A Healthy Diet For Your Small Dog

When it comes to feeding your small dog it is important to ensure that you are familiar with the dietary requirement of your pet, and you are aware of what to feed him, what not to feed him, and how to ensure that he is receiving a well balanced and nutritious diet. It is important for all dogs to receive the right diet so that they can maintain their health and well being through a variety of vitamins and minerals.

It is also important to monitor the diet of a small dog, as many smaller breeds – particularly indoor dogs that may not get much in the way of exercise – are prone to weight gain, and this can have a negative effect on their health in many ways. Some important factors in relation to providing your small dog with a health diet include:

- Feed your puppy regularly: Unless otherwise advised by your vet or breeder, most small puppies need feeding small portions several times a day. As the puppy grows into adulthood, the portions can be increased and the dog can be fed twice daily.

- Buy high quality food: Although it can be tempting to opt for the cheaper canned and dried foods, you will not be doing your dog any favours. Cheaper, lower quality canned food and kibble has far fewer nutrients, and therefore deprives your dog of the minerals and vitamins that he needs to maintain good health. Lower quality foods will also leave him hungry because of the lack of nutrients, so he will end up eating more of it to feel full, which means that it could end up costing you just as much as higher quality food in the long run.

- Combine canned food with kibble: It is a very good idea to ensure that your dogs diet is partly made up of kibble because this will help to maintain his dental health, and with a number of small dogs prone to oral problems this could prove an invaluable part of the diet. With many high quality ‘complete’ dried foods available for dogs these days, you can provide your dog with a diet that is purely based on dried food rather than canned, as the complete dried formulas will ensure that he gets all the vitamins and nutrients that he needs as well as promoting good dental and general health.
- Monitor portions and treats: When your small dog looks up at you with those beautiful eyes and then looks dolefully down at his empty bowl it can be all too easy to give him more food without thinking twice – despite the fact that he may have eaten just an hour earlier! Many small dogs are prone to weight gain, and therefore you must be careful not to overfeed your dog. Make sure that you provide him with carefully measured portions, and you don’t overdo it when it comes to treats between meals.

- Exercise: you should ensure that you combine your dog’s healthy diet with an effective exercise regime based on the type of small dog that you have. Regular exercise, even if it is just gentle exercise such as some playtime in the garden, will help to keep him fit and healthy.

- Water: You must ensure that your small dog or puppy always has access to fresh water at all times.

By: Luke Donnelley