What’s the best dog food for small dogs?

As our community of raw feeders continues to grow, the type of dog thriving on our real, quality, raw recipes is becoming ever more varied, and our Natures Mates come in all shapes, sizes and life stages. Raw food can suit any dog and can be a convenient and healthy choice, whether you’re raw feeding small breeds, medium or large ones. When looking for the best dog food for small dogs, it’s important to bear their size and any nutritional needs they might have in mind.

Big dog energy

A bit like puppies, smaller breeds tend to have a higher surface to volume ratio. This means they lose heat more quickly than bigger dogs, and their bodies need to work harder to compensate for this. This internal heat generation means they need more energy just to stay warm! If you’re raw feeding a small dog you can use our raw food calculator, which takes their breed into account, in order to suggest how much to feed to suit their size.

Perfect portions for little proportions

Our bestselling range of complete and balanced raw nuggets is among the best dog food for small dogs you can buy, as it couldn’t be easier to measure out the perfect portion, whether you’re raw feeding a pug or a German Shepherd! As small breed owners can attest, small dog doesn’t necessarily mean small appetite! The best dog food for small dogs should still be nutritious and tasty.

Some smaller breeds, like Dachshunds, Chihuahuas and Welsh Corgis, are also predisposed to obesity. Our unique nugget feeding format means you can simply count out the number of nuggets you need, so portion control when raw feeding small dogs needn’t pose a problem.

Raw feeding small breeds: food allergies

Some smaller breeds, for example French bulldogs, are also prone to health complications and allergies that can be triggered by their diet. By raw feeding a French bulldog, you can easily avoid any problematic ingredients, such as dairy, any particular proteins that don’t agree with them or grains with our complete and balanced Country Hunter range, or with our home prepare range.

Raw feeding small breeds: bones and chews

Raw bones and chews should always be fed with caution and under supervision. That said, they can give your dog a great bit of physical and mental activity, help strengthen their jaw

muscles and diminish the build-up of plaque on their teeth. Bones and chews can also be part of the process when raw feeding small dogs, provided they are life stage and breed appropriate.

If your small dog is less experienced with bones, bone free chews, such as our beef trachea, or smaller bones, such as duck wings, are a good place to start for smaller breeds. Check out our raw bone guide for guidance when introducing raw bones and chews and always wait until your dog has been on a raw diet 100% for a minimum of four weeks.

Raw feeding dachshunds?

It’s time to talk about two of our smaller Natures Mates, our Dachshund ambassadors Daisy and Basil. This utterly adorable mum and son duo have both been raw fed since weaning – and they’ve got the raw food look down! What do we mean by the raw food look? Shiny coats, healthy teeth and poos to be proud of - you’ll know when your dog’s got it! Full of beans and charm, these guys love their Natures Menu raw diet and always keep us entertained with their antics. Oh, and they love a duck neck! If you need proof that raw feeding small dogs can help them stay happy and healthy, you need look no further than this pawsome pair. Daisy and Basil’s vote for the best dog food for small dogs? Natures Menu all the way.

Hopefully, this blog has given you some guidance on the best dog food for small dogs. Whether you’re raw feeding Dachshunds, pugs, Frenchies or any other small breed, we’re passionate about ensuring that our quality, real, raw food gives them all the nutrients and taste satisfaction they need and deserve.

Small or large, your dog’s health and wellbeing is our top concern, and if you have any unanswered questions about raw feeding small dogs – or anything else doggy nutrition related – just drop us a line. Our dedicated veterinary team is always happy to help.