Top Dog Food Brands for a Happy, Healthy Shih Tzu

When it comes to selecting the best dog food for your Shih Tzu, ensuring a balanced diet that caters to their small size and specific nutritional needs is vital for their health and well-being. These charming little companions require a careful selection of high-quality ingredients that focus on maintaining their coat health and energy levels. With numerous brands available on the market, it can be challenging to determine which ones truly provide the optimal nutrition for your furry friend. To aid in navigating these choices, we've curated a list of top dog food brands favored by Shih Tzu owners that prioritize quality and nutritional value. Explore our recommendations below to discover the ideal options for your beloved pet.

Illustration of dog food for shih tzu

Best brands of dog food for shih tzu in 2025

Royal Canin

Royal Canin is renowned for its breed-specific dog food, particularly for Shih Tzus, offering tailored nutrition that addresses the unique needs of this breed. Their Shih Tzu Adult and Puppy formulas are designed to support skin health, coat shine, and digestive health, utilizing exclusive complexes of nutrients, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and biotin. The kibble is specially shaped to accommodate the Shih Tzu's short muzzle and underbite, making it easy to eat. These formulas also include highly digestible proteins and precise fiber content to reduce stool volume and odor. Royal Canin's commitment to precise nutrition ensures optimal health for Shih Tzus from 8 weeks to adulthood. For more details, visit their Shih Tzu Puppy product page.

Hill's Science Diet

Hill's Science Diet is a renowned brand, particularly praised for its tailored nutrition for small and mini breeds like the Shih Tzu. With a market share that, although declining, still held at 9.4% in the US dog and cat food market in 2011, Hill's Science Diet remains a trusted choice among pet owners and veterinarians alike. The brand is known for its clinically proven kibble technology and high-quality ingredients sourced from North America, Europe, and New Zealand, exceeding industry standards for purity and nutrient content. Hill's Science Diet for small and mini breeds is designed with a delightful kibble texture and balanced minerals to support heart, kidney, and bladder health, making it an ideal choice for Shih Tzus. As the #1 Veterinarian Recommended brand, Hill's Science Diet ensures complete and balanced nutrition for lifelong health and happiness. For more details, visit their website: Hill's Science Diet for Small Breeds.

Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo is a highly recommended brand for dog food, especially for Shih Tzus, due to its commitment to natural and healthy ingredients. Their formulas, such as the Life Protection Formula, contain real meat as the first ingredient, with no chicken or poultry byproduct meals, and are free from corn, wheat, and soy. These recipes include essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, with LifeSource Bits that boost the immune system. For example, the Wilderness Formula has a minimum of 34% crude protein, supporting muscle development and joint health with glucosamine and chondroitin. This brand is praised by veterinarians and pet owners for its high-quality ingredients and positive impact on dogs' health and coat condition. For more insights, visit their dedicated page.

Wellness CORE

Wellness CORE is a renowned brand for dog food, particularly suitable for breeds like the Shih Tzu, offering 100% grain-free and high-protein formulas that align with the raw feeding philosophy. Their recipes, such as the Reduced Fat Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, contain 35% less carbs than traditional diets and feature high-quality meat sources like deboned turkey and chicken, with no meat by-products, soy, or artificial preservatives. The food is enriched with fruits, vegetables, and botanicals, and is designed for everyday feeding, supporting optimal health for adult dogs over 1 year. The nutrient profile includes a minimum of 34% crude protein and 12% crude fat, ensuring a balanced diet. Additionally, Wellness CORE products are made in the USA and adhere to rigorous quality standards.

Nutro Ultra

Nutro Ultra is renowned for producing high-quality dog food, making it an excellent choice for Shih Tzus. Their Small Breed Adult formula features a trio of proteins from chicken, lamb, and salmon, providing essential antioxidants and supporting strong muscles and a lean body. With real chicken as the number one ingredient, this food ensures a delicious flavor that dogs love. Nutro Ultra dog food is formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of small breeds, ensuring optimal health and well-being. This brand is trusted by many pet owners for its commitment to using high-quality ingredients and avoiding fillers.

Merrick Lil’ Plates

Merrick Lil' Plates is a renowned brand that excels in producing high-quality dog food tailored for small breeds like the Shih Tzu. Founded over 30 years ago in Hereford, Texas, Merrick Lil' Plates offers grain-free recipes with real meat as the first ingredient, ensuring high protein content to support healthy muscle tissue and energy levels. Their recipes are free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, and include essential vitamins and minerals for complete and balanced nutrition. For example, their Healthy Grains Small Breed Dry Dog Food contains at least 27% crude protein and 16% crude fat, along with Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat health. This brand is committed to using premium ingredients from real, whole foods to create nutrient-rich recipes that make a significant difference in the health and well-being of small breed dogs.

Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild is a highly regarded brand for dog food, particularly suitable for Shih Tzus, offering grain-free and gluten-free formulas that mimic their ancestral diets. Their small breed recipes, such as the Appalachian Valley Small Breed Canine Recipe, feature high protein and fat content, with venison, lamb, and garbanzo beans as primary ingredients, providing essential amino acids and digestive support through probiotics and prebiotic fiber. Each pound contains 80 million live, active cultures to support healthy digestive and immune systems. The brand ensures rigorous quality standards and a 100% happiness guarantee. Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles, Taste of the Wild offers a balanced and nutritious diet for small breed dogs.

Natural Balance

Natural Balance is a highly regarded brand for dog food, particularly suitable for breeds like the Shih Tzu, due to its commitment to high-quality ingredients and balanced nutrition. Established in 1989 by Dick Van Patten, the company offers a variety of formulas, including the Vegetarian Dry Formula which meets AAFCO's protein requirements with 18% protein content. Their Limited Ingredient Diets are designed to minimize food allergies, featuring single protein sources and grain-free formulas, and include essential nutrients like taurine for heart health and glucosamine for joint support. Natural Balance ensures their products are free from fillers, wheat, corn, and soy, aligning with the initial vision of providing the best quality food for pets. With a guaranteed analysis that includes minimum percentages of calcium, phosphorus, and other vital nutrients, Natural Balance stands out as a reliable choice for pet owners. For more information, visit their page on grain-free chicken and sweet potato small breed recipe.

Canidae Pure

Canidae Pure is a highly regarded brand for dog food, particularly suitable for Shih Tzus, due to its nutrient-rich recipes featuring premium proteins and farm-grown vegetables. This brand offers limited ingredient diets, such as the Canidae Pure Petite With Grains, which is formulated specifically for small breeds and includes real chicken as the first ingredient, along with wholesome grains like barley and oatmeal. The Canidae Pure Grain Free range boasts an average rating of 5 stars, with a dry matter protein reading of 33.3% and a fat level of 15.6%, indicating above-average protein content. Additionally, these formulas are free from fillers, artificial colors, and preservatives, making them ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Canidae's commitment to regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices further enhances its reputation as a top choice for pet owners.

Orijen Small Breed

Orijen Small Breed dog food is a top choice for Shih Tzus, offering a biologically appropriate diet with 85% quality poultry and fish ingredients, providing essential protein, vitamins, and minerals. The formula includes fresh or raw ingredients, such as turkey, chicken, and whole fish, and is enriched with organs and bone to mimic the natural diet of dogs' ancestors. With a calorie distribution of 39% from protein, 20% from carbohydrates, and 41% from fat, it supports peak conditioning and meets AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages. The kibble is specifically designed to be small and nutrient-rich, making it ideal for small breed dogs like Shih Tzus. Additionally, the food includes pre- and probiotics to support digestive health and has a high metabolizable energy content of 3940 kcal/kg. For more detailed information, visit the Orijen Small Breed dog food page.