7 Best Puppy Foods for Beagles in 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks

No matter the breed of dog you own, you’ll want the best nutrition possible for your pooch. This is especially important during your puppy’s developmental stages, where good nutrition is essential.

On average, a Beagle will need around 30 calories per pound of body weight, and puppies will need more — up to 40 calories — due to their fast growth and development.¹ Of course, you’ll want to choose a puppy food that is high in nutrients and low in empty calories that don’t bode well for your pooch’s nutrition. Protein is the most important ingredient, as it provides the essential building blocks for your puppy’s muscle growth and development.

It can be challenging and stressful to choose from the myriad options of puppy foods available, as you want to make sure your Beagle pup gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that they need. You’ve come to the right place, as we’ve put together this list of comprehensive reviews to help you choose the right puppy food for your beloved Beagle.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (Updated 2022)

The 7 Best Puppy Foods for Beagles

1. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Food — Best Overall

Pacific Stream dry puppy food from Taste of the Wild is our top choice overall for the best puppy food for your beagle. The specialized formula is grain-free, meaning it doesn’t contain potentially harmful fillers like wheat and corn that can quickly cause health issues in puppies. The main ingredient is salmon, which is full of the essential omega fatty acids that your growing puppies need. It also contains real vegetables, including peas for added protein and potatoes. The food also includes antioxidants and dried chicory root for prebiotic support and a healthy digestive system. It is made from trusted and sustainable sources and is free from not only grains but also artificial colors, flavorings, and preservatives.

While this food is designed to be tasty and nutritious, several customers report that their dogs didn’t enjoy it and wouldn’t eat it even when it was disguised. The main source of fat in this food is canola oil, and animal-based fats are a far superior source.

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2. Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy Puppy Food — Best Value

The best Beagle puppy food for the money is the SmartBlend dry puppy dog food from Purina ONE. This affordable yet nutritious food has chicken listed as the first ingredient and has rice and oatmeal for added energy. The food also includes DHA, an essential nutrient found in mother’s milk that aids vision and brain development in puppies, and contains the essential vitamins E and A. The food is made with no artificial filler ingredients, to ensure that your puppy is getting great nutrition without any extra calories. It also contains antioxidants, as well as calcium and phosphorus to aid in bone development.

Some customers report that the food has a pungent smell, that their puppies would not touch it, and that some of the kibble had a rubbery texture. These keep it from the top position.

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3. Holistic Select Puppy Health Food — Premium Choice

This premium puppy food from Holistic Select is formulated with a unique digestive health support system, making it ideal for Beagle pups with sensitive stomachs. The protein from red meats can be hard on a growing puppy’s stomach, and Holistic Select has chosen to use anchovy, sardine, and chicken in this food to provide adequate protein without the associated stomach problems that can sometimes arise. It also includes active probiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes to further aid in your puppy’s gut health. It contains DHA for brain and vision development and the perfect combination of rice, oatmeal, and quinoa to give your pup the energy boost they need. The food is also completely free from artificial ingredients, color, flavors, and preservatives, and it contains no wheat or gluten.

While this food is great for pooches with sensitive stomachs, it is an expensive option if your dog is relatively healthy. This keeps this otherwise great puppy food from the top two spots.

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4. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Food

This Blue Buffalo Freedom puppy food is an ideal choice for growing Beagle pups. It contains vegetable-based carbohydrates for added energy and is made with real, deboned, protein-rich chicken for optimal development of your puppy. The easy-to-digest formula contains calcium, phosphorus, and essential vitamins for strong bones and teeth. The kibble is specially formulated for smaller puppies’ jaws to aid in their dental health and make it easy for them to chew. It is also rich in omegas-3 and -6 to promote a smooth and healthy coat. The food contains no wheat, corn, soy, or poultry by-products.

Several customers report that this food gave their puppies stomach issues, including gas and diarrhea. The food also has a pungent smell that may prevent some puppies from eating it.

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5. American Journey Grain-Free Puppy Food

This grain-free dry puppy food from American Journey contains real deboned chicken to give your growing puppy the protein and amino acids that they need to thrive. The formula is designed to meet all the nutritional requirements for optimal development, with a tasty flavor to keep them coming back for more. Included in the recipe are sweet potatoes and chickpeas for added energy, as well as wholesome fruits and veggies like carrots, dried kelp, and blueberries for added fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients. It also includes DHA for healthy eye and brain development and omegas-3 and -6 fatty acids from salmon and flaxseeds for a healthy coat. Plus, the recipe is free from corn, wheat, and soy.

Several customers report that their puppies would not eat it, and even when disguised with other food or gravy, they will still leave this food behind. It may cause gas in some dogs too, as several users have reported.

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6. Wellness Complete Health Puppy Food

This Complete Health dry puppy food from Wellness contains high-quality protein sourced from turkey and salmon, as well as antioxidant-rich blueberries and spinach for immune system support. The formula also includes flaxseed with essential omegas-3 and -6 fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin. The inclusion of oatmeal and barley will provide the carbohydrates needed to meet your puppy’s energy needs, and the calcium and phosphorus will keep their teeth and bones healthy. The food is fortified with fiber and probiotics for healthy digestion, as well as vitamins E and A for added immune support.

This food contains grains, which may be an issue for pups with sensitive digestion. This kibble is too big for young puppies, and smaller pups may have trouble eating it, even though the product is made for small breeds. Some users report that the foods molds easily, even when stored in an airtight container.

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7. CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Puppy Food

This grain-free food from CANIDAE is specifically designed for smaller puppies with sensitive digestion. The freeze-dried kibble is made with eight key ingredients, all of which are included with optimal nutrition in mind. These include salmon, salmon meal, lentils, peas, and freeze-dried raw salmon. The food also contains omegas-3 and -6 for healthy skin and coats, antioxidants for a healthy immune system, and probiotics for optimum digestion. To top it off, the kibble is coated in freeze-dried salmon for great taste.

Several customers report that the food has a pungent smell that their dogs would not touch. The food is also prone to molding, with some customers receiving food already beginning to mold. The food is also easily breakable, and you will likely receive a bag of food with a substantial amount of powder at the bottom.

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Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Food for Beagle Puppy Dogs

Beagles are a small to medium-sized breed, and although they aren’t the most high-energy dogs around, they still need adequate nutrition to keep them going. Beagles are considered to be a healthy breed in general, with few genetic disorders to be worried about. One important factor to note is that Beagles tend to gain weight quickly and easily, and it is important to avoid giving them empty-calorie foods, especially puppies.

The developmental stage of puppies is an important time, and you’ll need to pay close attention to their nutritional intake to make sure they are getting everything they need. It can be stressful to try and find the right food for your growing Beagle, and there are a few factors to take into consideration to make sure they are getting all the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins they need from their food.

Protein

One of the most important and often-overlooked nutrients for growing Beagle puppies is protein. Dogs are omnivores and need both meat and vegetables to be healthy and happy. Protein is the building block of muscle development and gives your Beagle plenty of energy too. The best source of protein comes from animal sources, and while some commercial dog foods contain other sources from foods like peas, animal protein is the most easily assimilated and complete, full of all the essential amino acids that your puppy needs.

Proteins are made up of amino acids, and dogs need 22 different amino acids to make the necessary proteins in their body. Only around half of these are made by your dog’s body, and the rest must come from external dietary sources. Your dog’s body cannot store protein like it does fat, so they need daily sources. During the rapid growth stage of Beagle puppies, they’ll need a bit more protein, which can be gradually tapered off as they get older. Usually, the packaging on the puppy food that you buy will give you an indication of the amount of protein that the food contains and its primary sources. Around 25% of your Beagles puppy’s food should be protein.

Fat

After protein, fat is the next most important nutrient. Fats help maintain a healthy coat and skin and will provide your pooch with a highly concentrated source of energy. Good puppy food will usually be higher in fat than adult food to provide for your pooch’s growing energy needs. Fats also assist your dog in the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins and will give your dog a source of energy that is twice that of proteins or carbohydrates. Essential fatty acids like omegas-3 and -6 cannot be made by your dog’s body and must come from outside sources. The best source of fat is from animal sources like chicken or salmon. These ensure that the fats are good quality and easily bioavailable for your dog. Flaxseeds and canola oils are also a good source of these fatty acids but are not adequate as the only source.

Remember that not all fats are good for your dog, and too many fats can quickly cause them to become overweight.

Carbohydrates

Not only are carbohydrates a great source of energy for your pooches, but good sources such as from whole grains will provide fiber and aid in your dog’s digestion. Starchy vegetables are also a good source, but both these and grains should be kept to a minimum.

The caveat is that dogs actually do not require carbs as an essential part of their diet, as they get plenty of energy from protein and fat. Yet, most commercial foods contain carbs as the main ingredient. We recommend keeping them to a minimum and sticking to easily digestible forms like rice and oats.

Vitamins and minerals

Growing puppies need certain vitamins and minerals to thrive, and while these can come in supplement form, they are best supplied by dietary sources. Commercial foods often advertise a proliferation of these essential vitamins and minerals, and you can usually trust high-quality dog food makers to be true to their word of a “complete and balanced diet.” This is the most convenient way to give your pooch the vitamins and minerals they need. That being said, it is the inclusion of other questionable ingredients in some commercial foods that causes issues, like grains, preservatives, and colorants.

All the essential nutrients and minerals that your dog needs can easily be provided by a natural source:

Most vitamins are readily available in meat, especially organ meat, which should make up most of your dog’s diet. Dairy is also a great source of many of these vitamins, especially for puppies. This also includes minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.

What to avoid for Beagle puppies?

Now that you have a good idea of what your growing pup needs to thrive, there are certain foods that you should strictly avoid. Some foods that are perfectly fine for humans may be harmful or potentially deadly to your puppy. These include:

The list of foods to avoid is far larger than can fit into this article, but the above are common foods innocently given to dogs.

Conclusion

The best choice overall of puppy food for your Beagle according to our reviews is Pacific Stream dry puppy food from Taste of the Wild. It is grain-free, contains salmon for the essential omega fatty acids that your growing puppies need, and has peas for added protein, antioxidants, and prebiotics for a healthy digestive system. Plus, this food is free from not only grains but also artificial colors, flavorings, and preservatives.

The best puppy food for Beagles for the money is the SmartBlend dry puppy dog food from Purina ONE. It contains protein-rich chicken, as well as rice and oatmeal for added energy. The food has no artificial filler ingredients and contains antioxidants, calcium, and phosphorus, all at a highly affordable price.

The developmental stage of your puppy is an exciting and important one in their life. You’ll want to make sure they are getting all the essential nutrients that they need from their diet, but it can be a stressful process to find the right food. Hopefully, our in-depth reviews have helped narrow down the options so you can give your pup the best possible food they deserve.

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Featured Image Credit: Pxfuel