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The Pomeranian is known for its thick, fluffy coat and for having a big personality stuffed into a small body. These little dogs are a Spitz-type breed, identifiable by their double coats and curled tails. Pomeranians are a very old breed and they have maintained their popularity for many years, ranking consistently among the top 20 breeds in the United States according to AKC registration statistics. In order to keep your Pomeranian healthy you not only need to provide him with enough daily exercise – you also need to make sure he has a healthy diet. Below you will find valuable information about meeting your Pomeranian’s nutritional needs as well as some special considerations to make. You will also find recommendations for commercial dog foods for this loving breed.
Nutritional Needs for Pomeranians
The Pomeranian is considered to be a toy breed because it only stands 5 to 11 inches tall at maturity and weighs between 4 and 7 pounds. Even though the Pomeranian may be small, these little dogs have big personalities and they are not afraid to stand up for themselves against larger dogs. One of the most identifiable characteristics of the Pomeranian is its thick double coat that comes in a wide variety of colors. In order to keep your Pomeranian’s coat in good health, you need to make sure that your dog receives a healthy diet that is balanced in all of the most essential nutrients – protein, fat, and carbohydrates. To do so, you should offer your Pomeranian a high-quality commercial dog food diet.
When it comes to the nutritional needs of dogs, protein is definitely the most important consideration because it helps to maintain lean muscle mass. The protein in your Pomeranian’s diet should come from whole animal-based sources like fresh chicken or fish. Meat meals are also a valuable source of protein (when they come from named sources like chicken, not simply ‘meat meal’) because they have been cooked down to a moisture content around 10% which makes them highly concentrated. Fats are also very important in a dog’s diet – especially for small and toy breeds – because they provide the most highly concentrated form of energy. Like proteins, fats should come from high-quality animal based sources like chicken fat and salmon oil. Plant-based fats can also provide omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids but they are less biologically valuable than animal-based fats.
The third component in your Pomeranian’s diet is carbohydrates. Dogs do not have specific needs for a certain amount of carbohydrates, but you do want to make sure that they come from high-quality sources. Whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal are preferable to processed grains like white rice or milled rice and grain-free carbohydrates like sweet potato and tapioca are also good additions to a commercial dog food diet. You also want to make sure that your Pomeranian’s diet provides a blend of vitamins and minerals which can come from grains as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Chelated minerals – minerals that have been chemically bonded to a protein molecule to increase absorption – are also a good addition to commercial dog food diets.
Special Considerations for Pomeranians
The quality of the product is always your first consideration when choosing a commercial dog food formula for your Pomeranian but you also have to think about other factors. The size of the kibbles, for example, are important because Pomeranians have very small teeth. You also want to be sure that the diet you choose is energy-dense since Pomeranians cannot eat a lot of food at once – the small portions they do eat need to provide high levels of energy. To ensure that both of these needs are met you should feed your Pomeranian a commercial dog food diet specially formulated for toy or small breeds. These diets are made with higher levels of fat than traditional dog foods but they still provide plenty of protein to help maintain your dog’s lean muscle mass. The fat content will also have an impact on the health and quality of your Pomeranian’s coat.
The main thing you want to remember about feeding small breeds like the Pomeranian is that they have very fast metabolisms – this is another reason the food you choose should be energy-dense. A small dog like the Pomeranian might only have a total daily calorie requirement of 250 calories but that equates to about 45 calories per pound of bodyweight. A large-breed dog like a 110-pound Akita might need closer to 2,500 calories per day but that only equates to just 23 calories per pound of body weight. In addition to making sure that your Pomeranian gets enough calories per day, you also want to make sure his metabolism gets enough fuel all day long. You should divide your Pomeranian’s daily portion into three or four smaller meals instead of two large meals. Just be sure to refer to the feeding recommendations on the dog food package to see how much you should be feeding your dog daily and then divide it up into three or four portions.
Top Recommended Dog Foods for Pomeranians
If you need some help in finding the right food for your Pomeranian, consider one of the commercial dog food brands discussed below. Be careful when considering a breed-specific formula for your dog – do not just assume that the formula will meet your dog’s needs without evaluating the product for yourself. Consider the ingredients list to make sure that the product is of high-quality before offering it to your dog.
Wellness TruFood Small Breed Dog Food
The Wellness pet food company is devoted to providing pets with balanced nutrition to fuel healthy growth and development. Wellness offers a wide variety of products for dogs of all sizes and in all life stages, including the TruFood line of baked dog food. TruFood is made with whole foods, inspired by raw-food diets and bursting with natural flavor. These foods include high-quality proteins like fresh chicken and fish as well as superfoods, probiotics, and antioxidants. The Wellness TruFood Small Breed Dog Food formula is specially designed for smaller dogs like the Pomeranian, formulated with the ideal ratio of protein to fat to ensure support for a fast metabolism. This formula is made with whole-prey chicken, antioxidant-rich superfoods, and fiber-rich legumes for well-balanced nutrition. Wellness TruFood Small Breed Dog Food is also supplemented with glucosamine for joint health as well as omega fatty acids for a beautiful coat.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Toy Breed
The Blue Buffalo company is known for producing high-quality pet foods for dogs and cats in all life stages. Blue Buffalo offers four different lines of dog food products including the Freedom line of grain-free foods, the Basics line of limited ingredient diets, the Wilderness line of evolutionary diets, and the Life Protection line of natural foods. The Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Toy Breed formula is made with deboned chicken and chicken meal as the top two ingredients followed by whole ground brown rice, oatmeal, and whole ground barley. This formula is designed to provide high-quality proteins for lean muscle mass and a blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. The Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Toy Breed formula is supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin as well as chelated minerals and antioxidants. This formula also includes Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits which are a proprietary blends of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to ensure whole-body health and nutrition.
Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Adult Dog
The Artemis pet food company follows a holistic approach to pet nutrition, using only the finest quality ingredients. Artemis offers a variety of different products for small-, medium-, and large-breed dogs as well as special formulas for puppies and senior dogs. The Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Adult Dog formula is designed for small dogs and it is made with four premium-quality proteins and one whole grain as the top five ingredients. This formula provides a balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrate to ensure optimal weight as well as a blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. This dog food formula is rich in antioxidants for a healthy immune system as well as prebiotics for regulated digestion. Simply put, the Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Adult Dog formula is the perfect choice for a small-breed dog like the Pomeranian.
The Pomeranian is a small-breed dog with a big personality and you need to provide your dog with a healthy diet to make sure he gets the nutrition he needs. If you need help choosing a commercial dog food for your Pomeranian, consider one of the top-rated brands discussed above.
