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10 Best Dog Foods for Chihuahuas — 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

Chihuahua dog eat feed

Chihuahuas are the tiniest breed of dog in the world, but their personalities are much, much larger.

But how do their appetites measure up? Put it this way, Chihuahua owners are constantly in search of the best food because like all dogs, these pups love to eat.

If you’re a Chi owner looking for high-quality products, it can be a daunting task. Thankfully, we’ve done the hard work, so you don’t have to.

Here is our list of the 10 Best Dog Food for Chihuahuas and their reviews:

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Purina Pro Dry Dog Food Purina Pro Dry Dog Food
  • Formulated for small breeds
  • All-natural ingredients
  • No fillers or preservatives
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Rachael Ray Little Bites Dry Dog Rachael Ray Little Bites Dry Dog
  • Farm-raised chicken for lean protein
  • Rich in antioxidants
  • Bite-sized kibble for small breeds
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription
  • Customized portions
  • Human-grade ingredients
  • Easy to pause or cancel your subscription at anytime
  • Best for Puppies
    Royal Canin Chihuahua Dog Food Royal Canin Chihuahua Dog Food
  • Made for growing Chihuahua pups
  • Fortified with minerals & vitamins
  • Small kibble size
  • Hill’s Science Dry Dog Food Hill’s Science Dry Dog Food
  • Formulated for sensitive stomachs
  • Made with Vitamin E & Omega-6
  • Tiny kibble for small breeds
  • The 10 Best Dog Foods for Chihuahuas

    1. Purina Pro Dry Dog Food – Best Overall

    Purina Pro Plan

    Check Price on Chewy

    For the overall best dog food for your Chihuahua, Purina Pro Plan is made with the highest quality, all-natural ingredients. It’s formulated for small breeds and their dietary needs, so your Chi will have a complete and balanced diet. Purina Pro Plan is only made with naturally sourced ingredients with no fillers or preservatives. It’s rich in protein and Omega-6 for extra immune and coat health, so your dog’s fur will be soft and shiny. The only problem we found with Purina Pro Plan is that it can be too rich for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Otherwise, Purina Pro Plan 17010 Adult Dry Dog Food is a great dry dog food brand for your Chihuahua.

    Pros
    • Formulated for small breeds
    • All-natural ingredients
    • No fillers or preservatives
    • Omega-6 for coat health
    Cons
    • Too rich for dogs with sensitive stomachs

    2. Rachael Ray Little Bites Dry Dog – Best Value

    Rachael Ray Nutrish

    Rachael Ray Nutrish Little Bites Dry Dog food made with farm-raised chicken for a lean protein source perfect for toy-sized breeds like Chihuahuas. This brand is rich in antioxidants that can help improve your dog’s brain function. The kibbles are crunchy and bite-sized, so your Chihuahua can eat comfortably. Rachael Ray Nutrish is also affordable compared to other small dog food brands, without sacrificing quality. Rachel Ray Nutrish does contain corn and soy, so it may not be suitable for dogs with food allergies. Because of this, we kept it out of our #1 spot. As long as your dog can handle grains, this is the best dog food for Chihuahuas for the money.

    Pros
    • Farm-raised chicken for lean protein
    • Rich in antioxidants
    • Bite-sized kibble for small breeds
    • Affordable compared to other brands
    Cons
    • Contains corn and soy

    3. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription — Premium Choice

    The Farmer's Dog fresh food turkey recipe in bowl being served to white dog

    The Farmer’s Dog is a great fresh food product for your Chihuahua that’s delivered straight to your door. This food incorporates human-grade ingredients and offers a healthy option for dog parents. When you sign up for a subscription service, your order will be customized to your dog’s breed, weight, and activity level. So, you can be confident that you are meeting your dog’s nutritional needs.

    Since this is a fresh food option, you’ll have to take extra care to make sure it stays fresh. This means you’ll need extra freezer room to store it. The Farmer’s Dog is also more expensive than some other fresh dog food subscription services. However, the company’s care and attention to meeting your dog’s unique requirements are why we think that it’s worth it.

    Pros
    • Four recipe choices
    • Customized portions
    • Human-grade ingredients
    • Free shipping
    • Easy to pause or cancel your subscription at anytime
    Cons
    • Food needs to be kept frozen to stay fresh

    4. Royal Canin Chihuahua Dog Food – Best for Puppies

    Royal Canin 513825

    Royal Canin Chihuahua Puppy Dry Dog Food is similar to the adult Chihuahua version, except it’s made with Chihuahua puppies in mind. This brand is fortified with minerals and vitamins for extra support as your Chi puppy grows. Royal Canin Chihuahua Puppy kibble is small in size, so your puppy can safely eat. As with the adult version of this brand, the puppy kind is also made with rice as the first ingredient. This kibble also contains by-products and fillers, which are not beneficial for a puppy’s diet.

    Royal Canin 513825 Chihuahua Puppy Dry Dog Food costs more than other brands, which can be a problem for a young, energetic Chihuahua pup. We recommend trying other brands first for a better value and higher quality kibble.

    Pros
    • Made for growing Chihuahua pups
    • Fortified with minerals & vitamins
    • Small kibble size
    Cons
    • Rice is the first ingredient
    • Contains byproducts & fillers
    • On the expensive side

    5. Hill’s Science Dry Dog Food

    Hills Science Diet

    Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food is a premium brand of dog food aimed to meet the needs of small dogs with sensitive stomachs. This brand is made with Vitamin E and Omega-6 for extra coat and skin support, but it did lead to moderately itchy skin in some dogs. The kibble size is on the small size, so it’s suitable for all breeds of toy and small dogs. While Hill’s Science Diet is marketed as one of the best brands on the market, their recipe does contain soy and a preservative that make their claims a bit large. Another problem is that most dogs simply do not like Hill’s Science Diet, so we recommend trying other brands first.

    Pros
    • Formulated for sensitive stomachs
    • Made with Vitamin E & Omega-6
    • Tiny kibble for small breeds
    Cons
    • Contains soy & preservative
    • Most dogs don’t like the flavor
    • Caused skin to itch in some dogs

             

    6. Royal Canin Chihuahua Dog Food – Premium Choice

    Royal Canin 519625

    If you’re looking for breed-specific dry dog food, Royal Canin Chihuahua Dry Dog Food is a premium dog food brand specifically designed for adult and senior Chihuahuas. It is easy to chew when dry and rehydrates easily for Chihuahuas that may need a softer kibble. Royal Canin is popular, with a flavor that most dogs will enjoy. Chihuahuas can be picky eaters, so this premium brand may be a good option.

    The problem is that this brand is not as clean and healthy as other brands, with rice as the first ingredient instead of a meat protein. It also contains by-products and fillers like corn and wheat, which are not suitable for dogs with food sensitivities. Royal Canin has a premium price tag, so it can be expensive compared to other brands. For those reasons, we kept Royal Canin Chihuahua Dog Food out of our Top 2 spots.

    Pros
    • Designed for adult Chihuahuas
    • Rehydrates easily for softer kibble
    • Most dogs like the taste
    Cons
    • Rice is the first ingredient
    • Contains byproducts & fillers
    • More expensive than other brands

    7. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dog Food

    Blue Buffalo

    Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dog Food is a premium brand of dog food popular for its many different recipes and selections. Made with all-natural ingredients, Blue Buffalo has a great taste that your Chihuahua will love. The little supplement bits are a different story, with some dogs only eating the bigger flavored kibbles. That means your Chihuahua won’t be getting a balanced diet without the smaller “life bit” kibbles. While it may not contain fillers like wheat, corn or soy, this brand has a stronger smell than most brands. The bigger flavored kibbles are also large and may be uncomfortable for your Chi to chew it. For a better value, we recommend trying other brands first.

    Pros
    • All-natural ingredients
    • Most dogs enjoy the taste
    • No fillers like wheat, corn & soy
    Cons
    • Kibble size is larger than other brands
    • Some dogs spit out supplement bits
    • Somewhat strong smell

    8. Nutro Essentials Dry Dog Food

    nutro wholesome esstentials dry dog food

    Nutro Wholesome Essential Dry Dog Food is a small breed dog food made with farm-raised chicken for a protein-rich recipe. Nutro Essentials doesn’t contain any fillers or preservatives, but the quality tends to be more inconsistent than higher-quality brands. This dog food is fortified with essential nutrients for your Chihuahua’s dietary needs. The problem with Nutro is that the smell is very strong and overpowering, which seems to stick to your dog’s coat hours later. It’s also made with a rich formula that may cause your Chi to have an upset stomach. For consistent quality and better nutrition, we recommend trying Purina Pro Plan first.

    Pros
    • Made with farm-raised chicken
    • No fillers or preservatives
    • Fortified with essential nutrients
    Cons
    • Strong smell
    • Rich formula may cause upset stomach
    • Inconsistent quality

    9. Halo Natural Dry Dog Food

    Halo Purely For Pets

    Halo Natural Dry Dog Food is made with natural ingredients, with whole chicken being the first ingredient. Halo Dog Food is small and dense with nutrients that are easy for your Chihuahua to eat, but most don’t like the flavor and will not eat it. It also contains a digestive blend that may cause gas and indigestion, which can be painful for tiny breeds. This dog food recipe does contain a preservative, which makes it not as natural as it claims. It’s also more expensive than other premium brands, but it lacks the high quality and taste of more popular brands.

    Pros
    • Chicken is 1st ingredient
    • Small dense kibble for toy-sized dogs
    Cons
    • Contains preservative
    • Most dogs don’t like the flavor
    • Digestive blend may cause gas
    • On the expensive side

    10. Wellness Natural Complete Health Dog Food

    Wellness

    Wellness Natural Complete Health Dog Food is a premium all-natural brand made with a lean, protein-rich formula to meet the needs of your Chihuahua. This brand doesn’t contain any fillers or preservatives, but the quality is too inconsistent to be considered a top-quality dog food. Wellness Natural Dog Food has a rich flavor that may cause indigestion, especially in dogs with sensitive stomachs. Another issue is that most dogs didn’t like the flavor, with some dogs refusing to even try it. Lastly, the smell is strong and seems to stick to your dog, regardless of proper grooming. For high-quality kibble for your Chihuahua, we recommend trying Purina Pro Plan first.

    Pros
    • Protein-rich lean diet for small dogs
    • No fillers or preservatives
    Cons
    • Rich flavor may cause indigestion
    • Inconsistent quality
    • Most dogs don’t like the flavor
    • Somewhat strong smell

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    Final Verdict

    After looking at each product and our reviews of each, we found Purina Pro Plan Adult Dry Dog Food to be the best overall dog food for your Chihuahua. It’s specifically made for toy-sized breeds, and the flavor is a clear winner with most dogs. For best value, we found Rachael Ray Nutrish Little Bites Dry Dog to be an affordable, top-quality brand without sacrificing on nutrition. Our premium pick goes to The Farmer’s Dog for its clean ingredient list and convenient delivery service.

    Hopefully, we have made shopping for your Chihuahua’s dog food an easier task to take on. We looked for brands catering to toy-sized breeds like the Chihuahua for a complete and balanced diet. If you want to start a new dog food for your Chi, talk to your vet about making the next steps.

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    Featured Image Credit: Tanyastock, Shutterstock

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