The Best Puppy Food Brands We Actually Tried: From Kibble to Fresh to Air-Dried
Discover the best puppy food brands we tested for Dodo, from Purina Pro Plan kibble to Open Farm fresh food and Farmland Traditions air-dried options.
The Best Puppy Food Brands We Actually Tried: From Kibble to Fresh to Air-Dried
Bringing home a new puppy is overwhelming enough without standing in the pet store aisle staring at fifty different bags of food. When we brought Dodo home, I wanted to make sure she was getting the best possible start. She’s a mini chowdoodle, born just before Christmas in 2025, and her nutritional needs are entirely different from Alice, our chow shepherd who has been with us since 2016. Alice is a senior now, set in her ways and her diet, but with Dodo, we had a blank slate.
We went through a lot of trial and error figuring out what worked best for her growing body, her energy levels, and her digestion. I spent hours researching ingredients, talking to our vet, and testing different options. We tried everything from traditional kibble to fresh food delivery to air-dried options. Here is a breakdown of the brands we actually tested and how they worked for our newest family member.
Quick Comparison
| Brand | Type | Price/Day | Protein % | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Farmer's Dog | Fresh | $$ | 35-45% | Maximum nutrition, picky eaters |
| Orijen Puppy | Kibble | $$ | 38% | High-protein, active puppies |
| Purina Pro Plan Puppy | Kibble | $ | 28% | Vet-recommended, great value |
| Stella & Chewy's Puppy | Freeze-Dried | $$ | 42% | Raw-feeding convenience |
| Open Farm Puppy | Kibble | $$ | 27% | Ethical sourcing, sensitive stomachs |
| Sundays Air-Dried | Air-Dried | $$ | 35% | Minimal processing, travel-friendly |
Starting with the Basics: Purina Pro Plan Puppy
When you first bring a puppy home, the general advice is to keep them on whatever the breeder or rescue was feeding them for at least a week or two to avoid stomach upset. For Dodo, that was Purina Pro Plan Puppy. It is one of the most widely recommended brands by veterinarians, and for good reason. It meets all the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) guidelines, which gave me a lot of peace of mind during those chaotic first few weeks.
The kibble size was perfect for her tiny teeth, and she ate it enthusiastically. We noticed her coat was shiny, and her energy levels were exactly what you would expect from a bouncy little chowdoodle. The main benefit of Purina Pro Plan is its consistency and accessibility. You can find it almost anywhere, whether you are running to a big-box pet store or ordering online, and it provides a solid, balanced foundation.
However, as Dodo settled in, I started looking into options with fewer processed ingredients. While Purina Pro Plan is a fantastic, scientifically backed choice, I wanted to see if a diet closer to whole foods might offer additional benefits. This was especially important to me considering the chow mix in her background, which can sometimes be prone to skin sensitivities and allergies as they grow older.
Exploring Fresh Options: Open Farm
Our next step was introducing Open Farm. I was drawn to their commitment to ethically sourced ingredients and transparent supply chains. You can actually trace every ingredient in their food back to the source using the lot number on the bag, which is incredibly reassuring. We decided to try their Gently Cooked recipes, mixing it in slowly with her kibble over the course of a week.
The difference in mealtime excitement was immediate. Dodo has always been a good eater, but with the Open Farm fresh food, she would practically do backflips while I was preparing her bowl. The food looks like real food—you can see the carrots, the kale, and the meat. It smells like something you might actually cook in your own kitchen.
We noticed a slight improvement in her digestion, and her stools became smaller and firmer, which is always a win when you are house training a puppy. The downside, of course, is the cost and the storage. Fresh food takes up a significant amount of freezer and fridge space, and it is undeniably more expensive than kibble. We found a happy medium by using Open Farm as a topper rather than her entire meal. It gave her the benefits of fresh, whole foods without completely taking over our refrigerator or our budget.
The Convenience of Air-Dried: Farmland Traditions
Eventually, we needed something that offered the nutritional density of fresh food but with the convenience of kibble. That led us to air-dried food, specifically Farmland Traditions. Air-drying is a process that slowly removes moisture from the ingredients without using high heat, which helps preserve the nutrients and the natural flavor of the meat.
Farmland Traditions was a game-changer for us, especially for training. The pieces are small, jerky-like squares that are incredibly high value. Because they are so nutrient-dense, you feed less volume than you would with traditional kibble. We started using it as high-value training treats during her puppy classes, and it worked brilliantly. Dodo would focus entirely on me the second she smelled it.
When we transitioned her to having Farmland Traditions as a larger part of her diet, we saw continued great results with her coat and energy. It is incredibly convenient for travel, too. When we take Dodo and Alice on weekend trips, packing a bag of air-dried food is much easier than dealing with coolers and frozen packs for fresh food. It provides a great middle ground—the ingredient quality is superb, but it stores easily in the pantry right next to Alice's senior food.
Finding the Right Balance for Your Puppy
What I have learned through this process is that there is no single "best" puppy food. The right choice depends entirely on your dog, your budget, and your lifestyle.
Purina Pro Plan provided a safe, reliable, and vet-approved foundation when Dodo first came home. Open Farm introduced us to the benefits of whole, transparently sourced ingredients and made mealtime an event. Farmland Traditions offered the perfect blend of high-quality nutrition and everyday convenience, doubling as the ultimate training reward.
We currently use a mix. Dodo gets a high-quality kibble base, topped with either a spoonful of fresh food or a handful of air-dried pieces. This rotation keeps her interested in her meals, provides a variety of nutrients, and fits comfortably into our daily routine alongside managing Alice's senior diet.
If you are navigating the puppy food maze right now, my best advice is to start slow. Pick a high-quality base, consult with your vet, and don't be afraid to experiment with toppers or different formats once your puppy's stomach has settled. Every dog is different, and finding what makes them thrive is part of the fun of getting to know them.
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