Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken Small Breed Dry Dog Food, 15lb

Why it's worth it

This is the small-breed food you can grab at almost any store, with deboned chicken first and no corn, wheat, or soy. It doesn't have the research depth of the vet-clinic brands, but for a healthy small dog it's a solid everyday choice that costs less per pound.

You can buy this at a grocery store, a warehouse club, a pet chain, or online at ten at night when you tip the bin and find it empty. That sounds trivial until you've run out on a Sunday. Broad distribution also means the recipe stays put and easy to find, which matters more than you'd think when a dog's stomach reacts badly to switching foods.

The label is the appeal here, and it's an honest one. Real deboned chicken is the first ingredient, not a rendered by-product meal. There's no corn, wheat, or soy, and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The dark LifeSource Bits scattered through the bag are a cold-formed blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. If you read ingredient lists in the aisle, this one gives you little to argue with.

From our review of 5 dry dog food, by James Bennett, Associate Editor

What we like

• +You can buy this at a grocery store, a warehouse club, a pet chain, or online at ten at night when you tip the bin and find it…
• +The label is the appeal here, and it's an honest one
• +The small-breed version isn't just smaller kibble
• +It costs meaningfully less per pound than the vet-clinic brands here, and the bag is bigger

What to know

• –The research profile is the weak spot
• –Some dogs eat around the LifeSource Bits and leave them in the bowl, which quietly removes the part you were paying for