If you have a small breed dog or are considering welcoming one into your family, this article will highlight some of the things you need to know about their nutritional requirements and common health-related conditions or behaviours.
We have sought the expert advice of Lorren Barham from Pet Wellness Worx and our own vet here at Absolute Pets, Dr Cooper, for a comprehensive guide to small breed dogs.
Understanding their nutritional needs and potential health risks means you are in a better position to give your beloved pet the care she or he needs.
The nutritional needs of a small breed dog
Great nutrition can make a big difference to your pet’s quality of life and can even help your pet live longer. A good diet also forms an important part of a preventative health care plan.
- Small breed puppies grow and mature much faster than large breed puppies. They have a faster metabolism and therefore need a higher calorie intake. Their diet needs to support this super-charged growth rate and include the right nutrients to help their rapid joint development.
- Adult small breed dogs are prone to weight gain and also dental disease so a great breed-specific diet will be geared towards enhancing metabolism (ensuring they don’t pack on the kilograms) and it will also contain ingredients that help combat dental problems.
- Small breed dogs also have a smaller facial and jaw structure and biting pattern and therefore do better with smaller sized kibbles. Some of the premium dog food brands, like Royal Canin, produce kibbles designed with a specific shape, size and texture to cater for this.
- They also have smaller stomachs which means less space for their food, however they still need to eat a fairly large amount of food relative to their body weight so it is better to feed them a few times a day but in smaller quantities.
At Absolute Pets we stock some of the very best dog food that caters for small breeds, including ranges from Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Hill's and Acana.
Browse our full selection of small breed dog food.
Common behaviour issues to look out for
Under-stimulation
SA common misperception is that a small breed dog won’t need as much space or mental and physical stimulation as a larger dog. This is not always the case - indeed a Jack Russell needs as much, if not more, space than a Great Dane.
Some small breed dogs, especially terriers are not necessarily the lap dogs you may imagine them to be. They need lots of exercise and attention and if they aren’t stimulated physically and emotionally every day, it can result in behavioural problems and elements of obsessive compulsive behaviour such as an increase in ‘yapping’.
Socialisation needs
Some small breed dogs can be known for their anti-social behaviour. A significant contributing factor is that they are often treated as ‘lap dogs’ and not given the opportunity to socialise with other dogs at an early age. We suggest puppy training which is really important for all dogs.
Common health conditions
Dental problems
This is especially common with small breeds that have a short nose as their teeth are closer together, allowing food to often get stuck. To avoid dental problems, make sure you brush your pet’s teeth regularly and speak to your vet about whether a dental scale and polish is necessary.
Patella luxation
Patella luxation is the most common condition that affects small breed dogs particularly Boston Terriers, Schnauzers and Yorkies. It can happen at any age and occurs when the dog's kneecap (patella) is dislocated from its normal anatomic position in the groove of the thigh bone (femur). The specific symptoms will depend on the severity and persistence of the condition, but usually your dog will show a skipping of the back legs when running or ‘bunny hopping’ upstairs and occasional lifting of the leg.
If your dog does suffer from this you can consider surgery or a more conservative approach of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to strengthen the hindlimb muscles to help keep the patella in its correct position (and therefore avoiding or prolonging a surgery).
Fractures or broken bones
Small breed dogs are the most vulnerable to fractures and especially to those of the lower end of the radius and ulna (front leg bones). This is usually a result of a minor trauma such as falling out of an owner’s arms or jumping off things that are too high.
To help prevent this, Pet Wellness Worx always encourages owners of small dogs to ‘let them walk!’ Not only is it safer but walking also encourages strengthening of bone density which results in stronger and healthier bones.
Legg Calvé Perthes Disease
It may sound very intimidating but this is just another name for the deformity of the hip joint in dogs. It is seen in many small dog breeds and usually shows up at 4 - 12 months of age.
The cause of this deformity is a lack of blood supply to the top of the femur bone which leads to the ball of the bone dying and the collapsing of the joint. Your dog will experience pain and inflammation and once confirmed, your dog will need to have surgery.
Rehabilitation after these surgeries is critical in getting your dog back to its normal level of function and weight bearing. For any rehab advice, we strongly recommend getting in touch with Pet Wellness Worx.
IVDD
Intervertebral disc disease is a condition in which one or more of the cushions (discs) that are between each vertebra comes into contact with the spinal cord causing a range of signs and symptoms from pain, to weakness and dragging one or both hind legs.
This disease, unfortunately, cannot be prevented but can be managed either with surgical intervention or in some cases conservatively.
Small breed dogs, like the Dachshund, Beagle, Shi-tzu, Pekinese and Basset Hounds are more prone to this disease and studies have shown that the all too cute ‘sausage dog’ is 10-12 times more prone to IVDD than other dogs and 9-24% of them show clinical signs relating to IVDD during their lifetime.
Since there is no way to tell if your dog has the disease and whether symptoms will show up later in life, it is very important to help your dog in these ways from day one:
- Keep your dog active and at an optimum weight to avoid excess strain on the spine - the right food and amount of exercise will help with this.
- Try not to allow your dog to jump up or down on furniture or your bed (you can also invest in ramps for your home and car).
- Try to condition their core muscles with weight-shifting exercises, super stands and proprioceptive stimulation. Avoid sitting up or excessive standing on back legs, or tug-of-war where the person pulls the toy from side to side placing pressure on the cervical spine.
- Walk your dog with a harness instead of a collar, as a collar can place too much stress on their neck area when pulling.
Rehabilitation of a dog with IVDD can also, once again, be conservative (to avoid surgery) or post-surgery. Laser therapy and acupuncture can help with pain and inflammation as well as nerve regeneration during this time.
Go for regular vet check-ups
Small dogs often have a much longer lifespan than large breed dogs. Make sure you visit the vet regularly for check-ups - at least once a year. Keep your pet at an optimum weight, give them the best quality food and of course lots of exercise to keep them healthy throughout their lives.
With thanks again to Lorren Barham at Pet Wellness Worx and our vet at Absolute Pets, Dr Cooper, for their expert advice on this topic. We hope you found this helpful.
Happy and healthy,
The Absolute Pets team.