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Puppy Recipe

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Low and slow cooked kibble made with antibiotic-free chicken – formulated with EPA and DHA for brain development in puppies of all breeds and sizes.

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Dr. Gary's Best Breed

FUELED BY COMMON SENSE NUTRITION

Brain & Eye Development
Strong Bone Growth
Beet Pulp Fiber
Skin & Coat Vitality
Joint & Mobility Support
THE BEST BREED <em>DIFFERENCE</em>

THE BEST BREED DIFFERENCE

Purpose-built nutrition backed by decades of veterinary expertise and crafted with uncompromising ingredient standards.

  • Veterinarian Developed
  • Small Batch Made in Ohio, USA
  • Purpose-Built Formulas
  • Never On a Recall List
  • Low & Slow Cooked
  • EU-Approved Ingredients
Learn more

Better Ingredients. Better Nutrition.

Every ingredient fulfills a purpose – from premium proteins and functional fibers to healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Chicken Meal

Made with protein-rich, low ash chicken sourced from the USA. Chicken supplies essential amino acids including taurine, a critical nutrient for heart health.

Menhaden Fish Oil

Omega-3 rich sources of fish oil from the menhaden fish supplies essential nutrients for healthful growth and development.

Brown Rice

Sourced from the USA, brown rice used in the German Dog Diet is a highly- digestible carbohydrate that provides sustainable energy. Also supplies beneficial minerals and B vitamins.

Dried Egg

Eggs are the perfect source of protein as they contain all 9 essential amino acids. They are a highly digestible ingredient that also supplies many vitamins and minerals.

Puppy Recipe FAQs

Is your puppy food appropriate for large breed puppies?

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Yes. Best Breed Puppy Recipe is formulated for both small and large breed puppies, including dogs expected to weigh 70 pounds or more as adults. Calcium balance is especially important during large-breed growth – too much or too little can interfere with healthy skeletal development. Our Puppy Recipe maintains a dry matter calcium level of approximately 1.22% and a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of about 1.3:1, formulated to support healthy large-breed growth. Just as important is maintaining a lean body condition throughout development rather than encouraging overly rapid growth.

When should I switch my puppy to adult dog food?

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Small and medium breeds typically reach maturity around 9–12 months, while large and giant breeds may continue growing until roughly 15–18 months or longer. In general, puppies should stay on a diet formulated for growth until they reach skeletal maturity – when their bones have finished developing. AAHA notes that small and medium dogs typically reach skeletal maturity around 1 year, while some large and giant breeds may not until around 15–16 months. Many of Best Breed’s recipes are formulated for all life stages, so puppies can transition to an appropriate all-life-stages recipe before full maturity while still receiving nutrition designed to support growth.

Why are DHA and EPA important for puppies?

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DHA and EPA are Omega-3 fatty acids that play important roles during puppy development. DHA is especially important for healthy brain, vision, and nervous system development, while EPA supports overall cellular and inflammatory function. Best Breed Puppy Recipe provides DHA and EPA from menhaden fish oil to help support healthy cognitive and sensory development during this critical growth period.

Why are calcium and phosphorus important for growing puppies?

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Calcium and phosphorus are essential minerals for healthy bone and skeletal development, and growing puppies need more of both than adult dogs. Just as important as the individual amounts is keeping them properly balanced – especially for large and giant breed puppies, where excessive or imbalanced mineral intake can interfere with healthy skeletal development. Best Breed Puppy Recipe is formulated with balanced calcium and phosphorus to support strong, controlled bone growth throughout puppy development.

Why do puppies need more calories and fat than adult dogs?

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Puppies need additional energy to fuel rapid growth, development, and everyday activity. Fat is a concentrated source of calories, helping provide the energy growing puppies need without requiring excessive amounts of food. Best Breed Puppy Recipe contains higher fat levels to support healthy growth and youthful energy while providing complete and balanced nutrition for development.

How much food should I feed my puppy?

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Feeding recommendations are a good starting point, but every puppy grows at a different rate. The goal is to feed to body condition – adjusting portions based on your puppy’s age, activity level, growth rate, and whether they are maintaining a healthy, lean body condition. You should be able to feel your puppy’s ribs without excessive fat covering, while still seeing a healthy shape through the waist. This is especially important for large-breed puppies, where controlled, steady growth is preferable to rapid weight gain.

What is chicken meal, and why does Best Breed use it?

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Chicken meal is a concentrated source of animal protein made by cooking chicken and removing most of its water. Because fresh chicken is roughly 70% water, chicken meal provides a much more concentrated and consistent source of protein by weight. Best Breed uses premium, low-ash chicken meal – meaning it contains less bone and a higher proportion of animal meat. Our chicken meal typically provides around 70% protein along with a complete amino acid profile. Using high-quality meat meals helps us ensure that the majority of protein in our recipes comes from animal sources, rather than relying heavily on plant proteins such as pea protein or corn gluten meal to increase the total protein percentage.

What are New Zealand Green Mussels, and why are they in Best Breed recipes?

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New Zealand Green Mussels are a nutrient-dense ingredient naturally rich in minerals, amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants, and a unique combination of Omega-3 fatty acids. Nearly every Best Breed recipe includes New Zealand Green Mussels as part of our approach to purposeful nutrition. Our recipes also contain natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin to help support joint and mobility health. Green Mussels aren’t a recent ingredient trend for Best Breed – they’ve been part of our formulas since the beginning.

What does “EU-approved ingredients” mean, and why does it matter?

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Because some Best Breed formulas are exported to the European Union, we use EU-approved ingredients where applicable – one of the strictest sourcing standards in the world. In practice, this means ingredients used in our food must come from sources approved for the human-consumption supply chain before processing. For example, if a fish is rejected for human consumption, it cannot be used to make Best Breed’s EU-approved fish meal – it is diverted to the animal-grade supply chain instead. This does not mean Best Breed kibble is human grade. But it does mean the source ingredients meet a higher standard before processing.

What are the benefits of slow-cooked, low-temperature dog kibble?

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Best Breed kibble is made using a slower, lower-temperature cooking process than conventional high-temperature, high-speed production. Cooking more slowly helps maintain the nutritional integrity of proteins, vitamins, and minerals while properly conditioning carbohydrates for easier digestion and nutrient absorption. We also produce our food in small batches so quality and consistency can be closely monitored throughout the process. The result is highly digestible, nutrient-dense food designed to help your pet absorb and utilize more from every meal.
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  • 5 stars: 97 (91%)
  • 4 stars: 10 (9%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
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Brenda L.
Love this food

My dogs love their food!

C
Christopher R.
This is my first time using this brand and our new puppy Gus is thriving on this food

This is my first time using this brand and our new puppy Gus is thriving on this food.

Z
Zaria R.
Best breed makes the best food

We love the ingredients in this food and Leo loves all the flavors. We continue to order this brand since we now have high standards. Worth the price. Your puppy will love it.

B
Brian R.
The dog loves it

My little puppy is finicky and it's hard to find any food he likes. He appears to really enjoy this though. We use this for training and in his kibble toys, and he reacts well to it. Hasn't messed his stomach up either, which is saying a lot because his stomach is sensitive. So far this has been a hit for our dog.

K
Kayla M.
Best Breed Puppy Diet Made in USA

My dogs love this food! They get rather specific for each breed, and I don't quite believe that is necessary, however, the all dog breed food is really nice and made with great ingredients! The bag design is wonderful too! No issues with skin allergies or GI upset for my pups!

D
Danielle R.
Good quality

This is a good quality food and my picky dog is willing to eat it. Both are important, but quality is the main reason I like this brand.

K
Karla J.
Puppy Love!

My adopted puppy and my rescue dog love this product. I tried to keep my rescue dog out of the food, but no way! They crack me up how they love this dog food! Quality, Quality, Quality. I also just love that the bag of food has a closure.

S
Susan M.
Delicious

My dog LOVED this puppy food. He smelled it from the moment it was delivered and unboxed. I loved that this bag actually had a self-sealing zipper that would close securely and didn't break. Other puppy food bags I've bought either didn't self-close or the closure didn't work. I love the story behind the bag. I was surprised by some of the main ingredients, but the food made my dog's fur so soft and shiny. I could really tell that he was receiving great food.

E
Emma E.
Great food

This is very good stuff. Ingredients are great and my dogs absolutely love this.

G
Genevieve B.
Dr recommended

Dogs like it!

L
Leah E.
Great for active puppies

Our dog loves quality puppy foods because they contain higher fat levels, and he loves this Best Breed Puppy Diet dry dog food. It has the calcium one would want for a puppy and even menhaden fish oil. The food looks very nice and smells fresh. I like the brand and philosophy behind it � the notion that a great diet will help keep one's pet healthy. I'm happy with this particular dry dog food.

F
Felbaby C.
Puppy Gold

Our puppy (9-11 weeks old) gobbles Dr. Gary's Best Breed down. She absolutely cannot get enough.

M
Melissa D.
Recommended by the breeder

My German Shepherd puppy loves it.

D
Donna P.
Breeders suggested

Very good dog food he has eaten this food since a puppy

L
Lily H.
Great stuff

My dog is old and very picky, but she loves this food. It's easy to digest and she seems to be more energetic.

C
Connie E.
Great Puppy Food

If you care for your puppy this is the puppy food for you!!!

C
Carolyn H.
Very good food.

Our puppies enjoyed this food recommended from the breeder.

J
Jackie S.
Good puppy food

My 8 week old Golden Retriever puppy loves this food.

K
Kathi R.
Excellent Puppy Food

My puppy loves this food! I only purchased 4 lbs. She actually hates her regular food!! My puppy has been on 4 foods and this makes her 5th food!! But I ordered a large bag of another food so I guess she�ll have to wait to completely change to Dr. Gary�s!

S
Steph H.
Good quality for the price!

Dr. Gary's dog food is very good quality for a reasonable price. Not the most expensive, not the cheapest.

T
Tdauntless T.
Breeder recommended

My GSD breeder recommended this for the first year of my boy's life and it is a wonderful quality food! He had zero digestive issues and no gas.

R
Ritaharper C.
Quality

My dog likes it

M
Marlette C.
Great Holistic Puppy food!

We recently got a new puppy and my other dog, who's now 3 years old, used to eat this before switching to Best Breed Countryside for adults. I did a lot of research and couldn't be happier I chose Best Breed.

M
Murphy B.
Puppy food

Puppy loves it, good ingredients no issues with tummy problems.

N
Nia W.
Solved gas issue with my dog

Finally a dog food that is healthy and does not cause gas issues with my dog.

F
Frankie M.
Frankie loves this food, recommended by our breeder!

Extra good additions to the food!

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Goldendasher C.
Great kibble recommended by our breeder

Dr. Gary's is a great product, recommended to us by our Golden Retriever puppies breeder. The packaging is very good/ sturdy and has an excellent seal and easy zipper closure. The 15lb bags are great too for lugging around a smaller amount if you travel.

L
Leejo J.
Dr. Gary's Puppy food

My 10-week-old German Shepherd puppy loves the food. She eats it dry, but likes a little warm water mixed with it. She has been on the food for 2 weeks and looks super healthy. She had only one loose stool and that was after the first bowl. I'm thinking about switching our 4-year-old male German Shepherd over to see if he likes it.

M
Maya T.
Puppy approved!

This puppy food satisfied our puppies so well that I�ve started buying the large bag to keep our bundles of energy well-fed with kibble that is high in nutrition. When our pups first came home, we were transitioning them from the kibble the breeder recommended. We mixed the foods together and the pups made their preference clear right away. This was tops, with the breeder�s food in second place. Especially with puppy food, it is important to read the ingredient list and nutritional analysis since they are growing and double in size several times over by the time they reach adulthood.

J
Joyce G.
BEST DOG FOOD EVER!!!!!

I used to foster a picky GSD who got used to eating human food from her previous owner. We wasted so much money trying different brands, but she would either throw it up or eat only a little bit. Finally, we came across this one and she ate it!!! I don't have her anymore, but my 2 female GSD puppies eat this food and look healthy. I've recommended this brand to my family and friends.

B
Bryzzo R.
Never switching again!

I started off my pup with a different brand of food. I read great reviews about it and loved the ingredients. Unfortunately, my pup didn't agree. He wasn't interested in his food, and every day was a challenge just getting him to eat. His energy level was low and his hair was patchy and dull. After a lot of research I came across Best Breed and decided to give it a try. My pup started growing after switching, his coat has more shine, and his energy has increased. Just bought our second 30 lb bag and I can't believe he's still interested in it. Only mistake was not starting him with this food sooner.

L
Laura

I love everything about this product! Been using it about 13 years❤️