Long gone are the days when there was a one-diet-fits-all approach to pet food. Now there are specifically targeted diets for individual pet breeds that include nutrients to address the specific needs of that breed. If you’ve got a pure bred cat or dog, you’ll find that feeding them a diet formulated specifically for their needs not only acts to meet their nutritional requirements, it also helps keep them in the best of physical condition.
While the diets of most pets provide nutritional support for growth and maintain energy levels, many pure bred animals also need more targeted dietary assistance for specific health traits that are part of their genetic makeup. Your pet???s breed plays a significant role in what you should be feeding them. Some breeds of cat or dog are prone to developing dental issues due to their smaller mouths, while others need more support to maintain overworked joints. Some will need more calories in their diet to support their active lifestyle and others will need an adapted calorie intake to prevent excessive weight gain.
When you compare a tiny Chihuahua and a huge Rottweiler, it seems obvious that different breeds have very different nutritional needs. But even the Golden Retriever and Labrador – two very similar-looking breeds – have specific needs very different to one another, and breed specific diets help to feed these needs.
Likewise the dietary needs of a solid Maine Coon are very different to those of a slender Siamese – but so are the needs of the large Persian and the big British Shorthair. Usually your breeder or your local pet food specialist will be able to advise you about what diet to look at when you want to give your pet the best lifelong support for their specific needs.
These needs will be nutritional, but the best diets do more than just provide nutritional solutions – they also consider the jaw shape of the breed and how those animals physically eat their food. For example, Persian cats have a unique way of eating that sees them use the underside of their tongue to grasp their food. That is why the ROYAL CANIN?? Persian diet has a unique, almond shaped kibble – ??so they can easily grasp their food with their tongue.
Nutrition plays a vital role in the health of all pets and giving your breed a high-quality diet designed specifically for them can do wonders in supporting their development in their earlier years as well as helping prevent future ailments as they age.
