What Is The Best Puppy Food For Small Breeds

Preparation Of Our Homemade Diet

All of the information above might seem intimidating, but I assure you that making the actual meals for our dogs takes no more than 20 minutes of actual hands-on time.

First, we cook our complex carbs, whether theyre grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables.

While that pot is simmering on the stove, we cook the meat in a separate pan in coconut oil and ground turmeric. After its cooled a bit, we add chunks of meat to our food processor and pulse until theyre broken down into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.

Then, we gather whatever vegetables or fruits we have in the kitchen , chop them up as needed, and toss them into the food processor.

We also add a few clean, crushed eggshells to the mix. A few pulses turns all this food into smaller pieces, making them more digestible for our dogs.

Finally, we add the cooled, cooked carbs to the food processor and do a couple more pulses to combine. Everything should have a finely crumbled texture by this point.

Since dogs have short digestive tracts, its crucial that you break down the food to increase its bioavailability that is, making all the nutrients in those wholesome ingredients more digestible in a dogs system.

I prepare enough food to last my two pugs an entire week. Its unbelievably easy, and I like knowing exactly what goes into their food. Friends will watch us feed our pugs and remark that it looks good enough for them to eat!

Why Do Small Dogs Need Different Food

Small dogs need different food because their dietary needs are not the same as medium and large-breed dogs. The best dog food brands make unique recipes for small and toy breeds. Here are the reasons small dogs need different food:

• Kibble Size & Shape. Because of the anatomy of small and toy breed dogs, their mouths and teeth need specific kibble. Smaller kibble pet food supports easier chewing, better digestion, and nutrient absorption and can even help prevent plaque build-up on teeth.
• Palatability. Small breed adult dogs are known to be picky eaters and live longer than large breeds, meaning they will likely eat the same food for many years. Therefore, a smaller dog needs foods that are very palatable full of flavor, and nicely textured.
• Higher Caloric Value. Smaller dogs and toy breeds need more calories than large breeds to fuel their active lives. Quality protein sources help boost calories without adding much fat. Grain-free dog food is especially good for active small dogs.
• Balanced Formulas. Dog food brands for small dogs are mindful of weight management when blending high-calorie recipes. Adding antioxidants and vitamin supplements supports healthy metabolisms in energetic dogs while meeting every nutritional need.

Solid Gold Holistic Dry Dog Food For Small Dogs

Solid Gold Holistic Dry Dog Food for Small Dogs has a proprietary blend of fiber, protein, and fat that is tailored to keep your small dog full for hours. Some ingredients that are high in fiber include brown rice and barley, which can keep your dogs digestive system working properly. Whats great is that Solid Gold Holistic Dry Dog Food for Small Dogs has a small kibble size so that little dogs can enjoy the food without struggling with a larger piece of food.

Most of the Blue Buffalo line of products use white fish as the primary source of protein which not only can keep your pets coat shiny but also helps to maintain lean muscle mass.

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Cost Of Small Breed Dog Food

Once you have sorted through the various dog food brands and found one that you and your vet think will best benefit your dog, you need to decide how much you are willing to spend. A good rule of thumb to follow for commercial dog food diets is to stay away from the cheapest option. Your dogs food is a vital part of his preventative healthcare, and so you want to invest in it as much as possible. When it comes to dog food, you usually get what you pay for.

On the other hand, an expensive dog food is not a guarantee of quality, either. By talking with your veterinarian and comparing brands of dog food in a variety of price ranges, you should be able to find the best dog food for small dogs that also matches your budget.

I Care What You Thing Feedback Please

The best puppy food recommendations depend on your ongoing feedback.

Many people contact me daily with feedback or consumer issues, and I do my best to keep track of that data.

This feedback is valuable to providing decent, reliable information on this website, and in turn help other pet owners like us.

Your feedback helps me adjust ratings on the reviews accordingly, and they do change over time.

In the past, sadly, highly rated brands have suffered formula changes, ingredient changes, or manufacturer changes, and shown a change in quality.

If youre aware of any problems let me know.

All reviews are independent and unbiased by myself. Im a qualified pet nutritionist, but given there are no qualifications in pet food marketing per se, most reviews simply analyse the ingredients and composition, often in reference to pet food standards.

Hopefully the reviews give you a good idea of what the ingredients really mean, and what they really say based on Australian Pet Food Standards AS 5812 and pet food marketing regulations.

Or in other words, tell you what the pet food companies dont tell you.

Pet Food Reviews is a free resource to you as a pet owner, but it takes up a great deal of time huge amounts over the past 10 or so years! If you decide to buy one of the best puppy foods based on the information on this page, then Id be super grateful if you use one of the affiliate links or Where to buy recommendations thank you!

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Instinct Original Small Breed Dog Food

Rating:

Original Small Breed is one of 5 dry recipes included in our review of the Instinct Original product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, chickpeas, tapioca, chicken fat
• Type: Grain-free
• Best for:Small breed adults and puppies

This Instinct Original formula derives the greatest part of its animal protein from fresh chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 39% protein, 22% fat and 31% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

Instinct Original Small Breed provides an optimal balance of protein, fat and calories to ensure a balanced nutrition for your small dog. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewI love this dog food, and so does my dog. I like all of the ingredients and trust the company. My dog begs for it and devours it. Hes doing very well on it. His coat is shiny, his muscles are defined, and his stools are firm. I rotate this brand with a few other brands so he has some variety, but Im very picky with which foods I include in the rotation, and only choose brands and formulas of the highest quality.

What Were Looking For:

Meets AAFCO nutritional standards: What to feed your puppy is a question I get almost every single day, says Dr. Karie Anne Johnson, a mobile veterinarian and co-founder of VIP Vet Visit. She and the other vets we spoke to all recommend choosing puppy food that has been thoroughly researched and tested for nutritional adequacy by the Association of American Feed Control Officials and meets AAFCOs nutritional standards. All of the puppy food recommended below meets or exceeds AAFCO standards.

High-quality ingredients: Zacharias also stresses that the ingredients should name the exact type of meat included and they should not contain white flour, preservatives such as BHA or BHT, propylene glycol, or rendered fat. If youre among the people who see their dog more as a member of their family than as a pet, you may want to give them minimally processed food that looks more like your own dinner than traditional kibble or wet food. Richardson says that a growing number of the pet owners she sees are interested in human-grade or fresh pet foods. As this is a relatively new concept in the pet-food world and definitions vary a bit by brand, but generally speaking, something labeled fresh pet food is minimally processed, does not use preservatives, and is gently cooked to retain nutrients and reduce the risk of harmful bacteria present in some raw diets. These foods usually come frozen and need to be thawed before each meal.

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How To Shop For The Best Food For Dogs

One of the most important steps in figuring out the best dog food is through the ingredient list, said Freeman, noting the first three are the most critical. This will help you determine if the formula is vegetable-based with things like corn and rice or meat-based with chicken, fish, or lamb, said Freeman. While each dog is different, they generally do best on a protein-rich, meat-based diet, she added.

Next, analyze what type of meat is within. Look for brands that specifically name the type of meat, like beef, chicken, or lamb, said Morgan. She noted that meat, bone meal or meat byproducts could come from any animal. Similarly, poultry meal signals any bird, she said.

The ingredients will also highlight some of what you want to avoid. Freeman suggested avoiding dog food that includes: dyes , sugar and high salt , as well as other solvents and preservatives like propylene glycol, BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.

Beagles Have A Strong Sense Of Smell

One thing that makes Beagles unique is their strong sense of smell. This is thanks to their long snouts and large noses. While this can be a great asset when it comes to tracking, it also means theyre more likely to get into things theyre not supposed to. Be sure to keep an eye on them and provide plenty of chew toys to help redirect their attention.

A Beagle left unattended at home while youre away at work is likely to become bored and destructive. You may be able to offset this type of behavior by giving your pup lots of exercise and activity.

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Start With Small Breed Puppy Food For Growth

On average, small breed dogs grow and develop over a 9-12 month time frame. So relatively speaking, they are done growing in a short timeframe. While they are growing, they may require up to twice the energy of adult dogs! Their high metabolism rate and digestion needs require the right mix of nutrients. Bil-Jac understands these requirements and has carefully formulated Bil-Jac Small Breed Puppy Food with fresh, never frozen chicken as the number one ingredient to provide the nutrition small breed puppies need. In fact, Bil-Jac uses 5 lbs. of real chicken to make a 6 lb. bag.

Small dogs tend to have a small stomach, though they typically need to eat large amounts of food in relation to their tummy size and body weight. In order to help your small dog get all the nutrients they need, its helpful to divide your puppys meals up over the course of the day. Small, energy-dense meals two to three times per day are recommended for puppies until they reach adulthood. Small breed puppies grow as much during their first year as human beings do in our first 17 years of life, so its important to keep up with the right diet as your little furball grows.

How To Transition Your Dog From Old To New Food

Slow and steady is the theme all of our experts recommend for transitioning to a new food. Just as if you were suddenly told your entire diet was changing, you might experience some side effects.

Beck explains the general guideline is to begin the week with 75% old food and 25% new food mixed together, and gradually increase the percentage of the new food each day until youve switched completely.

Caplan adds that this can take about a week, and dog parents should watch for soft stool or diarrhea during the transition, or if they lose their appetite completely. If your dog is experiencing these issues, you can hold off on the new food, and call your vet for further directions.

Recommended Reading: Science Diet Puppy Food Chart

Specialty Diet For A Small Breed Puppy

It is very common for dog owners to follow new trends in their pups diet. And with so much going around right now, such as grain-free diets, raw diets, and home-cooked meals, picking the best small breed puppy food can be difficult.

While its okay to feed a non-traditional diet to your precious puppy, you must be thoroughly aware of whats inside of it. If you are not sure about the best available diets, feel free to seek assistance from your veterinarian. Just because certain things are in trend doesnt necessarily mean theyre great for your dog. As a small breed puppy owner, you must be aware of your dogs personal preferences and health conditions to keep them safe and healthy.

Some dogs especially the small breed puppies can be allergic to certain ingredients. Just because a certain food suits your neighbors dog doesnt mean its the best thing for your puppy too. So make sure you check out the ingredients before you transition your puppy to any special diet.

Best Overall Wet: Royal Canin Puppy Canned Dog Food

• Suitable for all breed sizes

• Doesnt come in smaller can sizes for little dogs

• Can be difficult to find

Formulated for puppies, Royal Canin Puppy Canned Dog Food meets the nutritional level standards for growth set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO. It provides protein and fatty acids from a wide variety of sources, including chicken, pork, chicken liver, and salmon. It includes a full selection of vitamins and minerals, plus digestive-supporting beet pulp and fish oil.

Royal Canin manufactures its food in plants with transparent safety standards with ISO 22000 Food Safety certifications. Its puppy formula also uses minimal preservatives, incorporating only tocopherols , citric acid, and rosemary extract.

The pâté-style dog food is recommended for small breed puppies in their first 10 months of life or large breed puppies in their first 15. While nutritionally complete, Royal Canin’s canned dog food for puppies can also tag team with dry food and be used as a food topper.

Available Flavors: Chicken, pork, salmon combination | Nutritional Specs: 7.5% protein, 4% fat, 76% moisture

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Canidae Pure Petite Puppy Small Breed

First 5 ingredients: Salmon, Salmon Meal, Lentils, Peas, Tapioca

CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed Grain-Free with Salmon is a limited-ingredient recipe formulated for sensitive small breed puppies. If you have a puppy who is sensitive to chicken, this salmon recipe may be the one for her.

This tasty small breed puppy food is made with real salmon and salmon meal. Naturally rich in omega 3 fatty acids, salmon is not only tasty and easy to digest, but also promotes healthy skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega 3s help reduce itching and other allergic reactions in dogs.

This single-source protein puppy formula does not have any type of grain to further limit the risk of triggering allergies. The main carb/ fiber sources are lentils, peas, and tapioca. It is a potato-free formula.

To provide the essential omega 6 fatty acids, canola oil is included in this small breed puppy food. Flaxseed provides additional essential fatty acids to help the growth and development of young little pups.

Unlike other premium dog foods, this Canidae PURE food for small breed puppies does not have a lot of fruits and vegetables in its ingredient list. Despite this, this limited ingredient recipe has all of the nutrients that puppies need to sustain their energy levels and support their overall growth.

However, despite the flavor-packed kibbles, a few finicky pooches still turned their noses up at this recipe.

Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: 1. Brewers Rice, 2. Chicken By-Product Meal, 3. Chicken Fat, 4. Wheat Gluten, 5. Corn Gluten Meal

Royal Canin has maintained its reputation by offering only the best food for your pet. This one is specially designed for your small breed pup while paying special attention to their growing nutritional needs. Royal Canin Small Puppy food is a complete meal designed for the intense growth period that is puppyhood. This Royal Canin formula is among the best puppy foods for small breeds.

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Should I Feed My New Puppy Wet Food Or Dry Food

There are a few things to consider when making this decision, such as your puppy’s age, activity level, and overall health. If you’re unsure of what type of food to feed your puppy, consult with your veterinarian.

Wet food can be a good option for puppies who are teething, as it can be softer and easier to chew. Wet food can also be a good option for puppies who are picky eaters or those who need to gain weight.

Dry food, on the other hand, can be a good option for puppies who are less active, as it is often lower in calories. Dry food can also be a good option for puppies who are already at a healthy weight.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to feed your puppy wet food or dry food is up to you and should be based on your puppy’s individual needs. If you have any concerns, be sure to speak with your veterinarian.

Puppyhood is a critical time for development and growth, so it’s important to choose a food that will provide your puppy with the nutrients he or she needs. Here is more information about the 25 best puppy foods in 2022: