If you are looking for the best puppy food for small breeds, we tested 11 products and found Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula for Small Breeds to be the best puppy food for small breeds.
A few reasons why this dog food is the best choice for small breed puppies include:
- It is packed with lean protein, with most of it coming from fresh chicken.
- This recipe has numerous other fresh ingredients, including menhaden fish, barley, and oatmeal.
- It has the carbs necessary for puppies to maintain their energy.
- It is great value for the price.
Ultimately, this is just one of the numerous options available if you are looking for delicious, healthy food for your puppy. Some of the most important factors you need to consider when looking for puppy dog food include:
- Take a look at the number of calories per serving, as smaller dogs will not need as many calories as larger dogs.
- In general, puppies need more calories than adults of the same breed because puppies grow quickly.
- Take a look at the size of the kibble. Remember puppies have smaller mouths than larger dogs, so not every puppy will be able to eat large kibble.
If you are looking for small breed puppy food, learn more about not only this choice from Blue Buffalo but also other options for your fast-growing puppy!
Some of the top options for small breed puppy foods include:
1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small Breed Puppy: Best Overall
This is the best overall dog food choice for puppies of smaller breeds. The top ingredients in this dog food include oatmeal, deboned chicken, barley, and menhaden fish. Of note, this dog food also contains grain in the form of rice, barley, and oatmeal. This is the ideal dog food for small breeds that are still growing quickly.
This dog food has a tremendous amount of lean protein thanks to chicken and fish. It has a fair bit of fat as well, but this is important for puppies that are growing quickly. If your dog is active, this food is also packed with plenty of carbohydrates that will give your puppy the energy necessary to run around.
The cable is relatively small, this dog food gives you great value for your money, and it will give your puppy all the nutrients he or she needs to grow up big and strong.
2. Wellness Natural Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Puppy Food: Best for Avoiding Artificial Ingredients
If you are a dog owner who is committed to avoiding artificial ingredients, then consider this option. Wellness Natural Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Puppy Food is meant for dogs with smaller mouths. This brand is known for providing quality ingredients, avoiding those that say “by-product,” and giving your dog natural, non-GMO food.
Similar to other small breed puppy food, this option has a tremendous amount of lean protein. The main ingredients include turkey, chicken, and salmon. It also has plenty of complex carbohydrates to give your puppy plenty of energy. Of course, this recipe avoids fillers, artificial ingredients, and other preservatives.
Even though this recipe might be a bit more expensive than some of the other choices, it is a good option if you want to stay away from artificial ingredients.
3. Blue Buffalo Dry Dog Food for Small Breed Puppies: Best for Cognitive Development
If you want to protect the central nervous system of your puppy, or if your vet has told you that you need dog food with more fatty acids, this is the option to choose. Blue Buffalo has a stellar reputation for dogs of all sizes, but this dog food is specifically designed for puppies and comes packed with additional fatty acids.
This recipe comes with fatty acids, such as ARA, which are critical for your puppy’s central nervous system. The other ingredients in this recipe are critical to the development of your puppy as well. They include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plenty of protein.
If you are looking for a puppy food that comes with a bit of extra nutrition, think about this option from Blue Buffalo.
4. Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Lamb and Sweet Potato Small Breed and Puppy Food: Best for Those Avoiding Grains
If you are concerned that your dog’s blood sugar levels might be a bit difficult to control, then you may want to stay away from grain. Even though most puppy food has grain in it, this recipe does not!
This small breed puppy food recipe is free from grains and has a low glycemic index. The two main ingredients are lamb and turkey. This recipe does not contain any wheat, corn, or soy, which are common allergens among dogs.
Before you decide to remove grain from your puppy’s diet, you should talk to your veterinarian first. Grain is important to the development of most dogs, but your dog might be a special case. If your veterinarian has told you to stay away from grain in your puppy’s food, think about this option from Nulo.
5. Wellness Core Small Breed Puppy: Best for Dogs That Are Underweight
Are you concerned that your puppy is a bit light? If so, this could be the perfect option to help your puppy gain weight. This recipe is packed with a number of ingredients that really throw extra calories at your puppy. Some of the ingredients in this recipe include turkey meal, chicken meal, peas, and chicken fat. It does not contain any grain, but it does contain a bit of extra fat.
If you are fostering a puppy, he or she might be underweight. You don’t necessarily want to fill up your dog with grain, as lean protein is also important for the development of his or her tissues. This recipe is delicious, well-rounded, and contains plenty of calories to help your puppy gain weight. It is a bit more expensive than some of the other choices, but it has been created specifically for smaller dogs. Think about this choice from Wellness!
6. Iams Proactive Health Smart Puppy Small Breed: Best for Eye Development
Your puppy’s eyes will develop quickly, and it is important to give them the nutrients they need. That is where this delicious recipe from Iams is beneficial. It contains a variety of wholesome ingredients including chicken, corn, beef, and sorghum; however, what makes this recipe great for your puppy’s eyes is its omega-3 DHA content.
This is a crucial nutrient that plays a significant role in the development of your puppy’s retinas. This Iams recipe has a lot of it, ensuring your puppy will be able to see clearly. Furthermore, this is one of the less expensive small breed puppy dog foods available. The kibble is easy to chew, and your dog should fall in love with it quickly!
If you want to give your puppy’s eyes a boost, consider choosing this recipe from Iams!
7. Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy: Best for Those on a Tight Budget
Even if you are on a relatively tight budget, you still need to give your small puppy the nutrition he or she requires. This recipe from Diamond Naturals contains all the necessary ingredients without breaking the bank. It contains plenty of white rice, chicken fat, chicken meal, and cracked barley.
The grain provides plenty of carbohydrates, giving your puppy the energy he or she requires. Chicken provides lean protein, which is important for the development of your puppy’s tissues. The kibble is small and easy to chew, and the price tag will not break the bank. Even though this recipe may not provide anything special, it will give your small breed puppy all the nutrients required to grow up big and strong.
8. Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Pint-Sized Puppy Plate: Best for Small Puppies with Allergies
Dogs can have allergies, too. If your small breed puppy has allergies, you need to stay away from some of the most common sources of allergens. They include grain, corn, and soy. That is where this option from Merrick can be helpful. These are single servings of small breed puppy food that do not contain any wheat, gluten, soy, or corn. The main ingredients include fresh fruit and vegetables, lean protein, and deboned meat.
Because this recipe does not include any of the common allergens, it is ideal for dogs with a history of allergies. Furthermore, this small breed puppy food does not contain any artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. It is all-natural, avoids common allergens, and still contains all the nutrition your puppy needs to develop properly.
Because of the unique nature of this recipe, it is a bit more expensive than most of the other options; however, if your dog needs food that can control allergies, this is one of the best options to choose.
9. Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Puppy: Best for the Smallest Kibble
If you have a super small puppy, then you need a dog food that has super small kibble. This recipe for Now Fresh provides some of the smallest kibble sizes available. The main ingredients include egg, turkey, peas, and potatoes. It does not contain any grain, but it does contain plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.
Not every dog is born with teeth. If you have a small breed puppy who doesn’t have many teeth, then you need puppy food that is small and easy to swallow. This recipe from Now Fresh has been designed for small dogs that have trouble chewing kibble. It can be a bit pricey, but it is nutritious and perfect for dogs with small mouths.
10. Whole Earth Farms Small Breed Salmon and Whitefish: Best for Dogs with Digestive Problems
If your dog has a history of digestive problems, you need to select puppy food that will support his or her GI tract. This recipe from Whole Earth Farms can do exactly that. The main sources of protein in this recipe include whitefish and salmon. Fish protein is great for dogs with a history of digestive issues because fish protein is easier to digest than other forms of protein.
Furthermore, this is also a grain-free recipe. Grain can be an irritant in the digestive tracts of some dogs. Its complicated carbohydrates can be a challenge for some puppies to digest. Despite not having any grain, this recipe still contains carbohydrates that can give your puppy a good source of energy. The lean protein is great for the development of internal tissues, and you should not have to worry about your puppy’s GI tract getting inflamed.
Consider choosing this dog food from Whole Earth Farms if your dog has GI issues.
11. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Puppy Chicken Formula: Best for Active Puppies
If you have a particularly active puppy, then you need puppy food that will match his or her lifestyle. This recipe Nutro is the perfect option. It is made from a wide variety of protein and carbohydrate sources. Chicken is the main protein source, while there are numerous complex carbohydrates including whole brown rice, whole grain oatmeal, and brewers rice.
Both protein and carbohydrates are great sources of energy. It has a slightly lower fat content than some of the other options, but it will still give your puppy everything he or she needs to develop. The food is easy to eat, most puppies love it, and it will give your puppy a great source of energy.
Consider this choice from Nutro for active puppies!
While there are many options from which to choose, the best puppy food for small breeds is Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula for Small Breeds. It has all the necessary nutrients, comes at a great price, and is packed with lean protein and complex carbohydrates.
Purchase Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula for Small Breeds for your small breed puppy on Chewy!
Next:
The best puppy foods today (a list of our picks)
The best foods for large breed puppies