AvoDerm Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Review

intro

I’m The Pet Dude: a pet parent and gear nerd who reads labels, talks to breeders and professionals, and digs into owner feedback before recommending food for growing dogs. In this full-length review I break down AvoDerm Natural Puppy Dry & Wet Dog Food — Chicken & Brown Rice Formula (the 4.4-pound dry bag) so you can decide whether it’s the right starter diet for your new pup.

What it is / first look

AvoDerm markets this product as a puppy formula focused on growth and development. The listing identifies it as a dry puppy food packaged in a bag weighing 4.4 pounds, sold under the AvoDerm brand and manufactured by Breeders Choice Pet Foods, LLC. The product copy calls out DHA as a nutrient to support brain and eye development and lists California-grown avocados as an ingredient intended to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat.

Key claims and listing facts I pulled straight from the product page:

• Formulation name: Chicken & Brown Rice Formula.
• Age Range Description: Baby (marketed for puppies).
• Contains DHA for brain and eye development.
• Promotes healthy skin and coat; advertises omega-rich avocados.
• Item form: Dry kibble; Package size shown: 4.4 pounds.
• Calls out no by-products, no artificial flavors/colors/preservatives, and statements: wheat free, corn free and soy free.
• Allergen information: Chicken Meat, Soy Free (the listing also repeats 'no soy' and 'no wheat, no corn').
• Breed Recommendation: All Breed Sizes; Dog Breed Size: Medium (both are present in the listing).
• Animal Food Diet Type listed as: special diet.
• Manufacturer warranty: 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed.

Packaging and images on the listing suggest standard retail bag art; available colors inferred from the listing images may include green, white and brown. (The listing's image filenames are shown on the product page but the listing does not offer an explicit "color" selector—so I list likely packaging colors below.)

• available colors may include: green
• available colors may include: white
• available colors may include: brown

In daily use

Here’s how this formula fits into everyday life with a puppy, based on the product descriptions and the owner feedback I reviewed.

Puppies — small-breed & toy puppies

The listing and owner notes repeatedly call out that the kibble pieces are small, which can be an advantage for tiny mouths. One owner specifically pointed out that the small kibble made it easier for a Yorkie-Poo puppy to eat at 12 weeks. If you’re feeding a toy or small-breed puppy, the small kibble size is likely to be convenient for handling and portioning.

That said, one owner reported their pup eating very rapidly on this food, which led to an instance of vomiting. Fast eaters of any kibble size can gulp and regurgitate; the product listing itself doesn’t provide meal-size or feeding-rate guidance, so use slow-feeding strategies (slow feeder bowls or portioned meals) if your pup inhales food.

Puppies — medium and large breeds

The product page lists a "Breed Recommendation: All Breed Sizes" but also lists "Dog Breed Size: Medium." That means the manufacturer positions this as broadly suitable for growing puppies, but the listing specifically flags medium as a breed-size label. Owners of medium-breed puppies (example reports include lab crosses and beagle-mixes) reported good growth and improved coat condition when switching to this food. A couple of people transitioning from or prescription foods had success slowly switching onto AvoDerm with no diarrhea in at least one reported case.

For very large or giant-breed puppies the listing does not provide special feeding guidance or an adult/large-breed formulation, so consult a qualified professional to confirm portions and suitability for big-breed growth needs.

Flavor and palatability

The formula is listed as Chicken & Brown Rice flavor. Owner feedback in my research showed mixed-but-leaning-positive reactions: multiple owners said their puppies "love it" and one breeder recommended it. Others found their pups needed mixing with a different brand at first to accept it. If your puppy is picky or used to a higher-fat, higher-meat formula, plan a short transition or mix-in strategy.

How it affects digestion and stool

Several owners reported improved digestion and more regular stools after switching to this formula; a few cited it as being gentle on sensitive tummies and helpful when diarrhea was an issue during rehoming or weaning. There are also notes of reduced gas for some dogs after the switch. The product copy highlights "premium and highly digestible proteins" and added vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support the immune system — all of which line up with the owner observations that digestion improved for many pups.

Materials & build quality

For dog food "materials" translates to ingredient sourcing and formulation transparency. Here’s what the listing actually states:

• Contains DHA for brain and eye development.
• Includes California-grown avocados as an omega-rich component to promote skin and coat health.
• Promised absence of by-product meals, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
• Calls out wheat free, corn free and soy free (Allergen Information lists "Chicken Meat, Soy Free").
• Described as a premium dry puppy food with vitamins, minerals and antioxidant nutrients.

Owners who have used the brand long-term in my research emphasize that the food appears to deliver visible coat and skin benefits. One owner specifically said their the pup's skin condition after switching, and multiple owners reported shinier, softer coats. Another said their Maltese did better on this than another limited-ingredient brand, and that it helped reduce tear stains.

One owner noted they later switched to a formula with fewer carbs and more meat — the listing itself promotes chicken meal and brown rice, so if you’re aiming for a very high-meat or low-carb regime the listing indicates this formula is not marketed as a high-meat, low-carb product.

Safety considerations

Safety comes first. Here are the explicit safety-related facts and owner-sourced signals from the listing and my research:

• The listing states the product is "Soy Free" and repeats "no wheat, no corn and no soy," which are important allergen flags to note if your puppy has known sensitivities to those ingredients.
• The listing calls out "Chicken Meat" under Allergen Information: if your puppy is allergic to chicken, this formula is not suitable.
• Multiple owner reports described better skin and coat health after switching to AvoDerm — the manufacturer attributes that benefit to omega-rich avocado included in the formula.
• One owner reported a pup vomiting after eating too fast; the listing does not provide feeding-rate guidance or kibble size dimensions, so supervise fast eaters and consider portion control tools. The listing does note the kibble is bite-sized (the marketing calls it "bite-sized kibble").
• The listing asserts no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives and no meat-by-products. I can't verify beyond the product text — the full ingredient panel on the packaging would be the final authority and the listing does not provide a full guaranteed analysis in the data I reviewed.

Important safety items to confirm before you buy:

• If your puppy has a chicken allergy, this product is contraindicated (the listing names chicken in the allergen block).
• If your puppy is a very fast eater, plan for slow-feeding solutions — the listing does not include feeding speed warnings but owner feedback mentioned rapid eating led to an episode of vomiting for at least one pup.
• The listing combines some claims that can appear contradictory (for example, it lists "grain-free" under special ingredients while the formula name includes Brown Rice). The listing does not supply a full ingredient panel in the data I have, so check the package or the full product page ingredient list for clarity.
• Always transition diets gradually over several days and consult a qualified professional about major diet changes, especially for puppies with prior medical diets or digestion issues.

Who this is for / who should skip

Use these quick-fit notes to decide if the AvoDerm Chicken & Brown Rice puppy formula is a good option for your pup.

Good fit if you want:

• A puppy formula that explicitly includes DHA to support brain and eye development (the listing calls this out as a feature).
• Ingredients the manufacturer positions to support skin and coat health — the product highlights avocado and omega-rich ingredients for that purpose, and several owners reported shinier coats after switching.
• A dry kibble in smaller-sized pieces that many small- and medium-breed puppies accept readily.
• A formula marketed without meat-by-products, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and with claims of being wheat-, corn- and soy-free.

Skip or check carefully if:

• Your puppy has a chicken allergy — the listing names chicken meat in the allergen block.
• You want a strictly grain-free diet — the listing is internally inconsistent (it lists "grain-free" in one field yet names Brown Rice in the flavor), and the full ingredient panel is not present in the data I reviewed. Verify the ingredient list on the bag or product page before buying if grain-free is a must.
• You require a prescription or specific therapeutic diet for medical reasons — while the listing includes "Animal Food Diet Type: special diet," always check with a professional if your pup needs a true prescription formula instead of a general premium puppy food.
• You expect an ultra-high meat or low-carb puppy food — the product is presented as a balanced puppy formula that includes chicken meal and brown rice rather than a meat-first, low-carb marketing claim.

Verdict

Bottom line: AvoDerm Natural Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice is positioned as a natural puppy kibble with DHA and avocado aimed at brain/eye development and skin/coat support. The listing emphasizes small kibble, no by-products or artificial additives, and common allergen exclusions (wheat, corn, soy). Owner feedback I reviewed tends to skew positive for coat condition, digestive tolerance and palatability — though a minority needed to mix it with another brand for acceptance, and one report noted vomiting when a puppy ate too fast.

If you want a puppy food that explicitly calls out DHA and avocado-driven skin benefits, and you’re feeding a small or medium-breed pup who tolerates chicken, this formula is worth trying. If you need strict grain-free labeling or a very high-meat formula, double-check the printed ingredient list on the bag because the listing shows Brown Rice in the flavor name and also includes a "grain-free" field that looks contradictory in the product metadata I reviewed.

Check before you buy (quick checklist)

• Confirm the full printed ingredient panel on the bag — the listing shows Brown Rice in the formula name but also lists "grain-free" in a metadata field.
• If your puppy has allergies, note that the listing lists Chicken Meat in the allergen field and repeats Soy Free; avoid if chicken is an allergen for your dog.
• Plan a gradual diet transition: the listing and owner reports recommend switching slowly when moving from breeder or prescription diets.
• For fast eaters, prepare a slow-feeding solution — owner feedback included at least one vomiting incident tied to rapid eating.
• Confirm bag size (4.4 pounds in the product data) matches your storage and feeding needs.
• ask a qualified professional if your puppy requires a true prescription diet despite the product being labeled "special diet" in the listing data.

Overall, AvoDerm's puppy formula is a mid-to-premium natural option that many owners reported produced noticeable skin and coat benefits while being palatable and gentle on digestion for a wide range of puppies. But because of a few contradictory listing fields and the presence of chicken and brown rice in the product labeling, check the packaging ingredient panel and consult a professional for breed- or health-specific feeding plans.

Manufacturer specs referenced in this review: AvoDerm Natural Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Food, 4.4-pound bag; claims include DHA for brain and eye development, California avocados for skin and coat health, no meat-by-products, no artificial flavors/colors/preservatives, wheat/corn/soy free. Age Range: Baby. Breed Recommendation: All Breed Sizes. Animal Food Diet Type: special diet.