* Reply
Pet Food Reviews (Australia) January 10, 2022 at 9:20 pm

Hi Nicol, yes Frontier Pets meets requirements for the puppy/growth
phase. They even offer a puppy starter pack which can be found here
(clicky).

11. Reply
Alyssa October 5, 2021 at 2:09 am

Thanks for this, it’s a really great article. I’m a bit conflicted as when
I check individual product reviews, there’s mixed reviews on these brands.
Are they really the best dry food brands for puppies? I’m getting a mini
dachshund in a few weeks time and I know the breeder will be sharing the
pup’s current diet but I want to make sure I provide healthy and nutritious
meals considering there’s a lot of commercially made dry food out there.

I know I won’t know until I try different brands but would love to get
suggestions on which ones to try aside from the ones mentioned.

* Reply
Edanna October 5, 2021 at 7:58 am

These are all the ones that I feel are good quality, based on
ingredients, reviews, other people saying it’s good on Facebook groups
etc.

I’m not entirely sure if all of them have puppy foods or if their all
life stages. But nowadays most foods have come out with puppy versions.

Wellness Core
Holistic Select
Instinctive Bite (not the salmon though, it’s bad)
Orijen and Acana
Vetalogica bioglogically appropriate
Taste of the Wild
Meals for Mutts
Balanced Life/non kibble options as well
Xp3020
Nutra gold budget version of ToTW
Prime100/non kibble options as well
Phoenix
Cherish
Aldi Natural Elements is not bad for budget/GF version is high fat 18%
Stockman and Paddock GF version (high fat)
Pure life kibble and freeze dried mixture
Man’s Best
PurePro if you need super high calorie (716 kcals a cup)/super high fat
Open Paddock (Woolworths)
Healthy Everyday Pets (used to be better though)

Non kibble range

Urban ancestral mix/Elly’s Farm
Kiwi Kitchens
K9 Natural
Ziwi Peak
Meat Mates
Woof NZ Naturals
Our Patch
Absolute Holistic
Frontier Pets
Providore
Freeze dried Australia
Furfresh
Big Dog Little Bites

GF = grain free

* Reply
Alyssa October 25, 2021 at 11:57 am

I can’t seem to find your previous comment where you mentioned treats.
Any suggestions on the best treats to use for training? Thank you

* Darren December 19, 2022 at 7:57 pm

I watched some youtube videos of Zak George a dog trainer, and saw
him use treats which was easy to split into rice grain size bites.
One of the first treats I brought was from pet barn, leaps and bounds
chicken and 3 veggies. These appeardd soft enough to break into
smaller bites.

I’m a sucker for veggies in food and I’ll admit I’m passing that into
my puppy to ensure that she is getting veggies as well, which led me
to use ziwi was a treat over a pure meal.

Watching my vets puppy school videos of training my puppy I noticed
that they feed my puppy multiple times as she completes her tricks,
over myself which is a large reward at the completion of the trick.
This made me think I need smaller chucks of treats for training.

I’ve also introduced fruits to my puppy in small quantities, a quick
google search to verify if it’s safe for my puppy for seasonal
fruits. I’m delighted that my puppy eats fruits as treats and hope
that you may also get similar results.

* Edanna October 25, 2021 at 7:48 pm

You want high value treats, ones your dog simply cannot say no to. I
find air dried chicken treats the soft kind, to be particularly
hypnotising for my dogs.

I treat mine with Yours Droolly Kiwi Grown chicken and kumara, be
careful with other Yours Droolly treats. The Kiwi Grown is made in
NZ, whilst the rest are Chinese/Thailand.

Freeze dried may work for some too, especially single ingredient
stuff.

Regular air dried, like Ziwi/Urban Ancestral Mix.

Urban’s straps/strips are very smelly, could appeal too. This is
Urban, their working on their shipping, but as of right now I believe
it is $20 for everybody. I think except Adelaide as that’s where
their located.
https://www.urbanpetfood.com.au/product-category/food-types/treats/

* Alyssa November 7, 2021 at 7:12 pm

Thank you! I’ll try different treats and see which one is of high
value for her! Is it okay to mix treats within a training session to
see which one she likes?

* Pet Food Reviews (Australia) November 9, 2021 at 9:08 pm

Seconded – I see variety as a good thing, always, assuming the treats
are healthy and nutritious (or at least kept to a minimum). Dogs are
almost always encouraged the most by what they would naturally seek
out in the wild, so meat, organs etc. Frozen, dried, or even
commercial products like freeze dried mussels are great healthy
options. Mix ’em up.

* Edanna November 8, 2021 at 8:33 am

I do that all the time without training and I have yet to see any
issues. I once gave them 5 different treats at once, 1 small piece
from each. Nothing.

* Pet Food Reviews (Australia) October 25, 2021 at 2:26 pm

Hi Alyssa, I’ll leave a link below to a guide on treats, but boiling
chicken and cutting it into small pieces makes for another good
training treat. Lots of people use ZIWI Peak as well.

To reply to your earlier comment, variety is always a good thing.
Don’t stick to a single brand of dry food. There are so many options,
and no reason you shouldn’t feed a variety of pet foods, raw, or
fresh. The caveat with puppies is they are more prone to diarrhoea as
new foods are introduced.

Edanna – possibly some comments have gone missing since the switch to
the new comments system :/

https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/best-dog-treats-australia/

* Alyssa November 7, 2021 at 7:10 pm

Thank you! I just got my puppy and I’ll definitely try different
brands. I made a mistake of ordering 11kg bag but I’ll try other
brands once it’s finished.

On boiling chicken, can I make a big batch and then freeze them?
Would chicken breast be a good option?

* Edanna October 25, 2021 at 7:43 pm

Possibly, but there’s nothing we can do about that now. I realised
that taking pictures was going to take too long and I just gave up.

I think I took maybe 50 of them, I wasn’t even out of the A’s.

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