What are the Best Dog Foods for English Toy Spaniels?
As a smaller dog breed, English Toy Spaniels are susceptible to certain health problems and have very specific nutritional needs. Owners will need to watch for eye, ear, heart and digestive issues. Thankfully, these loyal little pups can live a long, healthy life with the right nutrition and care!
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Breed Info
Breed Group:Toy | AKC English Toy Spaniel Profile
Ideal Weight:Female Adult: 10 to 12 pounds
Male Adult: 10 to 12 pounds
Exercise Need:15 to 25 minutes per day
Breed Summary
As a member of the spaniel family, the English Toy Spaniel is cheerful, friendly and loving. These traits make them perfect for any family and great with children. Originally bred to be the companion of kings, this fun-loving breed is full of energy, faithful and loyal. Although they can thrive in an apartment setting, these pampered lap dogs can also be moderately active and enjoy lots of time outdoors. They are considered to be highly intelligent and require daily activity to stay happy and eliminate any behavioral issues. While they are smart, English Toy Spaniels can also be strong-willed and independent, making training a challenge for some owners. However, persistence and love can result in a very pleasant and well-trained companion.
Physical Traits
Small, boxy, short nose, smooth coat, a merry
Personality Traits
Loving, happy, sweet, gentle
Health Considerations
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English Toy Spaniels are susceptible to many of the same health problems that plague many small dog breeds. While their average life span is 10-12 years, there are some potential areas for health concerns that owners should keep an eye on. These can include eye, ear, skin, joint, hip, heart and respiratory problems. Their flat faces and noses make them sensitive to heat and they will not fare well outdoors in very hot conditions. In addition, the temperament of some English Toy Spaniels can lean more towards a sedentary lifestyle so they should be monitored closely to be sure they do not overeat and become overweight. However, the right diet and nutritional support can make a big difference in preventing and healing any potential health problems.
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Bone & Joint Issues
Like most other small dog breeds, English Toy Spaniels are prone to developing conditions such as luxating patella, legg-calve-perthes disease and hip or elbow dysplasia. We like dog food formulas with:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Chondroitin・ Glucosamine・ Green Mussel・ Methylsulfonymethane・ Omega-3 from Fish Oil・ Taurine・ Turmeric・ Vitamin E -
Digestive & Anal Gland Problems
English Toy Spaniels are known for having a sensitive stomach and quite commonly experience Diarrhea, Digestive Problems, Food Allergies and Anal Sores. With any diet, keep a close eye on how food affects their digestion, including stool patterns.
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Ear Problems
Because of their large floppy ears, English Toy Spaniels can experience common ear conditions including Ear Infections and Ear Mites. Make sure to keep their ears clean and dry.
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Eye Issues
English Toy Spaniels are prone to many common eye problems including cataracts, glaucoma, entropion, distichiasis and progressive retinal atrophy (pra). These can be at least partially prevented or treated with the following nutrients:
Recommendations:
Anthocyanins・ Astaxanthin・ Beta-carotene・ Carotenoids・ Glutathione・ Lutein・ Lycopene・ Omega-3 essential fatty acids・ Phytonutrients・ Vitamin A・ Vitamin C -
Heart Conditions
English Toy Spaniels are susceptible to common heart conditions including congestive coronary disease, mitral valve disease and patent ductus arteriosus. These should be addressed individually, but we do prefer foods or treats with the following ingredients for heart health:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Carnitine・ Complete protein・ Low sodium・ Omega-3 fatty acids・ Taurine
Get a tailored nutrition profile for your dog
Our free nutritional assessment tool provides individualized recommendations based on your dog's breed characteristics, age, weight, body condition score, and activity level. It only takes 30 seconds to receive science-based insights to support your dog's lifelong health.
Are Fresh Food Diets Good for English Toy Spaniels?
Only if they’re properly balanced.
Many well-intentioned English Toy Spaniels parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.
Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets
✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists・ ✓ Customized portions for weight control・ ✓ Superior digestive and immune health ・✕ More expensive than standard dog food
Foods We Recommend for English Toy Spaniels Puppies
How long do English Toy Spanielss need puppy food?
Until they're 10 to 12 months old.
English Toy Spaniels are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young English Toy Spaniels is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.
Find the best nutritional start for your puppy
Our recommendation tool evaluates your puppy’s breed, age, growth stage, lifestyle, and health needs to identify a scientifically appropriate diet from over 10,000 options. Obtain personalized guidance to help support healthy development and lifelong wellness.
Foods We Recommend for English Toy Spaniels Adults
When should English Toy Spaniels start transitioning to adult food?
When they're 10 to 12 months old
From a nutrition standpoint, English Toy Spaniels become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for an English Toy Spaniel
Find the optimal nutrition plan for your adult dog
Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, lifestyle, and health considerations to recommend a scientifically selected diet from over 10,000 options. Personalized insights to help your dog thrive through adulthood.
Foods We Recommend for English Toy Spaniels Seniors
When should English Toy Spaniels start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but small dogs like English Toy Spaniels can start to benefit from senior food around 8 to 10 years old
Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior English Toy Spaniels slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.
Support your senior dog's health with targeted nutrition
Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, and health considerations to recommend a science-based diet from over 10,000 options. Help maintain mobility, cognitive health, and quality of life.
Affiliate Disclosure:
We do not accept money to recommend pet foods. However, we do receive referral fees from online retailers (such as Chewy or Amazon) on qualifying purchases. Our recommendations are neutral, and diet recommendations are made without considering whether we will receive a referral fee.