Last Updated: 02/09/2026
Vet Picks: Best Wet Puppy Food
Give your puppy the best start with the right wet food. Our Vet Squad has selected the top options, packed with high-quality protein and essential nutrients for healthy growth and development. Discover delicious, hydrating, and complete meals to nourish your new companion.
Author: Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 8 minutes - short read
Puppy parenthood is exciting, but those little food bowls come with a big question: what should actually go in them? Wet puppy food is a great option, its higher moisture content and rich texture make it hydrating and highly palatable, which helps even fussy eaters get the nutrition they need to grow.
Many pet parents feed wet and dry together. Dry kibble adds dental benefits and convenience, while wet food boosts hydration and taste, so combining both gives you the best of each. Just adjust portions to account for both, and your vet or our Vet Squad can help tailor the mix to your puppy's breed, age and needs.
Not sure if wet is the right fit for your pup? Our Best Puppy Food guide breaks down wet vs dry vs mixed feeding to help you decide, and if you'd rather explore dry food see our Best Dry Puppy Food picks.
Four factors to consider when choosing a wet food for your puppy:
- Health conditions: Your treating veterinarian should be your first port of call when it comes to dietary advice if your pup has any underlying diagnosed health conditions.
- Complete and balanced: In choosing a food, the most important consideration after any health factors is that the diet is complete and balanced for your pup's stage of life, and size. Ensuring that it meets AAFCO or FEDIAF pet food control guidelines is crucial to ensure that your dog receives all the nutrients they require in the correct ratios.
- Age: Ensure that you choose a wet food that is complete and balanced for the puppy growth stage. Appropriate foods will be labelled either 'puppy' foods, or 'suitable for all life stages'.
- Quality: The quality of the ingredients and the digestibility of the nutrients they provide should be a key factor in choosing a food. Premium foods are designed to be highly digestible (which means smaller, firmer stools) and do not change ingredients batch to batch like grocery type brands, which means less tummy upsets. They also tend to contain higher levels of added beneficial nutrients, such as omega fatty acids for joint and coat health, and some are backed by testing to ensure they deliver the results they promise. Learning how to read pet food labels and knowing the ingredients in your dog's food is a crucial part of knowing what is the best food for them.
How We Review Our Products
Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias. We then collate this information into our 'best of' recommendations.
Top Recommended Wet Puppy Food in Australia [Vet Reviewed]
Best range of wet puppy foods
Royal Canin
Pros
- Range of puppy wet foods including specific options for small, medium and large breeds, to meet the particular needs of each size group.
- Available in single serve pouches for easy of feeding.
- Enhanced with antioxidants and vitamin E to support strong immunity
Cons
- Specific meat proteins are not listed in the ingredients.
- More expensive option for puppy wet foods.
- Not made in Australia.
Royal Canin have formulated a range of puppy wet foods to compliment their puppy dry foods, and support optimal hydration and urinary tract health while providing variety in your pup's diet.
These wet foods are available in single serve pouches, making them practical to feed (hooray for no open cans of dog food in the fridge!) and easy to calculate suitable feeding amounts if feeding both wet and dry foods.
Royal Canin invests heavily into their scientific research to ensure that their foods meet their stringent quality expectations, and deliver the results they promise. This, as well as the individual serving sizes of the products, mean that the Royal Canin wet puppy foods are among the more expensive options for pups.
What our customers say:"After several trials of other products, this is the one that my 8 month old Westie loves and I love the fact that PetCircle delivers to my door, so weare both extremely happy at my place."
What our vets say: "Royal Canin places a strong emphasis on precise nutrient profiles to meet the nutritional needs of puppies during their crucial growth stages. Their formulas contain high-quality protein sources, balanced fats, and essential vitamins and minerals. Whether you have a small, medium, or large breed puppy, Royal Canin has specialised formulas to address their size-specific requirements. This helps support healthy growth and development for your specific pup." - Dr. Belinda
Best affordable wet puppy foods
Advance Wet Puppy Foods
Pros
- Premium quality nutrition available in large 700g cans, making it more cost effective.
- Also available in smaller 410g cans.
- Added omega fatty acids and choline for optimal cognitive development.
- Contains zinc and linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat.
- Made in Australia.
- Available in chicken and rice, lamb and rice as well as single-serve options
Cons
- Not breed-size specific.
- All forms may contain chicken, which some dogs with food allergies may be sensitive to
We do realise that 'most afforable' means different things to different people depending on financial circumstances. When choosing a winner for the 'most afforable' wet puppy food, we still chose from premium quality diets because we know these are the most beneficial to your dog's daily health. Even when looking to cut costs, you still want to look for high quality, easily digestible diets to support your dog's health.
For these reasons, Advance puppy foods, being available in bulk 700g cans, offer the most affordable premium option in our eyes.
Being Australian made, you can rest assured that you're supporting the local industry with the food you feed your pup. Advance packs the quality of the big name brands and often at a reduced price.
For more information about affordable dog foods, take a read through our Best Affordable Dog Food Guide and The Real Cost of Supermarket Food.
What our customers say: "My 8 week old puppy loves this food; I mix it with the Advance dry food and he scoffs it down. Lucky I bought the puppy pack which came with a slow-eating bowl, so that has slowed him down."
"My puppy absolutely loves this food! He's pretty picky with his canned food but this one he just devours!"
"Its a product that I already buy for my dog but in a different form. Dog loves it so will continue to buy. Better price in the can. Will definitely recommend."
Best natural wet puppy food
Open Farm Puppy Pate
Pros
- Natural wet food for puppies.
- Contains only humanely and sustainably sourced ingredients, with a focus on animal welfare in the production process.
- Every ingredient is traceable using the lot code on the packaging.
- Grain-free and gluten-free
Cons
- Not made in Australia.
- Expensive.
- Available in only one texture and flavour
Every Open Farm product is proudly produced with a focus on transparent sourcing and traceability, humane production animal welfare standards, ethically sourced ingredients, and sustainable fishing practices in line with Ocean Wise Standards. For an environmentally friendly, grain-free food, you can't go past this one.
Alongside their environmentally friendly values, Open Farm foods are made with the most premium proteins and superfoods, providing the highest quality ingredients for your dog.
What our vets say:"Open Farm is committed to using high-quality, ethically sourced ingredients. Their Rustic Stews feature humanely raised real meat as the first ingredient, ensuring that your puppy receives essential amino acids for muscle development. Open Farm also place a strong emphasis on transparency in their sourcing practices. They provide information about the farms and sources of their ingredients, so you can feel confident about the quality and sustainability of the food you're feeding your puppy." - Dr. Josepha
Best grain-free wet puppy food
K9 Natural
Pros
- All natural, grain free canned food.
- Free from gelling agents, binders, gum, grains, gluten, dairy, rice, soy, cereals, potato and fillers.
- Suitable for all life stages from puppies to seniors.
- Made from ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients including grass fed, free-range meat, cage-free chicken and sustainably caught fish.
- Recipes are very high in meat content.
- Available in a range of flavours, most of which come in 2 sizes - 170g and 370g cans.
Cons
- Not made in Australia.
- On the more expensive side.
Every K9 Natural product is proudly produced with a focus on ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients. The parent company of K9 Natural, Natural Pet Food Group, is the first New Zealand member and the first New Zealand company accredited with the Pet Sustainability Coalition - a global community of pet companies dedicated to creating a more sustainable pet industry.
All the K9 Natural canned foods are complete and balanced and nutrient dense with a high meat content, and made with New Zealand water for added hydration. The K9 Natural cans are free from all gelling agents, fillers, grains and preservatives, and the cans are BPA-free. They are available in a range of protein options to suit different preferences.
While they are one of the more expensive options, you do 'get what you pay for' with the K9 Natural foods, with very high quality, nutrient dense ingredients and recipes.
What our customers say: "My golden retriever loves k9 natural. We use this (and their other canned meat varieties) for her breaky and dinner. I mix in fresh veg/fruit and someoats or rice. Since transitioning her to this diet (from a previously kibble diet then exclusively raw barf diet) she has never looked better. Happy and healthy and her coat feels amazing. This and ziwipeak canned meat are the only brands i'll ever buy. Complete and balanced, cannot go wrong."
What our vets say: "K9 Natural takes pride in using very high quality, natural ingredients, and their canned food is no exception. The high meat content in K9 Natural foods provides your growing pup with the protein they need to support muscle development and overall vitality. K9 Natural also offers a variety of protein sources, allowing you to choose a formula that aligns with your puppy's taste preferences or any specific dietary considerations." - Dr. Brittany
What should I look for in wet puppy food?
When choosing wet puppy food for your furry friend, it's important to consider their specific nutritional needs, as puppies have different requirements than adult dogs. Here are some key factors to look for when selecting wet puppy food.
High quality protein source
Puppies require more protein than adult dogs to support their rapid growth and development. Look for wet puppy food that lists a high-quality source of animal protein (such as chicken, turkey, beef, or fish) as the first ingredient.
Balanced nutrients
Check the food label to ensure that the food meets the requirements for the growth stage of dogs. For complete and balanced foods, there will be a statement confirming that the food meets the AAFCO or FEDIAF requirements for balanced nutrition.
Healthy fats
Puppies require healthy fats for brain development and overall growth. Look for foods that contain sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such as fish oil or flaxseed.
Brand reputation
Premium brand foods are designed to be highly digestible (which means smaller, firmer stools) and do not change ingredients batch to batch like grocery type brands, which means less tummy upsets. They also tend to contain higher levels of added beneficial nutrients, such as omega fatty acids for joint and skin health, and are backed by testing to ensure they deliver the results they promise. Feeding a premium food is one simple way you can support your pup's health on a daily basis.
Switching to a new wet food? Introduce it gradually alongside your puppy's current diet to avoid an upset tummy, here's our full guide on introducing a new food to your pet.
How often do puppies need to eat?
Puppies need to eat more frequently than adult dogs, after all they only have tiny little stomachs! Up until the age of about 5 to 6 months it is recommended to split your puppy's daily feeding amount into 3 separate meals. Also ensure that your puppy always have fresh water available. For exact portion guidance by your puppy's weight, see our guide on how much to feed a puppy. Don't hesitate to contact our Vet Squad if you have any questions about your pup's needs.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
1 February 2023
Written by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Gillian graduated from the University of Sydney in 2005 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. She worked in a number of small animal clinics, before joining the Pet Circle Vet team in 2020. Dr. Gillian has special interests in ultrasonography, surgery and behaviour. Her favourite part of being a vet is being an advocate for the animals. She loves helping owners to make the best, evidence-based decisions for their pets, and seeing the beautiful bond that people have with their fur-babies.
