Obesity is a widespread medical concern for small and toy-breed dogs. However, because their food requirement is so small, it can be challenging for them to maintain their weight. Unintentional sabotage of a food plan is as easy as using too many treats for training. Maintaining a toy or small breed dog's weight requires everyone in the household to be involved and on board.

Small dogs' leading causes of death are cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, renal disease, and endocrine disorders. The common denominator of these conditions is that they are exacerbated by obesity. Preventing obesity can circumvent diseases that can reduce the longevity of small dogs.

A dog is considered overweight at 10-20% of their ideal body weight and obese at 20% or more than the optimal weight. For a dog that weighs 5 pounds, a 10% increase is just 8 ounces or half of a pound. Obesity is just a gain of one pound. Even a 20-pound dog is difficult to keep fit and trim. An increase of two pounds places the dog in the overweight category, while a four-pound weight gain has them classified as obese. Obviously, dog parents must be very vigilant in monitoring the weight of small dogs.

The metabolic rate of dogs varies by the size of the dog. There are various methods of figuring the metabolic rates in dogs, depending on many factors such as age, weight, and activity level. Still, the baseline rate is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR). In dogs, the BMR is lower than in small dogs.

However, there is a secondary calculation relative to body size, the mass-specific metabolic rate (MSM), the rate at which the dog consumes energy per gram of body weight. Smaller dogs have a higher MSM. Thus, body weight is one of the parameters that must be used when calculating the food requirements for dogs. 

The average adult dog that is not very active (meaning one hour or less of physical activity/day) and weighs 3-20 pounds must consume 2.5% of its body weight daily. A larger inactive dog weighing over 20 pounds must consume only 2% of its body weight daily.

The average weight of a toy breed is under 20 pounds, with some under five pounds. The food requirement for a five-pound dog is 3.7 ounces daily. If kibble is being fed, that can be as little as a ⅛-¼ cup of food daily. The numbers make it easy to see why people overfeed these small dogs. Generally speaking, a straightforward calculation for the proper amount of real food to feed daily is 2.5% of the dog's ideal body weight.

Common breeds that fall into the toy and small breed categories include

Dogs that combine these breeds are also at risk for obesity.			

Feeding a species-appropriate diet for small dogs allows dog parents to have more control of the diet and feel more connected to their dog's nutritional requirements. Using the Feed Real Calculator to create a daily meal plan ensures that the correct level of each required nutrient, muscle meat, raw meaty bones (RMB), liver, other organ meat, seafood, and fiber, is provided. Training and other treats must be factored into the daily meal plan. Using meal components for treats helps to prevent inadvertently adding to the dog's daily calorie allotment.

When shopping for toy and small breed dogs' meals, the selection of the RMB must be size-appropriate. Choosing nutritional bones from birds provides the smaller dog with hollow bones that are softer and easier to chew and digest. Examples of these bones include:

Because the smaller dogs require small amounts of RMB, they must be cut into appropriate portions. Many of the smaller dogs only eat them when they are cut into very small pieces.

Maintaining the correct weight for toy and small breed dogs requires constant monitoring.

Creating a meal plan that includes using meal components for treats will prevent adding extra calories to the dog's overall consumption.

Preventing obesity will increase the longevity of the toy and small breed dogs.

Demography and commonly recorded clinical conditions of Chihuahuas under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016 

Growth standard charts for monitoring body weight in dogs of different sizes | PLOS ONE 

Phylogenetic relationships, evolution, and genetic diversity of the domestic dog 

Dog obesity--the need for identifying predisposing genetic markers 

Mortality in North American Dogs from 1984 to 2004: An Investigation into Age, Size, and Breed-Related Causes of Death - Fleming - 2011 - Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine - Wiley Online Library 

Miniature Schnauzers under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2013: demography, mortality and disorders  

Energy requirements of adult dogs: a meta-analysis     

Physiological underpinnings in life-history trade-offs in man's most popular selection experiment: the dog  

Metabolic Differences between Dogs of Different Body Sizes  

Obesity is a widespread medical concern for small and toy-breed dogs. However, because their food requirement is so small, it can be challenging for them to maintain their weight. Unintentional sabotage of a food plan is as easy as using too many treats for training. Maintaining a tiny or small breed dog's weight requires everyone in the household to be involved and on board.

How to Keep Small Breed Dogs Fit and Trim

Feed Real Institute

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