WHAT'S THE BEST DOG FOOD FOR A CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL?

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: Specific Dietary Needs

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small, generally healthy dog. However, feeding your Cavalier requires special attention because the breed has specific physiological and nutritional needs! These are some of the factors that you should consider when choosing the right food for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:

• This is a relatively calm breed of dog. Due to their fairly quiet lifestyle, Cavalier King Charle Spaniels expend very little energy throughout the day, especially if you don’t take them out for a walk. As such, these doggies have a slight tendency to be overweight. So watch your Cavalier’s weight carefully! Excess weight and obesity are aggravating factors that can lead to many disorders.

• The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is at high risk for heart failure, more commonly known as mitral valve disease.

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known for their beautiful long, silky coat. Their dog food should therefore provide them with sufficient strength to keep their skin and coat well protected, boost their natural pigmentation, and protect their gorgeous long ears.

• Finally, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a small mouth and their teeth are very close together. As such, their dog food will need to be a suitable size for their jaw to facilitate chewing.

All these factors must be taken into account when choosing the right dog food for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Providing them with a diet adapted to the specific nutritional needs and requirements of the breed is a great way to ensure they live a long and healthy life.

What Type of Dog Food Should I Give My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?

In addition to the basic nutritional needs of every dog, your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's dog food also needs to meet all the aforementioned requirements of the breed. Therefore, when considering your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's diet, you should look for:

• Dog food that helps regulate their weight: A well-balanced fat content (13 to 16%), with the addition of L-carnitine, allows for optimal fat burning, reducing the risk of weight gain in your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Supplement with daily walks of course!

• Dog food that promotes good heart health: Dog food containing a mixture of vitamins and antioxidants as well as Omega-3 fatty acids helps improve cardiac contractility.

• Dog food that promotes healthy skin and coat: Nutrients and vitamins, such as zinc, B vitamins, and iodine, in particular, help to keep your dog’s skin and coat shiny and healthy while improving the intensity of their natural pigmentation.

• Dog food adapted to the size of their jaw: Thanks to their very tight teeth, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels need ergonomic kibble adapted to the size of their jaw to facilitate chewing. This will also encourage your dog to eat their food properly, and thus limit the deterioration of oral hygiene.

When and How Should I Feed My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?

Once you've chosen the perfect dog food for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, you also need to learn when and how best to feed them. There are certain guidelines to help you feed your dog optimally and, in particular, avoid digestion issues. Good dog food is one thing, but how you feed your pooch is also very important! Poor food intake can cause feelings of discomfort, such as gas or other digestive disorders.

Here we outline some recommendations for feeding your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the best way possible:

• We recommend that you split your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's daily ration of food into two or three small meals: The idea is to distribute their food throughout the day, so as not to overload their digestive capacities.

• Give them their meals at the same time each day and, if possible, in the same quiet place: This helps to establish a feeding routine, which is important for facilitating digestion, as well as promoting a balanced diet.

• Give them the correct amount of dog food: This will depend on different factors, such as your dog's age, weight, activity level (normal or sustained), and reported illnesses.  Your vet or an animal nutritionist specialist can help you determine the appropriate amount of food for your dog.

• Treats: In addition to their regular food, you can certainly offer your furry friend a healthy dog treat from time to time. This is a good way to reward them and let them know you care. Little pieces of fruit or cooked vegetables are a great healthy, balanced option! However, be careful with this if your dog is overweight.

• Forbid certain foods: Of course, some foods are toxic to dogs. Sugar, cold meats, and chocolate should be avoided as part of a healthy diet. Likewise, chicken or rabbit bones should also be avoided.

• Finally, don't forget that hydration is key and that it's important to make sure your dog is drinking enough water, especially if they mainly eat dry food! Your pooch should drink an average of 40 to 60ml of water per kg of body weight per day. If they're drinking more than 100ml per kg of bodyweight, consider taking your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to see a vet, as this may be a sign of diabetes or kidney failure. If you want to encourage them to drink more water, try placing ice cubes in their water bowl. They'll be attracted to the movement created by the ice cubes and be tempted to drink more.