Choosing the BEST food to feed your Sheltie puppy is VERY important!
As you will see below, most of the puppy foods below are designed specifically for SMALL breeds, like Shelties. This is important because small dogs need more nutrients and calories per pound to support their high metabolism than larger dogs. And the kibble is also smaller, so it’s easier for them to eat!
Sheltie
We have done an extensive amount of research to narrow down the endless options that are currently available. The list below was designed to provide a wide variety (wet, dry, grain-free) of puppy foods across different price ranges.
9 BEST foods for Sheltie puppies:
#1. The Farmer’s Dog
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The Farmer’s Dog was founded by two dog lovers who realized that crunchy, highly-processed brown balls were not real food. So, they developed a fresh, human-grade dog food that’s nutritionally complete and balanced.
You’ll start on the company’s website with a survey that considers your Sheltie puppy’s size, age, and several other factors, including special needs. They will then ‘design’ a food program to your specifications and deliver it to your door. The grain-free food is so fresh that it arrives in the mail in an insulated box. Therefore, you will need to put it into the freezer to ensure it doesn’t go bad, except for the first pack you use.
Our family uses The Farmer’s Dog for our dog Chloe, who is an incredibly picky eater. She LOVES it!
All the ingredients (meat, vegetables, fiber, vitamins, and minerals) are sourced from reputable food suppliers, local farms, and other human food purveyors that meet USDA standards. The Farmer’s Dog also adds human-grade supplemental nutrients such as fish oil, filled with immunity-boosting Omega-3s.
Unfortunately, the company does not offer a unique “puppy” formula. However, a representative stated that their food is good for all dogs starting at eight weeks of age and periodically increasing the quantity as your Sheltie puppy grows.
Positives:
- The food is freshly-made, gently cooked, and not processed!
- It’s delivered to your door.
- Customer service picked up the phone immediately and was more than willing to answer my questions.
Negatives:
- The CO$T! This food is by far the most expensive you will find for your puppy.
*Get 50% off your first box by clicking here!*
#2. The Honest Kitchen Puppy Food Clusters
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The Honest Kitchen is one of the BEST puppy foods for Shelties around. Believe it or not, their whole food clusters are considered 100% edible for humans. Yes, you read that correctly! The ingredients are sourced from human-grade, whole foods. 🙂
The Honest Kitchen uses a unique process to ensure as much nutrition passes from the whole foods they use into the clusters. First, they cold-press the ingredients into bite-size clusters, which are then roasted and dehydrated. And all of this takes place in a HUMAN FOOD facility.
The puppy blend featured above contains real chicken, chicken liver, whole vegetables, fruit, eggs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and probiotics. In addition, there are no meat meals or fillers. Please be aware that there is no special option for small-breed puppies like Shelties.
The company’s website is jam-packed with health and training tips, recipes, and success stories. The Honest Kitchen also generously offers a special discount to qualified non-profit rescues, and 63 percent of their packaging is made from renewable and fully recyclable materials.
#3. Royal Canin Dry Puppy Food – Small Breed
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Royal Canin produces some of the BEST food for Sheltie puppies available.
My favorite part about Royal Canin is that they combine incredibly healthy food with kibble, which almost every puppy enjoys eating. As a result, even picky dogs tend to have no problems with Royal Canin.
In addition to the dry puppy food featured above, Royal Canin makes WET puppy food. Try both to see which one your young Sheltie likes better, or mix them together!
Positives:
- Promotes immunity and digestion with antioxidants and prebiotics.
- Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are included to nourish your dog’s skin and coat.
- To help with the absorption of nutrients, there is a great balance of protein and fiber.
Negatives:
- One of the main ingredients is chicken by-product meal.
#4. Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Puppy
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In the opinion of many pet owners, veterinarians, and breeders, Wellness Complete Health is one of the BEST puppy foods you can buy for Shelties. This recipe provides comprehensive nutritional support and is prepared with a tasty mixture of turkey, salmon, fish oils, vegetables, wholesome whole grains, and other antioxidants and nutrients.
Wellness Complete Health Puppy contains:
- DHA for brain development.
- Calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin A for strong bones, healthy teeth, and eyes.
- Vitamins and minerals support the immune system.
- Omega fatty acids for skin and coat health.
Make sure you also look at the WET food that Wellness makes for puppies. It is incredibly healthy, and most dogs prefer the taste of wet food versus dry.
#5. Blue Buffalo Puppy Food – Small Breed
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Blue Buffalo is an excellent choice if you want quality, affordable dry food for your Sheltie puppy. It’s not as expensive as other options on this list, but it still contains quality ingredients, with “deboned chicken” listed as number one.
The ‘True Blue Promise’ states that they do not use poultry by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives. Furthermore, this dry food is supplemented with what Blue has coined “LifeSource Bits.” These pieces of small, dark kibble contain a precise blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that have been cold-formed to minimize heat exposure during processing, resulting in the preservation of both potency and flavor.
In addition to the puppy food featured above, Blue Buffalo offers two other kibbles designed specifically for puppies:
- Blue Wilderness Puppy features approximately 10 percent more protein in the form of chicken, chicken with grains, or red meat. The Wilderness products were inspired by what wolves eat in the wild.
- Blue Freedom Puppy is a grain-free puppy food. Instead of grains that contain gluten, you will find peas and potatoes.
Positives:
- The first ingredient is “deboned chicken.” In addition, there are NO “by-product” meals.
- No corn, wheat, or soy. Includes whole grains such as brown rice, barley, and oatmeal.
- Free of any artificial flavors and additives.
Negatives:
- Blue Buffalo has a significant recall history.
Blue Buffalo makes WET food specifically for puppies too!
#6. Hill’s Puppy Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
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Hill’s Pet Nutrition is dedicated to lengthening and enriching the human-pet bond and strives to make nutrition a cornerstone of veterinary medicine. They guarantee no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives are used in any of their food recipes.
The Science Diet Puppy Chicken Meal and Barley recipe supports your growing Sheltie puppy by providing the following:
- DHA from fish oil aids their brain and eyes.
- High-quality protein to grow their muscles.
- Balanced minerals for strong bones and teeth.
Hill’s also makes wet puppy food that is great to combine with this dry kibble or use on its own.
Lastly, the company has a program that provides nutrition to hundreds of shelters across North America by sharing a part of the proceeds from your purchase. In addition, ‘Hill’s Disaster Relief Network‘ is a first-of-its-kind program created in 2013 to quickly provide free pet food to animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and other non-profit organizations caring for pets after disasters.
Negatives:
- Low on protein compared to other brands.
#7. Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Puppy Formula
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Purina Pro Plan makes excellent puppy food for growing Shelties.
Here are some of the BEST parts of this dry kibble:
- Omega-rich fish oil provides DHA to nourish brain and vision development.
- Antioxidants assist a puppy’s developing immune system.
- Calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals support the building of strong bones and teeth.
- High-quality protein builds lean muscles. Check out the ingredient list below to see CHICKEN as the first ingredient.
- A highly digestible formula that ensures as much nutrition is passed on to your puppy as possible.
- Their skin and coat should look beautiful from the included Omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin A.
This puppy food provides a lot of NUTRITION to Shelties for the cost. It’s great for owners that want high-quality food but can’t afford some of the more expensive options above.
Make sure to check out the wet food that is specially designed for puppies from Purina Pro Plan!
#8. IAMS PUPPY – Small Breed
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If you’re looking for inexpensive puppy food for your Sheltie, then Iams might be the best choice.
Compared to other products on this list, it is one of the CHEAPEST. But if you analyze the ingredients, you will find that Iams does a great job of providing as much nutritional benefit to their recipe for the cost as possible!
One of the best parts about this food is that it includes REAL chicken as the first ingredient. Typically, you will find “chicken meal” or “chicken by-products” listed first in products in this price range. But to help keep the price low, “ground whole grain corn” was used as the second ingredient.
In addition to this dry kibble, Iams also sells WET puppy food. I know my dog has always loved when I combine wet and dry food together!
The mission of Iams is ‘to enhance the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods.’ In developing their foods, Iams conducts research to the highest ethical standards. They do not undertake, support, or sponsor studies that harm animals.
Positives:
- Affordable.
- Provides sufficient nutrients for growing puppies.
- Iams is a well-known and trusted company.
Negatives:
- Only available in one flavor.
- Uses some processed, unnatural ingredients.
- Made with meat by-products and fillers.
#9. Pedigree Growth and Protection Puppy Food
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Do you need the food for your Sheltie puppy to be as inexpensive as possible?
If so, this option from Pedigree might be the best choice! As you will see, it is the cheapest option on this list. But luckily, Pedigree included as much nutrition as possible in the recipe. For example, it includes essential omega fatty acids to promote a healthy brain, vitamins, minerals, and whole grains. And it does NOT include any artificial flavor.
But to lower the food’s cost, adjustments to the ingredients had to be made. As you can see below, corn is the first ingredient. In addition, you will also find chicken by-products, corn gluten meal, and soybean meal. Lastly, Pedigree is low in protein compared with other foods, and some buyers have said the kibble is too hard for their puppies to eat.
- I recommend pairing this dry kibble with Pedigree’s wet puppy food!
When it comes to dog food, Pedigree has been a trusted name for years. If you decide to move forward with this product, know that it’s a great option when it comes to price, but it is not as healthy as the other options above.
Positives:
- Great taste that most dogs love.
- Free of artificial flavors.
- Whole grains.
- Filled with B vitamins, zinc, and Vitamin E antioxidants.
Negatives:
- Corn is the first ingredient.
- It contains meals made from chicken by-products.
- Please be aware that there is no special option for small-breed puppies like Shelties. The kibble may be too big to consume.
*If this article was helpful, make sure you don’t miss these as your puppy grows.*
Because of the huge variety of products available, selecting the BEST type of puppy food for Shelties is incredibly challenging. I hope this guide helped narrow down your choices today. 🙂
If you have time, we would love for you to answer the following question:
What puppy food do you feed your Sheltie?
Please leave us a COMMENT below!