1 - A food specifically made for small dogs aims at restoring the nutritional balance they often lack. To discourage owners from giving meal leftovers to their pets, a dry food for small dogs must be particularly palatable. Special packaging (controlled atmosphere) is called for to preserve product freshness, even if the low daily consumption (under 200 g/day) makes it necessary to keep it for a long time.
2 - A high-digestibility food minimizing the stool volume and the risks of digestive disorders is especially recommended in small dogs who are often city-dwelling animals.
3 - Small breed puppies are very precocious: 8 to 12 months are enough for them to become adults. The growth food must provide them with all required nutrients in concentrated form to make their rapid development possible. However, weight increase during growth must be carefully monitored, for small breed dogs are more predisposed than the others to become overweight when they are overfed.
4 - Small breed adult dogs have a higher energy requirement per kilogram than other dogs. The energy level of the adult food shall be inferior to the one of a growth food (a small dog is not a puppy) but superior to the one of a food for medium breed dogs. A specific food for small dogs is not a standard maintenance food presented in small kibbles.
5 - A small breed dog lives generally longer than a dog of a larger size. To help preventing a number of frequent disorders in aging dogs, some special dietary measures can be implemented from around 8 years of age:-increase in the overall assimilation level of the ration,-restriction of the dietary phosphorus content,-intake of vitamins E and C with antioxidant properties,-increase in the intake of essential fatty acids, vitamins and trace elements to promote skin and haircoat health.
Pascale Pibot, Doctor of Veterinary MedicineVincent Biourge, DVM
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