What's actually in Eukanuba Puppy?
We analyzed Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed Chicken. The first five ingredients are chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn, chicken fat, and wheat.
Chicken (fresh, ~80% moisture) provides the wet-weight protein anchor. Chicken by-product meal in position two is the real protein-density driver — rendered chicken organs, necks, and frames concentrated to roughly 3× the post-cooking protein of fresh chicken. By-product meal is controversial among ingredient purists (organ meats and frames are common in raw/whole-prey diets, but "by-product" naming triggers negative associations), but it is a legitimate concentrated animal protein source and provides nutrients like glucosamine precursors and naturally occurring taurine.
The carb base layers corn (#3), wheat (#5), grain sorghum (#6), and brewers rice (#7). This is the legacy grain-inclusive approach that Procter & Gamble/Mars Petcare formulated for Eukanuba and Iams in the 1990s-2000s. Corn and wheat are inexpensive carbohydrates that provide energy, but they are lower-fiber and lower-protein than whole grains like brown rice, barley, or oatmeal.
Chicken fat in position four (preserved with mixed tocopherols, not BHA/BHT) is a quality signal — fat is where palatability and energy density come from, and chicken fat is preferred over generic animal fat. Fish oil (position ten) delivers DHA for brain and retinal development during the 0-12 month window. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
Fish oil for DHA. The Puppy formulation specifically adds fish oil (position ten) — adult Eukanuba formulations rely on general animal fats without marine omega-3 emphasis. For the critical 0-12 month neurological development window, the DHA inclusion is directly supportive of brain and retinal growth. It is the main reason Puppy outscores Adult Eukanuba by 15 points.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS, position 15) are a prebiotic fiber that supports microbiome development. Combined with dried plain beet pulp, the gut-support profile is modest but legitimate.
Chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid — not BHA/BHT. This is a reformulation improvement from the 1990s Eukanuba formulation and signals modernization. Artificial preservatives have been flagged as carcinogenic risk factors in some animal studies, and the natural preservative choice is consumer-safer.
Targeted DHA for Puppy Medium Breed. The formulation is explicitly developed for medium-breed puppies (10-50 lb adult weight range) — calcium and phosphorus are balanced for medium-breed orthopedic development, and the kibble size is mid-range. This is more thoughtful than all-breed formulations that try to fit tiny Chihuahuas and giant Great Danes to the same calorie density and mineral ratio.
The not-so-good stuff
Chicken by-product meal (position two). While by-product meal is a legitimate concentrated protein source, ingredient purists and premium brand marketing strongly prefer named organ meats or "chicken meal" over "chicken by-product meal." The naming reflects lower quality control on source parts — by-product meal can include feet, heads, intestines, and frames that are less consistent than the muscle-and-organ mix found in boutique brands' named-organ inclusions.
Corn (position three) and wheat (position five). These are the two ingredients that most materially cap Eukanuba Puppy's score. Corn is a moderate-quality energy source but is a common allergen in dogs and provides less fiber and protein than whole grains. Wheat is similarly a common allergen and contributes gluten. Premium puppy formulas (Fromm, Orijen, Merrick, Nutro, Wellness) deliberately avoid both. For puppies without grain sensitivities, corn and wheat are not dangerous, but they are ingredient-quality compromises.
Grain sorghum (position six) and brewers rice (position seven) further tilt the formula toward grain-heavy carb density. The total grain contribution (corn + wheat + sorghum + brewers rice) is substantial and reduces the relative animal-protein share versus premium competitors.
No probiotic blend listed. Eukanuba Puppy includes FOS as prebiotic fiber, but does not include live probiotic fermentation product strains the way Kirkland, Fromm, Wellness, Merrick, and Canidae puppy formulas do. For gut microbiome development during the critical 0-6 month window, this is a meaningful omission.
How it compares
Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed's B/75 score ties Iams Smart Puppy (B/75) — which makes sense given Eukanuba and Iams share the Procter & Gamble/Mars Petcare formulation lineage. It trails Kirkland Nature's Domain Puppy (B/79) by 4 points, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy (B/78) by 3, and the premium B/78 tier (Merrick, Nutro, Canidae, Wellness, Taste of the Wild) by 3 points.
Against top-tier A/90 puppies (Fromm, Orijen, Acana, Nulo), Eukanuba Puppy trails by 15 points — the premium grain-inclusive and grain-free champions deliver substantially more animal content, more protein diversity, and avoid corn/wheat/by-product meal. Eukanuba outscores only the bottom-tier budget brands: Hill's Science Diet Puppy (C/58) by 17 and Purina Puppy Chow (D/39) by 36.
For the head-to-head vs Eukanuba's adult Medium Breed formula, see our Eukanuba Puppy vs Eukanuba comparison. Puppy scores 15 points higher than Adult (C/60) because of DHA fish oil, FOS prebiotics, and tighter growth-phase AAFCO targeting.
Who should choose Eukanuba Puppy over Eukanuba adult
Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed is the right choice during the 0-12 month developmental window for medium-breed puppies (10-50 lb projected adult weight) where the household already feeds Eukanuba adult to other dogs and wants brand consistency. The DHA fish oil and FOS prebiotic inclusions are genuine growth-phase upgrades over the adult formula. At 12 months transition to Eukanuba Adult Medium Breed (C/60). Owners with Large Breed or Small Breed puppies should use the size-specific Eukanuba Puppy variant, not this Medium Breed formulation. That said, if budget allows and brand loyalty isn't a constraint, Kirkland Puppy (B/79) or any of the B/78 premium tier (Merrick, Nutro, Wellness, Canidae, Taste of the Wild) will deliver better ingredient quality at comparable or lower pricing — Eukanuba's main appeal is legacy brand recognition at chain retailers, not ingredient leadership.
The bottom line
Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed earns a B grade (75/100) from KibbleIQ — the low end of the B tier. Chicken-first protein, fish oil DHA, FOS prebiotic fiber, and medium-breed-specific growth targeting are real formulation positives. Chicken by-product meal in position two, corn and wheat in the top five, and no probiotic blend are the meaningful ingredient-quality compromises. For brand-loyal households comparing to other Mars Petcare options this is fine; for owners shopping on ingredient merits, the B/78+ tier from Merrick, Nutro, Wellness, Canidae, Taste of the Wild, or Kirkland delivers more for the money. Shop on Amazon →