7 Best Dog Food For Pugs In 2022

This is our review of the best dog food for Pugs in 2022.

Pugs are very special dogs and they also have their own nutritional needs. Of course, finding food that makes them happy and healthy can seem like a full-time job, especially since each brand makes a number of bold claims.

To take some stress out of your decision, we’ve reviewed some of the best foods on the market today for pugs. In the reviews below, we’ll share which ones are worth feeding your little prince and which ones are best left on the shelf.

And yes, we understand that no matter what food you buy, you will still end up subsidizing your diet with table scraps. We would tell you not to, but we know how futile it is to try to resist those little stubby faces

8 Best Dog Foods for Pugs Reviewed

You’ll find the best dog foods for pugs in this section. We’ve included a variety of different recipes so that you can choose the best option for your canine. 


1. Royal Canin Pug Dry Adult Dog Food

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Pug Adult Dry Dog Food, 10-Pound
  • FORMULATED FOR PUREBRED PUGS: Royal Canin Pug Adult Dry Dog Food is designed to meet the nutritional needs of purebred Pugs 10 months and older

Main features –

  • First 5 Ingredients: Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Brown Rice, Corn, Corn Gluten Meal
  • Guaranteed Analysis: 2% Crude Protein, 14% Crude Fat, 3.3 % Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
  • Caloric Content: 3,740 kcal/kg, 314 kcal/cup
  • Breed Size: Small Breeds, Extra Small Breeds
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Key Feature: With Grain

Reasons to suggest

  • Royal Pug Canin is specifically made for pugs and boasts some unique qualities that give it an edge over less specialized foods.
  • The best part is the design of the croquettes themselves. It’s made to be easy for your pug to pick and chew, despite not having much in the way of a muzzle to work with.
  • The nutrients are also designed to address many pug-specific problems. It has quite a bit of omega fatty acids, thanks to ingredients like chicken fat and anchovy oil, and omega fatty acids are great for keeping your dog’s wrinkles clean and smooth.
  • It should be gentle on his stomach too, as it is filled with rice, oats, and beet pulp. This helps offset some common allergens found indoors, such as corn and chicken by-products.
  • Other than those questionable ingredients, our biggest problem with this food is the minimal amount of fiber inside. 
  • Overall, however, the Royal Canin Pug should be the best food you can find for your little friend, which is why it got top marks here.

2. Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Shredded Formula

Sale
Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Dog Food With Probiotics for Dogs, Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula
  • One (1) 6 lb. Bag – Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Dog Food With Probiotics for Dogs, Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula

Main features –

  • First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Poultry By-product Meal, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-tocopherols, Corn Gluten Meal
  • Guaranteed Analysis: 29% Crude Protein, 17% Crude Fat, 3 % Crude Fiber, 12% Moisture
  • Caloric Content: 3,824 kcal/kg, 373 kcal/cup
  • Breed Size: Small Breeds, Extra Small Breeds
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Key Feature: High-Protein, With Grain

Reasons to suggest

  • You may have to work a little harder to keep the weight off with a pug than with other breeds, and feeding him Piano Purina Pro will go a long way in helping.
  • It is high in protein (26%) and most of it comes from chicken being the first ingredient. They also use poultry by-product meal; this increases the total protein, but involves the use of low-quality meat. 
  • Your puppy may not care, but you probably would if you knew what it’s made of. At least that meat is full of joint-friendly glucosamine.
  • There is also a lot of wheat and corn here. This, combined with the animal by-products, is how the manufacturer can keep costs so low, and this is definitely an affordable dog food. In fact, we think it’s the best dog food for pugs for the money.
  • However, that value comes at the cost of feeding your dog substandard ingredients. Your pup will get all the protein he needs from this, but little else, as most kibble is made up of an inexpensive filler. You may want to consider adding some fresh fruit or vegetables.

3.  Royal Canin Canned Dog Food

Main features –

  • First 5 Ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing, Chicken, Pork By-Products, Pork Liver
  • Guaranteed Analysis: 7.4% Crude Protein, 4.2% Crude Fat, 1.7% Crude Fiber, 78.5% Moisture
  • Caloric Content: 1038 kcal/kg, 156 kcal/5.2-oz can
  • Breed Size: Small Breeds
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Key Feature: With Grain

Reasons to suggest

  • If feeding your dog proper nutrition is more important than saving money, consider this canned option from Royal Canine.
  • It’s certainly expensive, but you get good value for money. There is pork and chicken in here, which help give your dog all the protein he needs. The bad news is that pork is made of by-products, but chicken should be clean.
  • There is also a lot of flour here, both corn and rice. This adds a lot of empty calories, so be sure to watch your puppy’s life if you feed him regularly.
  • They counter this by adding dried beet pulp, which is high in fiber. It should help your dog feel full and at the same time help him stay regular. 
  • Overall, however, Royal Canin’s canned food is excellent for pugs and will definitely dress up any boring old dry food you put on his plate.

4. Complete Wellness Health Dry dog ​​food

Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Dry Dog Food with Grains, Natural Ingredients, Made in USA with Real Turkey
  • PROTEIN RICH SMALL BREED ADULT DRY DOG FOOD: Nutritionally dense crunchy kibble with ingredients such as turkey and oatmeal for whole body health.

Main features –

  • First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal, Oatmeal
  • Guaranteed Analysis: 28% Crude Protein, 15% Crude Fat, 4% Crude Fiber, 11% Moisture
  • Caloric Content:  3,645 kcal/kg or 408 kcal/cup 
  • Breed Size: Extra Small Breeds, Small Breeds
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Key Feature: No Corn No Wheat No Soy, With Grain, Natural

Reasons to suggest

  • Wellness Complete Health contains many proteins from different animal sources. Start with turkey, then add a chicken meal, salmon meal, and chicken fat, all of which are packed with essential amino acids.
  • We like that you don’t use cheap fillers, but use more nutritious foods like peas and lentils for your carbs. This should give your dog longer-lasting energy, while also helping to keep the extra pounds in.
  • You’ll also find some so-called superfoods here, such as blueberries, spinach, and flax seeds. There is also salmon oil, which keeps the levels of omega fatty acids high.
  • That salmon oil gives it a very strong smell, though, and many dogs find the smell unpleasant. It is also very expensive which you would expect given the quality of the ingredients.
  • We really like Wellness Complete Health, and if money isn’t an issue, you might even want to increase it by a point or two. For most people, however, the price may be enough to justify looking for one of our other top picks.

5. Royal Canin Pug Puppy Dog Food 

Sale
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Pug Puppy Dry Dog Food
  • FORMULATED FOR PUREBRED PUGS: Royal Canin Pug Puppy Dry Dog Food is designed to meet the nutritional needs of purebred Pugs 8 weeks to 10 months old

Main features –

  • First 5 Ingredients: Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn, Chicken Fat
  • Guaranteed Analysis: 27% Crude Protein, 16% Crude Fat, 3.5% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
  • Caloric Content: 3,781 kcal/kg, 371 kcal/cup
  • Breed Size: Small Breeds, Extra Small Breeds
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Key Feature: With Grain

Reasons to suggest

  • When they are small. Royal Canin Pug puppy is one of the best foods to do just that.
  • Like adult food in our No. 1, these kibbles are shaped in such a way that short-nosed pugs can easily scrape and chew them. This is especially important for puppies who have not yet fully learned how their jaws work.
  • This one has everything fat little puppies need to grow big and strong, even if they don’t always get those ingredients from the healthiest places.
  • Case in point: Chicken By-Product Flour is the first ingredient. This means that your dog will get a lot of protein and other important amino acids, but the chicken won’t be of the highest quality.
  • There are rice and corn makers to add carbohydrates (and this food has LOTS of carbohydrates) and your dog should be able to digest the former much better than the latter. 
  • This food also includes chicken fat and fish oil to give your little friend a ton of omega-fatty acids.

6. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 15 lb. Bag
  • Small breed dog food clinically proven for weight management
  • Over 70 % of dogs lost weight within 10 weeks

Main features –

  • First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Cracked Pearled Barley, Brown Rice, Pea Fiber, Corn Gluten Meal
  • Guaranteed Analysis: 10% Crude Protein, 24% Crude Fat, 9% Crude Fiber, 13% Moisture
  • Caloric Content: 291 kcal/cup
  • Breed Size: Extra Small Breeds, Small Breeds
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Key Feature: Weight Control, With Grain

Reasons to suggest

  • Hill’s Scientific Diet is famous for its prescription foods, which are fantastic. Unfortunately, its non-prescription options (like this one here) aren’t of the same caliber.
  • The ingredients start off pretty well, with chicken, barley, rice, and pea fiber, but then things take a turn. 
  • There’s a lot of corn gluten meal here, as well as artificial flavors. We also wish it didn’t have so much salt.
  • The bag says it’s Made in the USA with global ingredients, so you can’t be entirely sure where the food is coming from. Plus, no matter where it comes from, it’s very expensive.
  • Kibble is extremely small, so your pug shouldn’t have much trouble chewing it. Unfortunately, it’s also perfectly round, so it may have some trouble picking up each piece, especially when there are only a few left in the bowl.
  • Hill’s Science Diet isn’t bad food, but for the price, you would expect to get a little more for your money. Consequently, he will have to settle for a point at the bottom of this list.

7. Purina Beneful Incredibites Small Breed Dry Dog Food 

Sale
Purina Beneful IncrediBites With Farm-Raised Beef, Small Breed Dry Dog Food
  • Four (4) 3.5 lb. Bags – Purina Beneful IncrediBites With Farm-Raised Beef, Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Main features –

First 5 Ingredients: Beef, Whole Grain Corn, Barley, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Wheat
Guaranteed Analysis: 26% Crude Protein, 13.5% Crude Fat, 4% Crude Fiber, 12% Moisture
Caloric Content: 3,682 kcal/kg, 404 kcal/cup
Breed Size: Small Breeds, Extra Small Breeds
Lifestage: Adult
Key Feature: High-Protein, With Grain

Reasons to suggest

  • Beneficial Purine contains a lot of protein, especially since real chicken is the main ingredient. After that, though, the ingredient list goes down quickly.
  • You’ll find corn, wheat, and soy in the top five ingredients, and these foods are the leading causes of food allergies in dogs. If your puppy’s stomach is slightly sensitive, it will explode like an atomic bomb in his gut.
  • Inside you will also find animal by-products, artificial flavors, and a lot of salt. It’s like manufacturers have a checklist of foods that dogs have a hard time tolerating and check them all.
  • The food is a mixture of tender treats and hard kibble, which should be fine for most dogs. Older pooches or those with dental problems will likely find the crunchy pieces too difficult to eat, though.

8. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Salmon And Sweet Potato Dry Food

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet Salmon & Sweet Potato | Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
  • SALMON IS THE FIRST ANIMAL PROTEIN SOURCE providing essential protein and amino acids to help maintain strong muscles; Sweet Potatoes are included as a grain-free source of fiber to help support digestive health; Contains (1) 24-Pound Bag
  • WITH SENSITIVE PETS IN MIND we’ve carefully chosen a simplified list of premium ingredients to help support a healthy coat, skin & digestive system; made with limited animal protein source, and no added grain, soy, gluten, or artificial colors or flavors

Main features –

First 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca Starch, Potatoes
Guaranteed Analysis: 24% Crude Protein, 10% Crude Fat, 4.5% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
Caloric Content: 3,450 KCAL/KG; 373 KCAL/CUP
Breed Size: Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds, All Breeds
Lifestage: Adult
Key Feature: Limited Ingredient Diet, Sensitive Digestion, No Corn No Wheat No Soy, Grain-Free, Pea-Free, Chicken-Free

Reasons to suggest

  • This dry food has salmon as the first ingredient and sweet potatoes for the carbohydrate needs of the little puppies. 
  • The restricted recipe for high-quality carbohydrate sources maintains your dog’s digestive health. It also contains balanced levels of omega-3s and fats for the health of your pet’s skin and coat.
  • They never include artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, so you can feel good about feeding your favorite dog this healthful diet.
  • It’s specially designed for tiny jaws with a crunchy feel to help keep your teeth clean and healthy gums.
  • The great thing is that it is grain free. Contains no additional peas, pea protein, lentils, legumes, corn, wheat, or soy.

Conclusion

If you don’t know what to feed your little friend, we recommend starting Royal Pug Canin. It is made specifically for pugs and the kibble is shaped to make it easy to eat. Plus, it has the nutrients they need most.

For a cheaper option, try Piano Purina Pro. It is very high in protein without costing an arm and a leg, which makes it good for dog owners who are looking to save some money.

Finding a food that is both nutritious and delicious enough for your pug to eat can be a daunting challenge. We hope these reviews have simplified the process so that you can find food that allows your best friend to live a long and healthy life.

Of course, no matter how high-quality the food you buy for him, he’ll spend most of his time trying to take out the trash for a snack. That’s just how he goes.

Simply select your dog’s breed below to access the guide

Warning: Our reviews on the Best Dog Food For Pugs are mostly based on information from experts and manufacturers. We test many products, but it is impossible to test them all. That said, we ask that you remember that the recommendations above are opinions, and before using a treatment, we recommend that you consult with your veterinarian.

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Shubham sirohi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and is the published author of several self-help books and nutrition guides. Also, an avid dog lover and adoring owner of three cats, Shubham ’s love for animals has led him to a successful career as a freelance writer specializing in pet care and nutrition. Shubham holds a certificate in fitness nutrition and enjoys writing about health and wellness trends — he also enjoys crafting original recipes. In addition to his work as a ghostwriter and author, Shubham is also a blogger for a number of organic and natural food companies as well as a columnist for several pet magazines.