Best Puppy Food for Shih Tzus of 2026

The most useful line on the bag is the expected adult weight range: 9 to 22 pounds for puppies 2 to 10 months. That covers a typical Shih Tzu better than a toy-only formula, and it is why we think this is the more flexible small-breed bag for a mix or a puppy whose adult size is still uncertain.

Crunchy kibble is simple to serve, and the small-breed size is easier for a Shih Tzu to pick up than a standard all-breed piece. The formula also brings antioxidants for immune support and prebiotics and proteins for gut health, which are the basics we want in a puppy food rather than a long list of extras.

The 4-pound bag is a practical middle ground. It gives you more food than the breed-specific bag while keeping the same general price tier, so it is the better value if your puppy does not need the Shih Tzu-specific kibble shape. We also appreciate that it is designed to pair with Royal Canin wet puppy food, which makes mixed feeding straightforward.

For a mixed-breed puppy or a Shih Tzu expected to land near the top of the small range, this is the more flexible bag to keep in the pantry. It is the one we reach for when the breed-specific bag feels too narrow for the puppy in front of you.

Small morsels are the point of this bag. For a Shih Tzu puppy with a small mouth and a flat face, the pieces are easy to pick up and chew, and they work as training treats without breaking out a separate bag.

Hill's builds the recipe around DHA and fish oil for brain and eye development, plus balanced minerals for growing bones and teeth. We appreciate that the ingredient list is short and familiar rather than crowded with marketing extras. The small pieces also make it easy to use a few as rewards during house training, which is a small convenience but one you notice every day.

This is a small-and-mini formula rather than a Shih Tzu formula, which makes it the more flexible choice if you are feeding a mix or a puppy whose adult size is still uncertain. We think it is one of the best all-round choices here for a Shih Tzu puppy, especially if your puppy is an enthusiastic eater and you want a bag that is easy to portion. If your puppy turns its nose up at bigger kibble, start here.

The label leads with protein and guaranteed live probiotics, which is a useful combination for a small-breed puppy that needs to build muscle and stay regular. Real chicken is the first ingredient, and DHA from fish oil is included for brain and vision development. That is a solid baseline for a growing small-breed puppy.

We think the value case is the strongest reason to choose it. The 6-pound bag gives you more food than the breed-specific and small-and-mini bags here, and the formula is built for small breeds rather than all sizes. For a Shih Tzu puppy that is eating well and has no sensitive-skin issues, that makes it an easy everyday choice.

The kibble is small enough for most small-breed puppies, and the probiotics are guaranteed through the end of the bag rather than just added at mixing. We also like that the formula is simple: chicken, rice, DHA, and probiotics. If your puppy is a fussy eater, the smaller morsels from Hill's are the safer first move.

Salmon is the first ingredient here, and the formula is built around sensitive skin and stomach support. That makes it a different kind of pick: you choose it because your puppy has already shown a problem with a chicken-based food.

We like the combination of salmon, fish oil, and omega-6 fatty acids for skin and coat, plus natural prebiotic fiber for digestive health. The rice is easy to digest, and DHA still supports brain and vision development. In a breed with a long coat to maintain, those are useful nutrients to have in the bowl.

It is not the first choice for a puppy with no skin or stomach issues. But if chicken seems to be the trigger, this is the bag we reach for before trying a more exotic protein. The fishy smell is noticeable, so keep it in a sealed container.

The ingredient list is the reason to look here: real chicken first, brown rice, barley, and oatmeal, plus the LifeSource Bits Blue Buffalo adds for antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It is a grain-inclusive recipe in a small-breed formula, which is a useful combination if you are deliberately avoiding grain-free food.

We appreciate that the formula is built for small-breed puppies and uses chicken as the first ingredient rather than a vague meat meal. The 5-pound bag is also a sensible size for a single Shih Tzu puppy, and the pieces are described as small-breed kibble.

The less predictable part is digestion. Loose stools and vomiting can show up during the switch, so transition slowly and watch the bowl for the first week or two. That does not make it a bad food, but it does mean this is not the bag we reach for first when a puppy already has a sensitive stomach.

Where it lands for us is a conditional recommendation: it is a good fit for a Shih Tzu puppy already doing well on grain-inclusive chicken food, or for a household that wants that ingredient profile and is willing to transition carefully. If your puppy has a sensitive stomach, the salmon Pro Plan is the safer place to start.

The price is the first thing that makes this bag worth a look: it is the least expensive of the puppy foods here, and the 5-pound bag is large enough to last a small puppy for a while.

The formula covers the basics: chicken and egg for protein, DHA for cognitive and vision development, and antioxidants for immune support. It also includes nutrients for bones and joints, which is more than you might expect from a budget bag.

We think of it as a fallback rather than a first choice for a Shih Tzu. If you are between bags and need to keep costs down, it is a puppy formula with the core nutrients, and the 5-pound bag gives you room to see whether your puppy agrees with it before committing to a larger size.