Let's talk English Toy Spaniels

When choosing food for an English Toy Spaniel, there are many factors to consider: Their age, lifestyle, activity level, physiological condition, and health, including potential sickness or sensitivities. Food provides energy to cover a dog’s vital functions, and a complete nutritional formula should contain an adjusted balance of nutrients to avoid any deficiency or excess in their diet, both of which could have adverse effects on the dog.

The following recommendations are for healthy animals. If your dog has health problems, please consult your veterinarian who will prescribe an exclusively veterinary diet.

Clean and fresh water should be available at all times to support hydration and urinary health. In hot weather and especially when out exercising, bring water along for your dog’s frequent water breaks.

An English Toy Spaniel puppy’s requirements, in terms of energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins, are much greater than those of an adult dog. They need energy and nutrients to maintain their body, but also to grow and build it. Until they are 8 months old, an English Toy Spaniel puppy’s immune system develops gradually. A complex of antioxidants – including vitamin E – can help support their natural defences during this time of big changes, discoveries, and new encounters. Their digestive functions are different from an adult English Toy Spaniel’s, too: Their digestive system is not mature yet so it’s important to provide highly-digestible proteins that will be effectively used. A balanced intake of fibres, such as psyllium, can help facilitate intestinal transit and contribute to good stool.

Similarly, a puppy’s teeth – starting with the milk teeth, or first teeth, then the permanent teeth – are an important factor that needs to be taken into account when choosing the size, form, and hardness of kibble. This growth phase also means high energy needs, so the food must have a high energy content (expressed in Kcal/100g of food), while concentrations of all other nutrients will also be higher than normal in a specially-formulated growth food. It is recommended to split the daily allowance into three meals a day until they are six months old, then to switch to two meals per day.

The main nutritional goals for adult English Toy Spaniel are:

Maintaining an ideal body weight by using highly-digestible ingredients and keeping the fat content at a sensible level.

Preserving the health and beauty of the skin and coat with the enriched addition of essential fatty acids (especially EPA and DHA), essential amino acids, and B vitamins.

At adult age, very small dogs such as English Toy Spaniels can be prone to constipation so look for a diet formulated with a balanced intake of fibres, including psyllium, to help facilitate intestinal transit, and with highly digestible proteins to contribute to good stool.

The size of the kibble should be small and adapted to the miniature jaw of English Toy Spaniels in order to avoid problems with picking up food. This may also stimulate their fussy appetite. Very small breed-dogs are prone to urinary stones; a diet that supports a healthy urinary system is recommended.

It is important to avoid feeding English Toy Spaniels human food or fatty snacks. Instead, you can reward them with kibble taken from their daily meal allowance in order to prevent excessive weight gain. It’s also relevant to strictly follow the feeding guidelines written on the package and to do so for sterilised English Toy Spaniels since neutering is a factor in overweight dogs.

After 8 years old, English Toy Spaniels start facing the first signs of ageing. A diet enriched with antioxidants helps maintain vitality, and key nutrients, such as taurine, help support good cardiac function. Ageing is also accompanied by the modification of digestive capacities and particular nutritional requirements, so food for ageing English Toy Spaniels should have the following characteristics:

Higher vitamin C and E content. These nutrients have antioxidant properties, helping to protect the body’s cells against the harmful effects of the oxidative stress linked to ageing.

High-quality protein. Contrary to a widely held misconception, lowering the protein content in food brings little benefit in limiting kidney failure. In addition, older dogs are less efficient at using dietary protein than younger dogs. Reducing the phosphorus content is a good way of slowing down the gradual deterioration of kidney function.

A higher proportion of selected trace elements to maintain the skin and coat in good condition.

A higher quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids to help maintain the quality of the coat. Dogs can normally produce these fatty acids, but ageing can affect this physiological process.

As they age, dogs increasingly suffer from teeth problems. To ensure they continue to eat in sufficient quantities, the shape, size, and hardness of their kibble needs to be tailored to their jaw.