Size Nutrition
Posted on February 17 2020
From a 1.5 kg Teacup Chihuahua to a 100kg St Benard it’s important to tailor your dogs nutritional needs according to their size, and we’re not talking about the amount you feed them. Everything from kibble size, to the individual recipes formulated to deliver the best level of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, prebiotics, and minerals.
Obviously the smaller the dog the smaller the kibble needs to be. Smaller dogs understandably have smaller jaws and adapting the kibble to their mouth size is important for their enjoyment. Funnily enough smaller dogs need more calories per pound than their bigger counterparts because they have a higher metabolic rate. Smaller dogs also seem to be fussy about what goes in their bowl, and if you’re anything like us - ain’t nobody got time for that. The Royal Canin Small breed specific has enhanced palatability and delivers higher digestible proteins paired with a blend of dietary fibres. If that sounded like mumbo jumbo here’s a a great way to look at it. Supermarket bought foods will often use proteins such as animal by products like feet, wings, skin and feathers contrasting with good quality dry food which will have digestible proteins like whole chicken or chicken meal.
Small Dog specific food
Medium and smaller dog breeds often suffer more from dental problems like plaque build up and gum disease. Smaller kibble that is dry and crunchy, aids in breaking down tartar build-up and well as providing a massaging effect for gums. Medium dogs are famous for their energy as the work hard and play even harder. To help grown and sustain their rapid growth and their continuous energy out put medium sized dogs need the right amount of antioxidants and minerals to support their developing immune systems and keep their bodies strong. Their high energy lifestyle means they need Omega Fatty acids like EPA and DHA to nourish their skin, coats and to help keep their fur vibrant. As mentioned before it’s super important that your pooch is getting good quality proteins so you know your pooch is being nourished inside swell as out.
Large breed dogs have a much longer growth period than their smaller breed buddies. While a small dog will reach full development by 10 months a larger giant Breed dog will need to stay on puppy food until they are uptown 18 to 24 months. Larger breed dogs take longer to grow because of their much larger skeletal system. This means these breeds need added support for muscle development and adapted protein levels enriched with L-carnitine. A balanced mineral content and energy intake promotes healthy bones which is important as large and giant breeds are at much higher risk of bone, joint and mobility issues doe to their larger body size.
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