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10 Best Wet Puppy Foods in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

golden retriever puppies eating

Along with the excitement of bringing home your new puppy comes a new level of responsibility. You want to give them all the love and the best care you can provide. One of the most important decisions is what you’ll feed your new puppy.

Puppies require a special diet formulated with the proper balance of vitamins and nutrients for their growing bodies and young digestive system. When selecting the best wet puppy food for your new companion, you may be overwhelmed by the wide selection and long list of ingredients.

We’re here to help! We’ve sorted through the top brands and selected the 10 best wet puppy foods. We’ve supplied detailed reviews and quick-reference pros and cons lists to help you find the best wet food for your puppy.

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A Quick Comparison of our 2024 Favorites:

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Purina ONE Puppy Dog Food Purina ONE Puppy Dog Food
  • 100% complete and balanced nutrition
  • Made with real lamb meat
  • No poultry by-products
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Pedigree Puppy Wet Dog Food Pedigree Puppy Wet Dog Food
  • Made with real chicken and beef
  • Optimal protein content
  • Contains DHA for brain development
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    CANIDAE PURE Wet Dog Food CANIDAE PURE Wet Dog Food
  • Limited
  • high-quality ingredients
  • Optimal protein content
  • Includes probiotics
  • antioxidants
  • and omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids
  • Cesar Gourmet Puppy Wet Dog Food Cesar Gourmet Puppy Wet Dog Food
  • 100% complete and balanced nutrition
  • Contains real chicken
  • Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals
  • Nutro Puppy Natural Wet Dog Food Nutro Puppy Natural Wet Dog Food
  • Natural
  • non-GMO
  • allergen-free ingredients
  • Complete nutrition
  • First ingredient is farm-raised chicken
  • The 10 Best Wet Puppy Foods Reviewed:

    1. Purina ONE Puppy Dog Food – Best Overall

    Purina ONE

    Check Price on Chewy

    Our top pick for the best overall wet puppy food goes to Purina ONE SmartBlend puppy dog food. Made with real lamb and no poultry by-products, this canned food supplies your growing puppy with 100% complete and balanced nutrition.

    Purina ONE SmartBlend is made with real meat for a higher quality of puppy food. The protein content helps build strong muscles. There are omega fatty acids that help support your puppy’s healthy skin and coat, as well as antioxidants that work to support a strong immune system.

    Along with the real lamb flavor, the long-grain rice and oatmeal combine to create a taste and texture that most puppies enjoy. You’ll also feel good about the reasonable price.

    Of course, not all puppies will like the flavor, and in rare instances, a few puppies may experience digestive troubles with this food. Also, it may cause your puppy to have smelly breath.

    Pros
    • 100% complete and balanced nutrition
    • Made with real lamb meat
    • No poultry by-products
    • Ideal protein content
    • Includes omega fatty acids and antioxidants
    • Taste and texture most puppies enjoy
    • Reasonable price
    Cons
    • Rare instances of minor stomach upset
    • May make your puppy’s breath smell

    2. Pedigree Puppy Wet Dog Food – Best Value

    Pedigree

    Our choice for the best wet puppy food for the money is Pedigree puppy wet canned dog food. Not only is this puppy food great for your budget, but it offers 100% complete and balanced nutrition.

    This wet canned puppy food is made with real chicken and real beef for the optimal amount of protein content, as well as better flavor and a higher standard of quality. Additionally, Pedigree is formulated with DHA, which supports your puppy’s brain development.

    Pedigree is proudly made in the U.S.A. and insists on using only the finest ingredients while providing a taste and texture that most puppies prefer. However, be aware that this puppy food does contain meat by-products. While not a serious issue, some puppies may experience minor stomach upset and gas. Also, your puppy may not care for the taste.

    Pros
    • 100% complete and balanced nutrition
    • Best value
    • Made with real chicken and beef
    • Optimal protein content
    • Contains DHA for brain development
    Cons
    • Contains meat by-products
    • May cause minor stomach upset and gas
    • Some puppies do not prefer taste

    3. CANIDAE PURE Wet Dog Food – Premium Choice

    CANIDAE PURE

    We selected CANIDAE PURE wet dog food as our premium choice for its high-quality composition. Although more expensive than most wet puppy foods on our list, you’ll be able to offer your puppy a 100% complete and balanced formula.

    Unlike other wet puppy foods, which include a long confusing list of ingredients, CANIDAE PURE takes care to limit and select only the best ingredients. Free of wheat, corn, soy, and carrageenan, this wet puppy food incorporates the optimal protein content for strong muscles, probiotics that aid healthy digestion, antioxidants for a healthy immune system, and omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids to support a beautiful coat.

    Most puppies seem to like the flavor and texture, though some don’t care for the peas in the mixture. Also, we found a few cases of stomach upset. This product is listed as grain free, which may cause heart problems, according to recent findings by the FDA.

    Pros
    • 100% complete and balanced formula
    • Free of wheat, corn, soy, and carrageenan
    • Limited, high-quality ingredients
    • Optimal protein content
    • Includes probiotics, antioxidants, and omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Some puppies do not like the peas in the mixture
    • Some cases of stomach upset
    • Grain free

    4. Cesar Gourmet Puppy Wet Dog Food

    Cesar

    Served in convenient trays rather than cans, which require more effort to open, you can peel away the lip on the Cesar Gourmet puppy wet dog food to easily serve your puppy a meal with 100% complete and balanced nutrition.

    Cesar Gourmet lists real chicken as its first ingredient. This wet puppy food is fortified with essential vitamins and important minerals to support your puppy’s growth and development. This product is marketed as grain free. Recent findings by the FDA suggest that grain-free diets may lead to heart problems, however this is still being investigated.

    You may love the budget-friendly price, but be aware that we learned of quality control issues, including spoiled food. Also, the formula includes beef by-products yet neglects to add helpful ingredients such as antioxidants and omega fatty acids. Finally, some picky eaters do not care for the taste.

    Pros
    • 100% complete and balanced nutrition
    • Contains real chicken
    • Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals
    • Budget-friendly price
    Cons
    • Quality control issues
    • Contains beef by-products
    • Does not contain antioxidants or omega fatty acids
    • Picky eaters do not care for the taste

    5. Nutro Puppy Natural Wet Dog Food

    Nutro Core Wet Dog

    If you insist on feeding your puppy only natural, allergen-free, high-quality ingredients, you may want to consider Nutro puppy wet dog food. Made entirely with non-GMO ingredients, this wet puppy food contains no corn, wheat, soy, chicken by-product meal, or artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors.

    Nutro wet puppy food supplies complete nutrition and includes necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. With ample protein content, its first ingredient lists farm-raised chicken. Nutro prides itself on partnering with only trusted farmers and suppliers for their ingredients. It also makes its product in facilities that are committed to zero landfill waste.

    Most puppies seem to enjoy the taste and flavor. However, we learned that some puppies did not care for the texture. Also, we noticed that over this past year, more puppy owners reported stomach upset and skin allergies after consuming this food. Additionally, Nutro is one of the higher priced puppy foods on our list.

    Pros
    • Natural, non-GMO, allergen-free ingredients
    • No corn, wheat, soy, or chicken by-product meal
    • No artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors
    • Complete nutrition
    • First ingredient is farm-raised chicken
    • Facilities committed to zero landfill waste
    Cons
    • Higher priced
    • Some puppies do not like texture
    • Recent spike in reported stomach issues and skin allergies

    6. Wellness Health Wet Canned Dog Food

    Wellness Natural Pet Food

    For another natural option, Wellness Complete Health wet canned dog food provides 100% complete and balanced nutrition. It has a puréed, pate consistency made up of high-quality, holistic ingredients.

    Wellness Complete Health offers your puppy premium meats for optimal protein content. It also includes wholesome grains, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables to provide an excellent balance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This canned food supports your puppy’s skin and coat wellness, energy level, overall digestive health, immunity, and the health of their eyes, teeth, and gums.

    We found that some puppies do not care for the loose consistency. Also, despite the expensive cost, we learned of quality control issues that may affect the texture and the freshness. Finally, some puppies suffered from stomach upset after consuming this food.

    Pros
    • 100% complete and balance nutrition
    • High-quality, holistic ingredients
    • Optimal protein content
    • Includes vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
    • Supports your puppy’s overall wellness
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Quality control issues
    • Some puppies do not like puréed consistency
    • Some puppies suffered upset stomachs

    7. Blue Buffalo Puppy Wet Dog Food

    Blue Buffalo

    With real chicken for stronger muscle growth and DHA for improved brain development, Blue Buffalo wet puppy food offers a complete and balanced meal for your puppy. It’s made with high-quality natural ingredients that include vital amino acids, nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.

    You can feel good about offering your puppy the wholesome ingredients in Blue Buffalo. This wet puppy food contains no poultry by-product meals nor any no corn, wheat, or soy. Additionally, this wet puppy food doesn’t have any artificial flavors or preservatives.

    Some puppies turn up their noses at the pate consistency of this wet dog food. Also, we found that some puppies experienced an upset stomach after eating this product.

    Pros
    • Complete and balanced formula
    • Real chicken for stronger muscles
    • DHA for improved brain development
    • Includes essential amino acids, nutrients, minerals, and vitamins
    • Wholesome ingredients
    • No poultry by-product meal, corn, wheat, or soy
    • No artificial flavors or preservatives
    Cons
    • Some puppies do not like consistency
    • Some puppies experienced stomach upset

    8. Instinct Puppy Grain Free Wet Dog Food

    Instinct

    With its first ingredient listed as cage-free chicken, Instinct wet puppy food offers your puppy a meal with no unnecessary fillers or allergens. This natural wet puppy food doesn’t have any potato, corn, wheat, soy, carrageenan, meat by-product meals, or artificial colors or preservatives.

    Instinct is made with real meat and wholesome ingredients. It also contains naturally occurring DHA for brain and eye development. Most puppies seem to enjoy the taste and texture.

    However, we found that the formula for this puppy chow may not be fully balanced and in the correct proportion. It may contain too high of protein content, which could cause kidney and liver issues. The raw food may contain bacteria, which could create intestinal distress. Finally, the FDA recently warned against grain-free foods for dogs, as its findings suggest a link between such foods and heart problems.

    Pros
    • Natural, wholesome ingredients
    • No potato, corn, wheat, soy, carrageenan, or by-products
    • No artificial colors and preservatives
    • Contains DHA for brain and eye development
    • Most puppies enjoy the taste and texture
    Cons
    • May contain too much protein
    • Raw ingredients may contain harmful bacteria
    • Grain free may lead to heart problems

    9. Iams Proactive Puppy Wet Dog Food

    Iams

    A complete and balanced dog food, Iams Proactive Health wet puppy food is made with animal proteins, essential vitamins and minerals, and omega fatty acids. It also doesn’t contain soy or artificial ingredients.

    The balanced formula offers the right amount of animal protein. It’s formulated with omega 6 fatty acid for a healthy coat and skin. Additionally, it has wholesome grains for much needed energy and overall health. Most dogs seem to like the flavor and texture.

    We placed this product second to last on our list for a few questionable ingredients. The protein in this wet puppy food is provided by lower quality meat by-products. Also, this food contains carrageenan, which can cause intestinal issues. Some puppies did experience stomach upset after eating it. Finally, a possible carcinogen, sodium nitrate, is included for color retention.

    Pros
    • Complete and balanced formula
    • Includes proteins, vitamins, minerals, wholesome grains, and omega fatty acids
    • Most dogs like taste and texture
    Cons
    • Contains low-quality meat by-products
    • Includes carrageenan, which may cause intestinal distress
    • Added sodium nitrate, a possible carcinogen

    10. Eukanuba Gravy Canned Puppy Food

    Eukanuba

    Nutritional and well-balanced, Eukanuba canned puppy food offers your growing puppy the proper ratio of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Made with real chicken and beef protein, this wet puppy food supports your growing puppy’s needs.

    Eukanuba supplies sufficient calcium and phosphorous for improved muscle and bone development. It contains clinically proven levels of DHA for better brain development. It has a careful amount of fats and carbohydrates for increased energy. Most puppies seem to like the taste, although the texture may have too large chunks.

    It’s important to note that this product contains wheat, which does not add nutritional value and acts more as a filler. Also, we found that a significant number of puppies experienced diarrhea after consuming this product.

    Pros
    • Nutritional and well-balanced
    • Includes sufficient nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and proteins
    • DHA for better brain development
    Cons
    • Texture may contain too large chunks
    • Contains wheat
    • May cause diarrhea

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    Summary: The Best Wet Puppy Foods

    Our top pick for the best overall wet puppy food goes to Purina 17800126007 ONE SmartBlend Puppy Dog Food for its 100% complete and balanced nutrition. It is made with real lamb meat and no poultry by-products. It contains ideal protein content and includes omega fatty acids and antioxidants. It also has a taste and texture that most puppies enjoy.

    For the best value, Pedigree 10132999 Puppy Wet Canned Dog Food has 100% complete and balanced nutrition. This wet puppy food is made with real chicken and beef for an optimal protein content. Plus, it contains DHA for brain development, all at a reasonable price.

    In our third spot, we selected CANIDAE PURE 1566 Grain Free Wet Dog Food as our premium choice. Although you’ll pay more, this wet puppy food has a 100% complete and balanced formula that is free of wheat, corn, soy, and carrageenan. Only a limited amount of high-quality ingredients is included. In addition to optimal protein content, this wet puppy food includes probiotics, antioxidants, and omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids.

    We hope that our reviews of the best wet puppy foods, along with our pros and cons lists, have helped you find the best wet puppy food for your family’s newest addition. Nutrition plays an essential part of your puppy’s growth and development. The right puppy food can help your young companion gain a healthy and strong start to life.


    Featured image credit: jagdprinzessin, Pixabay

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