Hill's 2026 report reveals that small dogs, weighing under 25 pounds and representing over 52% of the global canine population, have distinct anatomical, metabolic, and behavioral profiles requiring targeted nutrition and preventive care rather than being treated as scaled-down versions of larger dogs.
- Small dogs need approximately twice the calories per kilogram of body weight compared to large breeds due to higher metabolic rates and greater heat loss.
- Small breeds are up to five times more likely to develop periodontal disease, with 97% of veterinarians identifying dental care as their primary health need.
- Small dogs are 12 times more prone to medial patellar luxation (slipped kneecaps) due to distinct bone growth patterns and genetic traits.
- Small and mini dogs account for 71% of all urinary stones in canine cases, with calcium oxalate uroliths representing 53% of stones in mini breeds.
- Myxomatous mitral valve disease disproportionately affects small breeds and accounts for over 70% of canine heart disease cases.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition released its “World of the Small Dog Report 2026,” an evidence-based guide on how veterinary teams and pet owners understand and care for small dogs.
Small dogs, defined as dogs weighing less than 25 pounds, represent more than 52% of the global canine population, and their popularity is rising with urbanization and changing lifestyles, according to the report. Small dogs live significantly longer than large or giant breed dogs, but they have historically been treated clinically as scaled-down versions of larger dogs. Hill’s research found small dogs have distinct anatomical, metabolic and behavioral profiles that call for targeted nutrition and preventive care.
Hill’s first presented the report Oct. 20 at the fifth anniversary of its Small Paws Innovation Center in Topeka, Kansas. The center is the only U.S. facility dedicated exclusively to the study of small dog biology and nutrition.
“When you look at a Chihuahua, dachshund or Pomeranian, you are looking at an animal that is intrinsically different from a large breed,” said Dr. Francisco Poblanno, lead report author and clinical nutrition manager at Hill’s. “Small dogs are not simply smaller versions of larger dogs — they possess unique metabolic rates, faster gut transit times and distinct health vulnerabilities. By understanding their specific biology, we can help find new ways to fundamentally transform their healthspan and quality of life.”
Key report findings
- Metabolic and energy demands: Per kilogram of body weight, small dogs need about twice the calories of large breeds because of higher mass-specific metabolic rates and greater heat loss relative to their size.
- Dental health: Smaller jaws and tooth crowding make small dogs up to five times more likely than giant breeds to develop periodontal disease. Ninety-seven percent of veterinarians identified dental care as the primary health need for small dogs.
- Orthopedic risks: Bone growth patterns and genetic traits create distinct joint challenges. Small dogs are 12 times more likely than larger breeds to have medial patellar luxation, or slipped kneecaps.
- Urinary and kidney health: An analysis of about 388,000 canine cases submitted to the Minnesota Urolith Center at the University of Minnesota from 2019 to 2024 showed small and mini dogs accounted for 71% of all urinary stones. Calcium oxalate uroliths represented 53% of stones in mini breeds.
- Cardiovascular and cognitive aging: Myxomatous mitral valve disease accounts for more than 70% of canine heart disease and disproportionately affects small breeds. Longer lifespans also raise small dogs’ lifetime risk of canine cognitive dysfunction.
Advisory panel formed
Along with the report, Hill’s held the first meeting of its Small & Mini Advocacy Advisory Panel, a global group of veterinary specialists in gastroenterology, mobility, cardiology, urinary health, dentistry and behavior. Hill’s leaders said the report and the panel were a natural progression of the company’s small dog research.
“Pioneering small-dog science has been a priority for Hill’s for years, leading directly to the establishment of our Small Paws Innovation Center five years ago, as the premier research hub for small-breed biology,” said Dr. Karen Shenoy, global chief veterinary officer at Hill’s. “This new report and the formation of our advisory panel represent the next chapter in our ongoing commitment to leading the industry in decoding their unique health needs and delivering science-led nutrition for these much-loved pets.”
Panel members are:
- Kathrin Busch, Dr. med. vet., Diplomate ECVIM-CA (gastroenterology, LMU Munich, Germany)
- Eva Furrow, VMD, Ph.D., DACVIM, DACVNU (urinary and nephrology, Minnesota Urolith Center, University of Minnesota, U.S.)
- Sun A. Kim, DVM, MS, Ph.D., DACVB (behavior and aging, Cornell University, U.S. and South Korea)
- Jody Lulich, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM (urology, Minnesota Urolith Center, University of Minnesota, U.S.)
- Denis Marcellin-Little, DEDV, DACVS, DACVSMR (mobility, University of California, Davis, U.S.)
- Cassie Panning, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), VTS (SAIM) (clinical communication and nursing, AERC Minnesota, U.S.)
- Brittany Rigby, DAVDC (dentistry, Alberta Veterinary Dentistry, Canada)
- Henry W. Green III, DVM, DACVIM (cardiology, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, U.S.)
The full report is available at hillsvet.com/caninehealth. Veterinary professionals can access related RACE-approved continuing education on canine medicine through the Hill’s Veterinary Academy.
