How to Compare the Best-Rated Puppy Food

Choosing the right food for your puppy, even among the best-rated foods, can be a challenging task. Knowing what ingredients are in your puppy's food and the significance of the ingredients will help you make an informed decision.

  1. Function

    • The Puppy Dog Place, a website about puppy and dog care, explains that the goal of commercial dog food is to provide your puppy with a balanced and complete, nutritious diet. Puppy food provides more vitamins and minerals than adult dog food, as well as a higher percentage of protein and fat to promote growth.

    Types

    • Quality puppy food meets or exceeds the standards laid out by the Association of American Feed Control Officers (AAFCO), states the Puppy Dog Place website. These products are usually labeled as a "complete and balanced diet." Puppy foods that are not labeled have not been approved by AAFCO. There is no oversight on labeling puppy food as premium or quality, so be sure to check the label before believing the claims.

    Considerations

    • When choosing a food for your puppy, be sure to look at the ingredient list. The Puppy Dog Place recommends that puppy food contain 25 percent protein, 15 percent fat, as well as an assortment of carbohydrates found in ingredients such as vegetables, fruits and grains, and the correct amount of vitamins and minerals. All AAFCO-approved puppy foods have an appropriate amount of all the vitamins and minerals your puppy needs.