Tender Bites is built around corn. Both kibbles list ground whole grain corn first, with corn gluten meal and soybean meal close behind. The wet food leads with water, chicken, meat by-products, wheat flour and wheat gluten. All three recipes are for adult dogs and are sold with small dogs in mind, though the two kibbles are also tagged for all breeds.
The two kibbles barely differ. Both show 21% protein, 10 to 11% fat and 46 to 47% estimated starch, as fed. Our ingredient read found chicken as the only animal protein in either kibble, despite the Chicken & Steak Flavor names. The single wet recipe adds beef and shows 10% protein. Every recipe contains grain and peas or lentils, and none is grain free.
Against the catalog, the kibbles sit below the 26.9% kibble average for protein and above the 37.4% average for starch. At 321 to 335 kcal per cup they come in under the 395 kcal catalog average. The wet food sits above the 8.3% wet average for protein. The trade-off is a corn-led kibble with little real choice between recipes.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For Small Dogs Chicken & Steak Flavor | 21% | 11% | 46% | 335 | Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal (Source Of Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate), Corn Gluten Meal |
| Chicken & Steak Flavor | 21% | 10% | 47% | 321 | Ground Whole Grain Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Soybean Meal |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
21% protein · 11% fat · 46% starch · 335 kcal/cup · Adult
This kibble lists chicken by-product meal second, right after ground whole grain corn, and has the higher fat (11%) and calories (335 kcal per cup) of the two kibbles. Its 46% estimated starch is the lower of the pair, suiting owners who want the more calorie-dense option.
Full review of For Small Dogs Chicken & Steak Flavor21% protein · 10% fat · 47% starch · 321 kcal/cup · Adult
This kibble puts meat and bone meal and soybean meal right behind ground whole grain corn, where its line mate uses chicken by-product meal. With 10% fat, 321 kcal per cup and 47% estimated starch, it suits owners who want fewer calories per cup.
Full review of Chicken & Steak Flavor| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Moisture | Kcal / kg | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Dog Food with Tender Bites, Steak & Vegetable | 10% | 3.5% | 82% | 908 | Sufficient Water for Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Wet food is mostly water, so compare it with other wet food only. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
10% protein · 3.5% fat · 340 kcal/can · Adult
This is the only wet recipe in the line and the only one to list beef alongside chicken, with wheat flour and wheat gluten following the meat. At 10% protein, 82% moisture and 340 kcal per can, it suits owners of small adult dogs who prefer canned food.
Full review of Small Dog Food with Tender Bites, Steak & VegetableNo. Both kibbles, For Small Dogs Chicken & Steak Flavor and Chicken & Steak Flavor, list ground whole grain corn first, and the wet Small Dog Food with Tender Bites, Steak & Vegetable lists wheat flour and wheat gluten. All three recipes also contain peas or lentils.
For Small Dogs Chicken & Steak Flavor has 335 kcal per cup, compared with 321 kcal per cup for Chicken & Steak Flavor. It also has slightly more fat, at 11% versus 10%.
Our read of both kibble labels found chicken as the only animal protein, so steak is a flavor in those names. The wet Small Dog Food with Tender Bites, Steak & Vegetable is the one recipe in the line that lists beef.
Protein runs lower than the average kibble we review (23.9% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is higher than average, at 47% of the food as fed.
0% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
0% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,205 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.
High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor Wet Dog Food
Adult Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food
Expansion: Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food (Walmart/Dollar General)
Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food, specific lots
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