The 8 Best Dog Foods For Havanese

Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Best Havanese Dog Food

There is a lot to consider when selecting the best dog food for your Havanese. Because these dogs are so little, every bite must be packed with nourishment to ensure that they get all they require.

Furthermore, because of their small lips, they require food created particularly for little breeds. Otherwise, the kibble can be too big for their tongue.

Of course, not all Havanese are alike. Certain meals may be more beneficial to some people than others. This section will assist you in selecting the finest dog food for your unique canine.

Protein and Meat

No matter how active your dog is, he or she requires mostly protein and fat to flourish. While dogs can eat vegetables, fruits, and entire grains, they perform best when they eat a meat-based diet. As a result, we recommend selecting foods with meat as one or more of the first few ingredients.

Of course, not all beef is created equal. Other types of meat are often preferable over meat meal or whole meat. Meat meal is just entire meat that has been dried, which is frequently required when making dry food. This results in a highly concentrated version of meat that is more nutritious than whole meat.

By-products aren’t always negative, but we advocate avoiding them wherever possible because it’s hard to know what they are. By-products are any remnants of the production process.

This can include healthy items such as organ meats or filler such as chicken feathers. There is absolutely no way of knowing.

What about green peas?

You may have noticed that we listed peas as a disadvantage in every dog meal that contained them. Peas may be totally safe for people, but that does not appear to be the case for dogs.

Peas are a typical filler in grain-free dog meals. Instead of adding additional meat, the dog food business simply substitutes peas for grain in its mix, promotes it as grain-free, and costs more.

Peas, on the other hand, have been linked to cardiac troubles in a number of studies. While there is no definitive solution, it is becoming increasingly clear that peas should be avoided if feasible. (And, in most circumstances, they certainly can be.)

What to Look for in Ingredients

Many chemicals are used in dog food to make it healthier for dogs and to entice pet owners to buy it. Some of them are very vital for your dog’s health and should be sought out:

• Antioxidants – This addition aids in the battle against oxidative stress, which has been connected to a wide range of ailments. Berries and fresh fruits typically include antioxidants.
• Glucosamine – Glucosamine is frequently used in conjunction with a number of other joint-supporting additives to keep your pet’s joints youthful and healthy. While this isn’t a big problem for most little dogs, there’s no harm in incorporating it in their diet, which is why many dog food recipes include.
• Omega Fatty Acids – Omega fatty acids are a kind of fat that has been linked to a variety of activities. They can, for example, aid with joint health and keep your dog’s hair lustrous. Furthermore, low omega fatty acid levels in dogs have been linked to aggressiveness. They are frequently supplemented with salmon oil or a plant oil.

Conclusion

Choosing a dog food for your Havanese may be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be with our help. Any of the great foods we reviewed would be a good choice for a Havanese, though some might be better than others.

We preferred Ollie’s Fresh Chicken & Carrot Dog Food above the other foods we tested. This high-quality fresh cuisine contains high-quality components such as chicken. It’s also softly prepared and packed with delectable whole ingredients, which can help finicky eaters finish their plates.

However, as a low-cost choice, we loved Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Small Breed. Even though it has some lower-quality parts, the whole thing is high in protein and has probiotics.

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes our reviews and buyer’s guide assisted you in selecting the best dog foods for Havanese.

Reviews

Best Budget Option: Small Breed Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend

• The First 5 Ingredients Rice, chicken by-product meal, beef fat, corn gluten meal
• Protein 29%
• Fat 17%

Not everyone has a large budget for dog food. As a result, if you’re on a tight budget, we recommend Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Small Breed as the best food for Havanese for the money. This cuisine is far less expensive than most other alternatives available, but you will pay for it in other ways.

For example, the ingredient list is mediocre. The primary component is chicken, which is superior than several other foods on the market. Corn gluten meal and by-products, on the other hand, are towards the top of the list.

This isn’t necessarily a concern because most dogs will digest this nicely. It is not, however, as high-quality as some of the other alternatives on the market.

This recipe contains probiotics to ensure that your dog’s digestive tract is adequately nourished. Because so much of your dog’s immune system is in their intestines, this can help them stay healthy.

This formula is likewise high in protein, however not all of it is from high-quality sources. Much of it, for example, is derived from components such as corn gluten meal.

Pros

• The first component is chicken.
• Protein-rich formula
• Probiotics were provided.
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Some components of poor grade

 

Best for Puppies: Small Breed Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula

• The First 5 Ingredients Chicken deboned, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, and barley
• Protein 26%
• Fat 15%

Formula Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small Breed is our favourite pick for Havanese pups since it starts with actual deboned chicken as the first component, followed by chicken meal.

It also contains a number of beneficial grains, such as brown rice and barley. These carbohydrate sources are deemed high-quality when compared to other choices.

Furthermore, this recipe contains a range of nutrients to assist support your dog’s general health. For example, glucosamine is provided to help your dog maintain good joint mobility far into his senior years. All types of omega fatty acids are also included to assist nourish your dog’s skin and fur.

To increase absorption, all minerals are chelated. Antioxidants are also used to combat oxidative stress, which is the root cause of many health problems.

Furthermore, this formula has no maize, wheat, or soy. If your dog is allergic to any of these components, this meal is absolutely safe for him.

Pros

• The first component is chicken.
• Kibble for small breeds
• Glucosamine is present.
• Mineral chelated

Cons

• Expensive
• The brand is notorious for recalls.

 

Merrick Lil’ Chicken & Sweet Potato Plates

• Chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, sweet potatoes, and potatoes are the first five ingredients.
• Protein 38%
• Fat 17%

Merrick Lil’ Plates Chicken & Sweet Potato is another fantastic dog food for Havanese based on all of the criteria we considered. First and foremost, the component list is extremely impressive.

The primary component is chicken, followed by several varieties of meat that help fill out the dish. Because of the substantial meat content, it’s also quite high in protein.

We particularly loved that this kibble had actual freeze-dried meal chunks. Some Havanese are finicky eaters, and this dog food truly helps to encourage them to eat.

While there are no proven advantages to feeding raw food to your dog, it is a charming addition that most dogs will like.

This diet also contains omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin. These compounds benefit your dog’s joints, as well as his or her hair and skin. It is critical to maintain and nurture the fur of a Havanese.

Pros

• High protein content
• There is a lot of meat in this dish.
• Freeze-dried components
• Omega fatty acids and additional supplements are covered.
• Made in the United States

Cons

• Peas are included.

 

Small Breed Instinct Raw Boost

• Chicken, chicken meal, chickpeas, tapioca, and chicken fat are the first five ingredients.
• Protein 35%
• Fat 20%

Raw Instinct Boost Small Breed is a mix of kibble and raw meat. This not only makes the meal taste better, but it also enhances the quantity of protein in the diet. After all, the freeze-dried portions are made entirely of beef. However, there are no recognized additional advantages to raw.

However, you will be charged for the raw materials. This brand is rather pricey in comparison to others, particularly this recipe with raw chunks. If your dog is a finicky eater, the extra expense may be worthwhile.

The first component in this dog food is chicken, which supplies the protein that your dog requires to flourish. Chicken meal, which is essentially a concentrated type of chicken, is also provided.

As you might assume, this meal has a number of extra substances to help your dog’s health. Antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and glucosamine are all included to provide your dog the best possible assistance.

Pros

• The first component is chicken.
• Many other nutrients are given.
• Included are raw parts.
• The first component is chicken.

Cons

• Expensive

 

Senior Wellness Small Breed Complete Health

• The First 5 Ingredients Turkey, chicken meal, ground brown rice, peas, and rice
• Protein 25%
• Fat 12%

Wellness Tiny Breed Complete Health Senior, as the name implies, is intended for small, elderly dogs. While there is no set age at which your dog should start eating senior dog food, you should consider it once they begin to exhibit signs of aging.

This cuisine is particularly intended to be easy to consume. Havanese have a difficult time eating since they are so little, and dental issues and old age can exacerbate the problem. This mix is also high in excellent proteins, which will keep your dog healthy well into old age.

This meal has several extra nutrients, making it an excellent choice for almost any canine. It contains antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics, and taurine, among other things. All of these components contribute to your dog’s wellness.

However, this recipe contains certain low-quality components, such as white rice and peas. These carbs are not ideal for elderly or smaller canines.

Pros

• The first component is deboned turkey.
• Antioxidants were incorporated.
• Several joint-supporting nutrients are provided.

Cons

• Rice was incorporated.
• Peas were included.

 

Grain-Free Wellness CORE Small Breed Dry Dog Food

• The First 5 Ingredients Turkey deboned, turkey meal, chicken meal, lentils, and peas
• Protein 36%
• Fat 16%

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Small Breed Dry Dog Food is widely regarded as one of the best dog diets available, and it is priced accordingly. While it isn’t a bad dog food by any means, we don’t believe it has the value to be named one of the best. You’re spending a lot more without getting much more in return.

There is a lot of meat in this dish, including turkey and chicken. However, it contains a lot of lentils and peas, which have been linked to heart disease. It’s grain-free, but it’s loaded with these cheap veggies instead.

On the plus side, this supplement contains salmon oil, which is strong in DHA and omega fatty acids. Both of these substances are beneficial to dogs for different reasons. This diet also contains a number of additional supplements, including as taurine, chondroitin, glucosamine, and probiotics.

Pros

• a lot of flesh
• Glucosamine supplementation
• Grain-free

Cons

• Included are peas and lentils.
• Expensive

 

Science Diet by Hill’s Dry Dog Food for Small Bites

• The First 5 Ingredients Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, Cracked Pearled Barley, Chicken
• Protein 20%
• Fat 5%

Science Diet by Hill’s Small Bites Dry Dog Food is among the most costly products available. It is promoted as scientifically supported, as the name implies. However, the ingredient list is poor, and you pay a high price for what you receive.

The first ingredient is chicken, however it is the sole mention of meat elsewhere on the ingredient list. Protein and fat levels are both relatively low, most likely due to the lack of incorporated meat. Instead, grains are added in large quantities, even if they are entire grains.

Having said that, this recipe does contain a range of omega fatty acids and vitamin E, both of which are necessary for maintaining a dog’s coat.

Vitamin C is also incorporated to help maintain a healthy immune system. Furthermore, there are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in this product. Antioxidants are also added to help prevent oxidative damage.

Pros

• Antioxidants were incorporated.
• The first component is chicken.
• Complete grains

Cons

• Expensive
• Contains a lot of grains.

 

Small Digestive Care Dry Dog Food by Royal Canin

• The First 5 Ingredients Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal
• Protein 28%
• Fat 20%

While Royal Canin Small Digestive Care Dry Dog Food is frequently thought to be of good quality, a simple look at the ingredient list reveals otherwise.

Chicken by-product meal is the first component. While by-products aren’t always bad, you can’t always know what they are, which raises some concerns.

Furthermore, this is the sole indication of meat anywhere on the ingredient list for this dish.

The other components aren’t all bad. For example, chicken fat is listed as the third ingredient and is a simple method for businesses to add flavor to their products.

Corn gluten meal and ordinary corn, on the other hand, are included. Given that both of these components are in the top five, there is a good possibility that this cuisine is mostly composed of corn.

Having said that, this meal is primarily developed for digestive health, which may be beneficial if your dog has a very sensitive stomach. However, you will have to pay a high price for it because it is one of the most costly meals on the market.

Pros

• Designed for those with sensitive stomachs

Cons

• Expensive
• Ingredients of poor quality