best food for small dogs

There is so much info on dog nutrition. But, most of what I have found is by folks selling their brand of course.

I've had trouble finding info that wasnt published by a dog food company. Most of his life, I fed Tig Iams and he did well on it. I fed him dry food and dry to Miss Kitty also thinking it might help with tooth and gum problems.

Now as we await the arrival of a new puppy I'm not sure what to do. I will keep it on the Science Diet that the breeder uses at first but I like the idea of feeding something with less preservatives. I dont like the fact that corn meal seems to be the first ingredient in most foods.
Any advice from folks with small breed dogs?
charlotte