science diet puppy food reviews
Hills Science Diet Puppy Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons
Dogster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.
Learn more.
Hills Science Diet Puppy Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons
Written by: Chelsea MortensenReview Summary
Our Final Verdict
We give Hills Science Diet Puppy Food a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.
If youve got a growing pup, you know how important it is to give them the best fuel possible. Hills Science Diet puppy foods are a great choice because of the companys research-backed approach to nutrition. With over 200 nutrition experts weighing in on their recipes, this company is an industry leader for good reason! If youre interested in Hills Science Diet foods, heres a breakdown of the pros and cons to help you choose.
![]()
At a Glance: The Best Hills Science Diet Puppy Food Recipes:
Hills Science Diet Puppy Food Reviewed
Who Makes Hills Science Diet Puppy Food and Where Is It Produced?
Hills Science Diet is owned by Colgate-Palmolive and made in the United States. Its production plant is in Topeka, Kansas. In addition to producing food, Hills Science Diet also has a hospital and nutrition center staffed by over 200 vets and scientists dedicated to researching canine nutrition.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Capo The Goldendoodle (@capothegoldendoodle)
Which Type of Puppy Is Hills Science Diet Puppy Food Best Suited For?
Hills Science Diet has food options available for most puppies. They have healthy, balanced foods for puppies of all sizes and breeds. Theyre especially perfect for puppies with health conditions and sensitive stomachs, as they have well-researched food options for a variety of health restrictions.
Which Type of Puppy Might Do Better with a Different Brand?
Although most puppies do well on Hills Science Diet food, some would do better on other brands. Especially high-energy dogs and dogs without digestive issues might do better on foods with higher protein and a greater variety of ingredients, like Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy Food or Country Vet Naturals Puppy Food.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
Ingredients are key to nutrition. Hills Science Diet recipes all vary slightly, but theres enough overlap that looking at one recipe can give us an idea of what to expect. Well study their Puppy Healthy Development Dry Foods main ingredients here.
Chicken Meal
Chicken meal is a concentrated chicken source thats an excellent protein source. Chicken meal is high in protein and generally good quality. Chicken is great for most puppies because its easy to digest. Some dogs do have allergies to chicken proteins. Most Hills Science Diet puppy foods have chicken, but at least one recipe uses lamb instead.
Grains
After the chicken meal, the next several ingredients are all grainswhole grain wheat, cracked barley, whole grain sorghum, and whole grain corn. Whole grains are ideal for promoting good digestion and nutrition in moderate amounts. All four of these grains are healthy choices. However, the inclusion of grains as four of the top five ingredients makes this recipe a little carb-heavy.
Chicken Fat
Chicken is a little lower in fat, so its supplemented by added chicken fat lower down in the ingredient list. Chicken fat is a common meat-based fat source thats great for puppies. Unlike chicken proteins, chicken fat isnt an allergen.
Omega Acids
Flaxseed and fish oil are common sources of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. These are great added nutrients that will help your puppy grow and develop into a healthy dog.
Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants
This food has all the necessary vitamins and antioxidants to keep your dog going all day. It doesnt appear to have chelated mineralsthats a type of mineral thats easier to digest. It also doesnt have any probiotics or healthy bacteria that support gut health.
Hills Science Diet Philosophy: Research Over Ingredients
Something you might often notice in looking at Hills Science Diet food reviews is that they have a philosophy of prioritizing research into making nutritionally balanced food over sourcing natural, varied ingredients. This approach has both pros and cons. All of their foods have been put through rigorous tests to make sure that dogs are healthy when eating it. This approach is especially ideal for dogs with digestive or other dietary issues, where you can be sure extensive testing has shown that their food really does help.
Their philosophy is also great for avoiding trend-following that isnt backed by research. For example, many premium dog foods advertise the benefits of grain-free foods that often use potatoes, lentils, and other ingredients in the place of grains. However, research on grain-free diets has shown that they dont offer health benefits to most dogs and can sometimes be dangerous. Hills Science Diet has only used grain-free recipes in certain limited diet foods.
However, Hills Science Diet does sometimes neglect to put the highest quality ingredients into their foods or ensure that their foods are nutritionally optimized. Their healthy enough approach to nutrition has drawn criticism for using byproducts and excessive low-nutrition fillers in some of their recipes. Although they can show that their food meets a dogs nutritional needs, that might not mean its the healthiest food out there for its price.
A Quick Look at Hills Science Diet Puppy Food
Pros
- Nutrition backed by serious research
- Options for various health needs
- Avoids unhealthy trends
Cons
- A little low in protein
- Some recipes use byproducts
- Slightly pricey
Recall History
There have been a few recalls related to Hills Science Diet in the past. In most cases, no illnesses were reported. The most recent Hills Science Diet recall was in 2019, when they pulled several canned foods from the shelves because of potential elevated vitamin D. There were no reports of illness due to this recall.
In 2015, they recalled a few canned foods due to mislabeling.
In 2014, 62 bags of adult dry food were recalled due to a possible Salmonella contamination. No illnesses were reported.
Hills Science Diet was involved in a major recall in 2007 along with over 100 other brands. This recall was because of contamination by melamine, a chemical found in plastics that caused dogs to sicken and die. Its unknown how many of these deaths were caused by Hills Science Diet food.
Reviews of the 3 Best Hills Science Diet Puppy Food Recipes
1. Hills Science Diet Puppy Healthy Development Small Bites Dry Dog Food
Hills Science Diet Puppy Healthy Development food is their frontrunner puppy food, made for puppies of all sizes and breeds. Its recommended for puppies up to one year of age. The main meat source in this food is chicken meal, a healthy choice for most dogs that is easy to digest. It also uses small amounts of flavoring from pork liver. The main grains in this food are whole grain wheat, barley, sorghum, and corn. It has a 25% protein content and a 15% fat content. This is above the recommended minimum of 22%, but its not as high as some brands. That combined with the fact that four of the top five ingredients being grains suggests its a little carb heavy. Despite this, its a great choice for most growing puppies. This food is great for a healthy brain, eyes, immune system, and skeletal development.
Pros
- Nutritionally balanced
- Easy-to-digest chicken meal
- Healthy whole grains
- Supports healthy growth
Cons
- A little low in protein and high in carbs
2. Hills Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oat Recipe Dry Dog Food
If your dogs on the bigger side, you might want to consider Hills Science Diet Puppy Large Breed food. This food is optimized for bigger dogs, with calcium balanced for the extra bone growth and other nutrients to help your big pup get bigger. It has basically the same ingredients as the Healthy Development dog food, with chicken meal, whole grains, and chicken fat providing the main base, but the proportions are slightly different. This makes it even a little lower in protein and fatonly 24% protein and 11% fat. This slight shift is still within the normal range for puppy food, but it does show that the large breed food is fairly carb-heavy.
Pros
- Optimized for large breed puppies
- Promotes healthy bone growth
- Healthy whole grains
- Easy-to-digest chicken base
Cons
- Carb heavy
- Lower in protein and fat
3. Hills Science Diet Puppy Small Paws Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Smaller breed puppies will thrive on Hills Science Diet Puppy Small Paws food. Small breeds may need fewer calories, but they still have plenty of energy, and this food is packed with good nutrients. It is at 24.5% protein and 15% fatabout the same as their Healthy Development foodbut the ingredients list is slightly different. Chicken meal and chicken fat still provide the main protein and fat sources, but the grains are split up to include brown rice as well. Brown rice is a healthy whole grain that is easy to digest.
Pros
- Designed for small breed puppies
- Nutritionally balanced
- Chicken meal as the first ingredient
- Healthy whole grains
Cons
- A little lower in protein and higher in carbs
What Other Users Are Saying
We love to cross-check with other reviewers to help you get an idea of what is best for your pup. Here are a few places you can look:
- HerePup: Hills Science is in many ways a cut above other popular brands.
- Pet Food Guru: We see Science Diets Puppy Healthy Development Original Formula as a strictly middle of the road formulanot too great, and not too bad.
- Amazon: Its also important to see what other owners think of any product. You can get an idea of what others think by reading Amazon reviews found here.
![]()
Conclusion
As you can see, Hills Science Diet dog food is great for puppies because of its balanced nutrition, but it isnt perfect. Some owners might prefer to have more variety in proteins and foods that are lower carb and higher protein for their puppies. However, we can definitely recommend Hills Science Diet for growing puppies and their mothers, and we are excited to see what research comes from Hills Science Diet labs next.
See also:
Hills Science Diet Dog Food Review
Is Hill's Science Diet a good dog food?
In this review The Dog Food Advisor takes an in-depth look at Hills Science Diet and rates each of its 6 most important sub-brands.
And well also reveal:
- Is Hills Science Diet made in the United States?
- Has Science Diet been recalled?
- Which flavors and recipes get our top ratings?
But first
Which Hills Science Diet sub-brand is right for you?
Science Diet offers 6 popular sub-brands. Well share what makes each one different. So, you can choose the option that best meets your dogs needs.
Science Diets most popular dry kibble. Each recipe is made with grain and optimized specifically for adult nutrition.
- 11 recipes just for small dogs
- 8 options for large breeds
- 4 recipes for sensitive stomach and skin
- Not recommended for puppies
- 26 recipes (ratings vary)
View all Recipe Ratings
This sub-brand includes Hills best-selling dry and fully balanced puppy recipes.
- Healthy grain-inclusive formula
- 2 large breed puppy foods. Lower risk of hip disease
- 6 recipes (ratings vary)
View all Recipe Ratings
This sub-brand offers Science Diets leading canned food thats optimized for puppies.
- Fully balanced, protein-rich blend
- Not suitable for large breed puppies
- 4 recipes (ratings vary)
View all Recipe Ratings
Hills Adult Plus dry formulas are made with grain. Each recipe is specifically optimized for senior dogs.
- 5 recipes designed for small breed seniors
- 2 formulas for large breed seniors
- 11 dry recipes (ratings vary)
View all Recipe Ratings
Hills Adult Wet formulas are ideal for dogs considered fully grown. They are not suitable for puppies.
- 3 recipes for sensitive stomach and skin
- Not for puppies of any breed
- 15 recipes (ratings vary)
View all Recipe Ratings
As you can tell by its name, this Science Diet dry sub-brand is designed for dogs who need to lose weight. Recipes are all grain-inclusive.
- Reduced caloric-density for controlled weight loss
- Contains L-carnitine to promote steady weight loss
- 4 recipes (ratings vary)
View all Recipe Ratings
Which Hills Science Diet Adult Dry Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
Hills Science Diet Adult Dog Food receives the Advisors mid-tier rating of 3.5 stars.
The Hills Science Diet Adult product line includes the 26 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Hills Science Diet Adult Small Paws Chicken Meal and Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice is a cereal grain by-product consisting of the small fragments left over after milling whole rice. Aside from the caloric energy it contains, this item is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The third ingredient is wheat. Like corn, wheat is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider wheat a preferred component in any dog food.
The next ingredient is soybean meal, a by-product of soybean oil production more commonly found in farm animal feeds.
Although soybean meal contains 48% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth item is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.
Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is barley, which is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The next item is corn. Corn is another cereal grain and subject to the same issues as wheat (previously discussed).
After the chicken and pork liver flavors, we find flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided theyve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Science Diet product.
With 6 notable exceptions
First, soybean oil is red flagged here only due to its rumored (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.
However, since soybean oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids and contains no omega-3s, its considered less nutritious than flaxseed oil or a named animal fat.
Next, we find peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, theyre rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
This recipe also contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
We also find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.
And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Hills Science Diet Adult looks like an average dry kibble.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 25%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 51%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 24% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 53% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.
Which means this Science Diet product line contains
Below-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the soybean meal, flaxseed and peas in this recipe, and the corn gluten meal contained in other recipes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing just a moderate amount of meat.
Hill's Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Hill's through April 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Hill's Science Dog Food
Hills Science Diet Adult is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3.5 stars.
Recommended with Reservations
Who owns Hill's Science Diet and where is it made?
Hills Pet Nutrition is owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company.
Hills Science Diet products are made in the United States. The company operates major facilities in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Topeka and Emporia, Kansas, Richmond, Indiana as well as the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
What Do Others Say About Hill's Science Dog Food?
At the time of this update
Chewy customers rate Hills Science Diet Adult Large Breed 4.6 out of 5 stars and 94% say they would recommend it to others.
Heres an actual user review
Sample buyer review Ive tried 2 other brands for our German Shepherd and after 10 months her bathroom business continued to be a mess. So since she was almost a year old I switched her to the Hills Diet. After a couple weeks her poop was noticeably more solid so that we could easily pick it up on walks and in the yard. I think thats a great barometer to see if her body works well with this food and it does!
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com
