If you consciously approach the adoption of a dog, you need to understand the responsibility not only for education and care, but also for the health of the animal. The dog will grow up healthy only if the owner was able to properly form his diet, saturating the food with enough useful vitamins and minerals. In this regard, dry food is much superior to natural products, since the manufacturer has already taken care of their balance. Together with the experts from masterzoo.ua, we have prepared some tips for choosing foods that will become the basis of a healthy diet for small breed dogs.
How is small breed food different from large breed food?
Most inexperienced breeders think the only difference is pellet size, but that is absolutely not the case. Small breed dogs are prone to nervous over-excitement, while their metabolism is much faster. But this does not mean that the dog can be overfed. Dry food swells in the stomach, so the portion should be measured carefully. The needs of small breed dogs are radically different from those of large breeds. In addition to the characteristics of the breed, veterinarians recommend taking into account the age, the presence of diseases and the daily activity of the animal. According to most breeders, the bet should be made on a high content of animal protein, a sufficient amount of fat and carbohydrates. This is important for the comfort of the animal and at the same time does not lead to obesity.
General recommendations
- Type of protein. If offal meal ranks first in the diet, it is not the best choice. We recommend that you choose from species where meat or fish are the main source of protein.
- The presence of cereals, their type and quantity. If you have an allergenic breed of dog, you shouldn’t overdo it with grains. Wheat and corn are not immediately. Best brown rice and similar balanced cereals.
- Small pellet size. The dog should chew food, not swallow it, but for small breeds it still makes no sense to buy large pellets.
- Natural composition. Here, everything is exactly like with ordinary food for people: the absence of GMOs, dyes, preservatives, flavors and flavor enhancers is welcome. The dog will be less inclined to eat such food, but it is 100% useful for its health and comfortable well-being.