Small breed dog food should provide enough protein and carbohydrates per portion for the needs of your dog. The safest way to prolong your dog's life and keep him in shape for as long as possible is feeding him the type of food suitable for his size and age. Talk with your veterinarian about what kind of food matches your dog's special needs at his specific development stage.
Small Breed Dog Dietary Needs
Choosing a brand of dog food involves checking of labels while being aware of your dog's needs.
Toy breeds (under 10lbs.) and small breed dogs (11 to 20lbs.) have a faster metabolism than large breeds and burn a lot more energy. At the same time, their stomachs are a lot smaller, so they need food with a higher content of protein and carbohydrates. The small breed dog food is calibrated to meet the caloric needs of your pet. Smaller dogs cannot eat much at once, so they will need to be fed two to four times a day.
Small dogs mature faster but do not age as fast as large dogs; they are not considered of old age until they are 10, so they will be quick and energetic for a long time if they get the adequate amount of nutrients.
When it comes to food, small dogs can easily become finicky eaters. As an owner of a small breed dog, you might want to establish a feeding routine and stick to it.
Smaller dogs have smaller maxillary, so, when choosing a dog food for them, you have to take into account the size of the kibble. A small bite formula is more suitable to a small breed dog.
Food Labels
When purchasing food for your pet, examine the labels of dog food carefully. Try to avoid canned or dry food that contains many preservatives. It is important that a source of protein is the first one on the list of ingredients, because this means the food is high in proteins. If the label says the food contains meat meal, this might actually mean that the meat is made up of feet and heads from animals. If cereals are the first on the list, the food might be very filling but lack the needed amount of proteins. You should go for the labels which tell precisely what the source of protein is (pork/chicken/fish, turkey/fish/beef).
Raw Food for Small Breed Dogs
Some vets say that commercial food can cause obesity in breeds of small dogs. If this is the case, preparing raw food recipes for your dog might be a solution. Should you decide to feed your dog raw food, discuss this with your veterinarian first.
Foods to Avoid
Never feed your dog chocolate. Chocolate, even in small amounts, can lead to poisoning. Raw eggs, chili, raw fish and cat food are not recommended for small dogs. Avoid feeding table scraps, because these will not give him the nutrients he needs and, in time, health problems can appear.