If you’re about to welcome a sweet Doberman puppy into your life, you need the right gear and supplies to get him off on the right foot. 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 very overwhelming with its seemingly endless options. If you’re not sure where to start with your research, let us help. We’ve 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 to find our 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 (2023 Update)
Image Product Details
Best Overall
The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food
Complete, balanced nutrition
Fresh food customized to your dog
Convenient delivery
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Best Value
Pedigree Puppy Chopped Dog Food
Soft texture is easy to eat
Balanced recipe for complete nutrition
Promotes a shiny coat
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ORIJEN Amazing Grains Large Breed Puppy Food
Contains prebiotics and probiotics for digestion
High-protein
Grains further support digestive health
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Vet’s Choice
Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Dog Food
Supports healthy immune function
Promotes strong teeth
High-quality protein
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Purina ONE SmartBlend Puppy Food
Vet-recommended formula
No poultry by-products
Made with real meat
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The 11 Best Food for Doberman Puppies
1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food – Best Overall
Image Credit: Farmer’s Dog Food Click Here to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping with The Farmer’s Dog
Main ingredients: USDA beef, sweet potatoes, lentils, USDA beef liver
Protein content: 41% min
Fat content: 32% min
Calories: 721 kcal/cup
Doberman puppies need the very best nutrition. The Farmer’s Dog is a premium subscription dog food service that offers fresh food customized to your dog’s specific needs. You answer questions about your dog’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. Though this food is appropriate for puppies, you can adjust the custom food profile once your puppy reaches one year for an adult-appropriate formula. All Farmer’s Dog recipes are made in USDA-inspected facilities in the US 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 some planning. It’s also a bit expensive if you’re on a budget.
Pros
Complete, balanced nutrition
Fresh food customized to your dog
Convenient delivery
Formulated with a team of veterinary nutritionists
Cons
Subscription only
Expensive
Puppy owners on a budget will love Pedigree’s puppy formula as it provides the best food for a Doberman puppy for the money.
Complete, balanced nutrition
Fresh food customized to your dog
Convenient delivery
Formulated with a team of veterinary nutritionists
- Complete, balanced nutrition
- Fresh food customized to your dog
- Convenient delivery
- Formulated with a team of veterinary nutritionists
Subscription only
Expensive
- Subscription only
- Expensive
Main ingredients: Chicken, sufficient water for processing, meat by-products, meat protein isolate, lamb
Protein content: 9.0% min
Fat content: 7.0% min
Calories: 409 kcal/can
Check Price on Chewy
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’s easy to eat. The recipe is also highly digestible to ensure your pup can absorb all the nutrients he needs.
Pros
Soft texture is easy to eat
Balanced recipe for complete nutrition
Promotes a shiny coat
Affordable price
Cons
Has a strong scent
If money isn’t an area of concern for your family, you might consider ORIJEN’s Amazing Grains Puppy food. It is considerably more expensive than other options in our guide, but it is a high-quality food designed specifically for larger breeds.
Soft texture is easy to eat
Balanced recipe for complete nutrition
Promotes a shiny coat
Affordable price
- Soft texture is easy to eat
- Balanced recipe for complete nutrition
- Promotes a shiny coat
- Affordable price
Has a strong scent
- Has a strong scent
Main ingredients: Chicken, whole herring, whole mackerel, chicken liver, salmon
Protein content: 38.0% min
Fat content: 16.0% min
Calories: 482 kcal/cup
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 also fatty acids from fish in the recipe to help promote coat and skin health as well as boost the immune system.
Pros
Contains prebiotics and probiotics for digestion
High-protein
Grains further support digestive health
Supports immune function
Cons
Very expensive, may not be budget-friendly for owners with multiple puppies
This huge 30-pound bag of kibble from Hill’s Science Diet 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.
Contains prebiotics and probiotics for digestion
High-protein
Grains further support digestive health
Supports immune function
- Contains prebiotics and probiotics for digestion
- High-protein
- Grains further support digestive health
- Supports immune function
Very expensive, may not be budget-friendly for owners with multiple puppies
- Very expensive, may not be budget-friendly for owners with multiple puppies
Main ingredients: Chicken meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain oats, whole grain sorghum, corn gluten meal
Protein content: 24.0% min
Fat content: 11.0% min
Calories: 394 kcal/cup
This formula is manufactured in America 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 as well as glucosamine to promote joint health.
There are no artificial colors or preservatives in this recipe, only ingredients that ensure a complete and balanced diet.
Pros
Supports healthy immune function
Promotes strong teeth
High-quality protein
Natural ingredients
Cons
Kibble too small for puzzle toys
Purina ONE’s SmartBlend wet food is made with real lamb and chicken to give your growing Doberman puppy the protein he needs to develop properly. The formula is all-natural but is boosted with fatty acids to help your pup achieve healthy skin and coat. It also has added vitamins and antioxidants that can support his immune system function.
Supports healthy immune function
Promotes strong teeth
High-quality protein
Natural ingredients
- Supports healthy immune function
- Promotes strong teeth
- High-quality protein
- Natural ingredients
Kibble too small for puzzle toys
- Kibble too small for puzzle toys
Main ingredients: Lamb and chicken broth, lamb, chicken, liver, pork lungs
Protein content: 8.0% min
Fat content: 7.0% min
Calories: 426 kcal/cup
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 your pup needs to fuel his body and keep him energized all day long.
Pros
Vet-recommended formula
No poultry by-products
Made with real meat
Provides a natural source of carbohydrates
Cons
Can give dogs bad breath
Taste of the Wild’s grain-free puppy food formula is another 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 he needs for his 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 dogs. These probiotics are added after the cooking process to ensure that the healthy bacteria aren’t killed so your dog can reap their benefits.
Vet-recommended formula
No poultry by-products
Made with real meat
Provides a natural source of carbohydrates
- Vet-recommended formula
- No poultry by-products
- Made with real meat
- Provides a natural source of carbohydrates
Can give dogs bad breath
- Can give dogs bad breath
Main ingredients: Water buffalo, lamb meal, sweet potatoes, egg product, pea protein
Protein content: 28.0% min
Fat content: 17.0% min
Calories: 415 kcal/cup
This formula features antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids to support brain and vision development as well as 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 to most dogs unless your puppy has a known grain allergy.
Pros
Small kibble size
First ingredient is real meat
High in protein
Cons
Can make some dogs gassy
Blue Buffalo’s Life Protein formula for puppies 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.
Small kibble size
First ingredient is real meat
High in protein
- Small kibble size
- First ingredient is real meat
- High in protein
Can make some dogs gassy
- Can make some dogs gassy
Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley, fish meal
Protein content: 27.0% min
Fat content: 16.0% min
Calories: 400 kcal/cup
This 30-pound bag of kibble features real meat, veggies, and fruits to provide the support your growing Doberman pupu needs. It also contains Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits, an antioxidant-rich blend of vitamins and minerals. These bits can support your dog’s immune system thanks to the inclusion of vitamins E and C.
The recipe also contains minerals like calcium and phosphorous to improve the health of your dogs’ bones and teeth.
Pros
Puppy-sized kibble
Fatty acids for healthy skin
No poultry by-products
Promotes vision development
Cons
Pricy
Can cause gas
Purina Pro Plan’s puppy formula comes in three bag sizes – 6 pounds, 18 pounds, or 34 pounds. The six-pound option is great to have as it gives owners a chance to try out the food and see how their puppies react to it. If they don’t like the food, you’re not out a lot of money, and not as much food will go to waste.
Puppy-sized kibble
Fatty acids for healthy skin
No poultry by-products
Promotes vision development
- Puppy-sized kibble
- Fatty acids for healthy skin
- No poultry by-products
- Promotes vision development
Pricy
Can cause gas
- Pricy
- Can cause gas
Main ingredients: Chicken, rice, poultry by-pProduct meal, corn gluten meal
Protein content: 28.0% min
Fat content: 18.0% min
Calories: 456 kcal/cup
This recipe features chicken as the main ingredient which can help your Doberman develop healthy muscles he’ll need in his adult years. The fish oil boosts brain and vision development while minerals like calcium help to build strong bones.
There are no artificial flavoring or colors in this formula. It is designed to provide 100% complete and balanced nutrition for his developing body’s needs.
Pros
No artificial flavors
High-quality protein
Antioxidants for immune system health
Highly-digestible
Cons
Contains no prebiotics
Royal Canin’s puppy food for medium-size dogs comes in 6-, 17-, or 30-pound bags. It is formulated to meet the needs of your growing pup such as supporting his digestive health, keeping his energy levels high, and promoting a healthy and strong immune system. This formula promotes healthy digestion as it features easy-to-digest proteins. Its also formulated with prebiotics to promote optimal stool consistency (goodbye, diarrhea or constipation). The specialized mineral blend included in this recipe supports the bone and joint health of your Doberman, too.
No artificial flavors
High-quality protein
Antioxidants for immune system health
Highly-digestible
- No artificial flavors
- High-quality protein
- Antioxidants for immune system health
- Highly-digestible
Contains no prebiotics
- Contains no prebiotics
Main ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, brewers rice, corn, wheat
Protein content: 30.0% min
Fat content: 18.0% min
Calories: 393 kcal/cup
The kibble is designed to have a satisfying texture that keeps your pup interested in his meals. It is a perfect size and shape for young puppies to chew, too.
Pros
Vitamin A: supports healthy vision and skin
Vitamin B12: helps maintain energy levels
Vitamin C: aids in the absorption of iron and helps keep gums healthy
Folic Acid: important for cell growth and development
Potassium: helps regulate blood pressure and keeps muscles working properly
Calcium: strengthens bones and teeth
Cons
Packaging needs some work
Iams’ ProActive Health wet food is a classic pate meal chock full of high-quality animal proteins. The formula contains vitamins and minerals to support your puppy’s developing immune system and encourage optimal development.
Vitamin A: supports healthy vision and skin
Vitamin B12: helps maintain energy levels
Vitamin C: aids in the absorption of iron and helps keep gums healthy
Folic Acid: important for cell growth and development
Potassium: helps regulate blood pressure and keeps muscles working properly
Calcium: strengthens bones and teeth
- Vitamin A: supports healthy vision and skin
- Vitamin B12: helps maintain energy levels
- Vitamin C: aids in the absorption of iron and helps keep gums healthy
- Folic Acid: important for cell growth and development
- Potassium: helps regulate blood pressure and keeps muscles working properly
- Calcium: strengthens bones and teeth
Packaging needs some work
- Packaging needs some work
Main ingredients: Sufficient water for processing, chicken, meat by-pProducts, brewers rice, meat protein isolate
Protein content: 9.0% min
Fat content: 8.0% min
Calories: 468 kcal/cup
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 his body needs to maintain puppy-like energy levels.
Iams doesn’t use artificial flavors or colors in this recipe.
Pros
Promotes healthy energy levels
Provides immune support
Grain-inclusive
High-quality animal proteins
Cons
Very strong scent
Contains sodium nitrate
The final puppy food fit for Dobermans comes from Merrick. This formula 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 their formula goes through rigorous testing to ensure that every formula that leaves their factory is safe.
Promotes healthy energy levels
Provides immune support
Grain-inclusive
High-quality animal proteins
- Promotes healthy energy levels
- Provides immune support
- Grain-inclusive
- High-quality animal proteins
Very strong scent
Contains sodium nitrate
- Very strong scent
- Contains sodium nitrate
Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley
Protein content: 30.0% min
Fat content: 16.0% min
Calories: 394 kcal/cup
This recipe has a hefty dose of fatty acids to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. They also included 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 USA following strict FDA guidelines to ensure the highest safety standards.
Pros
Real chicken as the first ingredient
Aids in digestion
Promotes muscle development
Promotes joint health
Cons
Strong scent
Some bags lacking freeze-dried pieces
Real chicken as the first ingredient
Aids in digestion
Promotes muscle development
Promotes joint health
- Real chicken as the first ingredient
- Aids in digestion
- Promotes muscle development
- Promotes joint health
Strong scent
Some bags lacking freeze-dried pieces
- Strong scent
- Some bags lacking freeze-dried pieces
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Food for Doberman Puppies
Now that you know 10 of the best puppy foods on the market for Dobermans, it’s time to dive a little deeper.
It’s clear that you care about what food you’re offering your puppy; otherwise, why would you be reading this article in the first place?
Keep reading to learn more about which factors one must consider when choosing the best food for their Doberman pup.
How to Feed Your Doberman Puppy
Now that you might have an idea of what food you’d like to offer your puppy, you might be wondering what feeding guidelines you should follow. 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 some insight.
A Puppy Feeding Timeline
Between six to 12 weeks of age, your puppy will likely need around four meals per day. The American Kennel Club suggests larger breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by the time they’re 9 or 10 weeks.
Between three to six months of age, you might start decreasing your pup’s daily feedings to three times a day. You may notice your Doberman starting to lose his puppy pudginess by three months of age. If he still is a little on the heavy side, continue feeding puppy-sized portions until his body has had a chance to mature a bit more.
Between six to 12 months, your feedings might 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. It’s generally agreed upon that it’s better to keep your dog on puppy food than to wean him 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 that keep your eyes on your pup’s body composition, not the amount of food he’s eating or leaving in his bowl.
The portion your dog gets will depend on a lot of factors like his energy level and metabolism.
Dry vs Wet vs Both?
Another great debate in the world of dog food is if 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 who are resistant to drinking the amount of water they need in a day. It also is 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 his last meal.
Dry food can help with your puppy’s dental health as it forces him to chew his 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 another popular choice that many dog owners opt for. You would then 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, the nutritional needs of your puppy are vastly different than the needs of the adult 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 important to choose a food that is designed for the size of your puppy, too. The foods we reviewed above are all formulated for the bone growth of your Doberman. Larger 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
It is important to seek out food that is formulated for the size of your dog. A Great Dane, for example, is going to grow at a much different rate than a Chihuahua. The food you choose needs to be designated for your Dobermans size to ensure their nutritional needs are being met.
Large breed dogs grow a lot but they mustn’t grow too fast. Feeding a diet that’s too high in fat or calories can cause your pup to grow faster than his bones which can cause skeletal abnormalities.
Protein and calcium are essential for the growth and development of your puppy, but he 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 your pup is getting the exact nutrition he needs to support healthy development.
AAFCO Statement
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) statement is another thing to look for when you’re shopping for pet food. When you’re reading the label of the can or the back of the bag, there should be a statement somewhere that says 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 they meet standards. There are no foods that can be labeled as “AAFCO-approved.”
What this non-profit does is establish a set of guidelines for a wide variety of factors such as:
Pet food product labels
Feeding trials
Lab analyses of nutrients
Ingredient definitions
Guaranteed analysis
The AAFCO statement is important as it shows the food in question has undergone third-party testing to confirm that the food meets the guidelines and is fit for certain life stages.
Pet food product labels
Feeding trials
Lab analyses of nutrients
Ingredient definitions
Guaranteed analysis
- Pet food product labels
- Feeding trials
- Lab analyses of nutrients
- Ingredient definitions
- Guaranteed analysis
Conclusion
Now that you have read our reviews and guide on the best Doberman puppy food you can make an informed decision about which will be best for your pooch.
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: 10 Best Dog Beds for Dobermans – Reviews & Top Picks
Sources
6 Tips for Choosing Healthy Puppy Food What Is AAFCO and What Does It Do? Puppy Feeding Fundamentals Dry Dog Food vs. Wet Dog Food: Which Is Better? Nutritional Requirements of Large and Giant Breed Puppies Best Food for Doberman Puppy Growth and Development How to choose puppy food: Our vet offers some advice
- 6 Tips for Choosing Healthy Puppy Food
- What Is AAFCO and What Does It Do?
- Puppy Feeding Fundamentals
- Dry Dog Food vs. Wet Dog Food: Which Is Better?
- Nutritional Requirements of Large and Giant Breed Puppies
- Best Food for Doberman Puppy Growth and Development
- How to choose puppy food: Our vet offers some advice
Featured Image Credit: Pavel Shlykov, Shutterstock
