Choosing the right dog food is a beginning and the end of caring for your pet dog. We, as dog lovers, also know that quality dog food is not only positive for the health but also for the overall well-being of the animal. When choosing the dog food, take into account both the age and the size of your dog. What dry dog food should you choose for a miniature dog breed?
Choosing the right dog food is a beginning and the end of caring for your pet dog. We, as dog lovers, also know that quality dog food is not only positive for the health but also for the overall well-being of the animal. When choosing the dog food, take into account both the age and the size of your dog. What dry dog food should you choose for a miniature dog breed?
Both my friends and I like to travel. Whenever it is necessary we look after each other’s dogs. And that was the reason why I was looking after a small yorkshire terrier for a couple of weeks – a breed I had had no experience with. Before my friend left, she told me a couple of things about feeding small breeds. I have written down five most important points in this short overview and hopefully, a practical guide as well.
1. Prevention by nutrition
If you want your small dog to be as physically fit as possible, the best thing to do is to choose some grain-free dog food. It is a concept of nutrition which rejects grains. An interesting addition to the market based on this concept and devoted to mini dogs is the product range called Brit Care Mini. The main advantage of grain-free dog food is that you can be sure it will not be the cause of any intolerance and allergies. It doesn’t contain any corn gluten which is an unnecessary burden to the digestion and thus weakens the immunity. And it is also great that there is a variant for puppies.
2. Good digestibility and sufficient nutrient inflow
Miniature dog breeds have a different body constitution and particularly a much shorter digestive tract which causes their digestion to be faster. Therefore, they need dog food which is well digestible but also contains a higher amount of nutrients for one food ration. High digestibility and the nutrition of muscles and tissues is ensured by fresh proteins. Therefore, pick the dog food which will contain for example fresh lamb or salmon particularly because they are rich in essential amino acids. You can also choose the dog food with the base of tuna, rabbit or game meat. These proteins are highly nutritious and also hypoallergenic and can deliver the necessary proteins to the body. Your little doggie will love you for this meat treat :).
3. High requirements for the health of skin and fur
Because the miniature dog breeds are really small, they are close to the ground where dust particles and other harmful substances are. Thus, their skin and fur as barrier organs are the primary organism protection. When you want your dog’s fur to be thick and shiny, choose dog food with the addition of salmon oil. It is a perfect source of Omega 3 fatty acids which also positively influence many metabolic processes in the organism. Salmon oil can also significantly contribute to reduce the level of cholesterol in blood. It is also positive when dog food contains anti-stress components such as blueberries. To improve immunity, usually also vitamin C or sea buckhorn is added to food.
4. Teeth care
Small dog breeds usually live much longer than other dogs. When choosing the dog food, you should also think about your dog’s teeth health. Problems with teeth are significantly more common for small breeds than for larger breeds and constant care of the health of the oral cavity is therefore an essential factor of their life quality. The dog food for small dog breeds should therefore, besides the necessary substances, also contain herbs with anti-bacterial properties, such as camomile or sage.
5. Quality is not necessarily expensive.
Some pet owners think quality dog food is too expensive. So they pick the food which seems economically favourable without reading its contents and checking that it contains everything their little doggie’s organism really needs. The advantage of quality dog food is particularly the fact that thanks to their high nutrition value, you’re giving your dog, may it be a yorkshire terrier or a chihuahua exactly what it needs. A few crowns more in a month for quality are therefore to the benefit of prevention by nutrition and it certainly pays off. From the long-term point of view, it won't cost you an arm and a leg.
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