It’s not pampering to make sure your small dog likes his food, eats what’s good for him and enjoys mealtimes. That’s just being a good owner, doing the right thing. Of course, if you can see that he also really enjoys those meals, it makes doing what’s right even better. At different periods of a dog’s life, though, doing this may call for just a bit more attention and care.
Puppyhood seems to be all about energy, play and exploration. Some puppies may be so eager to explore the possibilities of every sunbeam and falling leaf that mealtimes aren’t very compelling. Yet given the amount of energy they expend and their rapid growth rate—small breed dogs mature even faster than do larger breeds (those precocious little guys!)—you do need to be sure that your pup is getting the calories and the protein she needs. If she does turn out to be a disinterested or easily distracted eater, moist, pate styles of puppy food are more likely to tempt her appetite. Read labels, though, before making your puppy food choice, to be sure you’re getting what your puppy needs and will like. Cesar chicken and beef for puppies, with its meat juices, for example, can be a good choice, as its label shows it has high, healthy calories and its primary ingredients (those listed first) are actual chicken and beef.
Your senior dog also needs some particular attention to diet. Even if his energy level still seems nearly as high as ever, his metabolism has slowed, making it all too easy for him to gain the kind of extra weight that puts a strain on his joints, heart and digestive system. Switching to a lower calorie food formulated for seniors is a good idea. Most dog food companies have a senior line of gourmet food. You might try Cesar chicken and rice for senior dogs, especially if pickiness has become an issue. The juices and chicken bits will appeal to his sense of taste and smell, and chicken and rice are among the foods most easily digested by dogs. The pate form is also easier on the more fragile and sensitive teeth he may have at this stage in his life.
Our small dogs begin their life journeys giving us so much joy and pleasure, and that only increases as the bonds we form grow over the years. Feeding them right for each stage of that journey seems only right, too.
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