Best Cheap Puppy Foods that’s what you are looking for? Your search ends up here.
Puppies don’t stay small for long. They grow up so fast, but as they grow up they eat a large amount of food. It makes sense, therefore, to want to find nutritious yet affordable food for them, especially since they will only eat puppy food for the first year.
There are countless choices of inexpensive puppy food out there, including ones you don’t want to feed your little puppy. We have done the hard work for you and created a review list of the best cheap puppy foods. We have also included a buying guide so you can know what makes quality puppy food.
Top 10 Cheap Puppy Foods
1. Purina ONE Puppy Food – The best ever
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Garden of Vegan |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Ground peas, chickpeas, pearled barley, oat groats, pea protein. |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest–
- Purina ONE SmartBlend Puppy Premium Dog Food is our best choice overall because it is made from quality ingredients.
- It is high in protein and the number one ingredient is chicken. It has easily digestible oatmeal and rice for the sensitive stomach of puppies. Contains DHA, which will support your puppy’s vision and brain development.
- It also has a double defense antioxidant blend to support your pup’s immune system. There are no fillers in this food and it is recommended by the vet.
- In some sensitive puppies, this formula could cause digestive problems. Make sure you start with a small amount of food to test your puppy’s tolerance.
2. Pedigree puppy food- Best value for money
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Garden of Vegan |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Ground peas, chickpeas, pearled barley, oat groats, pea protein. |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest–
- The best affordable puppy food for the money is Pedigree Complete Nutrition Puppy Dry Dog Food.
- Contains no high fructose corn syrup, no added sugars or artificial flavors. It comes in a variety of flavors and includes meat and vegetables.
- It added DHA for your puppy’s healthy brain development. It also has calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth.
- In some puppies, it can cause digestive problems, so be sure to get your puppy to taste a small amount first. This puppy food also contains by-products instead of whole meat.
3. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Puppy Food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken & Barley |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Chicken Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Pork Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | Small Breeds |
Reasons to suggest–
- Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food is a trusted brand with high-quality ingredients. It has DHA from fish oil to support your pup’s healthy brain and eye development.
- Chicken is the number one ingredient to help build lean muscle mass. It also has a balance of minerals to promote strong bones and healthy teeth.
- This antioxidant blend offers your pup lifelong immune support. This particular food is for small breeds.
- This is one of the more expensive food choices on our list due to the high-quality ingredients. Some puppies refuse to eat this formula due to its taste.
4. Eukanuba dry puppy food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | X-Small, Small Breeds, Toy |
Reasons to suggest–
- This Eukanuba Puppy dry dog food is for small breed puppies.
- It has complete and balanced nutrition up to 12 months of age, so you don’t have to worry about changing food after just a few months.
- It has chicken as the number one ingredient to support muscle growth and bone health, DHA to support your puppy’s healthy brain development, and healthy fats and oils to support your puppy’s growth.
- This option is one of the most expensive. In some sensitive puppies, it can cause digestive problems.
5. Instinct Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Garden of Vegan |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Ground peas, chickpeas, pearled barley, oat groats, pea protein. |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest–
- Instinct Puppy Grain Free dog food contains freeze-dried, raw, cage-free chicken, so you can be sure there are no by-products to worry about.
- There are also no artificial colors or preservatives that might be difficult on your pup’s delicate system.
- Contains calcium and phosphorus for your pup’s brain and eye development, as well as probiotics and omegas to support your pup’s growth and development.
- This is a more expensive dog food option that can cause digestive problems in some sensitive puppies.
- The FDA has issued a warning on grain-free dog foods, as there may be a link between these foods and dilated cardiomyopathy.
6. Purina Puppy Chow dry puppy food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Beef |
| Main Ingredients | Beef |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | Large Breeds, Medium Breeds (Baby) |
Reasons to suggest–
- Purina Puppy Chow Dry Puppy Food contains American-bred chicken, so you can be sure your puppy is eating quality ingredients.
- It has DHA from fish oil for the healthy brain development of your pup. It also has antioxidants to support your pup’s healthy immune system.
- This food has the ideal amount of protein for lean and strong muscle development.
- This food contains artificial ingredients, such as food coloring. Chicken in food is a by-product instead of whole meat. Corn is the first ingredient listed.
7. Royal Canin puppy food
Product Detail –
| Top 5 Ingredients | Brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, wheat, wheat gluten, chicken fat, |
| Item Form | Pellet |
| Breed Recommendation | Small Breeds |
Reasons to suggest–
- If you have a wrinkled French Bulldog puppy at home, Royal Canin Puppy dry dog food is an ideal choice.
- It is produced specifically for purebred French Bulldogs. Specially made kibble helps a French Bulldog pick up and chew food easily.
- It has a unique antioxidant complex, including Vitamin E, to keep your puppy healthy and strong. It also contains essential nutrients to support skin and wrinkle health.
- It helps reduce gas and stool odor, which can be a problem with the French.
- This is another expensive dog food on our list. It also contains chicken by-products instead of whole meat. Brewer rice is the number one ingredient instead of chicken.
8. AvoDerm puppy food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken |
| Main Ingredients | Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Chicken Fat |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest–
- AvoDerm Natural Puppy Dry and Wet Dog Food contains DHA for healthy brain and eye development.
- It also has antioxidant nutrients to help support your puppy’s healthy immune system.
- One of the ingredients is omega-rich avocado for healthy skin and coat.
- It has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, so you can feel confident in its quality ingredients.
- It can cause digestive problems in some sensitive puppies. Fussy puppies may also refuse to eat this formula. It is made with a chicken meal instead of a whole chicken.
9. Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Puppy Food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken & Brown Rice |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Soybean Meal, Whole Corn, |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | Small Breeds |
Reasons to suggest–
- Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Dry Dog Food has US-raised chicken as the number one ingredient.
- Contains chicken fat and whole flax seeds to maintain healthy skin and coat. It has DHA for healthy brain and eye development.
- It also contains antioxidants for a healthy immune system.
- This formula is known to interfere with good bowel movements in puppies. It can also cause allergic reactions.
- The FDA has mentioned this brand as possibly linked to heart disease in dogs.
- This is also not a brand that does scientific research on its ingredients.
10. NUTRO ESSENTIAL ESSENTIALS Puppy food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken |
| Top 5 Ingredients | Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Split Peas, Whole Brown Rice, |
| Item Form | Pellet |
| Breed Recommendation | Small Breeds |
Reasons to suggest–
- Nutro Wholesome Essentials Puppy dry dog food contains wholesome ingredients, including farm-raised chicken as the number one ingredient.
- This is a tailor-made food for small breed puppies. Contains DHA for healthy growth and development.
- It can cause digestive problems in some puppies. It can also cause loose or loose stools.
- Some puppies refuse to eat this formula. This should not be used for large breed puppies, as it contains too much calcium.
- It is also one of the foods mentioned by the FDA as possibly linked to heart disease in dogs.
Buying Guide
Nutrition during a puppy’s first year of life is essential. There are important things to look for when buying the best food for your little puppy.
Extra nutrition needed
Puppies need more fat, calories, and protein than adult dogs. This keeps them growing at a steady, healthy pace. The puppy food you choose must be rich in proteins, natural fats, and oils, which will help your puppy stay strong and healthy.
Whole Meat
Puppy food should not come from meat meals or meat by-products. It should be derived from animal proteins such as chicken, beef, or another animal, such as lamb.
No by-products or artificial ingredients
You don’t want to see the words byproducts in the puppy food you choose. Whole meat such as chicken, beef, or lamb should be the first ingredient.
The puppy food you choose should also have no artificial preservatives, dyes, or ingredients. Pups are still developing and their little systems are particularly sensitive to artificial additives.
Large breed puppies
If you have a large breed puppy, you need to make sure the food is prepared especially for him. In particular, you don’t want foods with high calcium levels.
This is because too much calcium in a large breed puppy’s diet does not allow their bones to naturally strengthen. Later in life, this can lead to hip or joint problems.
Reliable pet food companies
You want a pet food company that puts a lot of effort into its research and development. Puppies require a specific combination of vitamins and minerals, and the large pet food companies that conduct a lot of research make sure these combinations are a science.
DHA
DHA is important for puppy brain development and vision. Sources of DHA include salmon, sardines, other seafood, eggs, and offal. In puppy food, you will most likely find DHA from fish or fish oil.
Conclusion
Our overall best pick is Purina ONE SmartBlend Puppy Premium Dog Food because it is vet recommended and made with quality ingredients. It is high in protein and easily digested and contains DHA to support your pup’s vision and brain development.
Our best choice is Pedigree Complete Nutrition Puppy Dry dog food because it contains ingredients your puppy needs to grow, such as DHA and calcium. Contains no artificial flavors, sugars, or high fructose corn syrup.
We hope our reviews and buying guide have helped you find the best budget food for your new puppy.
