Since there are so many different diets available, I think it's easier to make a list of things to look for in a food rather than to recommend a specific brand that may or may not be available in every area.

For puppies, I'd use an appropriate puppy formula. Small breeds like a Doxie will be on puppy formula for about 6-12 months. Once they are spayed/neutered it's OK to switch them over to adult maintenance formula. For large breed dogs, I'd keep them on Large Breed puppy formula for 18-24 months. It takes a long time for large breed dogs to fully mature, both physically and mentally! Most healthy dogs, even seniors, are good on a high quality adult mainentance formula.

I start by eliminating anything with scary presevatives- BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) are a better choice. BTW, the scary preservatives have been implicated in poor haircoats/hair loss.

Next I eliminate anything with artificial coloring, especially FD&C red #40.

Then I eliminate diets with corn, soy, and wheat because I have allergic dogs. Even without the allergies, I'd still eliminate corn because it's just not that great of a source for anything- mostly undigestible, aka "filler."

I eliminate foods that have "by-products" listed. I prefer meals, or ground whole meat to any by-products. I prefer the meats in the dog food to be steroid and growth hormone free. Anything that says "digest of _____ by-product" I automatically eliminate because I don't really know what that is.

Then I start evaluating the ingredients. For meats, I want no growth hormones, no steroids. I'd like human grade meats, but right now having a hard time finding one that is good for all my allergic dogs (no beef, lamb, or soy). For carbs I want whole grains- oats, rice, potatoes. The other ingredients I don't get all excited about- it can have glucosamine, kelp, etc. or not.

The food I'm giving now is Natural Ultramix from Petco. There are plenty of other good diets that I could feed, but this is the one I get on the way home from school.

The other thing I have done is feed home cooked or raw diets, but you should be able to find plenty of info on those topics by doing a good search on this site or through google. Lots of people here do or have fed raw or home cooked. I would too if I had time and money for 5 large breed dogs. Next best thing is a high-grade commercial diet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Ultramix

I give my dogs Wellness super 5 chicken (Mother Hubbard brand) which looks to be similar to the food meghane posted. I order it from a Saluda River pet store. I don't know how well it rates, I think it's supposed to be one of the best foods out there, it's human grade, etc, but my dogs love it and seem to be healthy.
I'm always wondering if there's something better.
I tend to think price is a refection of quality...so now I wonder if the petco food is indeed better! It costs more.

Loads of GREAT INFO. Wow, I was hoping you would respond. Thanks sooooo Much!! I copied the info from you so I could compare.

Hi! I recently (2 weeks ago)got a 9 week old beagle puppy. I did a lot of research into brands, ingredients, whether the brand uses lab dogs to perform unnecessary medical tests on, etc and what I found sickened me but also enlightened me. I learned that many puppy, and dog food in general use a lot of corn, which can cause allergies in dogs, and some dogs are born allergic to it. I was told by my vet to find a food which had more protein than grain and fillers. What I found and decided to feed my puppy was one of two brands, both were highly regarded by pet stores and several vets I have spoken to. One brand, the one I am currently using (switching him slowly from the brand he had been on) is Merrick's puppy food (they have their own web site and a store locator for your area on the site) which contains: Turkey, chicken meal, chicken, duck, oatmeal, barley, whole brown rice, carrots, peas, cranberries and a host of other goodies including vitamins and minerals, no fillers, and is all natural. My dog LOVES it, is thriving on it and the vet approves of it. I can't tell you what the other brand's ingredients are, but the other one which was also highly recommended was "Wellness". I can purchase them both through my local pet store but they are not available in Petco/PetSmart (that I know of) but can be purchased at some pet stores or online through their website(s). I had my late dog on Science Diet for many years but had I known about this brand, I would have switched her to it too. They also have an older dog recipe and a complete line of products, all carried on their website as well. I hope this is of some help to you. I wish I had the website addresses at hand right now so that I could give them to you. If I can be of any additional help, please feel free to email me. Good luck and have fun with your new puppy!

below is a list supplied from Linda Arnt who is a highly respected canine nutritional consultant.

List of the better Quality Dog Foods (Kibble) most have a puppy formula. some serve a life stage. If these companies suggest life stage that is fine for a puppy. As the recipe is made specifically for all stages.
Eagle Pack 800-255-5959
Prescise Plus 800-446-7148
Nature's Variety Prairie
Timberwolf Organics
Wellness
Back to Basics 800-219-2558
PHD 800-320-7062
Wysong
Innova - Calif Naturals - EVO
Azmira www.azmira.com
Karma Organic Food For Dogs 800-532-7261
Fromms 4 Star Dry 800-325-6331
Flint River Ranch 909-682-5048
Life Abundance 800-748-0188
Blackwood
800-226-4613
Healthwise
Pinnacle 800-255-4280
Natural Balance 800-829-4493
Canidae / Felidae 800-255-4286
Most of these foods can be purchased at "waggintails"
and delivered to your door, or at the premium dog food stores/distributors or direct from the company. For those wanting more education on supplements and added fresh foods I highy recommend visiting Linda's sight at the link provided below

Here is a link that might be useful: Better foods for our pets

No matter how expensive or exclusive the brand of food, it is NOT a guarantee that your dog will do well on it. Regardless of whether the ingredients on the label sound appetizing to you. I tried sci diet at one point but wasn't happy with it. Makes a great laxative though! I've tried some more expensive brands too and to tell you the truth one of my dogs did best on Purina One... a grocery store brand.. . OOOOhhhh a grocery store brand! I must be an awful pet owner. Well due to complaints by other pet owners I have stopped using the food he did best on and started using Nutro natural choice. This is going to change and soon. Tired of cleaning the diahrea.

I agree that food doen't guarantee a healthy life. My parents dog, a cock a poo, ate kibbles and bits his whole life, table scraps, and had ice cream with my mother nearly every night of his life. He also had milk and creal with my Dad every morning. He lived to be 14. Maybe he would have lived to 18 if he had eaten better food. He had a happy life though.

My mil always fed her dogs a homemade cooked diet and they all lived to the age of 17. I did some research recently and found Sojo's European Style dog foods. I now buy the grain mixture and add raw veggies and cooked meat to it. I like it because it gives me a head start on making the dogs' food, yet has fresh food added and is all natural.

After several months on this, I took my dogs for their check-ups and the vet commented on the twelve year old's coat. She said it was gorgeous and that the coat is the best indicator of a dog's overall health.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sojourner Farms

I've also been very please with Wellness products. My problem with Science Diet is that it's RD "reduction diet" had at one time ethoxoquin in it. Then they also had a very expensive cancer diet. My feeling was that if enough of there doggie clients ate the stuff with ethoxoquin, they'd have a built in market for the cancer diet. (call me cynical).

Meghane, I read somewhere that "digest" was er, uhm... poop. But don't quote me on that.

Good luck with the pup!

I should eat as healthy as my dogs. They might outlive me.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I have called and gotten info and price list on several companies listed. Grateful for all help. :-)

Will keep you posted on puppy.