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MINI
Health Nutrition
just for
Small/Mini Breed Dogs
Dogs that will reach
less than 20lb at adulthood |
MEDIUM
Health Nutrition
just for
Medium Breed Dogs
Dogs that will reach
20 - 55lb. at adulthood
| MAXI
Health Nutrition
just for
Large Breed Dogs
Dogs that will reach
55-100 lb. at adulthood |
Royal
Canin Dog
The Physiological Differences Between
Small, Medium, Large, and Giant Breed Dogs
Different Digestive Tract
Small breeds' digestive tract represents, on the average,
7% of their total bodyweight compared to only 2.7%
for giant breeds. Therefore, it is crucial to adapt
the digestibility of your dog's food based on its size.
Different Digestive Transit
Digestive transit time varies from 15 hours to 4
days depending on the size of the dog. It is important
to
select a food for your dog that uses high-quality ingredients
including chelated minerals and that keeps starch levels
at a minimum to optimize digestion. This is especially
important for puppies and mature dogs.
Different Growth Period
The growth period of a small breed puppy is approximately
8 months long, while the growth period could last up
to 24 months for a giant breed puppy. The small breed
puppy should be provided a diet high in energy, while
the large breed puppy's diet should contain a more
moderate energy level to help maintain the puppy in
optimal body condition.
Different Growth Rate
Small breed puppies multiply their birth weight by
approximately 20 times during their first year of life.
This ratio can be as great as 100 times for giant breeds.
Therefore, it is important to provide the puppy a diet
containing the optimal level of energy for growth,
that also maintains optimal body condition in the small
breed and minimizes the risk of skeletal problems in
thelarge breeds.
Different Energy Requirements
Small breeds' energy requirements are more than twice
those of large breeds. An energy-dense diet is needed
when feeding small breed dogs.
Different Life Expectancy
The larger and heavier the dog, the
earlier the aging process will start. Life expectancy
for giant breeds
is half that of small breeds. Therefore, it is
best to begin addressing the nutritional considerations
of aging early in the large breed dog's life to
help
promote optimal health, throughout its entire life.
Copyright ©2007
Royal Canin USA, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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