Best Dog Food for Small Dogs 2024

Developed by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists, Nom Nom recipes feature real ingredients and minimal processing. 

One of Nom Nom’s four fresh dog food offerings is Turkey Fare, which is made with ground turkey, brown rice, eggs, carrots, and spinach. It has a soft and chewable texture that makes it especially suitable for small mouths and teeth. 

Best of all, when you sign up for a trial or subscription, your pup will get a customized plan consisting of pre-portioned meals delivered straight to your door.

Nom Nom Dog Food variations:

• Turkey Fare
• Pork Potluck
• Beef Mash
• Chicken Cuisine

This grain-inclusive recipe for young’uns is part of Wellness’s Complete Health line for small breeds. Designed to meet the special nutritional needs of growing puppies, this dry dog food features proteins and grains such as turkey, chicken meal, oatmeal, and barley. 

This recipe is also fortified with DHA for brain development, calcium and phosphorus for bone growth, and vitamin A for healthy eyes. 

And like all Wellness products, it does not contain any meat by-products, fillers, or artificial preservatives or colors.

“Open Farm dog food is formulated with high-quality ingredients and does not contain any artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. The company also prioritizes the use of ethically sourced and humanely raised ingredients," says Dr. Jeremiah.

Open Farm offers two dry dog foods for small breeds: one with ancient grains and one grain-free. 

Both recipes contain chicken and turkey as the main animal protein sources, plus sweet potato, pumpkin, and chicory root for healthy digestion. Omega-3 fatty acids, parsley, and peppermint also make either recipe a great choice for pups who need skin and breath support. 

As with all Open Farm products, you can trace the ingredients back to the source by inputting your bag’s lot code in their traceability tool.

Open Farm Small Breed dry dog food variations:

• Small Breed Ancient Grains Chicken and Turkey
• Small Breed Grain-Free Chicken and Turkey

One of Solid Gold’s eight dry dog foods for toy and small breeds, this is one of only two recipes that include grains. 

Specially crafted for small jaws and teeth, it features bison, whole grains like brown rice and pearled barley, and 20 nutrient-rich superfoods such as blueberries, broccoli, and kelp. 

It also contains protected probiotics which stay alive until consumed for gut health. The kibble is a cute heart shape and one of the smallest sizes on the market.

This grain-free dry food recipe for older dogs is part of Merrick’s Lil’ Plates line for small breeds. Specially formulated for senior pups, it lists deboned chicken as the first ingredient and has fewer calories and fat to help older dogs maintain a healthy weight. 

This recipe is also supplemented with prebiotics and probiotics to aid in digestion, as well as glucosamine and chondroitin to support hip and joint function. In addition to being small, the kibble has a crunchy texture to help keep teeth clean.

Dr. Jeremiah notes, "Merrick products are made with high-quality, whole food ingredients, and they use no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.”