What's actually in Diamond Naturals Puppy?
We analyzed Diamond Naturals Small & Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice Formula. The first five ingredients are chicken, chicken meal, white rice, chicken fat, and cracked pearled barley.
Chicken and chicken meal in the top two slots. This is the textbook opening for a solid B-tier puppy formula — fresh chicken provides wet-weight animal protein, and chicken meal (concentrated poultry meal, roughly 3× denser) boosts actual protein content to levels puppies need. Amino acid completeness is essentially locked in with two complementary chicken-source proteins.
White rice is the primary carbohydrate at position three. White rice has a higher glycemic index than brown rice or oats but is also more digestible — a trade-off that leans in favor of puppies with sensitive stomachs (many puppies tolerate white rice better than more fibrous grains). Cracked pearled barley at position five adds a secondary grain with beta-glucan fiber content.
Chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols is the fat source — matching the primary protein type (ideal formulation practice) and using a natural preservative (no BHA or BHT). Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
Salmon oil as a dedicated DHA source. Puppies need DHA for brain and retinal development during the first 12 months, and salmon oil is one of the most bioavailable sources. Diamond Naturals Puppy includes it as a named ingredient (not buried in a generic fat pool), and the label specifically calls out "source of DHA" — an evidence-backed puppy-specific addition.
Five-strain probiotic blend: Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium animalis. This is the same probiotic profile Diamond uses across its Taste of the Wild line (Diamond manufactures both brands), and it's unusually comprehensive for the price point. Puppy gut microbiomes are in active development during the first six months, and probiotic-supplemented formulas show measurable benefit for stool quality and immune function.
Functional vegetables and fruits: kale, chia seed, pumpkin, blueberries, oranges, quinoa, coconut, spinach, carrots, papaya. These are micronutrient-range additions (small total weight), but the diversity signals quality formulation intent and contributes real polyphenols and antioxidants. Dried chicory root provides prebiotic fiber that feeds the probiotics.
Clean preservative profile. Mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) for fat stability — no BHA, no BHT, no ethoxyquin. This matches the practice at premium puppy formulas and distinguishes Diamond Naturals from budget competitors.
Chelated mineral package. Iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate deliver bioavailable forms of essential minerals — puppies absorb chelated forms more efficiently than sulfate salts, and the inclusion improves the nutritional efficiency of the formula.
The not-so-good stuff
Ground Miscanthus grass appears in position 10. Miscanthus is a plant fiber source — a legal AAFCO fiber ingredient, but uncommon enough to be a formulation-cost signal. It's not harmful, but premium formulas typically use pumpkin fiber, beet pulp, or chicory root fiber as alternatives with better published micronutrient profiles.
Fish meal (position 9) is generic rather than species-named (compare to Orijen's "whole herring" or TOTW's "ocean fish meal"). Generic fish meal is nutritionally functional, but species variability means amino acid profile batch-to-batch is less consistent.
No glucosamine or chondroitin inclusion. Mid-tier puppy formulas typically include joint-support ingredients — Diamond Naturals Puppy relies on the natural cartilage content of the meat ingredients rather than supplementation. For breeds prone to early joint issues (Labs, Goldens, Newfoundlands), a vet-recommended joint supplement may be worth pairing with this formula.
Egg product appears in position six. Egg product is legal and nutritionally useful, but the AAFCO definition allows inedible portions (shells, dried whites, membranes) that lower the biological value vs named "whole eggs." Not a deal-breaker — just a tier below the best-in-class.
Named formula is Small & Medium Breed Puppy. This formula is NOT optimized for large-breed (50–90 lb projected adult) or giant-breed (90+ lb projected adult) puppies. Diamond Naturals makes a separate Large Breed Puppy Lamb & Rice formula with different calcium levels and joint-support additions — make sure to buy the size-appropriate variant.
How it compares
Diamond Naturals Puppy's B/78 grade ties Diamond Naturals adult (B/78) — consistent scoring across life stages. It also ties Kirkland Signature (B/78), TOTW High Prairie Puppy (B/78), Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy (B/78). All five occupy the upper-mainstream puppy tier.
Against premium puppy formulas, Diamond Naturals Puppy trails by 12 points but at 40–50% of the retail price. Orijen Puppy (A/90), Acana Puppy (A/90), and Nulo Puppy (A/90) deliver higher animal-content density at materially higher cost per bag.
For the head-to-head vs the adult formula, see our Diamond Naturals Puppy vs Diamond Naturals comparison — the clearest illustration of the life-stage delta within the brand.
Who should choose Diamond Naturals Puppy
Diamond Naturals Puppy is the right choice for owners of small- and medium-breed puppies (projected adult weight under 50 lb) on a tight budget who want a real step up from budget shelf formulas. It's particularly well-suited to Tractor Supply shoppers (where Diamond Naturals is prominently stocked) and households with multiple puppies where the per-bag savings compound. Large-breed (50+ lb) and giant-breed (90+ lb) puppies should use the size-appropriate Diamond Naturals variant (Large Breed Puppy Lamb & Rice) instead. Owners who can stretch the budget 30–40% should consider Blue Buffalo Puppy or TOTW Puppy for a slight ingredient diversity uplift — otherwise Diamond Naturals Puppy is a genuinely strong value pick.
The bottom line
Diamond Naturals Small & Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice earns a B grade (78/100) from KibbleIQ. Chicken and chicken meal lead the list, salmon oil delivers DHA, five-strain probiotics support gut development, and clean preservatives avoid BHA/BHT concerns. The ingredient diversity trails premium competitors and the generic fish meal is a minor caveat, but for the price, this is one of the strongest value puppy formulas on the market. Pick the size-appropriate variant (Small & Medium here; Large Breed Lamb & Rice for 50+ lb puppies), and most small-to-medium breed puppies will do well on it. Shop on Amazon →