Royal Canin X-Small Adult Dry Dog FoodUnder 4 kg adult weight · 10 months to 12 years

Toy breeds live a long time — twelve to sixteen years is unremarkable — and they spend most of it being particular about food. A dog this size eats very little in absolute terms, so every gram has to carry more nutrition than it would for a bigger dog, and she has to actually want to eat it.

This is built around both. The kibble is extra small and palatable enough to interest a fussy dog, and its shape encourages chewing, which helps against the plaque and tartar that shorten so many toy-breed lives. A precise mineral balance supports urinary tract health — small dogs are prone to stones — and EPA and DHA at 2.5 g/kg keep skin and coat in condition. Protein at 24% and fat at 18% suit a dog whose exercise is a walk round the block rather than a run on a farm. For dogs from ten months to twelve years with an adult weight under 4 kg.

• Digestive Health
• Urinary Health
• Healthy Skin & Coat
• Oral Care
• Fussy Eaters

Ingredients

Rice, dehydrated poultry protein, maize, animal fats, maize flour, maize gluten, hydrolysed animal proteins, vegetable protein isolate (L.I.P. — protein selected for its very high digestibility), chicory pulp, minerals, soya oil, fish oil, psyllium husks and seeds (1%), yeasts and parts thereof, fructo-oligo-saccharides. Additives (per kg) — Nutritional additives: Vitamin A 22,000 IU · Vitamin D3 1,000 IU · E1 (Iron) 44 mg · E2 (Iodine) 4.5 mg · E4 (Copper) 14 mg · E5 (Manganese) 58 mg · E6 (Zinc) 142 mg · E8 (Selenium) 0.05 mg. Preservatives. Antioxidants.

Looking after it

Store in a cool, dry place, sealed. Use within six weeks of opening. A small dog gains weight on very little — a few extra treats a day is a meaningful percentage of her intake, so weigh her food rather than eyeballing it. Brush her teeth if she'll allow it; the kibble helps but it isn't a substitute. Toy breeds are prone to a dislocating kneecap (luxating patella) — keeping her lean is the single best thing you can do about it. Fresh water, always.