8 Best Puppy Foods for Medium Breeds in 2023

Shopping for the right food for your new puppy can be a bit overwhelming. Any dog lover knows that the food choices on the market today are seemingly endless. Even if you’re a brand-new dog owner, all you have to do is browse online to take a step into the pet store and see all the choices in front of you. So, how do you pick the perfect food for your precious pup? We’re here to help.

With so many options available for puppies, we took it upon ourselves to take the guesswork out of the equation by sifting through the reviews ourselves. Different breeds and sizes have different requirements, so we made sure all foods are medium-sized breed appropriate. We want what’s best for your new family member too, after all, we are all in this together.

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A Glimpse at Our Favorites in 2023

Image Product Details

Best Overall

Winner

Nom Nom Turkey Fare Fresh Dog Food

Premium fresh food that is great for picky eaters

Can be a full meal or added to kibble

No harmful chemicals, dyes, additives, or fillers

Click to Save 50% + Free Shipping

Best Value

Second place

Chicken Soup for the Soul Puppy

Inexpensive

Real chicken is the first ingredient

Real Turkey second ingredient

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Third place

ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food

Real meat is the first 5 ingredients

Freeze-dried coated to be flavorful

Includes organ meat for extra nutrients

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Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula

Highly digestible with a proper balance of vitamins and minerals

No grains, corn, wheat, artificial flavors, or artificial colors

Great value for the money

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Wellness Complete Health Puppy

No GMOs, meat by-products, fillers, or artificial preservatives

Full of essential vitamins, antioxidants, glucosamine, and probiotics

De-boned chicken is the number one ingredient

Check Price

The 8 Best Puppy Foods for Medium Breeds

1. Nom Nom Turkey Fare Fresh Dog Food – Best Overall

nomnom_dog bowl_turkey_square

Click Here to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping with Nom Nom!

Food Type: Fresh

Lifestage: Any

Caloric Content: 1479 kcal/kg, 201 kcal/cup ME

Nom Nom offers premium quality, limited ingredient, fresh food that is designed by a team of PhDs and Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. Nom Nom Turkey Fare comes in as our choice for the best fresh food option for your puppy. Nom Nom is compatible with all life stages and can be fed throughout your dog’s life.

Puppies require high-quality food with a correct balance of nutrients that allow them to grow and develop properly. Nom Nom Turkey Fare can be a full meal or an additive to kibble, which is great for picky eaters. This recipe is made from turkey, brown rice, eggs, carrots, and spinach.

The nutrition label for this food does all the talking. There are no harmful chemicals, dyes, additives, or fillers in this food, and it is packed with a high-quality balance of ingredients. If you’re looking for a different recipe, they also have Chicken Cuisine, Beef Mash, and Pork Potluck. NomNom Turkey Fare and the other recipes are highly regarded in the reviews.

As typical with high-quality fresh food, Nom Nom is more expensive than the competition. Since this is fresh food, it does need to be stored properly in the refrigerator or freezer or it will go bad quickly.

Pros

Premium fresh food that is great for picky eaters

Can be a full meal or added to kibble

No harmful chemicals, dyes, additives, or fillers

Cons

Must be stored in freezer or refrigerator

Expensive

2. Chicken Soup for the Soul Puppy – Best Value

Chicken Soup for the Soul Large Breed Puppy

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Food Type: Dry Kibble

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 3,803 kcal/kg, 411 kcal/cup

If you need puppy food that offers the best value for your money, with quality proteins such as chicken and turkey are the first two ingredients in Chicken Soup for the Soul’s puppy formula. This food is formulated to promote healthy skin and coat, proper digestion, immune health, brain, and eye development, and supports lean muscle. This food contains a great balance of nutrients including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, prebiotic fiber, DHA, and more.

This food is made right here in the USA and gets great reviews from puppy owners for being reasonably priced, great quality, and well-loved by the pups! Owners love that they can get great quality food with meat as the number one ingredient for a reasonable cost. Of course, not all puppies took well to the recipe so you may have some trouble if you have a picky eater on your hands.

The kibble is made to be the perfect size to promote proper chewing and even tartar control. This reputable brand can see your little one through all stages of life.

Pros

Contains nutrients and antioxidants to support healthy growth

Kibble size promotes tartar control

Reasonably priced

Cons

Some puppies refused to eat the kibble

3. ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food

Orijen Puppy Grain-Free Puppy Food

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Food Type: Dry kibble with freeze-dried coating

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 3960 kcal/kg, 475 kcal/cup

If you want to give your pup a taste of premium puppy food with a kick of raw flavor, ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food is a great option for your pup. The kibble is freeze-dried coated to give it that extra burst of taste. This company makes their food in the USA using the finest ingredients and in all their formulas, the first 5 ingredients are always fresh or raw animal protein.

Roughly 85 percent of the entire formula is premium animal ingredients including poultry and fish, to ensure your puppy is getting the right balance of protein, vitamins, and minerals. In addition to that, they use a “WholePrey” nutrition that features the nutrient-dense organ meats of the animals. You are also steering clear of all those unnecessary fillers with this food.

ORIJEN is a bit pricier than some other options, but it does have a great nutritional profile and is very high-quality food. Some owners did complain of the fact that some puppies did develop loose stools when switching to this food, to prevent this take time to make any dietary change gradually.

Pros

Real meat is the first 5 ingredients

Freeze-dried coated to be flavorful

Includes organ meat for extra nutrients

Cons

Expensive

May cause loose stools in some

4. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula (1)

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Food Type: Dry kibble

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 3,656 kcal/kg, 415 kcal/cup

Taste of the Wild takes their name seriously and does their best to replicate a true, wild diet to offer your pup the best quality nutrition without actually running with the wolves. The Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Puppy formula has real meat as the number one ingredient and includes roasted bison and roasted venison. This high protein formula helps to support bones, joints and maintain lean muscle.

This food is crafted with species-specific K9 Strain Proprietary Probiotics, as well as antioxidants and prebiotics to help support healthy digestion, immune system support, and overall health. The added vitamins and minerals come from real fruit and other superfoods. The omega fatty acids are in place for healthy skin and coat.

Taste of the Wild is a family-owned brand and is made in the USA with quality ingredients from trusted and sustainable local and global sources. This puppy food is free from grains, corn, wheat, and any artificial flavors and colors. This food gets out to pick for best overall for being high-quality, fair priced, and loved by many. Some may have trouble with picky eaters turning their noses up.

Pros

Highly digestible with a proper balance of vitamins and minerals

No grains, corn, wheat, artificial flavors, or artificial colors

Great value for the money

Cons

Some pups didn’t like the taste

Not for owners wanting to avoid a grain-free diet

5. Wellness Complete Health Puppy

Wellness Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal & Salmon Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food

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Food Type: Dry Kibble

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 3,911 kcal/kg or 450 kcal/cup ME

Wellness Complete is a brand that has a great reputation, and the Wellness Complete Health Puppy is specially formulated to provide whole-body nutritional support for your growing bundle of furry joy. It is crafted with premium proteins and wholesome grains as well as omega fatty acids. In addition, this recipe offers essential vitamins, antioxidants, glucosamine, and probiotics.

You do not have to worry about any GMOs, meat by-products, fillers, or artificial preservatives in this kibble, and it is made right here in the United States using the finest globally sourced ingredients. Many puppy owners go on about how great their little ones do on this food and are highly recommended to those searching for a great option.

Of course, some picky eaters have refused this kibble and there were some complaints that the recipe caused their puppies to poop more than usual. Overall, the food is of great quality and comes at a fair price if it is suitable for your little guy or gal.

Pros

No GMOs, meat by-products, fillers, or artificial preservatives

Full of essential vitamins, antioxidants, glucosamine, and probiotics

De-boned chicken is the number one ingredient

Cons

Caused some puppies changes in poop habits

Some pups refused to eat the kibble

6. Instinct Raw Boost Puppy

Instinct Raw Boost Puppy

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Food Type: Dry kibble with freeze-dried pieces

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 4023 kcal/kg 461 kcal/cup

Instinct Raw Boost Puppy is a great choice for those that don’t prefer completely grain-free diets. This recipe includes whole-grain kibble and raw freeze-dried meat to provide nutrient-rich and tasty food for your puppy. The food is minimally processed and lists cage-free chicken as the first ingredient.

Instinct Raw Boost foods are free from artificial colors or preservatives and are free of corn, wheat, soy, potato, peas, lentils, and meat by-products so you can rest assured they aren’t getting any of the bad stuff. In addition to chicken, this formula also contains fish, chicken eggs, and organ meats to give them well-rounded nutrition.

Many puppies enjoy the freeze-dried pieces that are included in the kibble, making them even more excited at mealtime. It’s a great option for some of the more finicky puppies out there. The price is a bit steep, but you are getting great quality food.

Pros

Great for those wanting to include healthy grains in the diet

Contains raw freeze-dried pieces for added nutrients and taste

No artificial colors, preservatives, or by-product meals

Cons

Pricey

7. Go! Solutions Carnivore Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Puppy Recipe

Go! Solutions Carnivore Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Puppy Recipe (1)

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Food Type: Dry Kibble

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 4,100 kcal/kg, 451 kcal/cup

Go! Solutions Carnivore Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Puppy Recipe’s first six ingredients and 87 percent of the protein in the kibble are derived from real, premium-quality meat and fish. This puppy food is rich in essential amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA to support healthy growth and development.

Overall, this recipe contains 11 different animal ingredients including, chicken, turkey, duck, whole eggs, de-boned trout, and salmon. Healthy digestion is supported with added probiotics, prebiotic fiber, and digestive enzymes. Owners can rest assured that this brand uses a team of certified pet nutritionists to ensure all a growing puppy’s needs are met.

This food is a bit pricey in comparison to some other competitors, but owners do very much enjoy the quality. Unfortunately, some pups did not take well to the taste and refused to eat, causing some to feel as though it was a waste of money.

Pros

The first 6 ingredients are from meat and fish

Contains omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA

Crafted by pet nutritionists

Cons

Not all puppies like the taste

Pricey

8. Nutro Ultra Puppy Dry Dog Food

Nutro Ultra Puppy Dry Dog Food

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Food Type: Dry Kibble

Lifestage: Puppy

Caloric Content: 3720 kcal/kg, 436 kcal/cup

Nutro Ultra Puppy Dry Dog Food is a great choice of food that is formulated for puppies and has chicken as the number one ingredient. In addition to chicken, this recipe contains lamb, salmon, and a blend of 15 different superfoods to make a well-rounded meal that is rich in proteins, nutrients, and antioxidants.

Nutro does have its food tested for quality and safety and state that all its ingredients are high quality, non-GMO, and free from artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, corn, wheat, and soy protein.

The reviews truly speak for themselves with this food, and many puppy owners strongly recommend this choice. Some puppies didn’t like the taste and refused to eat, while others gobbled it up. This formula is a bit pricier than some other Nutro formulas but is still a very reasonable price for the value.

Pros

Real chicken is the number one ingredient

Rich in protein and antioxidants

Tested for safety and quality

Cons

Some puppies didn’t like the taste

Buyer’s Guide How to Choose the Best Puppy Foods for Medium Breeds

A growing puppy needs an age-appropriate diet that offers the right balance of nutrients to support its growth and development. The puppy stage is a very critical time that sets the foundation for your puppy’s life. If they are deprived of any needed nutrients, it can have long-lasting, negative health effects.

Complete and balanced puppy foods on the market are formulated to offer your puppy the necessary vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are needed for their overall health. Choosing the right food can be tricky, as a puppy’s needs can vary based on breed, size, activity level, and more. Below we will go over some of the most important considerations in choosing the right food for your precious pup!

Beagle puppy 2 months old _Tony Kan_shutterstock

Image credit: Tony Kan, Shutterstock

Choosing a Puppy Food for Medium Breeds

Talk to Your Veterinarian

Puppy food is not a one-size-fits-all since puppies come in all different shapes and sizes. Large breed puppies will require different vitamin and nutrient ratios to ensure proper bone development while small to medium-sized breeds aren’t going to require large breed formulas.

The best way to choose the proper food and overall diet for your puppy is to consult your veterinarian for recommendations. Your veterinarian will be there through all the life stages and can help you adjust your pup’s diet through the years. They will be familiar with your individual dog’s breed, size, and activity level to help you develop a more personalized approach.

Check the Ingredients

Just because puppy food is geared toward puppies, does not mean it will be ideal to feed your little best friend. The ingredients in your puppy’s food and the overall balance of the nutrients in it are very important for their development. You will want to opt for high-quality food that does not contain any harmful ingredients and unnecessary fillers. Learning how to read the label will give you the best knowledge to make an informed decision.

If your puppy ends up having any food allergies or sensitivities, you will need to ensure that you choose a formula that is free of any irritating ingredients. You will need a proper diagnosis from your veterinarian to ensure you are certain of the allergy or sensitivity and can handle it accordingly.

cocker spaniel in grass field

Image Credit: Eudyptula, Shutterstock

Pick a Reputable Brand

It is important to pick a brand of puppy food that is reputable and offers high-quality ingredients without the use of unnecessary and potentially harmful additives and fillers. Check for a brand that tests for quality and safety. The guidelines set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO are a great resource, and the standards for your dog’s food should meet or surpass the minimum guidelines.

Keep in mind that the least expensive, generic brands meet the very minimum of requirements and are likely to lack the full balance of nutrients needed. Getting your puppy’s diet started on the right foot is essential, a lack of nutrition can lead to poor growth, development, or even malnutrition in extreme cases. This does not mean that the most expensive brand is the way to go, that’s why knowing about your puppy’s nutritional needs is vital.

Check the Calories

Not only are puppies playing non-stop, but they have a lot of growing going on behind the scenes. Puppy foods need to have more calories to make up for this extra energy expenditure. It is said that about half of their calories are spent on the growth and development of tissue, so they will need an appropriate caloric intake so they can develop properly.

Consider the Type of Food

Dog food comes in a variety of types ranging from fresh, dry kibble, canned wet food, and kibble blends (to name a few.) Most owners offer a dry kibble since high-quality kibbles will meet nutritional needs while being convenient and easy to feed. More and more dry kibbles are beginning to include either meaty or freeze-dried pieces and even coating. Some may choose to feed canned, fresh, or a combination of dry kibble and either fresh or canned food. Have a chat with your veterinarian about your preferences and how to best implement them into your pup’s diet.

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Conclusion

Now that the reviews have been examined, hopefully, you will have a better idea of what food you’d like to feed your medium-breed puppy.

Nom Nom Turkey Fare comes in as our choice for the best fresh food option for your puppy.Nom Nom offers premium quality, limited ingredient, fresh food that is designed by a team of PhDs and Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionists.

ORIJEN Puppy has real meat as the first five ingredients, is high quality, and even features freeze-dried coating for added nutrients and taste.

Best Puppy Food

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