Best Dog Food For Small Dogs: Ultimate Guide 2024

What Is The Best Dog Food For Small Dogs

Like human babies, small dogs also need special care and food. These small breed dogs are known for their small size and weight of 10-12 kg. For example; chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and Maltese. These dogs have different food requirements from large breeds due to their small stomachs and higher metabolism. 

Small dogs are highly active, playful, and lovable. They need foods specially designed for them. This article on the best dog food for small dogs is your ultimate solution for providing premium quality dog foods.

All these best small-breed dog foods are reviewed and well-researched from Chewy.com. We are not sponsoring any of the dog food brands here. 

Let’s start digging for the best dry dog food for small dogs.

List Of 10 Best Dry Dog Foods for Small Dogs

We selected all of these dog foods based on the following parameters.

• Only 4-star and above rating.
• USA manufactured.
• Most sell dog food.

Purina Beneful Small Breed Dry Dog Food

The first best dog food for small dogs is from the house of Purina. Among its 4 recipes, we are reviewing the Beef. This recipe uses only farm-raised beef so your dog enjoys quality beef meat. 

The beef formula provides more than 26% protein, 4% fiber, and other essential nutrients as listed below.

Calcium	1.1% min
Selenium	0.35 mg/kg min
Vitamin A	12,500 IU/kg min
Vitamin E	150 IU/kg min

  Properties of the Beef Purina Beneful are as follows:

• Muscle Growth: for the development of muscles of your small dog this best small breed dog food provides 26 grams of protein in one cup of meal.
• It contains 23 added vitamins, nutrients, and vitamins.
• Teeth and Bone: This recipe is rich in calcium that supports the growth of the dog’s bones and teeth.

Summarization

Flavor	Beef
Weight	14-lb bag
Calorie content	3,682 kcal/kg, 404 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Beef, barley, Whole wheat grain, whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal, soya bean meal.
Specification	High Protein
Ratings	4.6
Price	$16.48 (it may vary)

Pros

• It has 12% moisture making it easy to digest.
• It comes in various flavors.
• It is free from artificial preservatives.

Cons

• It is not recommended for wheat-sensitive dogs.

Cesar Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Cesar small breed dry dog food uses quality ingredients while maintaining the taste and nutritional level of the food. There are 3 different flavors for small breeds. Here, we are reviewing Filet Mignon recipes. 

The Filet Mignon formula provides more than 26% protein, 4.5% fiber, and other essential nutrients. It is crafted with perfect size kibble to make chewing easy.

This recipe uses the best quality ingredients with the following properties:

• The kibbles are in chewable size. 
• Kibbles are crunchy and tasty.
• 26 essential nutrients are available in this recipe.
• The shape of the kibble is H. helping in oral health.

Summarization

Flavor	Filet Mignon
Weight	2.7-lb bag
Calorie content	3,470 kcal/kg, 350 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Beef, Meat & Bone Meal, Ground Wheat, Brewers Rice, Whole Wheat Grain
Specification	High protein
Ratings	4.6
Price	$8.29 (it may vary)

Pros 

• This recipe can be used for small and extra-small dog breeds.
• It does not contain any artificial colors, preservatives, or fillers.
• Prevents dogs from plague.
• It is not added with high fructose corn syrup.

Cons

• It contains wheat. It is not suitable for grain-sensitive dogs.

Blue Buffalo Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo with its Life Protection Formula provides high-quality ingredients and the best dry food for small dogs. It comes in 2 special recipes and we are reviewing the highly-rated Lamb & Brown Rice formula. The Lamb & Brown Rice recipe provides more than 26% protein, 4% fiber, and other essential nutrients.

Calcium	1.2% min
Phosphorus	0.9% min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids	0.5% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids	3.0% min
Glucosamine	400 mg/kg min

This Lamb & Brown Rice recipe has the following properties:

• This recipe from Blue Buffalo is a rich source of protein from deboned chicken that helps in the muscle development of dogs.
• It is a rich source of carbohydrates.
• This dry food comes in easy-to-cheek unique-size kibbles.
• The crunchy small kibbles help in tartar reduction.
• It contains Glucosamine for joint development.
• Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids promote the healthy and shiny skin of your furry small friend.
• This super healthy best food for small dogs is wrapped with 7 antioxidant ingredients.

Summarization

Flavor	Chicken & Brown Rice
Weight	5-lb bag
Calorie content	3,682 kcal/kg, 398 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Deboned chicken, Brown rice, Chicken Meal, Berley, Oatmeal.
Specification	High energy source
Ratings	4.6
Price	$16.98 (it may vary)

Pros

• Only garden-sourced fruits and veggies are used while manufacturing this dry dog food.
• It contains whole grain.
• This recipe is free from soy, corn, or grain.

Cons

• It is expensive.
• It is not recommended for grain-sensitive small dogs.

Purina Pro Plan Dry Dog Food

Purina Pro is the most trusted dog food brand and uses the best quality ingredients in its products. This shredded blend formula of Chicken & Rice claims to provide 100% nutritionally tailored best dry dog food for small dogs. This recipe is a rich source of whole nutrients essential for the overall body development of your dog. The Chicken & Rice recipe provides more than 29% protein, 3% fiber, and other important nutrients in the following manner.

Linoleic Acid	1.5% min
Calcium	1.0% min
Phosphorus	0.8% min
Selenium	0.35 mg/kg min
Vitamin A	15,000 IU/kg min
Vitamin E	460 IU/kg min
Ascorbic Acid	70 mg/kg min
Glucosamine	400 ppm min
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	1.7% min
Bacillus coagulans	600 million CFU/lb min

The following are the properties of the Chicken & rice recipe by Purina Pro:

• Chicken is the first source of protein in this recipe.
• The perfect-sized kibbles help your dog to enjoy its meal.
• It contains a required amount of live probiotics to support the immune and digestive systems.
• To make your dog’s skin healthy and shiny this dry dog contains a perfect amount of Omega 6, linoleic acid, and Vitamin A.
• it has the right fat-to-protein ratio to maintain overall body health.
• This recipe claims to source prebiotic fiber from wheat bran which helps to keep the digestive system healthy.

Summarization

Flavor	Chicken & Rice
Weight	6-lb bag
Calorie content	3,824 kcal/kg, 373 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Chicken, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-tocopherols, Poultry By-product Meal (Source Of Glucosamine, Soybean Meal,  Corn Gluten Meal.
Specification	High Energy Source
Ratings	4.5
Price	$20.68 (it may vary)

Pros

• It is free from artificial flavors or colors.
• It uses high-quality and nutritionally balanced ingredients.
• It is very tasty as Purina Pro claims.

Cons

• It contains poultry by-product meals.
• It contains soy, wheat, or grain. So not for dogs sensitive to the listed items.

Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Dog Food

Rachael Ray provides the best dog food for small dogs by using only premium-quality ingredients. This recipe of Chicken and Veggie sources all required nutrients naturally. It does not use any poultry by-products or artificial flavors. And the taste of this recipe is just woww…

The Chicken & Rice recipe provides more than 26% protein, 4% fiber, and other essential nutrients in the following manner.

Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid)	1.5% min
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid)	0.1% min
Calcium	1.2% min
Phosphorus	1.0% min
Zinc	100 mg/kg min
Vitamin E	75 IU/kg min
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)	55 mg/kg min

Properties of Chicken & veggie recipe by Rachael Ray are as follows:

• It is crafted with added vitamins, taurine, and minerals.
• Chicken is the key source of protein.
• There are Omega 6 and omega-3 fatty acids to support and maintain shiny skin and a healthy coat.
• Small-size kibbles are easy to chew.
• Brown rice and peas help to support a healthy immune system, and digestion, and keep your dog’s energy up for the whole day.

Summarization

Flavor	Real Chicken & Veggies
Weight	6-lb bag
Calorie content	3,562 kcal/kg, 351 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Chicken, Soybean meal, Chicken meal, Dried pea, Whole Ground Corn.
Specification	It contains Wheat
Ratings	4.4
Price	$10.91 (it may vary)

Pros

• It is free from artificial colors. Flavors, and preservatives.
• It does not use any of the poultry by-product meals.
• This dry food is easy to chew.

Cons 

• It contains soy, wheat, and grain. Not for gluten-intolerant dogs.
• Rachael Ray provides only a single recipe for small-breed dogs.

Purina ONE Plus Dry Dog Food

Purina One Plus is from the Purina Brand which claims to provide the best food for small dogs using only natural ingredients. It uses the formula of nature and research to craft the best quality nutritionally tailored dry food. Hand-picked ingredients in this recipe are used with some purpose. 

This Lamb and Rice recipe is a complete meal for the overall healthy life of your dog. It provides more than 28% protein, 3% fiber, and other essential nutrients in the following manner.

Linoleic Acid	1.5% min
Calcium	1.0% min
Phosphorus	0.8% min
Zinc	150 mg/kg min
Selenium	0.4 mg/kg min
Vitamin A	15,000 IU/kg min
Vitamin E	400 IU/kg min
Glucosamine	400 ppm min

Properties of this recipe are as follows:

• Lamb is the primary source of protein that supports the heart and muscles.
• The 4 antioxidants in this recipe provide a strong immune system. 
•  It contains Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins that provide shiny skin and a healthy coat.

Summarization

Flavor	Lamb & Rice
Weight	3.8-lb bag
Calorie content	3,848 kcal/kg, 375 kcal/kg
First 5 Ingredients	Lamb, Rice Flour, Chicken meal, Soybean meal, Whole Grain Corn.
Specification	Strong Immune System, Good energy source, Healthy Digestive System
Ratings	4.8
Price	$8.96 (it may vary)

Pros

• It has high moisture content making it easy to digest.
• The meaty morsels enhance the taste of this best dry dog food for small dogs.
• It is free from artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors.

Cons 

• It is not for gluten-intolerant dogs.
• Comes in a single recipe.

Bil-Jac Dry Dog Food

Bil-Jac maintains the food quality by preserving the natural nutrients of dog food. This dog food brand believes in providing only highly nutritional food to your dog. We are reviewing Chicken Liver recipes. This recipe is the ultimate choice for your picky eater dog. Not only quality ingredients, but it also tastes so yummy…

It provides more than 26% protein, 3% fiber, and other essential nutrients in the following manner.

Arginine	1.25% min
Leucine	1.50% min
Lysine	1.10% min
Methionine	0.50% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids	2.50% min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids	0.25% min

The properties of the Chicken Liver recipe by Bil-Jac are as follows:

• The primary source of protein is fresh and farm-raised chicken. This chicken calms taste buds of your dog.
• This best dry dog food for small dogs contains canine-specific probiotics that support the digestive system.
• It contains Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids providing a healthy coat and shiny skin.
• This recipe is slowly cooked and dried naturally to preserve the natural nutrients of the used ingredients.

Summarization

Flavor	Chicken Liver
Weight	6-lb bag
Calorie content	3928 kcal/kg; 397 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Chicken, Corn meal, Chicken by-products, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken By-product meal.
Specification	Healthy skin, Immune System
Ratings	4.0
Price	$24.99 (it may vary)

Pros

• It is free from wheat, and soy.
• It is easily chewable dry dog food.

Cons

• It is not for grain-sensitive dogs.
• It is costly.

Iams Proactive Health Dry Dog Food

Iams Proactive provides nutritionally balanced and tasty dry dog food for small dogs crafted with premium ingredients. Among its various recipes, we are reviewing Real Chicken & Whole Grain Recipe. This delicious and nutritionally balanced recipe helps in the overall development of your dog. This formula is designed especially for maintaining a healthy heart and providing shiny skin.

It provides more than 27% protein, 4% fiber, and other essential nutrients in the following manner.

Calcium	1.1% min
Phosphorus	0.85% min
Selenium	0.35 mg/kg min
Vitamin E	60 IU/kg min
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	2.4% min

Properties of the Chicken and Whole Grain recipe by Iams Proactive are as follows:

• It contains 7 essential nutrients for a healthy heart.
• Chicken is the primary source of protein in this recipe.
• It provides Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids for shiny skin and a healthy coat.
• This recipe is a good source of antioxidants to strengthen the immune system of your dog.
• It has perfect small-sized kibbles for easy chewing.   

Summarization

Ratings	4.6
Flavor	Chicken & Whole Grain
Price	$15.98
Weight	7-lb bag
Calorie content	3800 kcal ME/kg ,396 kcal ME/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-product meal, Soybean Meal, Ground Whole Grain sorghum.
Specification	Healthy Heart, Shiny Skin.
Ratings	4.6
Price	$15.98 (it may vary)

Pros

• It is free from artificial preservatives or flavors.
• It contains 7 essential nutrients.
• It has no fillers.

Cons

• It is not recommended for grain, soy sensitive dogs.        

Nature’s Recipe Dry Dog Food

Nature’s Recipe provides grain free best small-breed dog food. There are various recipes for dogs from the House of Nature’s recipe. Among all recipes, we are reviewing the Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Pumpkin recipes. This recipe uses natural ingredients that are easy to digest and enhance the taste of food. This dry dog food is a complete bag of all the required nutrients for your dog. 

It provides more than 24% protein, 4% fiber, and other essential nutrients in the following manner.

Calcium	1.0% min
Phosphorus	0.8% min
Copper	12 mg/kg min
Manganese	20 mg/kg min
Zinc	80 mg/kg min
Selenium	0.35 kg/mg min
Vitamin E	125 IU/kg min
Taurine	0.30% min
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	0.15% min
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	2.5% min

The properties of Nature’s recipe Chicken, Sweet potato, and Pumpkin recipe are as follows:

• Chicken is the primary source of protein for muscle development.
• Fiber is sourced from pumpkin and sweet potato which helps to strengthen the digestive system.
• This recipe is a complete source of omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids to provide a healthy coat and shiny skin.
• It contains Vitamin E and antioxidant zinc to boost the immune system of your dog
• Taurine present in this recipe takes care of the dog’s heart.

Summarization

Ratings	4.6
Flavor	Chicken, Sweet Potato and Pumpkin
Weight	4-lb bag
Calorie content	3540 kcal/kg, 342 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Chicken, Sweet Potato, Chicken Meal, Canola Meal, tapioca Starch.
Specification	Healthy heart, strong immune system, easy digestion, shiny skin, and healthy coat.
Ratings	4.6
Price	$9.83 (it may vary)

Pros

• It is free from artificial colors, preservatives, or fillers.
• It does not contain any soy, wheat, or grain.
• Meets AAFCO standards.

Cons

• Customers say that the kibble size is not as small as needed for small breed dogs.

Wellness CORE Dry Dog Food

Wellness CORE provides the finest quality dry dog food made with natural ingredients worldwide. Their team of vets, nutritionists, and dog lovers use their expertise to manufacture the best nutritionally tailored dog food for small dogs. 

We are reviewing Turkey & Chicken recipes that are high-protein sources. It provides more than 36% protein, 5% fiber, and other essential nutrients in the following manner.

Calcium	2.0% max
Phosphorus	1.3.0% max
Vitamin E	400 IU/kg
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	3.0% min
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	0.5% min
Glucosamine	250 mg/kg min
Chondroitin Sulfate	200 mg/kg min
Beta-Carotene	5 mg/kg min
Total Lactic Acid Microorganisms*	+80,000,000 CFU/lb min

The Turkey and Chicken recipe contains all essential nutrients for the head-to-toe development of your furry friend. The key highlights of this recipe are as follows:

• It is easy to chew with the perfect size of kibbles.
• It contains all essential Vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and probiotics.
• This best small-breed dog food is a rich source of taurine, glucosamine, fatty acids, and chondroitin.
• It contains high-quality fruits, vegetables, and salmon oil.
• It uses deboned turkey.

Summarization

Flavor	Turkey and Chicken
Weight	4-lb bag
Calorie content	3,746 kcal/kg or 412 kcal/cup
First 5 Ingredients	Deboned Turkey, Chicken meal, Turkey meal, Peas, lentils
Specification	High protein source
Ratings	4.6
Price	$17.39 (it may vary)

Pros

• It is free from artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors.
• No fillers are added to this recipe.
• There is no corn, soy, wheat gluten, or wheat.

Cons

• It is free from artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors.
• Little expensive.

Comparison Of The Best Dry Dog Food For Small Dogs

Small Breed Dry Dog Food Brands	Ratings	Starting Price	Available bags	Available Flavors
Purina Beneful	4.6	$16.48	12-lb bag	Beef
Caesar	4.6	$13.79	2.7-lb bag, 5-lb bag, 12-lb bag	Filet Mignon, Porterhouse, Rotisserie Chicken
Blue Buffalo	4.6	$41.98	5-lb bag, 15-lb bag	Chicken & Brown rice, Lamb & Brown Rice
Purina Pro Plan	4.5	$20.68	6-lb bag, 18-lb bag, 34-lb bag	Chicken & Rice
Rachael Ray	4.4	$10.91	6-lb bag, 14-lb bag	Real Chicken And Veggie
Purina ONE +Plus	4.8	$9.69	3.8-lb bag, 7.4-lb bag, 15-lb bag	Lamb & Rice
Bil-Jac Picky No More	4.0	$24.99	6-lb bag, 15-lb bag	Chicken Liver
Iams Proactive Health	4.6	$15.98	7-lb bag, 15-lb bag	Chicken and Whole Grain
Nature’s Recipe	4.6	$1.18/lb	4-lb bag, 12-lb bag	Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin
Wellness Core	4.6	$17.39	4-lb bag, 12-lb bag	Turkey & Chicken

Food Needs Of Small Breed Dogs

1. Higher Metabolism: Small-breed dogs need high-calorie-rich food due to higher activity levels. Small breed dogs are in their growing stage so they need more nutritionally enriched food that can help them fuel their body energy requirements.
2. Small Size Of Kibble: You prefer dry dog food with small kibble size for easy digestion and chewing. Large sizes of kibbles are not easy to chew and may get stuck in a dog’s throat.
3. Frequent Meals: 1 or 2 whole meals per day is insufficient for small dogs. Instead, try to give small amounts of food frequently. Frequent eating makes food digestion easy, meets stomach requirements, and makes them active throughout the day while maintaining blood sugar.
4. Ingredient Quality: The most important point while buying or feeding any of the best dry dog food for small dogs is its ingredients. Always check the ingredients and buy dog food with the best organic ingredients.
5. Meal Monitoring: Frequent meals sometimes lead to overeating in dogs. To prevent this situation you can monitor the amount and meal duration. 

Conclusion

This article focused on finding the best small breed dog food that can help you get the nutritionally balanced and quality ingredient food for your small friend. High-nutritional food always helps your dog to live a happy and healthy life. All these dog foods are well-researched and vet-recommended. If your dog has special body needs you can consult a Vet before going for any dog food brand.

Frequently Asked Questions