Do I need a diet for my dog’s breed? It makes sense when you consider how a Chihuahua’s nutritional needs may differ from a Great Dane, but how important is it to feed a diet designed specifically for your dog’s breed?
The science behind breed specific foods
There is an element of marketing here, but not as much as people might think. When people are asked why they chose the diet they feed, one of the most common answers is ‘ the bag had a picture of my dog on it’. This is clever marketing and exactly what pet food companies want - for you to make an emotional connection with the food, breed specific diets were inspired by this but not entirely based on it.
The main research revolves around kibble shape and size, some companies have looked into how different breeds of dogs pick up and chew their food and how their jaw shape and face can affect this. This formed the basis of breed specific pet foods as the size and shape of specific kibble have functional purposes.
Although there aren’t specific studies on the nutrient requirements of different breeds, we do know that specific breeds have predispositions to certain conditions and diseases which can be helped with specific supplements or nutritional management. E.g. Husky’s can have zinc deficiencies which if supplemented in the diet at higher level then normal foods can reduce the impact and potential of these deficiencies developing. Particularly with some of these supplements, the balance need to be precarious to avoid throwing off the balance of other nutrients in the food (or blocking their absorption altogether)
Large breeds can also be more prone to joint issues and bone deformities which again can be improved by having key nutrients in different levels to that of a medium or small breed pet food, with the addition of joint supplements.
What if there isn’t a diet for my breed?
At the moment, breed specific foods are quite limited in their ranges, with currently 18 breed specific diets available in Australia. Its important to remember a breed specific diet is not a replacement for a prescription therapeutic diet; if your pet has a genuine medical condition then your best option is to use a therapeutic diet to treat this condition. This is because regardless of the breed, the condition will be treated the same way and have the same nutritional factors.
Next, you can look at the size based nutrition and lifestages; pets of the same size generally have very similar nutritional requirements. If your breed of dog doesn’t have a diet created for them, you can opt for a diet based on their adult size or weight. E.g. a Great Dane in the absence of a breed diet could get fed a diet designed for giant breeds.
Every pet is an individual. Think about your pets specific needs, they may be different from another dog of the same breed and therefore may respond best to a different diet all together. If your pet is very active, has a preference to certain flavours or tendencies to gain or lose weight easily, consider these when choosing a diet for your pet.
A breed diet isn’t a requirement, its just an additional tool to find a personalised diet for your pets complex needs.
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