Breeding better nutrition | Pet Food Processing

This article was published in the July/August 2025 issue of Pet Food Processing. Read it and other articles from this issue in our July/August digital edition.

Rising consumer interest in pet health and wellness has pushed the boundaries of complete-and-balanced pet food to include more customized meals, from foods that support specific bodily systems to those the target pets at different stages of their lives to even products formulated for specific pet breeds. Though not nearly as common as functional or life stage diets, breed-specific pet foods have the same goal — addressing a pet’s specific health needs with science-backed nutrition.

“Breed specific foods recognize there are special dietary considerations to support the health and wellbeing of smaller and larger animals,” said Eric Emmenegger, Nulo.

“Breed specific foods recognize there are special dietary considerations to support the health and wellbeing of smaller and larger animals,” shared Eric Emmenegger, head of Retail and Product Marketing at Austin, Texas-based Nulo. “We believe dietary customization is an important trend that will continue to expand. It’s happening because pet parents monitor the unique needs of their pets and understand that food solutions are linked to pet wellness.”

No matter how large or small

With a focus on the unique physiology and the nutritional requirements of dogs and cats, Nulo offers a variety of breed-size specific pet foods through its Challenger, FreeStyle and Frontrunner lines.

| Source: Nulo

It’s estimated there are more than 340 different dog breeds throughout the globe, and the American Kennel Club recognizes about 200 breeds. And that’s just dogs; The International Cat Association recognizes 73 cat breeds. This makes it extremely difficult to make formulas for every single breed, which is why many companies prefer to focus on breed size (i.e. large and small) or group (i.e. toy and sporting).

Chilliwack, British Columbia-based Petcurean takes the size approach, in addition to considering a pet’s life stage, dietary preferences, food sensitivities and more specific factors.

“When creating recipes tailored to life stage and breed size, it’s essential to start with a thoughtful formulation strategy that considers a range of factors, from growth rate and metabolism to common breed-specific health concerns,” said Theresa Lantz, MSc, nutrition manager at Petcurean.

Because of their smaller size, small breed dogs require adjusted macronutrients to account for their small stomach capacity and fast metabolism, Lantz shared.

“Recipes designed for small breeds must concentrate nutrients into a small intake,” said Theresa Lantz, MSc, Petcurean.

“As a result, recipes designed for small breeds must concentrate nutrients into a small intake. Considerations like kibble size and shape are also important, with small breeds requiring tiny kibble for easier grasping,” she said.

Petcurean’s Now Fresh Good Gravy™ for Small Breed Adults serves as a minimally processed breed-size specific option, designed to be served dry or mixed with water. The formula features small-sized, nutrient-packed kibble to account for the smaller sized mouths and stomachs, as well as parsley and peppermint to support oral health.

On the other hand (or really, paw), large breed dogs have a slower rate of metabolism, making weight management a crucial concern for these pups, according to Lantz.

“Since large breed dogs have a slower rate of metabolism than small breed dogs, they need fewer calories per kilogram of body weight, and therefore, should be fed a diet that is less calorie dense,” she explained. “Specific to large breed puppies, their recipes are often formulated to a recommended moderate caloric density to prevent both overfeeding and rapid growth.”

Similarly, Nulo takes the breed size approach, specifically focusing on metabolism, digestibility and bone/joint health.

“Our small breed diets consist of high meat inclusion recipes that deliver 80% to 83% of proteins from high-quality animal and fish sources,” Emmenegger shared. “The kibble itself is a smaller diameter to help accommodate how these breeds chew and consume food.

Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Large Breed contains Omega 3s, glucosamine and chondroitin. 

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“Our large breed foods contain balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus for healthy bones and joint health,” he added. “To support joint development for larger dogs — vital to their growth from puppy to adult size — our line also includes chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. We also provide guaranteed levels of taurine and L-Carnitine to enhance clean muscle development and heart health.”

Royal Canin, Spring Hill, Tenn., prefers an even more targeted approach, with formulas made for individual pet breeds, which accounts for their jaw shape, how they digest food, any health predispositions and sometimes even the job a dog has been bred for (i.e. hunting and retrieving game).

“We focus first on the needs of the breed, next on the nutrients that will meet those needs in the formulation and lastly on the ingredients that will best deliver those nutrients,” explained Todd East, DVM, director of Veterinary Affairs at Royal Canin. “… The main macronutrients — protein, fat, carbohydrates (including fibers) — are where the main focus begins due to the energy requirements they support. There may be slight variations between the macronutrient levels based on the needs and predispositions of the breed while remaining AAFCO compliant.”

This means being thoughtful with ingredient selection.   For protein, highly digestible sources are recommended, such as chicken byproduct meal and corn gluten meal, for their various health benefits.

“Breeds like German Shepherds and English Bulldogs will benefit from these highly digestible protein sources to aid in digestion and can help reduce common gastrointestinal challenges such as soft stools and flatulence,” East shared. “Mixed fiber sources delivering prebiotics that can help maintain a healthy biome are also important in many breeds. These can be delivered through beet pulp, psyllium and hydrolyzed yeast. Sodium silico aluminate in many of our breed diets help absorb excess moisture helping to ensure optimal stool quality.”

Overcoming nature with micronutrients

Royal Canin’s Labrador Retriever Adult dry dog food supports ideal weight, bone and joint health, and healthy skin and coat in Labrador Retrievers. It also features a unique cylinder-shaped kibble to slow the rate of ingestion and encourage the dog to chew the food.

| Source: Royal Canin 

In addition to providing more tailored levels of nutrients, another primary goal of breed-specific formulas is targeting certain health traits that some breeds have that could lead to complex health issues. For example, common health issues in large breed dogs range from hip dysplasia, in which the hip joint becomes unstable; to dilatated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and other heart issues; to joint and mobility issues caused by arthritis. On the smaller end, small breed dogs battle tracheal collapse that can impact breathing; patellar luxation, which is when the kneecap dislocates; heart issues that can lead to congestive heart failure; and Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), which is when discs in the spine become damaged, leading to pain, nerve damage and even paralysis.

To say the stakes are high would be an understatement. This is precisely why Royal Canin uses micronutrients to target these predispositions, aiming to help reduce their likelihood with additional support.

“Calcium and phosphorus levels and ratio are vitally important in our larger breeds, especially in our breed-specific puppy diets, such as German Shepherd Puppy,” East revealed. “When we think about those breeds that have a predisposition for cardiac disease, nutrients like L-carnitine, taurine, vitamin D3 and calcium are essential for optimal cardiac function; you will see enhanced amounts of these nutrients in our Golden Retriever and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel diets. These are a few examples of how the nature of a breed, or their predisposition to a trait, can influence the adjustment of micronutrients in the breed diets.”

Lantz echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of maintaining an ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio for large breed puppies.

“It’s important to maintain an ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio to support healthy bone development and prevent developmental orthopedic diseases, such as osteochondrosis, and over-supplementation of calcium can lead to abnormal bone growth,” she shared.

Additionally, larger breeds are predisposed to heart issues, necessitating a formula rich in cardiovascular-healthy nutrients.

“Some large breed dogs have a genetic predisposition to the heart condition DCM due to inadequate taurine synthesis,” Lantz said. “At Petcurean, we choose to supplement taurine in our dry recipes to ensure every dog — no matter their size — gets enough.”

East added, “EPA and DHA from marine sources are important for a multitude of breed dispositions. This can help maintain optimal cardiac function in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Golden Retrievers, while also helping to maintain a healthy waterproof coat in our Labrador Retrievers. They have potent anti-inflammatory properties as well that lend to joint health in many of our larger breeds.”

When it comes to joint health and mobility, chondroitin and glucosamine can help support cartilage repair, according to Lantz. Weight management is also an issue for large breeds, as excess weight can put additional strain on joints, impacting overall mobility. Petcurean’s Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Large Breed recipes contain New Zealand green-lipped mussels to provide a natural source of chondroitin and L-carnitine for a healthy fat metabolism.

Some breeds are even prone to urinary issues, meaning alternative nutrient sources may be needed.

“For example, Dalmatians are predisposed to urate crystals in their urine and potentially, urate bladder stones. By utilizing a low purine protein source such as egg, we can help support a bladder environment that is less likely to produce urate crystals while maintaining an optimal protein level,” East explained.

Antioxidants are also important, for all breeds, as these micronutrients can provide a litany of benefits.

“As small breed dogs have a longer lifespan on average, they may benefit from antioxidant support to delay age-related conditions,” Lantz shared. “For large and giant breed dogs, antioxidants can help manage chronic inflammation and cellular health.”

For small breeds, specifically, oral health issues can run rampant due to these dogs’ smaller mouths.

“Oral health can also be a concern for small breed dogs due to their little mouths and tendency for dental crowding,” Lantz said. “Recipes that include sodium tripolyphosphate can help reduce tartar and calculus formation as it binds to calcium in the saliva, and ingredients like peppermint and parsley support fresh breath, which benefits overall oral health.”

Breeds of the future

As awareness of pet health continues to rise, research on pet breeds, genetics and nutrition continues to evolve. For example, Mars’ Wisdom Panel allows pet owners to test their pet’s DNA, uncovering breed details, genetic traits and health predispositions, allowing them to seek out formulas that target these breed traits and predispositions.

“Genetic markers for predisposed traits can be identified early, which can potentially allow us to optimize nutrient levels and choose ingredients that will more greatly impact breed health,” said Todd East, DVM, Royal Canin.

“Breeds continue to evolve over time, as does our knowledge and respect for these animals,” East said. “Technology also is rapidly advancing, as more opportunities present themselves that allow us to provide increasingly tailored nutrition for these dogs. Genetic markers for predisposed traits can be identified early, which can potentially allow us to optimize nutrient levels and choose ingredients that will more greatly impact breed health. Royal Canin’s breed-specific diets continue to be some of the most tailored nutrition available and have an incredible impact on the health of cats and dogs.

“If an owner goes to the lengths of purchasing a purebred dog, why wouldn’t they want nutrition that is tailored to meet the needs of the breed they love? Many of the traits that draw people to a breed are also those supported by the nutrition in the diets,” he added. “If owners are aware that a diet is specifically formulated for their breed, I am confident they will see the value. At my practice, I tended to see a lot of English Bulldogs. When I told my Bulldog clients that there was a diet specifically formulated for their dog, the vast majority ended up feeding it to their pet and were impressed with the results.”

Facing rising costs of living and shrinking living conditions, younger pet owners are propelling demand for small breed pets and, therefore, the demand for more tailored nutrition.

“We are tracking the explosive growth of small breed dog household penetration, and the consumer’s desire for pet foods that support the higher metabolism energy needs of these animals,” Emmenegger concluded. “… We expect to see more customization and interest in specialized food solutions that help address pet wellness over the course of their lives.”

Read more about product development, ingredients and formulation.