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11 Best Foods for Schnauzer Puppies – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Hanh Duong

By Hanh Duong

Schnauzer puppy dog eating tasty dry food from bowl

There’s just something about a Schnauzer that makes them so adorable! Maybe it’s their bushy beards or defined brows that give them almost human-like qualities. Or it could be that they’re always down for an adventure fearlessly blazing trails wherever they go.

Whatever the case, they’re awesome.

And they’re always willing to give their best. So we should return the favor and start them off right by feeding them the best puppy food! A good puppy food isn’t just something that provides a full belly. It should be chock full of essential nutrients, proteins, amino acids, fats, and vitamins that a puppy needs to grow up strong and healthy.

But what are the best options for Schnauzer puppies in particular? Schnauzers require a certain nutrition in order to be their best. For instance, Schnauzers can be diagnosed with comedo syndrome, and the best way to minimize this is through omega fatty acids.

Let’s explore some of the best food for schnauzer puppies and see why they make the grade!

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Ollie Fresh & Baked Dog Food Ollie Fresh & Baked Dog Food
  • Made with high-quality, fresh ingredients
  • Customized for your dog’s needs
  • Offers both fresh and baked recipes
  • Budget Buy
    Second place
    Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy
  • Great for sensitive stomachs
  • Brown rice used in place of other more damaging grains
  • Cost-effective
  • Third place
    American Journey Grain-Free Puppy American Journey Grain-Free Puppy
  • Full of omega fatty acids
  • Grain-free
  • Lots of healthy fruits and vegetables
  • Royal Canin Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Royal Canin Miniature Schnauzer Puppy
  • Specifically catered to the required nutrition of Miniature Schnauzers
  • Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy
  • Cheap
  • Contains essential nutrients and omega fatty acids
  • The 11 Best Foods for Schnauzer Puppies

    1. Ollie Fresh & Baked Dog Food – Best Overall

    Ollie Pets Fresh Dog Food Lamb Recipe

    If you’re the proud new parent of an adorable Schnauzer puppy and are on the lookout for some high-quality food for them, you might want to consider going with a personalized dog meal delivery service like Ollie.

    Ollie sends out fresh and baked dog food recipes to your door on a schedule you set and based on your dog’s dietary requirements and preferences. It’s suitable for both adult dogs and puppies of all breeds, ages, and sizes. When you go to “get started” on Ollie’s website, you will be asked to complete a brief quiz in which you’re asked about your dog’s breed, age, size, preferences, and any allergies they have.

    The service then calculates how many calories your dog needs per day and puts together a starter box for you to try out at a discounted price. Your starter box comes with a few extra bits and bobs—a scoop, container, and customized feeding guide. You are free to cancel or change your subscription at any time.

    We consider Ollie to be a premium brand because it uses fresh, high-quality (what it calls “human grade”) ingredients in its recipes including a variety of meats, fruits, and vegetables. Ollie’s recipes also meet AAFCO nutritional standards and contain zero fillers, by-products, or preservatives. It’s also a company run by dog lovers, which adds an extra layer of reassurance!

    The only downsides to Ollie are that you need freezer space to store the fresh recipes—though this does mean that they’ll last for up to six months—and that it’s a little expensive long-term.

    Pros
    • Made with high-quality, fresh ingredients
    • Customized for your dog’s needs
    • Offers both fresh and baked recipes
    • Offers a discounted starter box
    • Delivered on your schedule
    Cons
    • Pricey long-term
    • Requires freezer space

    2. Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy

    Rachel Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Dry Food

    If you’re looking for the best food for Schnauzer puppies for the money, you need to check out Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Bright puppy food! We recommend the chicken and brown rice flavor. Made with real slow-roasted chicken, this not only makes the dog food delicious for your pup but also helps them to develop strong lean muscle and a healthy heart.

    And while this food isn’t grain-free, it’s made with brown rice which is a much healthier alternative to discarded or broken white rice meal. And the number one ingredient for this blend is still chicken.

    Rachael Ray’s dog food is also full of healthy fruits and veggies such as peas, carrots, beet pulp, and cranberries—all of which are easily digestible for pups who have food sensitivities and delicate stomachs. Not to mention, cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C for their immune systems.

    We do like that this food provides a source of omega fatty acids as well. However, it comes from fish meal instead of more premium oils. All in all, this dog food is the best bang for your buck when it comes to ensuring your Schnauzer puppies get the best they can.

    Pros
    • Great for sensitive stomachs
    • Brown rice used in place of other more damaging grains
    • Cost-effective
    Cons
    • Not grain-free
    • More omega fatty acids to be desired

    3. American Journey Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food

    American Journey Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food

    Our number three choice for the best food for schnauzer puppies is American Journey Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food. This food is made with real, deboned lamb specially blended with a variety of healthy roots, vegetables, and fruit to create a superfood feast for your dog.

    The formula is completely grain-free, getting essential carbohydrates to your dog via chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and other healthy sources. American Journey is also packed with fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients in the form the nutritious veggies and fruit like carrots, kelp, and blueberries.

    And remember those omega fatty acids that Schnauzers need quite a bit of? This food is full of them coming from rich sources such as salmon oil and flaxseed. This not only will keep their coats and skin healthy but their brain and eyes as well. Schnauzers also suffer from many different eye conditions including cataracts and glaucoma, making these essential omega fatty acids that much more important.

    The biggest concern we have about this dog food is that it’s a little more on the expensive side. But if you want your dog to have the best, you’re going to need to spring for some extra cash.

    Pros
    • Full of omega fatty acids
    • Grain-free
    • Lots of healthy fruits and vegetables
    • High protein
    • Gluten-free
    Cons
    • More expensive than other brands

    4. Royal Canin Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Dry Dog Food

    Royal Canin Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Dry Dog Food

    If you’re looking to go the extra mile for your Schnauzer puppy, you can always purchase dog food that’s been custom-built for their breed. And that’s exactly what Royal Canin does. They’ve specifically crafted a proprietary blend of dog food that’s a Schnauzer exclusive. This provides them with the exact nutrition that they need without you having to worry about whether they received the right vitamins and nutrients.

    This specific blend is designed to be used for Schnauzer puppies aged eight weeks to 10 months old. And it helps them out with their sensitive skin issues, coat considerations, and even with the regulation of their ideal body weight.

    Royal Canin has even gone the extra mile to design the shape and size of the actual kibble into the ideal bite based on your Schnauzer’s jawbone and teeth composition. But here’s the thing. If you’re looking to get this kind of premium product, you had better be prepared to pay for it. This is easily the most expensive brand and food on this list.

    If this food was even just a little bit cheaper, we could have ranked it higher. However, there are not too many people out there who would consider this excellent food a viable long-term feeding option based on financial consideration alone.

    Pros
    • Specifically catered to the required nutrition of Miniature Schnauzers
    Cons
    • Extremely expensive

    5. Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original Dry Dog Food

    Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original Dry Dog Food

    Iams is a classic dog food brand known for making quality feed available to homes of all walks of life. It’s affordable for just about every dog owner out there, and it still carries all the nutrition a growing pup needs to become strong and healthy.

    The formula contains 22 key nutrients like the ones found within your puppy’s mother’s milk. And they’ve made sure to include omega-3 DHA to help with brain growth and development. However, Iams is a corn-based blend which is essentially empty nutrition. This is done to help keep costs down. But the number one ingredient is still chicken and that’s a good sign.

    While it is very cost-effective, we still have to give the best value award to Rachael Ray’s blend, especially as her formula utilizes brown rice instead of corn.

    Pros
    • Cheap
    • Contains essential nutrients and omega-fatty acids
    Cons
    • Corn-based formula

    6. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Puppy Canned Dog Food

    Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Puppy Canned Dog Food

    Blue Buffalo is known for their top-notch pet foods, and this puppy chow is no different. And it’s also the first wet food selection on this list. Normally, we recommend wet food when your pup needs that extra bit of moisture or as an appetite enhancer for stubborn or picky dogs. And that’s because a strictly canned food diet can be rather expensive and inconvenient.

    But canned food most definitely has its place—especially one of this quality.

    The first three ingredients in this food are chicken, chicken broth, and chicken liver. And it’s only after you dig through some other vegetables and roots that you find the first grains. However, those grains happen to be brown rice and barley. Both of which are very good sources of carbohydrates for your pup.

    And there’s a good chance your Schnauzer’s going to want to dig right in. The biggest complaints we have about this food is that it can be expensive as a daily meal and that you won’t use a full can all at once. This means that you’ll have to refrigerate this once opened until it’s ready to be used again.

    Pros
    • Full of real healthy ingredients
    • More of a well-prepared stew than dog food
    • Grains included are healthy and nutritious
    • High in protein
    Cons
    • Gets expensive fast when fed daily
    • Needs proper refrigerated storage when opened

    7. Wellness Complete Health Puppy Dry Dog Food

    Wellness Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal & Salmon Meal Recipe

    Wellness Complete Health is another solid dry dog food choice for your Schnauzer. However, they do take a bit of a holistic approach to their formula, adding herbs and extracts such as taurine, green tea, and spearmint. There’s even Yucca Schidigera added to help reduce your puppy’s stool odor. These aren’t harmful to your pooch, however, it is a bit different than what you may be used to seeing.

    The formula blend provides an excellent amount of protein for your puppy, utilizing both chicken and salmon as the primary sources. Wellness Complete Health isn’t a grain-free option, but they make use of oatmeal, barley, and other whole grains to give your pup healthy complex carbohydrates and the energy they need to conquer life’s challenges day by day.

    However, all of this extra fiber and added herbs may have an effect on your pup’s gut health. There have been several instances where owners have found that their dog’s stool was too soft after switching to this food.

    Pros
    • Cheap
    • Provides plenty of protein
    • Offers good carbohydrate sources in whole grains
    Cons
    • Puppy’s stools may become too soft

    8. Royal Canin Puppy Canned Dog Food

    Royal Canin Puppy Canned Dog Food

    Royal Canin gets a second spot on our list for this canned wet food. Like its previous selection, this is a science-based diet that’s supposed to provide a growing puppy with everything they need to become big and strong. The puppy food uses three main sources of protein in its formula: chicken, pork, and salmon. The last of these is an amazing way to introduce omega fatty acids into your pup’s diet.

    They’ve also added nutrients and vitamins such as taurine, vitamin E, and vitamin C to help bolster your growing puppy’s immune system. This food can be served as either a full complete meal or as a topper for dry kibble. We prefer the second option for this food.

    While the Royal Canin dry food for Schnauzer puppies is really formulated directly to the breed, this can is not. It’s generically made puppy food. Don’t get us wrong. It’s still decent food. But they’re still charging premium prices for it. Not to mention, it is a bit behind the Blue Buffalo above in terms of nutrition. However, it does make for a nice healthy treat on special occasions or as a topper for kibble.

    Pros
    • Full of vitamins and taurine
    • Three different protein sources
    Cons
    • Very expensive
    • Best used as a topper and not a meal

    9. Holistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

    Holistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

    Right off the bat, we like seeing that Holistic Select is taking a grain-free approach. This generally means that unhealthy filler grains are replaced with nutritional complex carbohydrates such as sweet potato or chickpea. In this formula, potato and pumpkin are used. Upon further inspection of the ingredient list, you’ll find striking similarities to the Wellness Complete above. There are many different holistic herbs and products added to the blend.

    Some of these added products are actually enzymes designed to help your pup with digestion and the breaking down of proteins. The blend also contains antioxidant-rich superfoods such as pomegranate and blueberries to support cellular and immune health.

    However, this food can be a bit of a turn-off. It’s primarily made out of fish including sardines, anchovies, and salmon. This gives the food itself a very distinct aroma that picky eaters may quickly turn their noses up at. And the price for a single bag is pretty steep, making this out of reach for many dog owners. Also, the fact that this isn’t a dedicated puppy chow makes us question the effectiveness of many of the added holistic ingredients.

    Pros
    • Grain-free
    • Enzymes added for dogs with sensitive digestion
    Cons
    • Smelly
    • Expensive
    • Not a dedicated puppy chow

    10. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food

    When Merrick Classic Healthy Grains does grains, they mean business. This blend is full of them! It contains brown rice, barley, oatmeal, alfalfa, and quinoa. All of these are good healthy grains full of nice complex carbs; however, we’d like to see some more focus on other ingredients. After checking the ingredient list, there are only two fruits and vegetables: apples and carrots.

    They do make up for the lack of natural vitamins and minerals by adding a bunch of different supplements and amino acids. However, nothing quite beats the real deal. However, they don’t skimp at all when it comes to protein. This is definitely a high-protein blend with healthy sources of chicken, salmon, and turkey included.

    The amount of fiber inside this blend is nice too as it really can assist with digestive issues your puppy may have. But this bag is expensive. And they’ve recently downsized the size of their bag while keeping the price the same. For the same amount of money, you can easily pick up another dog food that won’t break the bank and is even more catered to your pup’s needs.

    Pros
    • High protein
    • Good source of ancient whole grains
    Cons
    • Very expensive
    • Too many added unnatural ingredients for vitamin and mineral count
    • Only 2 fruits and vegetables listed

    11. Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

    Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

    The Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy food is one we would have loved to get behind more. It’s a bag of food that’s got the perfect-sized little bites that your loved ones can easily handle. It also has chicken listed as it’s number one ingredient, so it’s off to a great start.

    The blend has also got a few added vitamins in order to help boost your pup’s immune system. However, that’s where the good things seem to stop. As far as fruits and vegetables go, this formula has the least amount of any other food on our list, with plain beet pulp being the only listed vegetable.

    While chicken is the number one ingredient, it’s followed up by a host of filler grains and materials such as corn, wheat, sorghum, and rice. The only real nutrition provided to your pup comes in the form of added supplements instead of whole, natural foods.

    What’s really surprising though is how much this costs without providing anything of real substance. This bag is over double the price of what our best value (Rachael Ray’s) dog food is and at a mere fraction of nutrition. We strongly recommend that you take advantage of any of the other dog foods on this list above the Eukanuba.

    Pros
    • Small bites
    Cons
    • 4 different types of empty grains
    • One vegetable only
    • Very expensive for lack of nutrition
    • Added supplements make up the bulk of nutrition

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    Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Foods for Schnauzer Puppies

    What Makes a Good Dog Food?

    Miniature Schnauzers puppy eating
    Image By: Cynoclub, Shutterstock

    Dry kibble and canned wet food are carefully formulated to provide all the nutrients your furry friend needs to stay healthy. Plus, quality commercial dog foods are thoroughly tested and regulated by veterinary specialists to ensure they meet strict standards.

    Dogs are omnivores and thus benefit from grains, fruits, and veggies in their diet. These ingredients aren’t just fillers; they’re packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The best dog foods will have a mix of meat, veggies, grains, and fruits that are easy for your pup’s digestive system to handle.

    It can be hard to know what to believe if you’re looking for information about dog nutrition online. There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings out there. To find reliable information, check where it’s coming from. Only trust sources that are backed up by science, like vets, canine nutritionists, or scientific studies. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    There’s a lot of talk about different types of dog food, like grain-free or pea-free options or foods that contain animal byproducts. If your dog has a grain allergy, which is rare, your vet might recommend a grain-free diet. But for most dogs, grains are actually a good source of nutrients. Animal byproducts can also be nutritious, especially organ meats. These often have more nutrients than muscle meat. Your vet can help answer any questions you have about your dog’s food.

    It can be tough to figure out which dog food is good or bad. One way to do it is by reading the label, but that’s not always easy. The print can be tiny and handling those big bags of dog food in the store can be awkward. Plus, some labels can be misleading. Luckily, the FDA requires dog food labels to include eight important pieces of information (listed below), and some states have their own labeling rules, too.

    • Product name
    • Name and address of the manufacturer
    • Net weight of the product
    • Guaranteed Analysis
    • List of ingredients
    • Feeding guidelines
    • Intended animal species
    • Statement of nutritional adequacy

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    Conclusion – Choosing the Best Food for Schnauzer Puppies

    With all of the available puppy chows out there, it sure can be difficult to choose the right one for your Schnauzer. We hope that these reviews have given you an in-depth look into what we believe are the best selections.

    Our pick for the best overall is Ollie Fresh & Baked Dog Foods since it is made from whole ingredients, is grain, preservative, and filler-free, and is curated to meet the specific needs of your pup.

    In a close second is Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Bright puppy chow. It’s another masterfully blended formula that ensures your puppy gets everything it needs to become a strong, healthy dog. And let’s not forget that it costs a fraction of just about every other option on this list. It truly is the absolute best value for your money.

    The American Journey Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food is our third favorite due to its awesome formula that manages to take a grain-free blend and create a healthy balance of healthy carbs, high protein, and essential omega fatty acids.


    Featured Image Credit: Maximilian100, Shutterstock

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