10 Best Dog Foods for Bichon Frises – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks 

Many quality dog foods on the market can provide your Bichon Frise with all the nutrients that they need for good health throughout their lives. So, it isn’t a question of whether there is a quality dog food out there that is right for you and your dog’s needs. The question is, which quality food is right for you both? We understand the importance of choosing a food that will nourish your dog and keep them full between meals.

We’re here to help! We scavenged through the most popular quality dog foods on the market in search of those that meet the special needs of small breeds like the Bichon Frise. We found quite a few, and we are providing you with honest reviews of our favorite picks. Read on to learn more about the best dog foods for Bichon Frise on the market.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 10 Best Dog Foods for Bichon Frises

1. Ollie Turkey Recipe (Fresh Dog Food Subscription)  — Best Overall

Fresh Turkey with Blueberries by Ollie is the overall best dog food for Bichon Frise dogs because this recipe takes all-natural, human-grade ingredients and crafts them into a delectable feast for your pet. Ollie is slowly cooked at a low temperature that doesn’t destroy the nutrients, unlike conventionally baked dog kibble. After it’s done cooking, it’s quickly frozen and shipped to your door.

We like how this food is formulated for all ages so your Bichon can enjoy this meal for life. A superfood blend of kale, chia seeds, and blueberries complements the turkey and gives your dog a rich supply of antioxidants. While there aren’t any breed-specific nutritional requirements, your Bichon Frise may benefit from a diet that’s free from common food allergens such as chicken and beef. Turkey as the single meat protein is less likely to cause these allergic reactions that are actually fairly common in the breed.

This high-quality fresh food is also supplemented with a great vitamin mix. Although extra supplements like taurine and probiotics would be a bonus, it is nutritious and well-balanced. Our only concern with this food is the price tag, but if it’s a little out of your budget, Ollie also offers a cheaper baked option that’s likely more health-conscious than the dry kibble at the pet store.

---

2. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Dry Dog Food — Budget Buy

If you’re looking for a great dog food for your Bichon Frise that will fit a smaller budget, consider Nutro Wholesome Essentials. It’s made with non-GMO ingredients, such as chicken, split peas, brown rice, and oatmeal, to ensure optimal protein and fiber intake and support optimal digestion. Whole flaxseeds provide the omega fatty acids that your pooch needs to maintain strong vision and a healthy coat. There are no fillers, like soy, or artificial ingredients, like colors and flavors, which leaves more room for the good stuff.

The kibble pieces are small enough that your Bichon Frise won’t choke if they swallow one whole. Our dogs came running into the room when we opened the package due to its rich aroma. They seem to think that it tastes as great as it smells too. This food is sourced and produced in the United States of America and is formulated to meet the nutritional standards put forth by the AAFCO¹. This food isn’t as rich in whole fruits and veggies as other options on our list, but it does contain complete nutrition that your dog can count on for good health throughout their adult years.

---

3. Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food

Bichon Frise puppies need special nutrition to help them get through their growth spurts, and Iams ProActive Health Smart is up for the challenge. It features 22 nutrients found in mother’s milk and real chicken for pure protein to help your puppy’s muscles and bones grow strong. DHA is infused into the formula to support optimal brain development, so your pooch can shine in training class. This food has been developed to meet the unique needs of small-breed dogs too, which will make it easier to transition to a small-breed adult dog when the time comes.

Veggies like beets and carrots are added to provide fiber and antioxidants, and the included rosemary extract will help keep your puppy’s breath fresh between meals. But even though this food is made for puppies, the kibble pieces aren’t that small, which can make it tough for your little one to chew until they’re a few months old. Water can be added to soften the food for young puppies and reduced as chewing becomes easier.

---

4. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Made just for adult dogs with small bodies, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Dog Food is made with whole ingredients and is free of fillers like corn and soy. Real chicken is the first ingredient on the list, followed by peas, fish meal, and flaxseed, to ensure that your pooch gets all the protein, carbohydrate energy, and mega fatty acids that they need as they age toward their senior years. Carrots, sweet potatoes, carrots, kelp, and other whole foods are added to support a healthy heart and cardiovascular system.

This food was inspired by the diets of the dog’s wolf ancestor, so it is free of grains to ensure healthy digestion and minimal flatulence. It features a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants called LifeSource Bits to make sure your dog doesn’t miss out on any nutrition, whether they’re just entering adulthood or are getting ready to be considered senior. The one downside to this food is that picky eaters may not like the LifeSource Bits, which can be left behind after mealtime.

---

5. Nature’s Recipe Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This is another food that is formulated just for small breed dogs like your Bichon Frise and is free of grains so it can be easily digested. Nature’s Recipe for small breeds is packed with whole food nutrition in the form of chicken, peas, garbanzo beans, and tomato pumice but is also supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals to ensure complete nutrition so your pup doesn’t need anything else.

Sweet potatoes and pumpkin help soothe the digestive system, provide sustained energy, and provide important antioxidants that your pooch needs to stave off illnesses. With 25% crude protein and 15% fat content, you can rest assured that your dog will develop strong muscles and a lean, healthy body over time. Like the other quality foods on our reviews list, this one doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients. But the food doesn’t have a tempting aroma that gets dogs running to the kitchen.

---

6. Royal Canin Bichon Frise Adult Dry Dog Food

What’s special about this dog food is that it is designed specifically for adult Bichon Frise dogs. It does provide 100% complete and balanced nutrition for this breed, and fish oil is found on the ingredients list, which will keep your pooch’s coat soft and their brain sharp. Royal Canin Bichon Frise adult dog food is formulated to maintain a healthy balance of intestinal flora so your pooch can easily digest their food and eliminate their waste.

However, it doesn’t contain many whole fruits or vegetables and instead, relies more on chelated vitamins and supplements. It also contains chicken by-products and no whole meat or even meals. It also contains wheat gluten, so it isn’t grain-free.

---

7. Solid Gold Mighty Mini Toy & Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Solid Gold Mighty dog food is made for toy and small breeds and features tiny kibble pieces that are crunchy yet delicate for ease of chewing. This food’s protein source comes from roasted chicken and chicken meal. Carbohydrate energy is offered in the form of chickpeas, pumpkin, sweet potato, and peas. Flaxseed and salmon oil provide the omega fatty acids and DHA that your Bichon Frise needs to stay in optimal health no matter their age.

Blueberries and cranberries are also featured in this formula to provide the antioxidants that your dog needs to fight off problems like cancer as time goes on. The food is remarkably similar to many of the other options found on our reviews list, but it boasts a unique combination of 20 various superfoods, like broccoli, kelp, and lentils, to round out its nutritional profile. The downside is that this formula has more protein than many of the other options on our list, which can result in constipation in some dogs. It also comes in a package that doesn’t seem airtight.

---

8. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Small Bites Dry Dog Food

This may not be a food that’s made specifically for smaller dog breeds like the Bichon Frise, but it does feature small kibble bites that seem easy for little dogs to chew. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Small Bites includes a variety of whole food ingredients to complement the whole chicken flavor, including sorghum, whole wheat, and barley. The formula focuses on providing a rich source of omega fatty acids to ensure a smooth and silky coat. Flavorings are added, but they come from whole sources like chicken liver and pork. There are no artificial ingredients.

Made in the United States, this formula features ingredients that meet or exceed federal requirements and includes clinically proven antioxidants to keep your pup’s immune system healthy. However, this food relies highly on supplementation to ensure that all your dog’s nutritional needs will be met. Some fruits and veggies are included like apples and broccoli, but these foods are at the bottom of the ingredients list.

---

9. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Merrick Classic Healthy Grains is a solid, healthy food option to consider for your Bichon Frise if they don’t have problems digesting grains like quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, and barley. Like most of the other options on our list, this formula relies on chicken as the main protein source. It’s supplemented with fruits, veggies, and minerals to ensure a well-balanced diet that your pooch can enjoy throughout adulthood.

This dog food is formulated and cooked in the United States and meets federal and AAFCO standards. Even though this food is made for small breeds, younger dogs might have a hard time consuming the larger and crunchier kibbles. Also, it’s quite a bit more expensive than foods that feature similar ingredients.

---

10. Wellness Small Breed Complete Dry Dog Food

Wellness Small Breed Complete dog food is unique because it is formulated to protect hard-working hearts while keeping sodium levels to a minimum, which can be helpful for older adult dogs that have health issues like heart disease or high blood pressure. In addition to chicken, this formula features turkey for flavor and extra protein. Calcium and phosphorous are added for healthy teeth and gums as well.

Chondroitin and glucosamine are also added to maintain healthy joints and bones. But the packaging is hard to get open for the first time, which can be a source of frustration. This food isn’t ideal for puppies because it is not designed to keep up with the multiple growth spurts that they have.

---

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Dog Foods for Bichon Frises

We want to make sure that you feel good about your decision when choosing a new food for your dog, so we’ve put together a short buyer’s guide that you can use while you shop. The following tips will make the process easier and ensure that you take all the right steps when comparing food options.

Always Read the Ingredient Lists

It’s important to know what’s on the ingredient list of any food that you are considering buying for your dog in order to gauge how it might affect their health over time. You should know what sources of protein are used, whether any real fruits and vegetables are included, and how much supplementation is relied on to create a complete and balanced formula. If you don’t know what a particular ingredient is, look it up and learn about it before deciding whether it’s okay for your pooch to consume. Make sure there are no artificial ingredients of any kind, as they won’t provide any nutrition to your Bichon Frise.

Pay Attention to Feeding Instructions

Just because one dog food instructs you to feed your pooch 2 cups a day, that doesn’t mean that they all will. If you assume that you should feed your dog a certain amount of a new food without verifying, they could end up becoming underweight or overweight or even developing health conditions that affect their quality of life. Every dog food package includes feeding instructions, so take a few minutes to read them over. It can save you and your dog frustration and heartache in the coming months and years.

Talk to Your Vet Before Making a Final Decision

It’s always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian before choosing a new food for your Bichon Frise to chow down on. Using your dog’s health records, they can help ensure that your chosen food won’t have any adverse health effects or create any nutritional deficits. If a problem with the food is found, they’ll let you know exactly what it is and provide you with advice on what ingredients you should and shouldn’t be looking for to meet the unique needs of your pooch.

Conclusion

There are many foods you can choose to offer your beloved Bichon Frise, but we narrowed them down to the best of the best based on several factors, including ingredients, quality, cost, kibble size and density, and flavor, among other things. Any option on our reviews list has its own unique qualities, but they all accomplish the same goal of keeping your Bichon Frise nourished.

We highly recommend our choice of the best Bichon Frise dog food overall — Ollie Fresh Dog Food Turkey Recipe It’s made of the highest quality ingredients, has no fillers, and is formulated for life stages. Nutro Wholesome Essentials is our second choice and for good reason. It’s filled with nutritious non-GMO chicken and has an aroma that seems to be irresistible to dogs. What kinds of ingredients do you look for and try to avoid when choosing a new food for your Bichon Frise?

• See also: Best Dog Foods of the Year

---

Featured Image Credit: mikeledray, Shutterstock