True or False?

Dogs have far fewer taste buds than humans do.

(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)

When a couple arrived at their winter home in Interlachen, Florida, they were not expecting anything out of the ordinary. Then a low, steady growl drifted out of the palm forest behind their house. It was unsettling enough that they went looking for the source, and when darkness made that impossible, they spent the night wondering what was out there.

The next morning, they found her. A mama dog, exhausted and barely holding on, with 11 newborn puppies scattered in piles across the forest floor. Her ribs showed through her coat. She had been out there alone, keeping her babies alive on nothing but sheer instinct and love. The couple reached out to local rescues until they found Nala Sanctuary, whose team rushed to the scene.

Earning her trust took patience and the kind of soft, gentle approach that scared animals need. But once she let them close, the whole family was safely brought in. The mama got the food, rest, and medical care she so desperately needed. Her puppies, all 11 of them, were healthy. And the woman who had spent the night alone in the forest, protecting her babies against all odds, finally got to rest knowing they were safe.

It is the kind of story that reminds you what people are capable of when they choose to pay attention. This family made it, and that is worth celebrating today.

When it comes to feeding your dog, size really does matter. Small and toy dogs, generally any pup that tops out under 20 pounds as an adult, have genuinely different nutritional needs than bigger breeds. And knowing what those differences are can make a real impact on how your dog feels every single day.

Here is what sets small dog nutrition apart:

• They need more calories per pound. Small dogs have faster metabolisms and burn through energy more quickly than large breeds do. Their food needs to be calorie-dense to keep up.

• Smaller kibble matters. Tiny mouths need appropriately sized pieces to chew properly. Small-breed formulas are designed with this in mind, and it can actually help with dental health, too.

• Portion control is everything. Because of their size, even slight overfeeding adds up fast. Measure meals with a kitchen scale rather than eyeballing a scoop, and keep treats to no more than 10% of daily calories.

• Puppy food has a shorter window. Toy breeds are usually ready to transition to adult food between 6 and 9 months, once their skeleton has fully developed.

The bottom line is that your small dog is not just a miniature version of a big one. Their bodies work differently, and feeding them accordingly is one of the simplest ways to support their long-term health.

One day they'll devour dinner. The next day they won't touch it.

That's why The Bear & The Rat created a meal kit developed specifically for small dogs.

Take the 60-second quiz to find your dog's perfect plan.

Try a sample for just $5.

FIND YOUR DOG'S PERFECT PLAN

Thank you to The Bear & The Rat for sponsoring Daily Dig.

Meet Mookie Best, a dog with a name as wonderful as he is. Daily Dig reader Roxanne introduced us to The Mooks, who was found wandering the streets in rough shape a few years ago and has been making up for lost time ever since. These days, Mookie has a very clear sense of his purpose in life: to capture the heart of every human and non-human he meets.

And he does, apparently. Every single one of them. Except for the rat terrier down the street, who is, frankly, the jealous type. We completely understand, rat terrier. Mookie has that effect on people.

Thank you to Daily Dig reader Roxanne for sharing Mookie Best with us. Want to see your dog featured next? Reply to this email with their photo and a little about them for a chance to be our next Dog of the Day!

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The Bear & The Rat created a meal kit developed specifically for small dogs. Take the 60-second quiz to find your dog's perfect plan.

Daily Dig is inspired and brought to you by our wonderful dogs. Our dogs, and all the other pups out there, make the world a happier, brighter place.

With lots of love,

Ivy, Callie, Finnegan, Stitcher, and Huey 🐾

🦴 A Little Treat

🤔 True or False: True! Dogs have around 1,700 taste buds compared to the roughly 9,000 humans have. That is part of why dogs tend to be more driven by smell than taste when it comes to their food. A bowl that smells exciting is often more appealing to your pup than one that just tastes good.

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