7 Best Organic Puppy Foods of 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Providing your puppy with the proper nutrition is incredibly important and will help them grow into a healthy, energetic adult. However, finding the right food can be difficult, and many brands are filled with chemicals and other additives that you wouldn’t dream of giving your dog.

That’s why some owners prefer organic puppy food. In the reviews below, we’ll examine the best all-natural puppy foods on the market. Most of the recipes are so tasty that your dog won’t realize that what they’re eating is actually good for them.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (2024 Update)

The 7 Best Organic Puppy Foods

1. Newman’s Own Organics Chicken Dinner – Best Overall

Your puppy has a brand-new digestive system, and if you don’t want to load it up with chemicals, antibiotics, and other additives, starting with Newman’s Own Organics is an intelligent choice. In addition to being organic, it’s also free of wheat and corn, which many dogs have trouble processing.

It’s filled with healthy protein, and organic chicken and broth are the first two ingredients. Most dogs seem to enjoy the flavor, and if you mix it with water, you can whip up a thick gravy. This helps it dress up dry kibble if you want to mix it.

There’s quite a bit of moisture in each can, which isn’t a bad thing as far as the food is concerned, but it does limit the nutrient content. As a result, you may need to feed your pup more than other brands.

That’s hardly a disqualifier, and Newman’s Own Organics deserves its spot at the top of our rankings.

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2. Nature’s Recipe Dry Organic Puppy Food – Best Value

Organic dog foods are made with higher-quality ingredients, and it’s no surprise they’re also more expensive. Nature’s Recipe Dry manages to be high-quality and affordable, but it’s not quite up to the level of Newman’s Own.

It doesn’t have any corn, wheat, soy, or artificial ingredients, and the carbohydrates are all from nutrient-rich sources like barley and oatmeal. These ingredients can also improve your dog’s skin and coat quality.

Despite its low price, there’s quite a bit in the bag, and that value makes Nature’s Recipe Dry the best organic puppy food for the money. Part of the reason why it’s so inexpensive is that it uses lamb meal instead of real lamb, which drags the quality down a bit. The manufacturer compensates for this by adding protein from vegetable sources.

Adding more animal protein could potentially boost this food to the top spot, but it would also increase the price, so it’s ultimately a question of whether you’re willing to sacrifice a little quality for additional value.

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3. The Honest Kitchen Dog Food – Premium Choice

You may know you’re not supposed to feed your dog human food, but that doesn’t mean their food shouldn’t be good enough for people. The Honest Kitchen uses human-grade ingredients, and you don’t have to worry about finding inferior meat, chemicals, or other potentially hazardous ingredients.

The chicken comes from humanely raised animals, ensuring your conscience has one less thing weighing it down. The Honest Kitchen also includes healthy ingredients such as flaxseed, kelp, and carrots. Potatoes are also included, but they have been known to give some dogs gas.

Also, this is a dehydrated food, so you’ll have to spend a little more time preparing it than you would some of the other recipes on this list. It’s expensive, but a little goes a long way since you can rehydrate it with water.

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4. Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Butcher & Bushel Organic Carved Turkey Dinner

If you’re concerned that some foods may not be quite as organic as they claim, Castor and Pollux’s recipes are made in an organically certified kitchen, so you can rest assured it doesn’t include any nefarious ingredients.

The Castor and Pollux Organix Grain-Free Butcher and Busher Organic is a wet food with tender cuts of free-range turkey, organic chicken, organic vegetables, and other natural ingredients. It’s free of soy, wheat, artificial preservatives, and artificial colors. The omega fatty acids in the formula support healthy skin and fur, and the phosphorus and calcium maintain healthy bones and teeth.

However, the recipe has less protein than most wet foods, and some puppies dislike the flavor. Also, it’s an expensive formula, which is disappointing if your pup doesn’t like it.

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5. Evanger’s Grain Free Organic Dog Food

Evanger’s Grain Free has quite a bit going for it, but not enough to justify its high price. It’s a very limited-ingredient food, and all you’ll find is organic chicken, well water, and organic guar gum. There’s not much (besides the chicken) to irritate your dog’s tummy, but you’ll need to find a way to supplement their diet with fruits and veggies. I

Evanger’s formula has a pleasing aroma, and your dog shouldn’t need convincing to scarf it down. It’s not terribly watery, either, so it should be fairly filling. If you can afford it, Evanger’s Grain Free makes a delicious and nutritious treat for your pup. However, its high price and limited nutritional profile prevent us from ranking it higher than this.

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6. Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage Dry Dog Food

Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage Dry Food is designed for puppies of all breeds and doesn’t contain controversial ingredients, such as legumes, peas, and lentils. It has whole grains and healthy fruits and vegetables but has no whole meats.

The first ingredient is chicken meal, followed by brown rice, dried egg, buckwheat, and Pacific whiting meal. However, the fruits and vegetables are much farther down on the list, which means they’re in smaller quantities. The manufacturer also lists one of the ingredients as “natural flavors” but doesn’t translate what that means.

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7. Tender & True Pet Nutrition Small Breed Organic

The Tender and True Pet Nutrition Small Breed Organic recipe uses humanely raised, organic chicken as its primary ingredient. Tender and True worked with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.) to develop its formula.

The company follows strict guidelines to ensure its organically certified products are safe and nutritious. However, the ingredients following the organic chicken, such as dried peas, chickpeas, and flaxseed meal, aren’t as impressive. It’s suitable for puppies and small breeds, but some dogs dislike the flavor.

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Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Organic Puppy Food

Why Feed Organic Puppy Food?

Nutrition is a tricky subject for humans and dogs. Debates rage as to what constitutes a healthy diet, and it seems that manufacturers make the problem worse by deliberately publishing misinformation.

So, with that in mind, how can we justify recommending organic puppy food?

The Science

There’s little science to support feeding organic food over other options. Most commercially available puppy food is safe and nutritious, and it’s unlikely your dog will experience serious complications from it unless they have a food allergy, of course, but feeding an organic diet doesn’t treat allergies.

However, just because science hasn’t proven the advantages of an organic diet yet doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. We believe feeding your dog a diet free of chemicals, preservatives, hormones, and antibiotics is undoubtedly better than the alternative.

The Benefit of Going Organic

The primary benefit of feeding your dog an all-natural diet is what they won’t eat, including chemicals, hormones, and other problematic ingredients. They can potentially cause health problems for some dogs, although it’s not necessarily likely.

It’s important to note that if you’re worried about pesticides, going organic doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. We’ll talk more about that in a minute.

Some research suggests that dogs absorb more nutrients (specifically omega fatty acids, phosphorous, and antioxidants) from organic foods. The difference is small but may help some dogs with digestion problems.

What’s the Downside?

If you choose organic food with a complete nutritional profile, like our top pick, the only downside to feeding an organic diet is the price—and in most cases, the difference isn’t that noticeable. If you can afford it, we see little reason not to go organic.

Is There Anyone Who Shouldn’t Feed Their Dogs an Organic Diet?

Some pups have medical conditions or other needs that require them to eat a specialized diet. In that case, you should feed your dog whatever your vet recommends — organic or not. Other dogs have grown so accustomed to their food that switching to a different food (even a healthier one) could cause more problems than it solves.

If your dog enjoys its food and is healthy, you don’t need to make a change. However, our list is specifically geared toward puppies. The food dogs eat when they’re young will go a long way toward shaping their preferences and tolerances once they’re adults, which is why we recommend starting them out on the best diet possible.

Does Organic Always Mean Better?

Although we’re proponents of an organic diet, that doesn’t mean you should just grab the first bag that claims to be all-natural. You must still read the label on the dog food’s package.

Organic foods are especially vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, so you need to make sure the food you give your pup has everything they need to be healthy. That includes plenty of protein and fiber, various healthy vegetables, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.

If you’re not sure if your dog’s diet is suitable, ask your vet.

Are Organic Foods Better for the Environment?

Some organic foods are grown much like regular foods, meaning they require fossil fuels for planting, harvesting, and transportation. Also, “organic” doesn’t mean “pesticide-free.” Organic food uses pesticides, but they’re naturally derived.

Ultimately, the best way to reduce your carbon footprint when buying dog food is to grow and cook the ingredients yourself. That isn’t feasible for most people, but you can look for brands with recyclable packaging and sustainable ingredients.

Conclusion

We don’t think there’s a better all-natural food for puppies than Newman’s Own Organics. It’s wheat- and corn-free and packed with protein, and most dogs love the taste. However, we know organic food can be expensive, and if you need a more cost-effective option, consider Nature’s Recipe Dry. It’s filled with nutritious vegetables and has all the ingredients necessary for growing healthy skin and a lustrous coat. It also doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

We hope these reviews have removed some of the confusion and helped you find an organic brand your dog will love. After all, they deserve the best.

 

• See Also: 9 Best Organic Dog Treats – Reviews & Guide

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Featured Image: Everson Mayer from Pixabay