Stella and Chewy puppy food reviews roundup: Discover if its truly worth the price for your pup.

Alright, let's talk about this Stella & Chewy stuff for puppies. When we first brought our pup home, a little golden retriever mix named Buddy, the food situation was kind of overwhelming. So many brands, so many opinions, you know?

I started digging around, reading stuff online, talking to other dog owners. Heard the name Stella & Chewy pop up a few times, mostly good things about ingredients. People kept mentioning "quality" and "natural". Decided, okay, let's give this a shot. Went down to the local pet store.

Finding the Right Bag

Stood there for a good ten minutes staring at the shelf. They had a few options. Saw the kibble, specifically the "Raw Coated Kibble" for puppies. The bag looked fancy, gotta admit. Read the ingredients list on the back. Seemed decent, lots of meat listed upfront, less of the filler stuff I saw on cheaper brands. They also had freeze-dried raw patties. Looked interesting, but I figured let's start with the kibble first, seemed easier to handle day-to-day.

Grabbed a small bag of the Puppy Chicken & Salmon Raw Coated Kibble. Didn't want to commit to a giant bag in case Buddy turned his nose up at it, or worse, it didn't agree with him.

The Big Switch

Got home and started the transition process. You can't just swap food cold turkey, learned that the hard way with a previous dog. So, I began mixing it in with his old food. Started with maybe 25% Stella & Chewy, 75% old stuff.

• Day 1-3: Mixed about a quarter new food. Buddy ate it all, no hesitation. Phew. Kept a close eye on his... output. Everything looked normal, maybe even a bit firmer. Good sign.
• Day 4-6: Upped it to about 50/50. Still gobbling it down. His energy levels seemed good, maybe even a bit higher? Hard to tell with a puppy, they're always bouncing off the walls.
• Day 7-9: Went to 75% new food. Coat maybe looking a little shinier? Could be my imagination, but it felt softer. Still no tummy issues.
• Day 10 onwards: Fully switched over to Stella & Chewy. He seemed to really like the taste. Never left any kibble behind.

Observations After a Few Weeks

We stuck with that kibble for a solid month or two. What did I notice?

The good stuff:

• Buddy definitely loved the taste. Meal times were easy.
• His coat did seem healthier, shinier, and felt softer. Less shedding maybe, but hard to say for sure.
• Poops were consistently solid and, honestly, less stinky than before. Always a plus.
• Energy levels were great. He was a happy, active pup.

The not-so-good stuff:

• The price. Man, this stuff isn't cheap. Noticeably more expensive than many other brands on the shelf. That's probably the biggest hurdle.
• Availability was okay, but not every single store carries it, especially the specific puppy formulas. Had to make sure my usual spot had it in stock.

Trying the Freeze-Dried Patties Too

Out of curiosity, I did grab a bag of their freeze-dried raw patties later on. The chicken ones. Didn't use them as a full meal replacement, mostly because of the cost and the hassle of rehydrating them sometimes. But crumbling a bit over his regular kibble? Game changer. Buddy went absolutely nuts for it. Made a great high-value treat for training too, just broke off small pieces.

So, What's the Verdict?

Look, feeding your dog is personal. For us, the Stella & Chewy puppy kibble worked out well. Buddy thrived on it, seemed healthy, loved the taste. The freeze-dried stuff was a nice bonus treat. Yes, it costs more, and that's a real factor you gotta weigh. But based on our experience watching Buddy chow down and seeing his good health and energy, we felt it was worth it during those important puppy months. We eventually transitioned to their adult food, but that's a story for another day. If you're considering it, maybe start with a small bag like I did and see how your pup does.