What’s The Best Dog Food For Cavalier King Charles? Reviews & Buyer’s 2022 Guide
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were initially bred in the United Kingdom as companion small dogs. However, time has seen the love cross over to the United States as both a companion pet and a lap dog. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs normally have a healthy coat with long feathering around the belly, chest, and leg areas.
Considering their susceptibility to diseases, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel requires a high-quality commercial food diet crafted for small breed dogs. The diet should be balanced, offering proteins, carbohydrates, fats (from healthy sources such as chicken fat or salmon oil) as well as vitamins and minerals.
Bred as a toy dog breed, they grow to an average of 13-18 pounds and stand between 12-13 inches tall. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a lifespan of about 14 years. However, the food products you feed your dog should offer a long and healthy.
Contents
- Our 5 Best Dog Foods For Cavalier King Charles
- 1. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind For Adult 7+, Small Breed Formula
- 2. Nutro Ultra Trio Of Proteins From Chicken, Lamb & Salmon For Adult Toy Breed
- 3. Solid Gold Wee Bit Bison, Brown Rice & Pearled Barley Recipe For Toy & Small Breed
- 4. Taste Of The Wild Appalachian Valley Grain-Free Diet For Small Breed, Venison & Garbanzo Beans Recipe
- 5. Canidae PURE Puppy Real Chicken, Lentil & Whole Egg Recipe
- 3 Common Health Problems In Cavalier King Charles
- Important Features to Consider
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
We already did all the research for you and have some pet tips that can help. If you’re in a hurry and just want to see the best food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, here are our top choices.
The three dog food products recommendations below are the best dog food brands picks for your spaniel dog.
PRODUCT / PRODUCT DETAILS
PRODUCT
PRODUCT DETAILS
- Chicken is the first ingredient making it a great choice for the best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
- Pro Plan Bright Mind Adult is a formula for adult dogs and small breeds
- Packed with brain supporting nutrients for cognitive health such as arginine, DHA, and EPA. You can call it brain food
- Contains antioxidants including vitamins B, E, and C plus folic acid and pyridoxine
- This adult dog meal contains EPA, an omega fatty acid, and glucosamine to support your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's joint health and mobility
2. Nutro Ultra Trio Of Proteins From Chicken, Lamb & Salmon For Adult Toy Breed
- Comes with unique kibble (small bite) that is perfect for small jaws
- Contains DHA, which supports retinal function and cognitive development
- Uses high-graded protein sources that aid muscle development
- Contains a perfect blend of phosphorous, essential vitamins and calcium that promote bone development
- Perfect for a healthy immune system
3. Solid Gold Wee Bit Bison, Brown Rice & Pearled Barley Recipe For Toy & Small Breed
- Ideal for both young and aging small dog breeds
- Contains balanced sodium levels that promote heart health
- Specially formulated for maintaining a healthy weight for small breeds
- Contains Omega 3 and Omega 6 which are ideal for healthy coat and skin
- The food includes Chondroitin and Glucosamine that promote joint and hip health
Our 5 Best Dog Foods For Cavalier King Charles
1. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind For Adult 7+, Small Breed Formula
Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind For Adult is a super premium dry dog food product. Enhanced botanical oils was used to promote alertness and mental attentiveness in dogs aged 7 and older within 30days. Your King Charles Spaniel will love and enjoy the taste of goodness and the brightness of the nutrients in one meal.
Chicken is the first protein used and this dog food offers high-quality protein. This product is a good choice as the highly digestible recipe promotes nutrient bioavailability to deliver optimal nutrients to your dog’s body. The product also has EPA omega fatty acids and glucosamine to promote healthy joints.
Purina formulates its dog foods with optimal alertness and mental sharpness for dogs aged 7 and above. This dog food gives the right amount of protein to fat proportion to help maintain an ideal body condition leaving your dog all playful and happy.
PROS
- Contains enhanced botanical oils to promote alertness, attention, and mental attentiveness in dog's age 7+
- Uses chicken as the first ingredient
- The bite-size kibble makes chewing for your Charles Spaniel easy
- Packed with calcium, phosphorous, and other minerals to keep your small breed's teeth and bones strong
- Crafted to optimal protein to fat ratio to help maintain a healthy body condition and avoid health problems
CONS
- Available for older King Charles Spaniel dogs only
2. Nutro Ultra Trio Of Proteins From Chicken, Lamb & Salmon For Adult Toy Breed
Watch your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed enjoy a tasty and healthy meal like yours. How? Feed your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel the high-quality Nutro Ultra Trio From Chicken, Lamb & Salmon meal for Adult Toy Breed. It is a dry dog food product packed with protein from farm raised chicken, lamb meal, and salmon meal. 15 high-quality ingredients and flavor are blended into this dog food to make it more nourishing for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel toy breed. These vibrant wonder dog foods include coconut oil, kale, chia, blueberries, real fruits, and vegetables.
Your dog enjoys a delicious holistic chicken meal crafted mindfully from 100% natural ingredients. This dog food has no chicken by-product, corn, soy, wheat, artificial flavors, and colors which makes it one of the best dog foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels around.
PROS
- Uses chicken as the first protein ingredient for this pet food
- Contains three protein source namely chicken, lamb, and salmon to fulfill your dog's nutritional needs
- Provides a protein-rich recipe offering a balanced and healthy diet for your Cavalier dog
- Blended from all-natural ingredients fetched locally from farmers
- Nutro Ultra Trio is tasty for your dog and leaves him satisfied and nourished
CONS
- For its unique formula, this dog food carries a high price tag compared to other kind of dog food available in the market
3. Solid Gold Wee Bit Bison, Brown Rice & Pearled Barley Recipe For Toy & Small Breed
Your small breed dogs needs kibble full of nutrition and Weebit offers and delivers it to completion. This perfectly balanced healthy dog meal is packed with healthy whole grains that are ideal for small dogs of all life stages. A high-quality dog food diet blended with nutrient-dense wonder foods and omega fatty acids to promote a healthy gut in your Spaniel. With a healthy clean digestive system, your mini size dog pal enjoys a strong immune system and the dog’s weight is maintained.
Wee bit is crafted with non-GMO whole grains such as brown rice and pearled barley to provide rich fiber sources such as B vitamins, and a balance of other minerals that your Charles Spaniel dog may need. Bison is the first real protein source to support holistic health and wellness in your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
PROS
- Uses bison as a first protein ingredient
- Small breeds will have an easy time chewing the small kibble pieces full of proteins, fat, and dietary fiber with their tiny mouth
- This dog food combines fiber-rich prebiotics protected to stay alive and viable until consumption by your spaniel puppy
- The mindfully curated superfoods such as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids cleanse, balance, and fuel support for a healthy dog
- Made from 100% natural ingredients list
CONS
- Crafted for small breeds dog
- Has a much higher price tag compared to other dog foods options
4. Taste Of The Wild Appalachian Valley Grain-Free Diet For Small Breed, Venison & Garbanzo Beans Recipe
Your small breed dog will enjoy this easily digestible venison and small kibble treat product that is grain-free. The industry experts have combined prebiotic fiber and probiotics to aid healthy digestion and nutrient absorption with this grain-free dog food and to promote healthy gut flora.
This healthy diet of roasted venison, lamb meal, egg, duck, and ocean menhaden fish meal provide the vet recommended flavor, amino acid, and protein nutrition. Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel benefits from this high-quality dog food products because it is rich in protein and fat. You are sure your dog receives a high energy level for an active furry pet.
This dog food recipe includes powerful ingredients such as legumes, fresh fruits, peas, lentils, raspberries, and tomatoes. All these combined make for an all-rounded pet healthwise. Your dog gets enough zinc, selenium, and vitamin E for a healthy dog’s immune system as well which makes the Taste of the Wild one of the best dog foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
PROS
- Grain-free food recipes; dog food crafted with real venison as the first ingredient
- Blended with protein-rich ingredients such as venison, egg, duck, peas, and ocean fish protein for lean nutrition and to support strong muscles and maintain a healthy muscle mass
- 100% natural high-quality recipes with added vitamins and minerals, and powerful antioxidants from fresh fruits and vegetables to boost the dog's immune system
- Contains omega fatty acids such as omega-3 and 6 fatty acids to promote good heart health, healthy skin and a lustrous healthy coat in your dog
- A highly digestible recipe that is rich in proprietary K9 strain probiotic to support your canines digestive system
CONS
- Contains low levels of omega 3 fatty acids
- The taste might be off-putting for some dogs at the beginning
5. Canidae PURE Puppy Real Chicken, Lentil & Whole Egg Recipe
Your puppy Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will sure enjoy this special chicken meal and love you for feeding them. Why? This recipe is a special puppy food formula that contains nine quality ingredients such as sweet potatoes and chickpeas for a protein-rich, a muscle-boosting deboned chicken meal that your growing young cavalier may need.
For a wholesome dog’s diet, it’s blended with vegetables, probiotics, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals to make the perfect puppy formula. All this goodness supports your little pup’s digestive and immune systems and is one of the choice dog foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Your dog enjoys a holistic diet free from corn, wheat, soy, or artificial ingredients.
PROS
- Uses real deboned chicken as the first protein ingredient
- Crafted with only 9 real food ingredients to provide your puppy with a nutritious and high-quality meal with no fillers
- Contains no added artificial flavors and color
- Cook it with Canidae's HealthPLUS for a magical recipe blended with probiotics, antioxidants, and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids
- Made for 100% natural and quality ingredients
CONS
- Your adult dog will not enjoy this tasty dish much
- Expensive in comparison to other best dog foods options in the market
3 Common Health Problems In Cavalier King Charles
For dog lovers, do keep an eye for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as this toy breed stands among the most sensitive dog breed for certain health concerns. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is prone to a number of significant health problems including heart disease. At least 50% of Charles Spaniels develop mitral valve disease-MVD- by age five and all will get the valve disease by the lifespan of age 10. Luxating patellas and allergies is another difficulty for them.
Please read below for the three most common health problems and health issues with this toy breed. But a proper Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dry food plan alleviates some of these health concerns.
1. Allergies and Skin Problems
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a sleek coat and healthy skin. However, the skin is susceptible to allergic reactions such as those caused by food allergy. These skin sensitivities create discomfort and pain for your dog that impacts their daily lives negatively.
When your King Charles Spaniel experiences excessive itching, causing damage to the skin from the constant scratching and self-biting to relieve the itchiness. If not handled on time, yeast and bacteria infections may develop leaving your Charles Spaniel irritable.
Cavalier Spaniels develop allergies in specific areas in their bodies mainly the face area, legs, paws, sides, and hind end. If you notice your Charles Spaniel regularly itching, biting, and dandruff falling off from any of these areas, it’s time to visit your dog’s veterinarian.
Genetics and the environment play major roles in your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel getting skin allergies. A primary cause of skin allergies in King Charles is internal food intolerance especially to protein such as chicken meal and beef meal. Additionally, fillers, additives, and chemical preservatives in dog food for cavalier are known elements that trigger skin issues in cavalier dogs.
King Charles Spaniels are genetically predisposed to developing ichthyosis. A severe skin condition that causes scaly and dry flakes. Your dog suffers this condition early in life and unfortunately, it remains untreatable.
Environmental triggers include fleas, dust mites, pollen, mold, and household chemicals. For fleas, medication and regular dog cleaning should remedy the situation. As dog owners, do purchase medicated shampoos and essentials oil such as fish oil to help your dog with the problems.
Otherwise, for pollen, mold, and household chemicals, remains your responsibility to keep it away from your Charles Spaniel dog reach. But using the best dry food ensures your dog’s healthy coat and skin is catered for holistically.
2. Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia [1] or Patellar Luxation is a common genetic disease that can affect Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. These conditions develop as your cavalier grows and if they do not get proper exercise. For a proper diagnosis, a vet performs an x-ray on your King Charles Spaniel.
As your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel approaches the ages of 4 to 6 months, you might observe a genetic defect of the knee and femur knowns as luxating patella. In severe situations, a veterinarian might advise for a surgical procedure.
The grading system for the patella runs from one tight knee – four a loose knee cap that is easily displaced. If your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has grade one or two, physical rehabilitation therapy combined with exercises, the condition might reduce avoiding potential surgery. Grade 3-4 are most critical and might warrant surgery to correct the problem avoiding arthritis and lameness in the particular Cavalier King Charles Spaniel limb.
3. Syringomyelia
If your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel shows symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to chronic pain with partial paralysis, unfortunately, they are suffering a condition known as syringomyelia.
This condition affects the brain and spine of your dog. A malfunction in the lover back of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s skull reduces the available space to the brain. This causes compression and eventually forcing it out through the spinal cord opening.
The herniation blocks cerebral spinal fluid from flowing around the brain and spine in your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Eventually, the fluid increases pressure causing turbulence believed to create fluid pockets or syrinxes in the spinal cord. Hence the conditions name syringomyelia.
Most dogs evade this condition. However recent international research continues to indicate at least 90% of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels suffer the malfunction. The studies inform that between 30-70% of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed have syrinxes. According to Clare Rusbridge a research scientist, 85% of symptomatic dogs may show the effects and feel pain between six months to four eyes of age.
The symptoms include;
- Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel experiences sensitivity around the head, neck, and shoulders area. This is evident from your dog’s whimpering sounds while scratching the side regions on the body.
- You might notice a lot of air scratching with your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, no skin contact while scratching
- Rapidly appearing scoliosis on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s back.
- In severe cases, your cavalier may show low awareness of their body position, especially with their front limbs. This creates clumsiness and falling frequently.
If you notice any of the above signs in your King Charles Spaniel, please pay a veterinarian a visit to rule out syringomyelia. Your vet might recommend an MRI to confirm the grade. He then issues a signed certificate indicating the severity of.
Related Reviews:
Important Features to Consider
The best dog foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should be holistic and contain the most important food features to maintain a healthy development in King Charles Spaniels.
To keep your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog’s weight in check while maintaining enough energy, vets recommend serving smaller portions of their dry food. This aids in the healthy digestion of the right food amount in relation to the size of your king’s stomach.
A significant consideration for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog breeds is how many calories per day they eat. While it might be difficult to tell how much your dog weighs because of it’s fur, however, placing your fingertips on the ribcage allows you to feel the outline readily. If you need to push and prod to find the ribs, your spaniel is carrying excess body weight which should be addressed before your high energy and playful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel turns into a couch potato.
Here are some standard food components that can ease the purchase experience while choosing the best dog foods for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats is also an important ingredient to consider when choosing the best dog food for your pet as it can also help keep a dog’s skin and coat healthy . Specifically, animal-based fats like chicken fat and salmon oil are good sources of energy. Healthy fats help promote dog coat and skin health and are best found in oily fish and chicken fat. However, when it comes to fats, you have to be sure it is the healthy kind as excess fat in a diet can lead to too much weight gain.
Protein
Proteins remain vital in your puppy spaniel life all through to adult size to fuel holistic growth and development.
For you is no different. As a dog owner, your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s diet needs to contain protein from high-end natural sources such as sweet potatoes, deboned chicken meal, lamb meal, and fresh fish. Proteins are an essential source of energy in your dogs’ energy level requirements. For one, it keeps the coat looking healthy as it a major factor in building fur in animals.
It promotes lean muscle mass and keeps the muscles tone strong which makes your dog have enough high energy to play and run around with you while out on an evening walk. The nutrient should come from whole meats and not by-products of meals. If your cavalier is allergic to chicken or salmon, bison is a good alternative.
Artificial Flavoring And Preservatives
Commercial pet food brands spray their pet foods with a combination of liver, fats, and sugar to make it taste better for your King Charles Spaniel puppy and adult spaniels.
Do keep an eye on them as artificial flavoring add more than greasy feels and texture to the food and can contribute to food allergies. They create an artificial sensation for your puppy food including adult cavalier dog foods that lack in terms of nutrients and efficient digestibility.
Some of these artificial flavors include a number of additives such as BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin. Many pet nutritionists term these as harmful chemical preservatives. These artificial flavorings are highly associated with allergic reactions, dental diseases, poor health, dry skin, and degenerative organ dysfunction.
The best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel needs to be made from 100% natural and quality ingredients to maintain your dog’s health at an optimum and help manage food allergies.
Grains
Like in human nutrition, many dog owners are questioning their role in their dog foods. Regular dog food contains it and is still popular among many dog owners.
Among the ingredients found in regular dog food diet, you will see a number of the below grains on the label.
- Corn
- Barley
- Wheat
- Oats
- Rye
- Rice
- Soy
Gluten-free dog food which is considered the best dog food for cavaliers excludes wheat during processing the dog food.
What purpose do grain serve in your King Charles Spaniel food products? While many breeds of pet owners may think that they are way too nonessentials, they are nutrient rich sources. It provides your Cavelier King Charles Spaniel dog mainly with carbohydrates to boost energy levels and provide fiber to promote smooth digestion for your small breed or toy breed.
Do look for grains as they provide other essential nutrients needs such as animal protein and linoleic acid essential fatty acids for dogs. Some dogs breed are allergic to it, therefore grain-free recipe or limited ingredient food recipes is the best for them. Nonetheless, the best food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should include grains and fresh food.
Recommended Content:
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Should You Feed A Cavalier King Charles?
The feeding frequency for your King Charles spaniels is determined majorly by their weight, age, and activity level. Having in mind Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are smaller breed dogs, they have fast metabolisms and burn through energy quickly than other breeds. A cavalier weighs 13-15 pounds depending on how much food they eat and dogs that are older or have been spayed/neutered may require fewer calories.
A general thumb rule is to serve your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at least one to one and a half cups of food daily. As a puppy, your King Charles needs four small meals a day up until their sixth month. But as they approach adulthood, you can reduce to three meals a day.
When they hit 12 months of age, switch to an adult small-breed food recipe, for example, the Royal Canin Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog’s diet. Although, again the food type matters as well. Ideally, split the portion into two and serve as two separate meals.
What can I feed my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?
The best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel doesn’t need high-calories treats because these sweets kings add on weight way too rapidly. Feed your Cavalier King Charles Royal Canin. Alternatively, small amounts of boiled liver or chicken meal cut into cubes works perfectly as the best food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
To add a sweet taste and crunchy texture, you could feed your King Charles small raw carrots. Adding vegetables to your dog’s diet ensures they get the fiber needed into their bodies.
Are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels picky eaters?
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are generally picky eaters, especially mostly owing to their sensitive stomachs and a couple of health issues combined with food allergies they might be fussy but the royal canin for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel seems a favorite for this dog breed.
Do Cavaliers have sensitive stomachs?
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known to be a good therapy dog. Their gentle and affectionate demeanor wins them this title gracefully. However, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs have an issue with digesting fats and animal protein, this way Cavalier King Charles Spaniels develop a sensitive stomach.
Why is my Cavalier King Charles not eating?
Loss of appetite means your Cavalier king dog isn’t well, especially if they suddenly stop eating. Confirm if they are displaying other indications such as weight loss, diarrhea, and vomiting.
If the above is happening to your dog, it’s best to take them to the vet for a physical examination immediately to determine what the underlying cause.
Conclusion
From the above guide, you are confident about the basics of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog and their nutritional needs on their food diet.
Finding the best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog can be tasking. However, the commercial dog food review above should make the process painless and leave your best friend with a better diet the market has to offer. Look through the dog food labels before use to ascertain your dog is getting a balance of all a blend of the nutrients needed to grow healthy and happy.
The best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel should be crafted from 100% natural and high-quality meat ingredients, including plenty of healthy fats, animal proteins, and digestible carbohydrates. Always remember your dog breed, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is prone to food allergies and skin conditions.
For this reason, you should consider a grain-free recipe or a limited ingredient diet for their wellness. Our editor’s choice that checks all these boxes is Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind For Adult 7+, Small Breed Formula.
On top of regular exercise, all the beneficial supplements such as fresh fruits and vegetables, probiotics, and chelated minerals, your dog will be happy and healthy with the best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Try the dog foods recommended above and give your Cavalier King Charles Spaniels the best dog foods money can buy. After all, they are your everything. Aren’t they?
Editor's Choice
Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind For Adult 7+, Small Breed Formula
- Chicken is the first ingredient making it a great choice for the best dog food for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
- Pro Plan Bright Mind Adult is a formula for adult dogs and small breeds
- Packed with brain supporting nutrients for cognitive health such as arginine, DHA, and EPA. You can call it brain food
- Contains antioxidants including vitamins B, E, and C plus folic acid and pyridoxine
- This adult dog meal contains EPA, an omega fatty acid, and glucosamine to support your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's joint health and mobility
