As with most pets, the Shiba Inu is at its healthiest when eating high-quality dog food that is specially designed to meet its needs. This breed is energetic but also prone to becoming overweight due to being a small breed dog.
The Shiba Inu is also known to suffer from skin allergies, so you need to be careful what food you feed them. However, there are so many different dog food options on the market today that it can be difficult and more than a little overwhelming to find the right food for your little Shiba Inu.
Never fear! In this guide, we’ll give you a list and reviews of the best six dog foods for the Shiba Inu breed as we see them. Stay tuned for a buying guide following the list. See you at the bottom!
A Quick Look at Our Top Picks in 2023
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Best Overall
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Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription |
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Best Value
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Royal Canin Adult Canned Dog Food |
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Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Dry Dog Food |
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IAMS ProActive Health Puppy Food |
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Castor & Pollux Organix Grain Free Dry Dog Food |
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The 6 Best Dog Foods for Shiba Inu
1. Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription– Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Beef, sweet potatoes, rosemary, peas (Beef Recipe) |
| Protein content: | 12% |
| Fat content: | 10% |
| Calories: | 1,540 kcal/kg |
Our overall best dog food for the Shiba Inu goes to Ollie Fresh Beef Dog Food. Ollie is a subscription dog food service that personalizes the recipes for their fresh food according to your dog’s breed, size, and health.
The food is all vet-formulated and contains superfoods with high nutritional value. Ollie Fresh Dog Food delivers meals straight to your door, which is an excellent convenience in today’s busy and chaotic world.
Ollie is expensive but worth the price you pay for the convenience and the fresh food. However, the meals take up a lot of freezer space, and one meal takes 24 hours to defrost, which is unfortunate if you forget to take it out in time.
2. Royal Canin Adult Canned Dog Food – Best Value
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, pork liver, chicken by-products |
| Protein content: | 6.5% |
| Fat content: | 3.0% |
| Calories: | 1,002 kcal/kg |
Our choice for the best dog food for the Shiba Inu breed for the money is Royal Canin Adult Canned Dog Food. In our opinion, this is one of the most affordable brands for Shiba Inus. Royal Canin is tailored to your dog’s size and age, and it’s a canned dog food that contains chicken as the first ingredient. Royal Canin has over 40 years of experience in making high-quality dog food, so that’s another thing to consider. This canned dog food also supports optimal joint support, dental care, and weight management. There are a few varieties to choose from, and you can be sure you’re choosing the best possible food for your furry friend.
It has been reported that some dogs refuse to eat this brand, however. You can avoid that scenario by mixing this Ollies with your dog’s dry food for the best results.
3. Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Corn, chicken by-product meal, Brewer’s rice |
| Protein content: | 25% |
| Fat content: | 14% |
| Calories: | 359 per cup |
Our third choice of the best dog food for the Shiba Inu breed is Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Small Adult Dry Dog Food. Your little Shiba Inu is a small breed dog, and this food is specially formulated for small breeds from 9 to 22 pounds. The food contains small kibble, which makes it easier for your dog to chew, and it’s ideal for high-energy pups. The food also has all the vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids needed to keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy and shiny.
However, the food is a bit on the expensive side, and it has been reported as causing stomach upset in some dogs.
4. IAMS ProActive Health Puppy Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, ground whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal |
| Protein content: | 29% |
| Fat content: | 17.5% |
| Calories: | 399 per cup |
Of course, if your Shiba Inu is just a puppy, you need to choose a food that’s made especially for puppies. Our top choice is IAMS ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original Dry Dog Food because it lists farm-raised chicken as the first ingredient in the blend. The dry kibble also includes 22 ingredients that are found in mother’s milk, meaning it should be good for your little fur baby as well.
The blend contains no artificial preservatives or flavorings..
However, the food contains artificial coloring in the form of caramel, so it might cause stomach upset in some puppies.
5. Castor & Pollux Grain Free Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Organic chicken, organic chicken meal, organic sweet potatoes |
| Protein content: | 26% |
| Fat content: | 15% |
| Calories: | 387 per cup |
At number five on our list of the best dog foods for the Shiba Inu breed is Castor & Pollux Organix Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. It contains no artificial preservatives, it’s USDA-certified organic, and supports healthy digestion for your pet. Castor and Pollux is formulated with small breeds in mind, and it’s perfect for your small Shiba Inu.
The food is expensive when compared to other brands on our list, and some pet parents reported their dogs being unwilling to eat the food.
6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas |
| Protein content: | 32% |
| Fat content: | 10% |
| Calories: | 375 per cup |
Last but not least, our number six spot goes to Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. This dry kibble contains real chicken as its first ingredient. The kibble is small enough for puppies, small breed dogs, and even senior dogs to chew with ease. It also contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that your pup needs to stay healthy and happy.
The food contains sweet potatoes, which might not agree with some dogs, and it has been reported as causing an upset stomach in some breeds. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight could be problematic because it is grain-free. It’s best to ask your vet if your dog needs to be on a grain-free diet before giving it any food that doesn’t have it listed as an ingredient for the best results.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Dog Food for Your Shiba Inu
Now that you know the best dog foods for the Shiba Inu breed on the market today, we’ll give you a few tips on how to choose the best one for your furry friend in the section below.
Look for Complete Proteins
The first thing you want to look for when choosing a dog food is the ingredients list. Since animal-based proteins should be at the forefront of your Shiba Inu’s diet, you want the first ingredient on the list to be a complete protein.
Look for whole proteins or meat meals (like chicken meal) at the top of the list for the best results.
Look for Probiotics and Supplements
Next, look for the addition of probiotics, supplements, vitamins, minerals, and anything else that will keep your pup healthy, happy, and carefree.
How Often Should You Feed Your Shiba Inu Puppy?
It’s recommended that you feed your Shiba Inu puppy small meals four to five times a day. Mealtimes should be short, so keep an eye on your pup to make sure it’s not overeating.
Shiba Inu’s are also picky eaters, so it might take some time to get it right with this fur baby.
Final Thoughts
This concludes our reviews of the six best dog foods for the Shiba Inu breed. Ollie Fresh Beef Dog Food delivers convenience and human-grade blends for the best overall dog food. Royal Canin Adult Canned Dog Food combines value for the money and experience, while Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Small Adult Dry Dog Food rounds out our top three with its excellent mix of ingredients.
We hope these reviews will help you choose the best dog food for your Shiba Inu and that they’ll be happy and healthy for many years to come.
See also:
Featured Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock
