Best Dog Foods For Small Breeds
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Small-breed dogs are excellent companions, ideal for apartments or condos, and can be your best friend for life. To ensure long-term enjoyment, feed them a healthy diet tailored to their nutritional needs, as they may require different food types than larger breeds to meet their unique energy requirements.
Keep reading to learn more about your small breed dog’s unique nutritional needs and to receive some tips for picking the best dog food to meet those needs. You’ll also receive our top 7 picks for the best dog food for small breed dogs.
Compare Best Dog Food For Small Breeds
| BEST FOR OVERWEIGHT DOG  3. Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Adult Recipe | BEST DRY DOG FOOD FOR SMALL BREED  4. Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Small-Breed Dog Food | BEST SMALL BREED DOG FOOD FOR PUPPIES  5. Wellness CORE Small Breed Puppy Recipe | BEST SMALL BREED DOG FOOD FOR SENIORS  6. Merrick Lil’ Plates Small Breed Senior Recipe | BEST SMALL BREED DOG FOOD FOR ALLERGIES  7. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Bites Lamb Recipe | ||
| Protein 10% Min | Protein 7.9% Min | Protein 25% Min | Protein 25% Min | Protein 38% Min | Protein 32% Min | Protein 22% Min |
| Fat 3% Min | Fat 5.5% Min | Fat 16% Min | Fat 15% Min | Fat 18% Min | Fat 12% Min | Fat 14% Min |
| Fiber 2% Max | Fiber 0.9% Max | Fiber 4% Max | Fiber 4% Max | Fiber 4.5% Max | Fiber 3.5% Max | Fiber 3.5% Max |
| Calories 1,298 kcal/kg | Calories 41 Kcal/oz | Calories 3,645 kcal/kg or 408 kcal/cup ME | Calories 361 kcal/cup | Calories 510 kcal/cup | Calories 349 kcal/cup | Calories 326 kcal/cup |
Best Dog Foods For Small Breeds
Choosing a small-breed, specific food for your dog is the best way to ensure that its unique nutritional and energy requirements are being met. From there, look for a recipe made with high-quality ingredients with no by-products or artificial additives. That’s a great place to start.
Here are our top 7 picks for the best dog food for small breeds that you should consider:
Ollie Dog Food Chicken Goodness Recipe
Product Info
- Protein: 10% Min
- Fat: 3% Min
- Fiber: 2% Max
- Calories: 1,298 kcal/kg
- Meals are customized based on your dogs profile
- Four different meal flavors available
- Free shipping and delivered right to your door
- Recipes overseen by a vet and are human grade ingredients
- Price on the high side as compared to other fresh dog foods
- Food comes frozen solid
- Profile only accounts for allergies not health issues
Pet Plate Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 7.9% Min
- Fat: 5.5% Min
- Fiber: 0.9% Max
- Calories: 41 Kcal/oz
- Meals are pre-portioned and in recyclable containers
- Four different meal recipes available
- You can mix and match all 4 recipes
- Flexible subscription options
- Price on the high side as compared to other fresh dog foods
- Containers take up a lot of space in the freezer/fridge
- Profile does not ask about health issues
Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Adult Recipe
Product Info
- Protein: 25% Min
- Fat: 16% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Calories: 3,645 kcal/kg or 408 kcal/cup ME
- Made with deboned turkey and oatmeal
- Optimized to support ideal body weight in small breeds
- Plenty of essential fatty acids for healthy skin and coat
- Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients
- Not a grain-free recipe
It features three animal proteins for high energy and strong muscles, plus plenty of healthy fats for beautiful skin and coat. It is also optimized to support your dog’s ideal body weight.
Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Small-Breed Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 25% Min
- Fat: 15% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Calories: 361 kcal/cup
- Real chicken as the #1 ingredient
- Made with digestible grain-free carbohydrates
- Antioxidants in every bite for healthy immunity
- Supplemented with glucosamine for joint health
- Made with an unnamed animal fat (poultry fat vs. chicken fat)
- Above Avg. in cost
This recipe is rich in antioxidants for healthy immunity with plenty of fiber and healthy fats. Plus, it is supplemented with glucosamine for joint health and mobility.
Wellness CORE Small Breed Puppy Recipe
Product Info
- Protein: 38% Min
- Fat: 18% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Calories: 510 kcal/cup
- Made with deboned turkey and salmon meal
- Fortified with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
- Rich in dietary fiber for healthy digestion
- DHA for healthy brain development
- Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients
- Somewhat expensive compared to other puppy foods
This recipe is fortified with antioxidants and essential nutrients for immunity and contains plenty of protein to support your puppy’s digestive system.
Merrick Lil’ Plates Small Breed Senior Recipe
Product Info
- Protein: 32% Min
- Fat: 12% Min
- Fiber: 3.5% Max
- Calories: 349 kcal/cup
- High protein content
- Highly digestible for sensitive digestion systems
- Formulated uniquely for senior dogs
- Not all dogs will enjoy it – some reviews say that their dogs didn’t like the flavor
- Contains high-carbohydrate sweet potato and other plant ingredients
Made with real chicken and sweet potatoes, you can bet that this recipe is also easy on your senior dog’s digestion.
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Bites Lamb Recipe
Product Info
- Protein: 22% Min
- Fat: 14% Min
- Fiber: 3.5% Max
- Calories: 326 kcal/cup
- Made with pasture-red lamb and rice for digestibility
- No artificial additives or GMO ingredients
- Rich in nutrients and full of natural flavor
- Contains high-carbohydrate sweet potato and other plant ingredients
It is rich in nutrients and full of flavor as well, sure to be a hit with your small breed dog.
Special Dietary Needs Of Small Breeds
When you look at a small-breed dog compared to a larger breed, it seems obvious that it will need less food. Smaller stomachs have less room for food, after all, and it would seem to make sense that a little dog doesn’t need as many calories as a bigger dog.
Not only could you be wrong about that, but you might have other misconceptions about feeding small-breed dogs. Here are some of the things to look for in small-breed dog food:
- Calorie-Dense. Small-breed dogs have very fast metabolisms, which, you may be surprised to learn, means that they need more calories per pound of body weight than larger breeds. In fact, small dogs may need up to 40 calories per pound, versus 30 for an average-sized dog and 20 for a large breed.
- Antioxidants. Not only do small-breed dogs have fast metabolisms, but they also have long lifespans. Feeding your dog an antioxidant-rich diet will help keep it healthy for as long as possible by boosting its immune system.
- Dry Food. Small-breed dogs have small mouths, which often leads to dental problems. Dry food is preferable to wet food for small dogs because it helps clean plaque and tartar off their teeth.
- Fatty Acids. Healthy fats provide a concentrated source of energy for small breed dogs, but they also play a role in supporting healthy skin and coat as well as brain development in puppies.
While keeping each of these things in mind, you’re now prepared to learn how to choose the best dog food for small breeds. Here’s what you need to know:
How Do You Choose the Best Dog Food for Small Breeds?
When selecting small-breed dog food, consider your dog’s basic nutritional needs.
A minimum of 18% crude protein and 5% fat is required, with 30-40 calories per pound of body weight for energy.
High-quality protein sources like meat, poultry, or fish are essential for growth and development.
Digestible sources like whole grains, legumes, potatoes, and vegetables are beneficial. A recipe should contain 3% to 5% fiber to avoid digestive issues.
Other beneficial ingredients include fresh fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and chelated minerals.
How Much Should You Feed Small Breed Dogs?
When your small-breed dog is a puppy, you should feed it four small meals per day for the first three months, then reduce to three meals per day. Keep in mind that small-breed puppies burn through energy very quickly when they are growing, so you may need to adjust your feeding schedule if your puppy isn’t growing at the proper rate.
In terms of how much to feed it, refer to the feeding recommendations on the package because every recipe is different in terms of calories.
Check the package every two weeks or so, and make adjustments according to your puppy’s age and weight. You can also check with your veterinarian to make sure your puppy is growing properly.
What About Food Allergies and Sensitivities?
While any dog can develop food skin allergies or sensitivities, some of the breeds most likely to develop them are smaller breeds. It may be difficult to tell when your dog is a puppy whether it is sensitive or allergic to an ingredient in its food, and many dogs don’t develop allergies until later in life.
If your small-breed dog has skin problems or recurrent ear infections, however, it is a potential indication that something is not right with its food.
Consider switching to a limited ingredient recipe or a grain-free formula for a few weeks to see if things improve. If they do, you’ll have identified the source of the problem, and you can simply keep feeding your dog a recipe that doesn’t cause a reaction.
Final Thoughts
Because small-breed dogs have different energy requirements than larger breeds, it is important to feed your dog a small-breed recipe. From there, you have your choice of brands, as long as you pick one made with high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and digestible carbohydrates. If you’re not sure where to start your search, try one of our top 7 picks for the best small breed dog food reviewed above.
