I also totally overanazlyze the whole food thing
My pups are just pets & inside most of the time. So I don't need a "great" food. But I want them to get what they need.
True about the pea protein in the Hill's. Potato protein is high up on the ingredient list too. The puppy version isn't grain-free. As far as I can tell, they don't have a grain-free puppy food. Even their Small Breed Adult food isn't grain free. She isn't eating grain-free now, so I doubt she has allergies. I would prefer grain-free, but it isn't a deal breaker. I don't think Hill's has had a recall. That's important to me.
Castor & Pollux is out. I didn't know they were owned by Merrick.
I might go with Royal Canin. I guess I'm a sucker for marketing & I really like the idea of a food made specifically for my Yorkie puppy. And no recalls!
I tried a sample of the Now with my other pups. One of mine is super duper finicky. He wouldn't eat it. But I'll keep that on my list. I like the shape of the puppy kibble. Lol.
I REALLY like the Fromm company. Glad to hear good things about the Gold line. Most feed the Four Star. So Fromm is a definite option. I've heard that some dogs get eye boogies from Fromm. I guess I'll just have to figure that out on my own. I'd like to rotate the different Fromm varieties. Are all life stages foods really okay for puppies? I worry about that.
Since one of mine is crazy picky, I feed raw (PMR). It's the only thing he enjoys eating! But I don't want to feed my puppy raw because I'm really concerned about her getting the proper puppy nutrients. I weigh all of my pup's meat, bone & organ by the ounce...but like I said, I overanalyze. So I'm not 100% positive that they really are getting what they need. I can't second guess with a puppy. Plus, my new one is tiny. I want to free feed for a while & I can't do that with raw.
Whoever would have thought that food could be such a dilemma??