11 Best Foods for Doberman Puppies in 2025: Reviews & Top Picks

If you are about to welcome a sweet Doberman puppy into your life, you need the right gear and supplies to get them off on the right paw. You have purchased a cozy bed, water and food dishes, and handfuls of toys, but you’re still not sure what kind of food will be best for your growing puppy.

The world of pet food can feel overwhelming with its seemingly endless options. If you are not sure where to start with your research, let us help! We rounded up the best foods for Doberman puppies on the market right now and have compiled them in this handy list for you.

Keep reading for the reviews so you can pick the perfect food that will taste yummy to your puppy while supporting their growth and development.

A Glance at Our Winners (2025 Update)

The 11 Best Food for Doberman Puppies

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food — Best Overall

The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food is the best overall food for Doberman puppies because it comes from a premium subscription service that offers fresh food customized to your dog’s specific needs. You answer questions about your pup’s age, weight, breed, activity level, and allergies to get your custom feeding profile, then you select your recipe and delivery schedule.

The Farmer’s Dog delivers the refrigerated recipes directly to your door for your convenience. Although this food is appropriate for puppies, you can adjust the custom food profile once your puppy reaches 1 year for an adult-appropriate formula. All Farmer’s Dog recipes are made in USDA-inspected facilities in the U.S. with the help of veterinary nutritionists. Beef, chicken, turkey, and pork recipes are available.

This food is convenient, but it’s only available through a subscription. You can’t run to your local pet store if you’re running low, so it takes planning. It’s also a bit expensive if you’re on a budget.

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2. Pedigree Puppy Chopped Canned Dog Food — Budget Buy

Puppy owners on a budget will love Pedigree Puppy Chopped Canned Dog Food, as it is the best food for Doberman puppies for the money. This wet food has been formulated to support the needs of your growing Doberman. It has ideal mineral levels to promote healthy skin and shiny coats and contains DHA to support brain development.

It has a meaty and ground texture that most puppies are drawn to and is quite soft so it is easy to eat. The recipe is also highly digestible to ensure your pup can absorb all the nutrients they need.

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3. ORIJEN Amazing Grains Puppy Dry Food

If money isn’t an area of concern for you, consider ORIJEN Amazing Grains Puppy Dry Food. It is considerably more expensive than the other options in this guide, but it is a high-quality food designed specifically for large breeds.

This formula’s first few ingredients are all fresh or raw animal proteins to help support your puppy’s muscle development. It also features hand-selected grains to support the growth and development needs of your rapidly growing Doberman. There are fatty acids from fish in the recipe to help promote coat and skin health and boost the immune system.

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4. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Food

This huge 30-pound bag of Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Food should last your Doberman pup for quite some time. It is made with wholesome ingredients like chicken meal and oats that are specifically chosen to meet your puppy’s needs at this life stage.

This formula is manufactured in the U.S., so you know that every ingredient has gone through stringent testing and has been proven safe for puppies. It offers a dose of calcium in every serving to help support bone growth and glucosamine to promote joint health.

There are no artificial colors or preservatives in this recipe, only ingredients that ensure a complete and balanced diet.

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5. Purina ONE SmartBlend Classic Healthy Puppy Dog Food

Purina ONE SmartBlend Classic Healthy Puppy Dog Food is made with real lamb and chicken to give your growing Doberman puppy the protein that they need to develop properly. The formula is all-natural but boosted with fatty acids to help your pup achieve healthy skin and coat. It has added vitamins and antioxidants that can support their immune system function.

There are no fillers or by-products in this formula at all, only wholesome ingredients that will support your puppy’s growth and development. The long-grain rice, for example, is a natural source of the carbohydrates that your pup needs to fuel their body and keep them energized all day long.

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6. Taste of the Wild Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Food

Taste of the Wild Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Food is a great food option for your Doberman puppy. This recipe is made with pasture-raised bison and venison to provide your growing pup with the highly digestible proteins that they need for their development. It also features the company’s K9 Strain Probiotics, which come from the probiotic bacteria strains that are naturally found in the gastrointestinal tract of canines. These are added after the cooking process to ensure that the healthy bacteria aren’t killed and that your dog can reap their benefits.

This formula features antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids to support brain and vision development and your puppy’s overall health and immune system.

Since this product is grain-free, we do recommend speaking with your vet before trying it. Including grains in your puppy’s diet is beneficial for most dogs unless they have a known grain allergy.

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7. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Food

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Food is a great option for Doberman owners who want to feed their pups grain-inclusive food. This recipe does not contain any high-risk preservatives or BHA, which have been shown to cause tumors.

This 30-pound bag of kibble features real meat, veggies, and fruits to provide the support that your growing Doberman pup needs. It also contains Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits, an antioxidant-rich blend of vitamins and minerals. These can support your dog’s immune system due to the inclusion of vitamins C and E.

The recipe also contains minerals like calcium and phosphorous to improve the health of your dog’s bones and teeth.

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8. Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food comes in three bag sizes: 6 pounds, 18 pounds, and 34 pounds. The 6-pound option is great because it gives owners a chance to try out the food and see how their puppies react. If they don’t like it, you’re not out a lot of money, and not as much food will go to waste.

This recipe features chicken as the main ingredient, which can help your Doberman develop the healthy muscles that they’ll need in their adult years. The fish oil boosts brain and vision development, while minerals like calcium help build strong bones.

There are no artificial flavorings or colors in this formula. It is designed to provide 100% complete and balanced nutrition for a dog’s developing body.

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9. Royal Canin Medium Puppy Dry Dog Food

Royal Canin Medium Puppy Dry Dog Food comes in 6-, 17-, or 30-pound bags. It is formulated to meet the needs of your growing pup, such as supporting their digestive health, keeping their energy levels high, and promoting a healthy and strong immune system. This formula promotes healthy digestion, as it features easy-to-digest proteins. It’s also formulated with prebiotics to promote optimal stool consistency (so, no diarrhea or constipation). The specialized mineral blend included in this recipe supports the bone and joint health of your Doberman.

The kibble is designed to have a satisfying texture that keeps your pup interested in their meals. It is also the perfect size and shape for young puppies to chew.

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10. Iams ProActive Health Puppy Canned Dog Food

Iams ProActive Health Puppy Canned Dog Food is a classic pâté meal full of high-quality animal proteins. The formula contains vitamins and minerals to support your puppy’s developing immune system and encourage optimal development.

This formula includes omega fatty acids to promote skin health and a shiny, luxurious coat. It features wholesome grains like rice to give your pup the carbohydrates their body needs to maintain puppy-like energy levels.

Iams doesn’t use artificial flavors or colors in this recipe.

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11. Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Dry Dog Food

Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Dry Dog Food is “raw infused,” which means that the manufacturer has included freeze-dried raw chunks in with the kibble. These pieces are in their pure state so they can provide your pup with the best nutritional benefits. Merrick claims that its food goes through rigorous testing to ensure that every formula that leaves its factory is safe.

This recipe contains a hefty dose of fatty acids to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. It also includes glucosamine to encourage hip and joint health. This recipe, as with every other one that Merrick manufactures, is crafted in Texas and cooked in the U.S.A. following strict FDA guidelines to ensure the highest safety standards.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Food for Doberman Puppies

Now that you know the best foods on the market for Doberman puppies, it’s time to dive a little deeper. It’s clear that you care about what you’re feeding your puppy, so keep reading to learn more about the factors that you should consider when choosing the best food for a Doberman pup.

How to Feed Your Doberman Puppy

What feeding guidelines should you follow for your puppy? How much food should you offer? How often should you feed them? While these questions are best saved for your veterinary check-ups, we can provide a bit of insight here.

A Puppy Feeding Timeline

When they’re between 6 and 12 weeks of age, your puppy will likely need around four meals per day. The American Kennel Club suggests that larger breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by the time they’re 9 or 10 weeks.

When your dog is 3 to 6 months of age, you can start decreasing their daily feedings to three times a day. You may notice your Dobermans starting to lose their puppy pudginess by 3 months of age. If they are still a little on the heavy side, continue feeding puppy-sized portions until their body has had a chance to mature a bit more.

When your pup is between 6 and 12 months, their feedings can be cut down to twice a day. If you get your puppy spayed or neutered, they will have lower energy requirements. Many vets suggest switching to adult maintenance food after these procedures. That said, it’s generally agreed upon that it’s best to keep your dog on puppy food than to wean them off of it too early.

How Much to Feed

There doesn’t seem to be a hard-and-fast rule on exactly how much food you should offer your Doberman. There’s an old saying that goes, “watch the dog, not the dish,” which means to keep your eyes on your pup’s body composition, not the amount of food they’re eating or leaving in their bowl.

The portion your dog gets will depend on a lot of factors, like their energy level and metabolism.

If you need veterinary advice over your dog’s nutrition, we recommend speaking with a vet.

Dry vs. Wet vs. Both

Another great debate in the world of dog food is whether dry food is better than wet food or vice versa. The truth is that both food types have their pros and cons.

Wet food has a higher moisture content, which is great for dogs that are resistant to drinking the amount of water they need in a day. It is also more aromatic, which can entice your picky puppy to eat, and it can create a long-lasting feeling of “fullness” so your pup isn’t hungry again half an hour after their last meal.

Dry food can help with your puppy’s dental health, as it forces them to chew their food, which can prevent tartar build-up. It is easier and less messy to serve, and is often much cheaper to buy. Kibble also works great in food puzzles and slow feeders.

Mixing both wet and dry food is a popular choice that many dog owners opt for. You can use a small portion of wet food as a “topper” for your dog’s kibble. This provides them with the best of both worlds.

Puppy vs. Adult Food

If you already have an adult Doberman in your home, you might think that feeding your puppy and the adult the same food wouldn’t be a problem. Truthfully, though, the nutritional needs of a puppy are vastly different than the needs of a grown dog.

Puppy food is higher in calories than adult food, as puppies expend much more energy just through the process of growing. Plus, puppies are more active than adult dogs and need a diet that can compensate for the energy they’re expending.

It’s also important to choose a food that is designed for the size of your puppy. The foods we reviewed here are all formulated for the bone growth of your Doberman. Large dogs need extra calcium and phosphorus to ensure that their bones develop properly to prevent any joint issues later in life.

Nutritional Needs of Growing Doberman Puppies

The food that you choose needs to be designated for your Doberman’s size to ensure that their nutritional needs are being met. A Great Dane, for example, is going to grow at a much different rate than a Chihuahua.

Large breed dogs grow a lot but they mustn’t grow too fast. Feeding your pup a diet that’s too high in fat or calories can cause them to grow faster than their bones, which can cause skeletal abnormalities.

Protein and calcium are essential for the growth and development of your puppy, but they must receive just the right amounts of each. Too much protein can result in weight gain, which can impact joint development. Too much calcium can cause skeletal malformations.

When you choose a size-specific food, you’re ensuring that your pup is getting the exact nutrition they need to support healthy development.

AAFCO Statement

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) statement is something to look for when you’re shopping for pet food. When you’re reading the label on the can or the back of the bag, there should be a statement somewhere that says that the food is “formulated to meet the needs of growing puppies.” It might also read, “meets AAFCO standards for growth.”

The AAFCO does not test or regulate pet foods to ensure that they meet standards. Therefore, no foods can be labeled as “AAFCO approved.”

The AAFCO statement is important because it shows that the food in question has undergone third-party testing to confirm that it meets the guidelines and is fit for certain canine life stages.

Our Selection Process For Best Foods for Doberman Puppies

To create this buyer’s guide, our writing team and editorial staff checked customer reviews, brand reputation, and veterinary approval ratings to present the best foods we think should be highlighted for our readers. In some cases, we conducted hands-on testing along with seeing how much our dogs liked the best foods. All these factors were considered when selecting these listed best foods to help you make the best purchase for your furry friends.

Why Trust Dogster?

Since 2004, Dogster has been a trusted brand for dog owners online, which means we have a lot of experience with best foods. We take pride in promoting the well-being of all dogs—from toy breeds to giant canines. Our in-house veterinarians, writers, and editors examine each product on our lists, ensuring its quality and reputation. As pet owners ourselves, we only want the best for our furry companions. At Dogster, we are transparent about the products we promote. The nutritional information, overall brand reputation, and customer reviews are all considered for these lists. We inform you how we want to be informed.

Conclusion

Now that you have read these reviews and guide on the best Doberman puppy food, you can make an informed decision about which will be best for your pup.

For the best overall food for Doberman puppies, The Farmer’s Dog is the clear winner for its high-protein and perfectly balanced formula. For dog owners on a budget, Pedigree’s wet food provides an affordable solution that is enticing to puppies and chock-full of nutrition.

• See also: Best Dog Beds

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Featured Image Credit: Pavel Shlykov, Shutterstock