Small dogs, due to their size, are not able to store the same level of energy that large dogs can store. They also, often times, have a much higher metabolism. Add these to the fact that their growth cycle consumes much more energy than a large dog and you know exactly why you need the best small breed dog food you can find.
Because of these significant differences, small breeds need to have a dog food that is specifically made for their needs.
Let’s take a quick peek at the products we’ll be reviewing in this blog post.
IN THIS REVIEW
Top 11 Picks: Best Dog Foods for Small Breeds
Our Top 11 Picks
The Best Dog Food for Small Breeds: Our Top Pick
Characteristics Of Small Breed Dogs
Our Review: The Full List
Best Food For Dogs With Allergies & Sensitive Stomach
1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin Stomach Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
2. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
Best Wet Dog Foods For Small Breed Dogs
3. Royal Canin Small Puppy Wet Dog Food
Best For Small Breed Puppies
4. IAMS Puppy Small Breed
5. Purina Pro Plan Puppy Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
Best For Small Breed Adults
6. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Small Paws Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
7. Royal Canin Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Most Recommended
8. Royal Canin X-Small Adult Dry Dog Food
9. Eukanuba Adult Small Breed Chicken Dry Dog Food
Best For Small Breed Seniors
10. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Adult 7+ Small Breed Formula Dry Dog Food
11. IAMS Mature Adult
All-in-One Buying Guide: Best Small Breed Dog Food
Things to Consider When Buying Best Food For Small Breed Dogs
FAQ
Why Do Small Breed Dogs Require Different Food?
What Are Some Of The Best Ingredients For Small Breed Dogs?
What Are Some Of The Worst Ingredients For Small Breed Dogs?
How Much & How Often Should I Feed My Small Breed Dog?
Should I Feed My Small Breed Dog Dry Food Or Wet Food?
How and When Should I Switch My Small Breed Dog’s Food?
Final Word
Top 11 Picks: Best Dog Food for Small Breeds
We did not include any boutique brands on this list. We also skipped anything that is grain-free and have only included foods that follow the AAFCO guidelines.
Why?
Right now, there is an FDA investigation regarding a link between these foods, specifically, grain-free foods, and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
Having owned pets with health issues in the past, we would never want to make a suggestion for you that could hurt or damage your loved ones.
Our Top 11 Picks
- Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin Stomach Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
- Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
- Royal Canin Small Puppy Wet Dog Food
- IAMS Puppy Small Breed
- Purina Pro Plan Puppy Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
- Hill’s Science Diet Adult Small Paws Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
- Royal Canin Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Most Recommended
- Royal Canin X-Small Adult Dry Dog Food
- Eukanuba Adult Small Breed Chicken Dry Dog Food
- Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Adult 7+ Small Breed Formula Dry Dog Food
- IAMS Mature Adult
The Best Dog Food for Small Breeds: Our Top Picks
If you’re not interested in reading the entire list and just want to know what we think is the best food for your small breed dog, here you go. We think the best food for a healthy small breed adult dog is Royal Canin Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food.
This product contains everything a small breed adult dog requires during his life’s prime years. It contains the optimal amount of protein, fats and nutrients for a small breed dog to live a healthy and happy life. If your dog suffers from a sensitive stomach or allergies, you might find foods specifically formulated for sensitive stomachs more beneficial otherwise Royal Canin Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food should have you covered.
Characteristics of Small Breed Dogs
A “small breed dog” is any dog that weighs less than 20 lbs and is under 18 inches tall. Small breed dogs have different dietary needs than larger breeds.
A small dog needs to have a food that is designed to fit his or her needs. Without the proper nutrition a small dog can suffer from any number of health issues, including, but not limited to allergies, cancer, hemolytic anemia, and hypoglycemia.
The most obvious difference between small breed food and typical dog food is kibble size. Due to their small mouths and teeth, large kibble are difficult, or sometimes dangerous, to eat.
They also need a food that is nutritious and can keep up with the frequency with which they need to eat. All without giving them so many calories that they become obese.
To help you provide your dog with the best food, we reviewed some of the most popular small breed dog foods on the market and created a comprehensive list covering every essential fact you need to know in order to buy the perfect food for your four-legged best friend.
This guide also includes information regarding how much and how often you should feed your dog, when to switch his diet from puppy to adult, what ingredients you must avoid, and a lot more.
Our Review: The Full List
Let’s take a good look at several small breed dog foods and see which is best for you!
Best Food For Dogs With Allergies & Sensitive Stomach
1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin Stomach Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
Description: A puppy with a sensitive stomach is no fun for anyone. Purina knows this and developed a formula in their Pro Plan line to address this specific issue.
Purina Pro Plan makes sure that your dog is getting all of the needed nutrients along with keeping their stomach calm and healthy. There is a healthy dose of Omega-6 fatty acid in the form of fish oil for healthy joints. There is also prebiotic fiber to help your puppy in their digestive process by stimulating a healthy gut flora.
Purina has only included ingredients that will keep your dog’s sensitive stomach happy. That means there is zero corn, zero wheat, and zero soy!
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Includes oat meal and rice – for easy digestion
- Primary ingredient is Salmon – rich in nutrients and protein
- Filled with antioxidants – helps immune system and digestion
- No corn, wheat or soy – ideal for dogs with sensitive stomach
- Rich in omega-6 fatty acids – support healthy skin and coat
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 28.0% min
- Fat: 17.0% min
- Fiber: 3.0% max
- Moisture: 12.0% max
- Calorie: 3,911 kcal/kg, 478 kcal/cup
2. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
Description: Hill’s Science Diet is one of the easier foods to digest for dogs with sensitive stomachs. They use high quality ingredients, like chicken meal and barley, that your puppy is sure to love.
Each kibble is perfectly sized for a small breed dog’s mouth and is packed full of nourishment to assist them in growing a healthy coat. Additionally, this food is high in antioxidants, easily digestible, and great for their skin!
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Balanced nutrition for Sensitive Stomach & Skin
- Made with wholesome ingredients like savory chicken mean & barley
- Smaller kibble – easy to chew for small dogs
- Enriched with prebiotic fiber – supports growth of beneficial bacteria
- Rich in omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E – for skin nourishment
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 21.0% min
- Fat: 12.0% min
- Fiber: 4.0% max
- Moisture: 10.0% max
- Calorie: 392 kcal/cup
Best Wet Dog Foods For Small Breed Dogs
3. Royal Canin Small Puppy Wet Dog Food
Description: As we’ve mentioned, small breed puppies have a very intense growth period. This means they need high calorie, nutrient dense food. These Royal Canin Wet Food Pouches are perfect for the first 10 months of a puppy’s life.
Each pouch is packed with vitamins (Like Vitamin E for immunity) and energy sustaining nutrients to get them through the puppy stage and into adulthood.
Food Form: Wet Food
Lifestage: Puppy
Breed Size: Small Breeds
Key Features:
- Rich in Vitamin E and antioxidants – helps improve immunity
- Easy to digest
- Enriched with prebiotic fiber – supports growth of beneficial bacteria
- Provides high energy – support their short yet intense growth period
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 6.5% min
- Fat: 4.5% min
- Fiber: 2.0% max
- Moisture: 81.0% max
- Calorie: 79 kcal ME/pouch
Best For Small Breed Puppies
4. IAMS Puppy Small Breed
Description: If you can’t keep a puppy on it’s own mother’s milk for the entirety of it’s growth period, IAMS Puppy Small Breed food is the next best option. They have specifically chosen a blend of 22 key nutrients that are typically found in milk (like Omega-3 fatty acids for brain and eye development).
To achieve this goal they have only included high quality, nutrient rich ingredients. Looking at the label you will find whole grains, vegetable for antioxidants, and farm raised chicken as a protein source.
It is hard to find a better food to support a small breed puppy.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Puppy
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Primary ingredient is farm raised chickens
- Includes 22 key nutrients found in mother’s milk
- Includes omega 3 DHA and helps cognition
- Supports the building of strong muscles because of high protein content
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 30.0% min
- Fat: 18.0% min
- Fiber: 4.0% max
- Moisture: 10.0% max
- Calorie: 445 kcal/cup
5. Purina Pro Plan Puppy Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
Description: Making their second appearance on this list is Purina Pro Plan. This time it is for their small breed puppy food. This food, like most of their line, contains all of the nutrients a puppy needs during it’s accelerated growth period (ingredients like phosphorus and calcium for health teeth and bone).
Purina Pro Plan Puppy food is guaranteed to have all of the nutrients your puppy needs delivered in a small sized kibble that is easy (and delicious) for them to eat.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Puppy
Breed Size: Small, Medium, and Large Breeds (All Breeds)
Key Features:
- Enriched with protein – support needs of highly active small dogs
- Includes no artificial flavors or colors
- Enriched with antioxidants – great for immune system
- Smaller kibble size for tiny jaws
- Contains live probiotics which helps improve digestion
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 33.0% min
- Fat: 20.0% min
- Fiber: 3.0% max
- Moisture: 12.0% max
- Calorie: 417 kcal/cup
Best For Small Breed Adults
6. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Small Paws Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
Description: With another entry from Hill’s Science Diet, we find their Small Paws food for adult small breed dogs. This food is designed for dogs between the ages of 1 and 6, just prior to when they may need to switch to a senior food.
The kibbles are small in size so they are easy to eat and most dogs are going to love the lamb based protein flavor. Lamb, as well as rice, is an easily digestible ingredient. Some of the nutrients included in this food are Vitamin E and Omega-6 fatty acids to make sure your dog’s skin and coat is healthy.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Enriched with omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E for healthy skin & coat
- Contains calcium & protein good for bones and muscles of your small dogs
- Delicious lamb flavor
- Smaller kibble size for tiny jaws
- Doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 20.0% min
- Fat: 13.5% min
- Fiber: 3.0% max
- Moisture: 9.5% max
- Calorie: 391 kcal/cup
7. Royal Canin Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food – MOST RECOMMENDED
Description: This is our top pick of the entire list. Royal Canin simply makes good, healthy, and high quality dog food.
This food is small and easy for your puppy to eat. It contains a healthy blend of essential nutrients to guarantee a long and healthy life.
Royal Canin recognizes the need for a specially formulated recipe for small dogs due to their higher metabolic rate and energy level. This food will not only provide them the energy they need to keep up with their metabolism but will do so while maintaining a healthy weight.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Made specifically for small breed dogs 10 months – 8 years old and weighing 9-22 lbs.
- Meets the high energy needs of small dogs while helping maintain a healthy weight with L-carnitine
- Small kibble for tiny jaws
- Contains premium fatty acids like EPA & DHA which helps keep skin & coat healthy
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 25.0% min
- Fat: 14.0% min
- Fiber: 3.4% max
- Moisture: 10.0% max
- Calorie: 359 kcal/cup
8. Royal Canin X-Small Adult Dry Dog Food
Description: If you think small dogs have a fast metabolism, let’s talk about extra small and mini breeds. Many small and extra small dogs can suffer from hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This food is designed to deliver the calories and nutrients an extra small dog needs to avoid any health issues.
Each extra small kibble is packed with a load of nutrients, like protein, fiber, DHA, and EPA. Your dog is going to love the taste of this food and it will help them stay healthy throughout their life.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Made specifically for toy and miniature breed dogs 10 months – 8 years old and weighing up to 8 lbs.
- Supports high energy needs of extra-small dogs
- Made with a blend of dietary fibers and is easy to digest
- Contains optimum level of EPA & DHA and helps keep skin & coat healthy
- Extra-small kibble size suitable for miniature dogs
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 22.0% min
- Fat: 16.0% min
- Fiber: 3.5% max
- Moisture: 10.0% max
- Calorie: 369 kcal/cup
9. Eukanuba Adult Small Breed Chicken Dry Dog Food
Description: Eukanuba’s Active Advantage line of adult small breed dog food was made specifically for the high energy and active lifestyle of small breed dogs. They know small dogs naturally possess a higher metabolism and need more calories and other nutrients per meal than larger breed dogs do.
Eukanuba also understands the need for high quality, palatable, and nutrient rich ingredients. That’s why you will find high quality chicken as the main source of protein, as well as chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine, Vitamin E, and DHA to support the development of healthy joints, skin, and coat.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Complete and balanced food for small dogs over 12 months old and under 23 lbs.
- Ideal for calorie and nutritional requirement of active small dogs
- Contains DHA and vitamin E for better brain function
- Primary ingredient is high quality chicken that meet your dog’s protein needs
- Contains animal protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin for muscle and joint health
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 28.0% min
- Fat: 18.0% min
- Fiber: 3.6% max
- Moisture: 10.0% max
- Calorie: 425 kcal/cup
Best For Small Breed Seniors
10. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Adult 7+ Small Breed Formula Dry Dog Food
Description: Purina has a Pro Plan recipe for every stage of your small breed dog’s life. As our dog’s age, their joints lose some mobility and their cognitive abilities start to decline.
This food is packed full of nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, and glucosamine for joint support as well as botanical oils proven to increase mental awareness.
You can help your lifelong friend age a little more gracefully by getting them a food designed with their natural aging process in mind.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Adult, Senior
Breed Size: Extra-Small, Small, and Toy Breeds
Key Features:
- Specially designed for small breed seniors, over 7 years old
- Increases alertness and mind sharpness
- Contains DHA, EPA, Antioxidants, B vitamins and Arginine which supports brain health
- Contains live probiotics for optimal digestion
- Help nourish skin & coat with omega-6 fatty acids and Vitamin A
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 29.0% min
- Fat: 16.0% min
- Fiber: 3.0% max
- Moisture: 12.0% max
- Calorie: 487 kcal/cup
11. IAMS Mature Adult
Description: Similarly to IAMS’ adult small breed food, their senior line is also made of farm raised chicken. This provides an excellent protein base in addition to the antioxidants present for a healthy immune system.
The kibble is a great size and is easy to eat. This is very important as our dogs get older and their teeth and jaws may become weaker. Additionally, you can help keep their skin and coat healthy with Omega-6 fatty acids and their digestive system running smoothly with the blend of prebiotics and fiber.
Food Form: Dry Food
Lifestage: Senior
Breed Size: Small, Medium, and Large Breeds (All Breeds)
Key Features:
- 1st Ingredient is real chicken
- Increases immune system with antioxidants
- Helpful in maintaining bone and joint health in senior dogs
- Contains probiotics & fibers for better digestion
- Designed specifically for supporting needs of senior dogs
Nutritional Information:
- Protein: 24.0% min
- Fat: 10.5% min
- Fiber: 5.0% max
- Moisture: 10.0% max
- Calorie: 349 kcal/cup
All-in-One Buying Guide: Best Small Breed Dog Food
Here are some of our best tips and recommendations you can use when picking out a new dog food.
Remember to not get too frustrated. Dogs can be picky and it may take a food or two before they find one they love.
Things to Consider When Choosing the Right Food
Since, small dogs have different dietary and nutritional needs; their food must possess particular characteristics to meet their requirements. Below you’ll find some important factors you must consider when buying food for your small breed dog:
Small-sized kibble: The smaller the dog, the smaller their mouth, teeth, and jaws. Because of this you need a small kibble.
Price: The price of dog food varies depending on your area but some general averages are:
- .50 cents to $2 for a 3.5 oz can of wet food
- $1 to $3 per lb of dry food
Dry food usually has a longer shelf life, so you can stock up on it if you find a good deal.
Nutrients, vitamins and minerals: All dogs need a high level of nutrition. You will want to make sure your puppy’s food contains all of their required nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Health Issues: You will want to take your own dog’s personal health into consideration. If they have a sensitive stomach, are overweight, or a senior they will need a food to address those specific needs.
You can always discuss this with your vet as well to make sure your dog is getting adequate nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked small breed food questions!
Why Do Small Breed Dogs Require Different Food?
If you have spent much time around any small breed dog you know they are like little balls of energy. They seem to just keep going and going. They are able to duo this because they have a high metabolic rate and burn energy very quickly. Even more so than large breed dogs.
This leads them to being unable to store large amounts of energy for long periods of time.
Another reason small dogs need specially blended food is for their own health. Hypoglycemia is very, very common within small breeds due to them being bred for their size. It is incredibly easy for their blood sugar to drop and them experience a medical emergency.
Small breed foods are made to give them the calories and energy they need between feeding times. General dog foods or foods for large breeds are not able to make these accommodations.
Here are some more reasons why small dogs need different food:
They have fast metabolism: We’ll go a bit more in depth about hypoglycemia. Because of their faster metabolism small breed dogs fly through any carbohydrates they have in their body. This process converts carbs into glucose.
This is how the dog is able to maintain it’s high energy level. The problem is that they then burn through their glucose level very quickly. When this happens too quickly, their blood sugar level can plummet resulting in hypoglycemia.
To keep this from happening, we feed them more frequent meals made up of calorie and nutrient dense food.
Their jaw size is smaller: Tiny dogs equal tiny jaws. This one is pretty self explanatory. Standard and large breed foods are simply to large and difficult to eat. Nutritional needs aside, these foods are, at best, impossible to eat or, at worst, a choking hazard.
Make sure your puppy has kibble that is small enough and soft enough for them to eat comfortably.
They live longer: Obviously, one of the benefits of having a small breed dog is that they typically live longer than larger breeds. However, a longer life gives more opportunity for health issues to pop up. Especially if they have not been given a proper and healthy diet.
Small breed formulated dog foods anticipate their needs throughout their longer lives and design their recipes to keep them healthy for the long haul.
Their stomach is smaller: Big dogs can eat large portions of food. That means they can get their nutritional needs en masse.
Small breed dogs can only eat so much due to the size of their stomachs. That means each individual kibble MUST be able to deliver a high amount of their required nutrition.
Their stomach is more sensitive: For some reason, small dogs tend to have more stomach sensitivities than larger breeds. Small breed dog food is typically made with ingredients that are easier on the stomach to digest.
Not only are they ingredients more easily digested but many brands will also include gut-aiding prebiotics or live probiotics.
What Are Some Of The Best Ingredients For Small Breed Dogs?
Since, small breed dogs have sensitive health, their food must have some essential ingredients and nutrients to keep them healthy. Here are some of those key nutrients:
Animal Based Protein: Dogs are naturally predators and carnivores. Their bodies require a high level of protein and typically function better when that protein is from an animal source.
High quality protein is absolutely needed to keep up with a small dog’s metabolic rate and energy level. As a general rule, if the food does not have an animal based protein source you should look for a different food. Vegetable proteins do not typically have the correct levels of amino acids a healthy dog needs.
Obviously, there are exceptions. If your dog has allergies to a lot of proteins you may need to source outside of animal protein. In these cases discuss your specific dog with your vet and/or dog nutritionist.
Fiber: As we mentioned, small dogs tend to have more sensitive stomachs than larger breeds. That makes fiber an essential ingredient to their food. Fiber helps their digestive system function properly by preventing bad gut bacteria, well-formed stool, and promotes a healthy colon.
Carbohydrates: Who doesn’t love carbs? Carbohydrates keep your dog’s energy levels up throughout the day. Just be weary they do not get too many carbs. Just like us, too many can lead to excessive weight gain which is bad for your puppy’s heart and joints.
Vitamins and Minerals: Your dog needs a good blend of vitamins and minerals for their body to be healthy. The inclusion of fruits and vegetables in the ingredient list will help keep your dog with healthy skin, a shiny coat, as well as strong teeth and bones.
What Are Some Of The Worst Ingredients For Small Breed Dogs?
Just like small breed dog foods must have some essential ingredients for optimal health of small dogs, there are also some ingredients that must be avoided at all cost as they can lead to serious health damages. Here is a list of some of the most harmful ingredients for small dogs and health risk associated with them:
Propylene glycol: Responsible for causing Heinz body anemia
Heinz body anemia: Responsible for food allergies
BHA: A type of preservative that can cause cancer
Ethoxyquin: A preservative responsible for causing Liver Pigmentation
Artificial dyes: Responsible for causing cancer
How Much & How Often Should I Feed My Small Breed Dog?
Unfortunately, there is no blanket answer to this question. We do know that smaller dogs must eat more often than larger ones. However, the frequency with which you feed your small dog depends on their age, weight, health, and level of activity.
Generally speaking, most small dogs should eat anywhere between 3/4 of a cup to 1 cup of small breed food spread throughout a day. We break their food up into separate meal times to keep them from gorging themselves.
Here’s how frequently a normal small breed dog should be fed during different stages of his life:
Puppy: As a puppy, your dog is super small and need a super small kibble. Puppy foods are made specifically for them to be easy to eat and deliver the calories they need for this growth period.
Typically, they will need to east between 3 and 4 times a day during the puppy stage.
Adult: Adults are not experiencing the same growth energy expense as puppies so they can be moved to a adult blend of food. Still make sure it is formulated for small breeds as their metabolism and energy use is still higher than a large dog.
You can cut a meal or 2 down at this point to just twice a day.
Senior (7+): Senior dogs really depend on their personal level of health. If they happen to be just as active at 7 or older as they were when they were 3 or 4 you can keep them on the same adult food.
But, if you notice that they are moving a little slower, sleeping a little more, and generally acting a bit more subdued, you may want to consider switching them to a senior food. These foods are usually made to help their joints and cognitive functions as they get older.
Senior dogs will also stay on the same adult feeding schedule of 2 times a day.
Follow Food Company’s feeding chart: Pretty much every bag of dog food you buy will have a feeding chart or guide printed on it. This is the intended use as dictated by the manufacturers and developers of that particular formula.
You can follow these instructions but make sure to monitor your dog’s health and weight when starting a new food. If they are gaining or losing too much weight or exhibiting negative health signs, you may want to adjust the amount of food or switch to a different food.
For more severe concerns, ALWAYS consult your vet before making any major changes concerning your dog’s health.
Should I Feed My Small Breed Dog Dry Food Or Wet Food?
The ideal answer to this question is, “whatever is convenient to you” or “whatever is preferred by your dog”. Both dry and wet foods have their own advantages and disadvantages, it’s up to you and your dog to decide.
Wet Foods: We have found that our dogs generally prefer a wet food to a dry food. It usually smells better, is more savory, and, from the way they voraciously eat, it tastes better. Wet food is also very soft and much easier to eat.
Wet food also has a lot of moisture in it which is good in keeping your dog hydrated, especially if they do not seem to drink often enough on their own.
One negative thing about wet food is that it can stick to their teeth. Over time, without proper brushing and dental care, this can lead to tooth decay and other dental health problems.
Dry Food: Dry food is much more convenient than wet food. It is generally much cheaper, cleaner, and has a much longer shelf life. You also do not have the same dental health concerns as with wet food.
Both dry and wet food will provide the right amount of nutrition that your dog needs. It really comes down to what is most convenient for you and your dog.
If you like, you can always switch it up on occasion. This can make your dog feel like they are getting a special treat and they may not get bored with their regular diet. Just be aware that changing their diet can sometimes lead to an upset stomach and in the house accidents.
How and When Should I Switch My Small Breed Dog’s Food?
How to Switch
As we mentioned above, switching your dogs food suddenly from one to another can lead to upset stomachs, especially if they already deal with sensitive stomach issues.
To prevent a negative reaction to a new food, it is good practice to gradually switch them over the course of a week to 10 days.
- Days 1-3 give them 25% new food and 75% current food
- Days 4-6 split it 50%/50%
- Days 7-9 give them 75% new food and 25% current food
- Day 10 and on give them 100% new food
We do a slow transition to adjust your dog’s stomach to the new food but also so we can observe if there are any changes in your dog’s health with the new food. If you notice any bouts of constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, or other health problems, you will want to either extend the time of the switch or take them to your vet, depending on the severity of their reaction.
When to switch
The most obvious times to switch their food is the transition from puppy to adult food and from adult to senior food. This is usually at around 9 or 10 months of age. Most senior foods are recommended at age 7 or older.
Final Word
We hope you found everything you were looking for.
Small dogs are little, furry, cute balls of energy. It’s important to feed them right so they can maintain that level of energy (and cuteness, of course). We hope this guide will help you find the right food for your little friend.
Still confused about something? Share your questions in the comments, and we’ll get back to you soon.
