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The best dog foods for small breeds are complete and balanced for adult dogs, start with a named meat or fish, and pack plenty of good protein into every calorie. Small dogs burn more energy per pound than big ones, and they gain weight just as easily, so a food that does more with fewer calories serves them well.
A small-breed formula is not a must. Most of what a small dog needs from food is what any dog needs, only more concentrated: good protein for the calories, the right fats, and a label that meets the AAFCO nutrient profiles. Smaller kibble helps small jaws, and that is the main thing a small-breed recipe changes.
Every food on this list scores Great or Excellent on the Puglib Score, which rates protein quality and amount for the dog's life stage, fats, and how the label measures up to the AAFCO minimums. Each is made for adult dogs of small breeds or of every size.
The best dog foods for small breeds of 2026
Here are the five best dog foods for small breeds, each the best at something different:
Best overall
Excellent
9.7
Puglib Score
- Main proteins
- White Fish, Salmon
- First ingredients
- Whole herring, salmon, monkfish, Acadian redfish
- Protein (dry matter)
- 45.5%
- Fat (dry matter)
- 18.2%
- Calories
- 3,760 kcal/kg
- Life stage
- All life stages
- Protein / fat
- Excellent / Excellent
View on AmazonORIJEN Six Fish is tied for the highest Puglib Score of any food we rate for small adult dogs. Whole herring, salmon, monkfish, redfish and flounder lead the label, for 45.5% protein on a dry matter basis, all of it from fish and rated Excellent for its calories. Fat sits at a healthy 18.2% DM, it is made for every life stage, and glucosamine is guaranteed. It is energy-dense (3,760 kcal/kg), so weigh the portions for a small dog that gains weight easily.
What we like
- Excellent protein: 45.5% on a dry matter basis, all from fish
- No poultry, for dogs that do better without chicken
- Glucosamine guaranteed (300 mg/kg)
Worth knowing
- Price range: mid-range
- Energy-dense (3,760 kcal/kg): small dogs that put on weight need careful portions
- A fish-led food has a strong smell some owners notice
Best for weight control
Excellent
9.6
Puglib Score
- Main proteins
- Chicken, Turkey
- First ingredients
- Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal
- Protein (dry matter)
- 37.5%
- Fat (dry matter)
- 11.4%
- Calories
- 3,020 kcal/kg
- Life stage
- Adult and Senior
- Protein / fat
- Excellent / Excellent
Many small dogs carry a little extra weight, and ACANA Light & Fit is the best-scoring food we rate for bringing it down. At 3,020 kcal/kg it is among the lightest foods we score, yet chicken and turkey lead the label and protein stays at 37.5% on a dry matter basis, so your dog keeps muscle while losing fat. The lower fat (11.4% DM) suits a dog on a diet rather than a very active one.
What we like
- Lighter: 3,020 kcal/kg, among the lowest we rate
- Still high protein (37.5% DM) to keep muscle while losing weight
- Glucosamine guaranteed (600 mg/kg)
Worth knowing
- Price range: lower mid-range
- Chicken and turkey lead the label; chicken is one of the most common food allergens in dogs
- Lower fat (11.4% DM): not the food for a very active dog
Best small-breed formula
Excellent
9.3
Puglib Score
- Main proteins
- Turkey, Chicken, White Fish, Salmon
- First ingredients
- Turkey, chicken, turkey giblets (liver, heart, gizzard), whole herring
- Protein (dry matter)
- 43.2%
- Fat (dry matter)
- 20.5%
- Calories
- 3,940 kcal/kg
- Life stage
- All life stages
- Protein / fat
- Excellent / Excellent
If you want a recipe made for small breeds, ORIJEN Small Breed is the highest-scoring one we rate. Turkey, chicken, turkey giblets, whole herring and salmon lead the label, for 43.2% protein and 20.5% fat on a dry matter basis, in a smaller kibble. It is made for every life stage, and glucosamine is guaranteed (800 mg/kg).
What we like
- Made for small breeds, with smaller kibble
- Excellent protein: 43.2% on a dry matter basis
- Glucosamine guaranteed (800 mg/kg)
Worth knowing
- Price range: upper mid-range
- Turkey and chicken lead the label; chicken is one of the most common food allergens in dogs
- Energy-dense (3,940 kcal/kg): weigh portions for a less active dog
Best small-breed formula with grains
Excellent
9.0
Puglib Score
- Main proteins
- Chicken
- First ingredients
- Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Chicken, Oatmeal
- Protein (dry matter)
- 40%
- Fat (dry matter)
- 17.8%
- Calories
- 3,688 kcal/kg
- Life stage
- Adult and Senior
- Protein / fat
- Excellent / Great
For owners who want grains in a small dog's bowl, this is the highest-scoring small-breed recipe with grains that we rate. Deboned chicken, chicken meal and dried chicken lead the label, for 40% protein and 17.8% fat on a dry matter basis, with oatmeal and barley after them. At 3,688 kcal/kg it is a little lighter than the ORIJEN above, and glucosamine is guaranteed (400 mg/kg).
What we like
- Formulated for small breeds
- Chicken, chicken meal and dried chicken lead the label
- Glucosamine guaranteed (400 mg/kg)
Worth knowing
- Price range: lower mid-range
- Chicken in three forms: not for a dog with a chicken allergy, one of the most common in dogs
Best widely available
Great
8.1
Puglib Score
- Main proteins
- Chicken
- First ingredients
- Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum
- Protein (dry matter)
- 35.6%
- Fat (dry matter)
- 20%
- Calories
- 3,830 kcal/kg
- Life stage
- Adult and Senior
- Protein / fat
- Great / Great
IAMS Proactive Health High Protein is the easiest food on this list to find, in most supermarkets as well as online, and it still scores Great. Chicken is the first ingredient, protein is 35.6% on a dry matter basis, and it guarantees 900 mg/kg of glucosamine. After the first ingredients it leans on grains (corn, sorghum) and includes chicken by-product meal, which some owners prefer to avoid.
What we like
- Easy to find in stores and online
- Chicken first, with added glucosamine (900 mg/kg)
Worth knowing
- Price range: budget
- Grain-heavy after the first ingredients (corn, sorghum)
- Chicken and chicken by-product meal: not for a dog with a chicken allergy
How we chose these foods
Every food we've scored. We start from our whole catalogue, not from brands that approached us.
Made for this dog. Foods for adult small dogs: made for small breeds or for every size, with an adult or all-life-stages statement.
Ranked by the Puglib Score, the same score you see on every food page.
Each best at something. The top food overall, then the best for the needs that come up most for this group, with no more than two foods from one brand.
What to look for in a small-breed dog food
Protein first. A named meat or fish as the first ingredient, and plenty of protein for the calories.
Calories you can measure. Small dogs gain weight easily: check the kcal per cup and weigh the portions.
Small kibble. Small-breed formulas make pieces that suit small jaws.
A complete and balanced statement for adult maintenance or all life stages.
Frequently asked questions
Do small dogs need a small-breed formula?
Not always. A small-breed formula mostly means smaller kibble and more calories per cup. A food made for all sizes works well if your dog eats it easily and you measure the portions.
How much should a small dog eat?
Start with the amount on the bag for your dog's weight, then adjust by body condition. Our cost per meal calculator shows the brand's amount for your dog.
Is grain-free better for small dogs?
Not in itself. Most dogs digest grains well; see our grain-free vs grain-inclusive article.
Scores and picks are checked against our catalogue. A food's page always shows its current score.