I don’t think any pet food company has taken the “specialty diet” concept farther than Royal Canin, who has developed foods for dogs of every size, age, and condition, and even a few specific breed varieties. Here’s a list of its dry foods for toy and small breeds; no wonder people are confused about what to buy!
-MINI Puppy 33 (small breed puppies 2 to 10 months)
-MINI Indoor Puppy 27 (small breed indoor puppies, weaning to 10 months)
-MINI Adult 27 (small breed dogs, 10 months to 8 years)
-MINI Toy Adult Indoor 25 (indoor toy breeds – up to 6 lbs — over 8 months)
-MINI Babydog 30 (small breed puppies, weaning to 8 weeks)
-MINI Special 30 (small breed adults with “sensitive stomachs or fussy appetites”)
-MINI Weight Care 28 (small breed adult dogs, overweight)
-MINI Dental Hygiene 24 (small breed adult dogs with “oral sensitivities”)
-MINI Beautycare 26 (small breed adult dogs, with “skin & coat sensitivities”)
-MINI Aging Care 27 (small breed adult dogs over 8 years)
-Chihuahua Puppy 30 (Chihuahua puppies from 8 weeks to 8 months)
-Chihuahua 28 (Chihuahuas over 8 months)
-Shih Tzu 24 (Shih Tzus over 10 months)
-Yorkshire Terrier Puppy 29 (Yorkshire Terrier puppies from 8 weeks to 10 months)
-Yorkshire Terrier 28 (Yorkshire Terriers over 10 months)
That’s 15 dry food products for toy and small dogs! The company also offers 7 dry varieties for medium size dogs (21 to 55 pounds) including 2 breed-specific formulas; 13 varieties for “maxi” dogs (56 to 100 pounds) including 6 breed-specific formulas; and 1 variety for giant adult dogs (more than 100 pounds).
And this doesn’t even address its veterinary diets! Royal Canin offers a line of “Early Care” diets purported to prevent disease in dogs that are predisposed to certain conditions: obesity, and gastrointestinal and osteoarticular conditions; skin problems, and urinary stones. The Early Care diets are combined with the dog’s age and size factors for 7 different products. Then there are what it calls the “Therapeutic Diets” – in all, some 26 dry foods that purport to address weight control; diabetes; allergies; reduced mobility; cardiac, gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, skin, and dental problems; and two foods for helping dogs who are prone to developing urinary stones: Urinary SO 14 (for dogs prone to struvite crystals) and Urinary UC 18 (for dogs prone to urate, cystine, and/or xanthine crystals). Royal Canin also lists a vegetarian formula among its therapeutic diets.
I’m not a math wizard, but I think that’s 70 dry diets; I won’t go into the wet foods!
Aside from pointing out the excessive variety of dry foods by this brand, this article wasn’t helpful or informative at all. What is your opinion or facts on the quality, nutrition, value, safety or recalls?