Puppy foods for small, medium and large breeds compared on daily cost, worked out from each maker's price and feeding guide.
Dry, complete. 185–215 g a day for a puppy heading for about 10 kg, at 4–6 months.
For dogs of 26–44 kg as adults. £2.01 a day for a 30 kg adult size at six months.
Costs use each maker's feeding guide at the age and size shown. Feeding amounts change as your puppy grows, so check the pack every few weeks. Our portion calculator estimates daily grams for puppies under and over four months.
Showing 6 of 6.
| Best for | Price and pack | Daily amount | How we worked out the cost | Main protein | Ad | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Canin Mini PuppyDry, complete; for dogs up to 10 kg as adults | Small breeds | £43.19 for 8 kg (zooplus) | 10 kg adult size: 138 g at 4 months, 185 g at 6 months | £43.19 ÷ 8,000 g × 138–185 g | Poultry | £0.75–£1.00checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Royal Canin Medium PuppyDry, complete; for dogs of 11–25 kg as adults | Medium breeds | £66.99 for 15 kg (zooplus) | 11 kg adult size at 6 months: 196 g | £66.99 ÷ 15,000 g × 196 g | Poultry | £0.88 (11 kg adult size, 6 months)checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Royal Canin Maxi PuppyDry, complete; for dogs of 26–44 kg as adults | Large breeds | £66.99 for 15 kg (zooplus) | 30 kg adult size at 6 months: 451 g | £66.99 ÷ 15,000 g × 451 g | Poultry | £2.01 (30 kg adult size, 6 months)checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Hill's Science Plan Puppy Medium ChickenDry, complete; Small & Mini and Large versions also sold | Feeding by current weight | £52.49 for 14 kg (zooplus) | 260 g for a 10 kg puppy aged 4–9 months | £52.49 ÷ 14,000 g × 260 g | Chicken | £0.97checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| James Wellbeloved Puppy & Junior Hypoallergenic Turkey & RiceDry, complete | One meat protein (turkey) | £56.09 for 15 kg (zooplus) | 10 kg adult size, 4–6 months: 185–215 g | £56.09 ÷ 15,000 g × 185–215 g | Turkey; rice | £0.69–£0.80checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Purina Pro Plan Medium Puppy Healthy Start ChickenDry, complete (formerly OptiStart) | A lower daily cost for medium breeds | £45.99 for 12 kg (zooplus) | 10 kg adult size, 4–5 months: 195–205 g | £45.99 ÷ 12,000 g × 195–205 g | Chicken | £0.75–£0.79checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
£43.19 ÷ 8,000 g × 138–185 g
£66.99 ÷ 15,000 g × 196 g
£66.99 ÷ 15,000 g × 451 g
£52.49 ÷ 14,000 g × 260 g
£56.09 ÷ 15,000 g × 185–215 g
£45.99 ÷ 12,000 g × 195–205 g
Prices and feeding amounts from the zooplus UK pages linked, checked on 21 October 2026.
What we did
What we did not do
Sources checked
Prices and terms change. Confirm on the retailer's page before you buy.
Dry, complete; for dogs up to 10 kg as adults
Why it made the list
Small breeds
£43.19 ÷ 8,000 g × 138–185 g
Dry, complete; for dogs of 11–25 kg as adults
Why it made the list
Medium breeds
£66.99 ÷ 15,000 g × 196 g
Dry, complete; for dogs of 26–44 kg as adults
Why it made the list
Large breeds
£66.99 ÷ 15,000 g × 451 g
Dry, complete; Small & Mini and Large versions also sold
Why it made the list
Feeding by current weight
£52.49 ÷ 14,000 g × 260 g
Dry, complete
Why it made the list
One meat protein (turkey)
£56.09 ÷ 15,000 g × 185–215 g
Dry, complete (formerly OptiStart)
Why it made the list
A lower daily cost for medium breeds
£45.99 ÷ 12,000 g × 195–205 g
Puppy portions rise for the first few months and then fall as growth slows, and every maker sets its own amounts. This chart shows each food's published daily amount (dry food only) for the expected adult size shown, from the feeding guides we re-checked on 21 October 2026. Split the day's amount into several meals for young puppies.
| Food (expected adult size) | About 2 months | About 4 months | About 6 months | Later | Moving to adult food |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Canin Mini Puppy (10 kg adult) | 146 g | 138 g (4 months) | 185 g | 133 g (10 months) | Mini Adult from about 12 months (11 months for smaller dogs) |
| Royal Canin Medium Puppy (11 kg adult) | 154 g | Not given | 196 g | 140 g (10 months) | Medium Adult from 12 months |
| Royal Canin Maxi Puppy (30 kg adult) | 275 g | Not given | 451 g | 421 g (8 months), 322 g (12 months) | Maxi Adult at 16 months |
| James Wellbeloved Puppy & Junior (10 kg adult) | 135–150 g | 185–215 g (4–6 months) | 185–215 g | 200–220 g (7–8 months) | Adult or small-breed adult food after 8 months |
| Purina Pro Plan Medium Puppy (10 kg adult) | 100–175 g (1.5–3 months) | 195–205 g (4–5 months) | 205–180 g (6–8 months) | 180–175 g (9–11 months) | Adult food during 9–12 months |
| Hill's Science Plan Puppy Medium (10 kg now) | 315 g (1–4 months) | 260 g (4–9 months) | 260 g | 210 g (10–12 months) | Fed by current weight, not adult weight |
For a calorie-based estimate at any weight, the dog food portion calculator uses the AAHA puppy factors (3.0 under four months, 2.0 from four months to adult).
For a puppy heading for about 10 kg, the foods here cost £0.69 to £1.00 a day at four to six months, or roughly £21 to £30 a month. A puppy heading for 30 kg on Royal Canin Maxi Puppy costs £2.01 a day at six months, about £61 a month. Food is one line in the first-year budget: see our new puppy checklist, dog vaccination costs and puppy insurance guide.
Large-breed puppy foods are made for dogs that grow for longer, with energy and minerals set for slower growth. Royal Canin's Maxi Puppy is for dogs expected to weigh 26–44 kg, and its table moves them to Maxi Adult at 16 months, against about 12 months for its Mini and Medium puppy foods. Our large-breed puppy food comparison sets out six foods for a puppy heading for 30 kg, with FEDIAF's calcium limits and each maker's switch age.
Small, medium and large-breed formulas differ in energy and kibble size, and large-breed formulas are designed for slower, longer growth. Royal Canin's Medium Puppy is for dogs expected to reach 11–25 kg, so a puppy heading for 10 kg is better suited to Mini Puppy.
Fresh food brands such as Butternut Box make food for all life stages and set puppy portions when you sign up, rather than selling a separate puppy recipe. Compare them in our dog food subscriptions guide.
New to dogs? Our first-time dog owner guide and cost of owning a dog guide put food in context. If your puppy has diarrhoea, vomiting or is not eating, contact your vet.
Choose by your puppy's expected adult weight, not its current weight. Royal Canin, for example, sells Mini Puppy for dogs up to 10 kg as adults, Medium Puppy for 11–25 kg and Maxi Puppy for 26–44 kg. Your vet or breeder can estimate adult weight.
For a puppy expected to weigh about 10 kg as an adult, the foods we checked cost about £0.69 to £1.00 a day at four to six months. A large-breed puppy expected to reach 30 kg costs more: about £2.01 a day on Royal Canin Maxi Puppy at six months. Prices checked 21 October 2026.
It depends on breed size, because large breeds keep growing for longer. Royal Canin's feeding tables move small dogs to adult food at about 11–12 months, medium dogs at 12 months and large (Maxi) dogs at 16 months. Follow the guidance on your puppy food's pack and ask your vet.
Yes, but read the full ingredient list. James Wellbeloved Puppy & Junior is turkey and rice and names no chicken, though it contains 'poultry fat', which does not say which bird. Royal Canin uses 'dried poultry protein', Pro Plan Healthy Start is 20% chicken and Hill's Puppy Medium is 19% chicken.
Use a food labelled as complete for puppies or for all life stages. Puppies have different nutritional needs from adult dogs, especially large breeds while they grow.
Tell us and we will check it. Corrections are dated on the page and listed in our corrections log.