Our Yorkie Maverick is a little smaller than your average dog. Actually, he’s a little smaller than your average Yorkie!
Weighing in at only 5 lbs, he was not only the single boy of the litter, but the runt. I wouldn’t actually call him a runt to his face because he’s got the attitude of a Rotweiller!
He’s also a huge softie and spends his time cuddling on the couch with us, playing with our toddler, and lately sleeping in our bed. For a little dog it’s amazing how much of the bed he seems to need to himself.
Did you know that more and more Canadians are choosing to own small dogs?
60% of dog households in Canada own a small dog (a small dog is classified as weighing 35 lbs or less).
As a small dog he’s always had some specific needs, and one of them is the type of food he eats. Since day one we have always had to be careful with the type of food we feed him because he has a sensitive stomach. Small dogs also tend to be fussy eaters, and pound for pound they actually need more energy than large dogs.
This spring poor Maverick recently had to have a few teeth removed. This meant he had to take it easy on the hard food until he was healed. His surgery coincided with him receiving a pretty cool gift package from Mars Canada outfitted with some new products that we decided to try with him.
The pack had some really fun items that were just his size!
Included inside were a few set of dog bowls just his size for food and water, a cozy dog bed that was the perfect fit (great – now he can hopefully get out of MY bed!), and some really fun toys that were fit for a small dog. I’ve seen this poor dog go chasing after a tennis ball that was too big, or try to drag a toy back that was too heavy and it’s been hard to watch. All of these toys were the right size, and there was even a treat dispenser that kept him pretty occupied!
One of my favourites was the rain poncho. Yes, we are those people who dress our dog in sweatshirts and jackets but hey – would you want to go outside when it’s cold without a jacket? Our little dog has a thin layer of fur so this rain jacket has already been put to good use.
Finally, the food! This was pretty important to us because we are very picky over what we feed Maverick. With his surgery he really needed soft food to get him back on his feet, but we didn’t realize how much he would love it!
Cesar® makes some pretty incredible individual-sized meals for dogs like Beef Stroganoff and Meat Lasagna. I think my husband was actually considering eating one, and I actually wouldn’t have judged him that much because they looked so good. Maverick normally has a sensitive stomach, and he ate these Cesar® meals without a problem!
Once Maverick’s mouth healed we tried out hard food again, and luckily the IAMS® Small and Toy Breed formula had small bites so it was easy for him to chew. He transitioned very easily from the soft food to the hard food which we were relieved about. Now he’s back to his regular self, and we couldn’t be happier!
It’s been especially important for us to remember with our experience with Maverick that with along with daily brushing, food and treats are important to small dogs’ oral care regime. It’s not just their teeth that need to be looked after – their mouths require daily care so their gums and teeth are well taken care of.
As a small dog parent I’ve learned to look for food designed and developed small dogs needs, and brands like CESAR®, IAMS® and PEDIGREE® offer specialized recipes for small dogs. Cesar® has “H:” shaped kibble specially designed for easy pick up, and IAMS® and Pedigree® kibble designed for smaller jaws and easier to chew.
How would you like to win a prize package for your own small dog made especially with their size in mind?
I’m giving away a huge package from Mars Canada to one lucky reader on the blog! Included in the package is everything in the photo below.
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You can enter to win via the Rafflecopter widget below. This contest is open to Canadian residents only.
Good luck to everyone who enters!
