Burns for small breeds
Burns is a UK dog food brand built around single-meat, gentle recipes originally developed with sensitive digestion in mind, and the range includes formulas specifically sized and balanced for small and toy breeds rather than a smaller bag of the standard adult recipe.
What's actually different for a small breed
Burns' Toy Breed and Puppy/Junior Mini recipes use a smaller kibble size, which matters more than it sounds — a small or toy breed's jaw and throat genuinely struggle with a biscuit sized for a medium or large dog, and an oversized kibble can put a small dog off dry food altogether or lead to bolting and gulping.
The calorie density is also tuned differently, since small breeds have a faster metabolism relative to their size than large breeds do, and a food balanced for a Labrador can under- or over-feed a Chihuahua-sized dog quite quickly if portioned the same way by simple weight alone.
The single-protein approach
Across the wider range, Burns recipes are built around one named meat protein rather than a blend, which several owners of small breeds specifically look for if their dog has a known or suspected sensitivity — there is only one protein to rule in or out rather than several in combination.
This single-protein structure runs through the puppy, adult and senior formulas alike, so a small breed can generally stay on a similar protein through different life stages if that protein continues to suit them.
For this need
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Burns Adult Senior Dog Toy Breed Chicken Rice
Chicken and rice with a smaller kibble, made for adult and senior toy and small breed dogs
From£14.99
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burns Puppy Junior Original Chicken Rice
A complete puppy and junior food with dried chicken 31% and controlled fat at 15%
From£14.99
Burns Grain Free Puppy Duck Potato
Grain-free duck and potato puppy food with a prebiotic, for starting a new litter on a novel protein
From£16.49
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Original Lamb and Brown Rice
Single-source lamb and brown rice, formulated for adult and senior dogs with sensitivities
£35.99
Burns Senior Chicken Rice
Chicken and brown rice with glucosamine and chondroitin, for senior dogs slowing down
From£14.99
Burns Puppy Original Lamb & Rice
Complete Burns lamb and rice puppy food in a 2KG bag for up to 12 months
£14.99
Burns Puppy/Junior Mini Chicken & Rice
Chicken and rice puppy food with a smaller kibble, made for small and toy breed mouths
£14.99
Burns Sensitive Grain Free Adult Senior Dog Duck Potato
Grain-free duck and potato recipe with a single novel protein, sized for a first trial
From£15.49
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Hypoallergenic Mixer
Hypoallergenic dry mixer for combining with wet food or a home-cooked diet - not a complete food
£13.49
Burns Sensitive Grain Free Adult/Senior Duck & Potato
Grain-free duck and potato recipe with a single novel protein, for sensitive adult and senior dogs
£36.99
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Sensitive Grain Free Turkey & Potato Dry Dog Food
Six-ingredient grain-free dry food for adult and senior dogs, single-source turkey
£15.49
Common questions
- Does Burns make a specific small breed dog food?
- Yes, Burns' Toy Breed and Puppy/Junior Mini recipes are sized and balanced specifically for small and toy dogs, rather than being the standard adult formula in a smaller bag.
- Why does kibble size matter for a small dog?
- A biscuit sized for a medium or large breed can be genuinely difficult for a small or toy breed to chew comfortably, and an oversized kibble can lead to gulping or a dog going off dry food altogether. A smaller kibble is easier and safer for them to eat properly.
- Is Burns a good choice for a dog with a sensitive stomach?
- Burns' single-protein approach across most of its range is a genuinely useful feature for a dog with a known or suspected sensitivity, since it is easier to identify what does or doesn't agree with them than with a food using several blended proteins.
- How much should I feed a small breed dog?
- Follow the feeding guide printed on the specific pack, which is calculated for that recipe's calorie density, and adjust based on your dog's body condition. Small breeds often need proportionally more calories per kilogram of body weight than large breeds, so scaling down a large-breed guide by weight alone is not accurate.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.