What's The Best Dog Food For Schnauzers? Reviews & Buyer's 2022 Guide
Are you someone that just grabs any dog food from the grocery store aisle without spending the time to search and read the information on the food label? For those who want optimal breed health for your miniature schnauzer, you should pay close attention to the types of dog food that you buy.
There has been an increase in popularity in organic, high-quality ingredients for holistic health, and it's quickly changing the landscape of pet food. Schnauzers need nutrient-packed food to prevent severe health conditions from happening in the future.
It's no secret that miniature schnauzers are among one of the best dogs in the world, so as a dog lover, we have to take good care of them. In this article, we'll go over the best food for schnauzers and how to meet their ideal lifestyles.
Contents
We already did all the research for you. If you're in a hurry and just want to see the best food for schnauzers, here are our top choices.
PRODUCT / PRODUCT DETAILS
PRODUCT
PRODUCT DETAILS
- Smooth and hassle-free digestibility improves gut health
- Recipe is suitable for Schnauzers through all life stages
- Zero traces of processing the ingredients at high temperature that deprive them of nutrients
- Dehydrated fruits and vegetables along with limited ingredient composition are ideal for miniature schnauzers
- Experienced canine nutritionists and diet-centric veterinarians advocate this recipe
- Complete and balanced nutrition miniature breed dogs over 12 months old and weighing up to 23 lbs
- Promotes joint well-being and the development of muscles for active dogs with a combination of animal protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin
- Help keep dogs sharp and supports healthy brain function with vitamin E and DHA
- Chicken of excellent quality is the first ingredient for their protein intake
- Fuels an active lifestyle with levels of carbohydrates and fats
- Designed explicitly for miniature schnauzer over ten months of age
- Helps maintain the miniature schnauzer's ideal weight
- An exclusive complex of nutrients helps flourish their skin and coat
- Contains specific levels of amino acid groups to help support the coat's natural color
- Kibble designed to make it easier for the breed to pick up and to encourage chewing
Our 8 Best Dog Food For Schnauzers
1. TruDog Rawgo Dehydrated Raw Superfood, Chicken & Rosemary
Whether you have a schnauzer adult or a miniature schnauzer, either of them needs a diet with regulated fat content, protein content, and calorie requirements. This diet imparts meat protein through chicken and essential fatty acids through canola oil, making it amongst the quality foods with a range of health benefits.
If your canine companion has ear infections, progressive retinal atrophy, kidney problems, or a terrible metabolism drawback, then the nutrition-packed ingredient list is sure to make each of the kibble pieces a healthy solution.
Moreover, miniature Schnauzer owners will notice how these lovely dogs will begin to exhibit a more happy, healthy, and cheerful lifestyle.
Being primarily made of chicken and potatoes, the clean formulation is topped with one ingredient each of fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils, along with the essence of supplements too.
PROS
- Premium chicken cuts are purely real meat
- No form of grains, flavors, fillers, by-products, sugars, or colors
- Good choice for dogs with food sensitivities
- Assured to alter your pooch's dietary preferences
- Each of this formula's contents is backed by ample veterinary research
CONS
- Some dogs may not like the dry texture
2. Eukanuba Adult Small Breed Chicken Dog Food
The Eukanuba Adult Dog Feed is filled with nutrients designed to give small breeds everything they need to maintain good health. This chicken meal promotes overall joint health and healthy muscle mass for an active movement.
This kibble contains prebiotics and natural fiber blend to aid more gentle digestion. On top of that, the ingredients of DHA inside support the healthy development of their brain. Included in this formula is a 3D DentaDefense to reduce tartar build-up to provide a means for healthy gums and clean teeth.
This dry dog food is ideal for small breed dogs such as a miniature schnauzer adult over 12 months old and weighing up to 23 lbs. It's a combination of taste and food quality make this a great choice as the best dog food for miniature schnauzer.
PROS
- Supports lean muscles and agile joint movement
- Provides sustained energy to promote an active lifestyle filled with exercise
- Assists in healthy brain function and mental acuity
CONS
- A bit expensive
3. Royal Canin Tailor-Made Kibble For Adult Miniature Schnauzer
This brand performs extensive research from veterinarians, pet professionals, and owners to build a science diet with balanced nutrients, making this the best dog food for miniature schnauzers. They focus on creating products that tailor to the nutritional needs of a purebred dog.
Their adult dry food is formulated especially for Miniature Schnauzers over ten months old. If your Miniature Schnauzer's coat isn't colorful, then it is deficiencies that cause depigmentation. This natural dry dog food contains amino acids to maintain the coats natural color.
Due to its kibble size, it's also an excellent choice to maintain their ideal weight. The size of the breed dry dog food encourages chewing instead of large lumps food that can be detrimental to the digestive tract. This is easily one of the best food for miniature schnauzer.
PROS
- Helps maintain your miniature schnauzer's natural fur color
- Improves fur with EPA, DHA, and vitamins A and E
- Assists in maintaining an ideal body weight with a healthy diet & nutrition miniature dogs
CONS
- A vast difference in the kibble size for miniature schnauzer puppy and adult version
4. Gentle Giants World Class Canine Complete Nutrition Cuisine, Chicken Dry Dog Food
Gentle Giants is the ideal schnauzer food due to its whole grains of oatmeal and brown rice along with a natural balance of farm-raised chicken. It also includes ingredients like non-GMO fruits and vegetables. These include blueberries, apples, cranberries, and tomatoes, which are ideal food for miniature schnauzers.
It also contains an extensive list of vitamins, minerals, glucosamine, and chondroitin. Also, this schnauzer food has prebiotics that is approved by vets for a very nutritious meal.
This dog food is formulated to support your dog's daily life, from puppy to senior. This chicken meal contains all natural ingredients for dogs with sensitive digestion. There is no corn, wheat, soy, and completely GMO-free.
PROS
- Helps to improve digestion and the absorption of dog food even for sensitive stomachs
- Ensures optimal health
- Assists in managing the weight for your dog
CONS
- Some dogs may not like the hard texture of the food
- Some may not be accustomed to eating a wholesome blended adult dry dog food
5. Holistic Select Grain Free Adult & Puppy Health, Salmon and Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe
Holistic Select Recipe with the salmon meal is designed to support the digestive gland, including digestive enzymes, healthy fiber, and active probiotics. When combined with its source of protein and other high-quality natural ingredients, this recipe assists in the absorption and utilization of vital nutrients, especially for dogs with food sensitivities.
This dog food is for the life stages of a puppy only. This fish meal also contains a source of live, naturally-occurring microorganisms typically found in a healthy digestive tract. Also, it includes antioxidant-rich superfoods like blueberries and pomegranate to offer natural support to cellular growth.
There are other varieties of veggies, fruit, and spices such as pumpkins, cranberries, papaya, cinnamon, dried beet pulp, spinach, and ground flaxseed. Due to its myriad of fresh ingredients, this is one of the best dog foods in the market.
PROS
- Naturally aids digestion to move the waste from the digestive tract through their colon
- Stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and increases nutrient absorption
- Improves the shine of a miniature schnauzers fur
CONS
- Has a very strong fishy smell that lingers if left out for too long
6. Iams Proactive Health For Smart Puppy Small Breed, Real Chicken Recipe
The Iams Proactive Health Real Chicken Meal Recipe is the ideal dry dog food for small breeds, extra small and toy breeds such as the miniature schnauzers. This chicken meal is formulated for dogs who are 1-12 months old and up to 20 lbs at maturity.
It contains natural fish oils and DHA to promote optimal brain development and encourage smarter and more trainable puppies. It's an excellent protein option with healthy chicken fat and chicken liver.
This formula provides all the sources needed for healthy digestion in your dog for a happy tummy. Their proprietary fiber mixture contains a prebiotic to feed the good bacterium in the gut and beet pulp to absorb vital nutrients better.
IAMS includes vitamins A, E, C, B2 along with biotin, zinc, copper, and omega-3 fatty acids to promote healthy fur. This allows your dog's fur to be well nourished. IAMS has 60 years of nutritional excellence and aims to provide the best dog food for miniature schnauzers.
PROS
- Helps to provide sustained energy for running, playing, fetching toys and other forms of exercise
- Allows the fur of a miniature schnauzer flourish
- Promotes digestive health by feeding good bacterium in the gut and improve the absorption of vital nutrients
CONS
- Ideal for puppies 1-12 months old, but not for adults
7. Wellness Complete Health Small Breed, Deboned Turkey & Peas Recipe For Senior Dogs
The Wellness Complete Health dog food is the go-to dry dog food for elderly dogs with a breed size of extra small, toy breeds, and small breeds. This formula used real meat and fish for their source of protein. Small dogs are known for their discerning palates, and that's why it essential to have natural ingredients.
It's filled with high-quality ingredients such as antioxidant rich fruits and veggies to support cellular health. Since the formula is grain-free, it is designed to provide more protein for full energy.
There are no meat by-products, artificial colors, preservatives, flavorings, corn, wheat, or soy. It only includes fresh whole food limited ingredients such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, tomatoes, apples, and ground flaxseeds.
PROS
- Ensures a healthy layer of coat and skin
- Supports healthy teeth and gums
- Aids in digestive health for miniature schnauzer
- Supports a healthy immune system
CONS
- 12 lb bag is too small and dog foods need to be frequently re-ordered
8. AvoDerm Grain Free LID Revolving Menu, Turkey Recipe
AvoDerm Grain Free dog food is a turkey meal with the unique feature of containing nutritious recipes in rotation to offer your dog variety without the worry of an upset belly.
Simply follow the feeding instructions to feed just one recipe or any combination of recipes on the menu. It allows you to experiment with many recipes until you find the best dog food for a schnauzer. This diet is grain-free and gluten-free and is meant to support adult dogs of all breeds and sizes.
It uses two different carbohydrate sources of green beans and peas to support healthy digestion and balanced nutrition. The AvoDem includes essential fatty acids such as Omega-6 to Omega-3 the support of healthy skins and coats of your pet. The fat content consists of natural ingredients like avocado and avocado oil.
PROS
- Supports their coats from the inside out for the optimal protection
- Provides a variety, so your dog never gets bored of eating the same adult dry dog food
- Offers a balanced diet and healthy digestion
CONS
- Isn't grain-free for dogs with sensitive tummies or food allergies
6 Dietary Considerations & Common Health Problems In A Schnauzer
Schnauzers are prone to numerous health problems. Although not all dogs will suffer from these conditions, it is crucial to be aware of them and get advice from a veterinarian if you suspect anything amiss. By providing a healthy diet for your miniature schnauzers, some health concerns can be prevented.
1. Eye Conditions
For miniature schnauzers, conditions such as retinal atrophy and cataracts are more common and could affect their eyesight. In worse case, some could go blind. Thus, to prevent this from happening, we need to ensure that their weight are kept at a healthy level. As these symptoms arise, dogs will have the tendency to get diabetes due to obesity.
It is important to provide them with a diet rich in antioxidants as they could boost the overall eye health of your dog [1]. Food ingredients such as leafy greens can also have beneficial results when it comes to eye development.
2. Pancreatitis
Some smaller dogs like Miniature Schnauzers are more susceptible to developing pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is responsible for producing insulin along with digestive enzymes. Possibly symptoms of pancreatitis are diarrhea, vomiting, belly pain, fever, lethargy, and dehydration.
The most practical way to prevent pancreatitis is to limit the amount of fatty food, especially human food, that you give to your schnauzer.
3. Hypothyroidism
When a dog suffers from hypothyroidism, they will experience low thyroid functionality. This condition affects their energy – causing them to lose mental focus much more easily as compared to those not suffering from hypothyroidism.
This health concern can affect all types of the Schnauzer breeds. Hence, it would be a good idea to provide them with diets meant for hypothyroidism that contain fruits and vegetables as they are known to treat such condition with the natural steroids component typically found in many seeds and plants.
4. Hip Dysplasia
Giant schnauzers commonly face health problems relating to their joints that could cause pain in them. Often diagnosed in their hip areas, this condition is caused by the connective tissues weakening – and thus, not being able to keep their joints in place. When this happens, you'll notice them limping and struggling to get up.
You can help you dog by providing them with food that consist of omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin as such nutrients is known to strengthen the connective tissue and bones in their body.
5. Dilation Volvulus
Unfortunately, Gastric Dilation Volvulus is a rapidly progressive life-threatening condition for a miniature schnauzer. This disease is typically caused by large meals resulting in the belly to dilate – a situation of build-up food and gas, where neither can be expelled.
As the stomach begins to dilate, it also begins expanding mounting in pressure, which can cause a myriad of dangerous consequences. It can result in loss of blow flow to the lining of the stomach, a ruptured stomach wall, a blockade of adequate blood return to the heart of the abdomen, and additional pressure on their diaphragm. It prevents their lungs from expanding, which leads to decreased ability to maintain normal breathing patterns.
6. Comedo Syndrome
Known to only affect the schnauzer breed, this condition is also sometimes called the schnauzer bumps because of how it looks like the “black crusty bumps” on miniature schnauzers' back, leading to fur loss.
Consuming a good amount of healthy fats can help prevent such condition from escalating. It could come from fish oils (known to provide omega fatty acids) for maintainence of your dog's skin and coat.
Important Features To Consider
Protein
Like most dogs, miniature schnauzers are natural born carnivores and thrive off of protein, which should be the first choice for dog food ingredients to consider. Make sure to serve them a variety of proteins to provide them with an array of amino acids. If your dog has high energy levels, then additional protein is especially needed for developing and maintaining their muscles.
We recommend chickens, bison, beed, fish, and many more as the source of protein for miniature schnauzers. Additionally, you may also offer them ground up meat meals as they serve great protein to their diets too.
Do take note that you should avoid any type of by-product since they typically contain fillers. As a general rule, only pick food with ingredients that you can understand.
Fats
Miniature schnauzer requires healthy fats included in their staple food. These fats are particularly essential to the overall food taste and appeal – which is great as they are healthier as compared to adding synthetic flavors.
Fats will also stimulates their metabolism, providing them with energy all day. Many dog food manufacturers often use fats that originates from the main protein ingredient they used to prepare the food.
Fish oil, in particular, is an essential ingredient that we recommend to be included inside dog food for miniature schnauzers as they contains omega-6 fatty acids to protect your pup's skin and coat from deteriorating.
DHA (or omega-3 fatty acids) will help your dog if they have eye problems, and could also aid in their brain development. To help them retain their vitality as they get older, you can include other types of oils that comes from coconut or flaxseed, which contains medium-chain essential fatty acids.
Carbohydrates & Fiber
Carbohydrates plays an important role in providing your miniature schnauzer with vitality. Although some dog owners stray away from carbohydrates, it's still essential to a schnauzer's diet. Instead, opt to use complex carbs with a limited ingredient in whole foods. This will include peas, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and more.
Carbohydrates that are lower in glycemic index allows your dog to feel enegetic throughout the day for high activity levels. . While they need to have adequate carbohydrates in their diet, the consumption of this macro-nutrient should be given moderately.
Ensure that you keep your dog away from simple carbohydrates such as soy and corn as they burn out much faster. On top of that, simple carbs do not usually go easy on their's digestive system. They typically include cheaper foods with fillers and can promote overeating.
Other Minerals & Vitamins
Just like humans, dogs also need fruits and vegetables in their diet as they contain many vital minerals to aid your dog in physical and mental developments.
Vitamins and minerals helps to strength your pup's bones and immune system by providing the essential needs of fiber to maintain their digestive tract for expelling unwanted damage or waste accumulated by free radicals.
You May Also Like These:
Ingredients To Avoid
Ideally, you should avoid feeding them processed foods that weren't created for dogs. Often, processed foods and junk foods contain harmful additives and preservatives that could result in your dog becoming sick, spark food allergies as well as lead to obesity. Many of the common additives such as corn, wheat, and soy should be avoided to promote the health of your dog.
3 Tips For Feeding A Schnauzer
1. Miniature Schnauzer
Miniature schnauzers are dogs with high energy that require nutritious food to maintain optimal well-being. First, make sure you read the labels of your dog foods. Most grocery stores contain a variety of meat by products and filler ingredients that aren't healthy for your dog. Avoid foods that contain a lot of corn and wheat as they can lead to skin problems and allergies.
In general, pups should consume more dog food than older pups due to their need for growth and activity. Young dogs have a lot of energy and should ideally consume between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of dry dog food twice a day.
Make sure to seek the highest quality dog foods that are available for your miniature schnauzer and get them on a healthy feeding schedule. Overfeeding a miniature schnauzer can result in several health issues such as hair loss, skin allergies, kidney stones, hyperlipidemia, and other problems.
Most miniature schnauzers only weigh between 12 and 20 pounds and get up to 14 inches tall. With their small frame, you can feed your dog 480 calories per day to stay healthy. If they are active, you can bump it up to 775 calories or for senior dogs, lower it to 390 calories. Focus on natural ingredients and the brand name for miniature schnauzer food.
2. Standard Schnauzer
Similar to the miniature schnauzer, they need excellent quality dog food to ensure a balanced diet. Standard schnauzer puppies between the age of 8 and 12 weeks old need four bowls of food per day while puppies between the age of 3 to 6 months should be getting three meals every 24 hours.
Puppies between the age of 6 months to 1 year should be getting food twice a day. Once your schnauzer reaches the age of 1 year old, you can feed them once a day or two light meals to keep your dog at a healthy weight.
Ideally, you want to choose a reputable brand of dog food that is conducive to the schnauzer's diet. Limit their intake of human food because it can cause vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and tooth problems, and obesity.
Healthy adult dogs can weigh between 30 to 50 pounds. For optimal breed health of your dog, they should consume about 1,000 calories per day. For older dogs, an average would be about 800 calories each day, and for extremely active dogs, they may consume up to 1,600 total calories.
3. Giant Schnauzer
The giant schnauzer is able to eat more home cooked meals besides just the standard pet foods. They can be given meat meals such as raw chicken, lamb, steak, and other fresh meat. Simply cut the meat into pieces or have some meat attached to a bone.
Ground up internal organs such as raw liver, tripe, and kidney are much better for your dog than muscle meat. You can feed them one raw egg yolk daily too. Do not forget to include vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, broccoli, stems, or other types of green.
These giant schnauzers can go over 2 feet tall and weigh between 60 to 80 pounds as adults. Typically, these schnauzers consume 1,680 calories a day on average while farm dogs with a higher activity level may consume as much as 2,800 and seniors about 1,500 calories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the life expectancy of schnauzers?
On average, the life expectancy of miniature schnauzers and giant schnauzers are 12 to 15 years, while standard schnauzers have a life expectancy of 13 to 16 years.
Do schnauzers have sensitive stomachs?
Yes, some schnauzers can have sensitive tummies or food allergies, so you should not give your dog any table scraps or foods that are rich, greasy, or worse – spicy. For dogs with sensitive stomach, a miniature schnauzer diet with grains such as wheat and corn are challenging to digest.
You may use healthy grains like brown rice, gluten-free quinoa, and millet to help improve their digestion and give them easily digestible foods. Or you can also give them specifically designed miniature schnauzer food.
What human food can schnauzers eat?
Schnauzers can eat human food such as unseasoned or unsalted leftover meats and vegetables (after you blend them) with their regular kibble. Take note that you should avoid feeding them anything sweet such as raisins, grapes, and chocolates.
Other ingredients such as onions or spicy foods should not be given to them as well because it can lead to your dog being sick. If you're giving them any cooked meats, remove any bones from it before giving them to eat.
Although it can be tempting to feed your pooch table scraps, do it at your own risk. We still suggest sticking to miniature schnauzer dog food to prevent any health risks.
What is the ideal weight for a miniature schnauzer?
A miniature schnauzer's ideal weight will be different based on gender. For males, they typically weigh between 11 or 18 pounds, while females usually weigh between 11 to 13 pounds.
Conclusion
Of the dog foods we've researched and compiled as the best dog food for schnauzer, this is what we have concluded. For pet owners selecting a diet, it's essential to pick one that specifically caters to a schnauzer. What we suggest is TruDog Rawgo Dehydrated Raw Superfood, Chicken & Rosemary.
Each breed has a different face and jaw structure, skin types, and distinctive coats that require a tailored-made solution. For example, a Corgi would need a different diet plan than a Schnauzer puppy.
Getting a smaller kibble for them is for the jaws of miniature schnauzers – and to promote a healthy weight with even biting patterns. Since this breed has a very intense coat color, an abundance of the amino type of acids is needed. The above selection has an excellent reputation, and we recommend this formula to be the best dog food for mini schnauzer.
Editor's Choice
TruDog Rawgo Dehydrated Raw Superfood, Chicken & Rosemary
- Smooth and hassle-free digestibility improves gut health
- Recipe is suitable for Schnauzers through all life stages
- Zero traces of processing the ingredients at high temperature that deprive them of nutrients
- Dehydrated fruits and vegetables along with limited ingredient composition are ideal for miniature schnauzers
- Experienced canine nutritionists and diet-centric veterinarians advocate this recipe
