Nutrition: General Feeding Guidelines for Dogs

Feeding your dog the appropriate amount of a well-balanced diet is vital to the maintenance of overall health and well-being, just as eating a well-balanced diet is for us. To understand how and what to feed dogs, it is necessary to understand how the nutritional requirements of the dog have developed through biological evolution.

Should dogs eat a meat-based diet?

The dog is a member of the scientific order Carnivora, a large group of mammalian animals that share a similar tooth structure. The dietary needs of animals in this order vary. Some members of this group have an absolute requirement for meat in their diet (called obligate or true carnivores), while others can meet their nutrient requirements by eating plant material (herbivores) or a combination of meat and plants (omnivores). Cats are obligate carnivores, cows are herbivores, and dogs and humans are omnivores.

Dogs’ teeth and intestinal tracts have adapted to an omnivorous diet, which means that, under normal circumstances, dogs can meet their nutritional needs by eating a combination of plant and animal tissues. Unlike cats, which must eat meat, dogs can use nutrients from a variety of sources and can survive on a properly balanced vegetarian diet.

Can my dog digest carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are a readily available energy source for dogs and are safe to include in the diet, even though dogs do not have a specific requirement for them. Dogs have the enzymes needed to break down starch in their diet but lack the enzymes needed to digest fiber. However, including some dietary fiber can have other benefits for gut health.

Dietary carbohydrates such as grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits are also good sources of other essential nutrients, like amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Including one or more dietary carbohydrates in your dog’s diet can reduce the amount of animal protein and fat they require to meet energy needs.

Is raw food a better choice for dogs?

Feeding raw food to dogs (and cats) has grown in popularity over the years. Currently, the risks of feeding raw food are well reported and strong evidence supporting any benefits is lacking. The primary concerns with a raw food diet are food safety (raw food can contain harmful pathogens) and nutritional adequacy. Many raw food diets have been found to be deficient in one or more essential nutrients. Contrary to what some might believe, dogs have adapted to consuming cooked diets and can actually digest complex carbohydrates more easily once they have been cooked.

How much water does my dog need?

Water is essential for all life, and fresh, clean drinking water should always be available to your dog. For dogs with certain medical conditions (e.g., chronic kidney disease or bladder stones), increasing water intake can be important. Here are a few strategies to try:

• Add some canned food to their diet
• Soak dry food or add more water to canned food
• Try different bowl shapes and materials (e.g., stainless-steel versus ceramic)
• Try different temperatures (e.g., cold versus room temperature)

Changes in drinking behavior (e.g., sudden increase in water consumption) can indicate something is wrong; consult your veterinarian if you notice any changes in how your dog drinks.

What are the nutritional requirements for dogs?

Aside from ingredient considerations (e.g., animal protein, grains, vegetables), a well-balanced diet for dogs must include the correct amount and proportion of several essential nutrients, including amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.  Dogs need these nutrients to build and maintain tissues and to carry out biological functions. The necessary amounts vary somewhat with the dog's stage of life (growth, adult, gestation, and lactation).

“Water is essential for all life, and fresh, clean drinking water should always be available to your dog.”

The minimum dietary requirement has been established for many nutrients, and in some cases, the maximum dietary requirement has been established as well. Severe consequences of deficiency have been reported for several nutrients. For example, a vitamin D deficiency can cause nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, which can lead to lameness, bone deformities and even death. In some cases, consequences of toxicity have also been established. Less understood is what may happen over time with marginal deficiencies or excesses.

How much should I feed my dog?

All pet food packages should include feeding guidelines with a suggested serving size based on your pet’s weight and, sometimes, activity level. There are several ways to determine calorie targets, so feeding amounts might differ between companies. Feeding guidelines on the package can be used as a starting point if your dog is healthy. Otherwise, your veterinary healthcare team can do an energy calculation based on your dog’s weight, activity, and other factors to give you a more individualized recommendation on the number of calories that should be fed each day.

How often should I feed my dog?

The biological evolution of dogs as hunters has given them specialized digestive and gastrointestinal adaptations that allow them to ingest a large meal followed by days of not eating. However, for most pet dogs, feeding once or twice per day is recommended. Many dogs benefit from eating equally divided meals, two to three times per day. For younger puppies with a larger energy requirement, dividing the total daily amount into even more meals (three or four) might be needed. Be sure your dog always has access to fresh, clean water. 

Should I feed my dog differently based on its life stage?

There are a few practical considerations when it comes to feeding dogs at various life stages. In all cases, your dog should have access to fresh, clean drinking water.

Puppies

Puppies have a high energy requirement during the first few months of life because they are growing rapidly. They have small stomachs, so they usually need to be fed several small meals during the day to meet their calorie requirement. They should be fed an appropriate food, formulated for growth, because their nutrient needs are different from adult dogs' needs. Additionally, foods formulated for growth often have a higher number of calories per cup/can to meet puppies’ high energy demands.

By six months, puppies are about 75% of their adult size and their energy requirements are significantly lower – especially if they are spayed or neutered at this time. Puppies should still be fed a food formulated for growth until they are completely done growing (typically around 12 months for small- and medium-breed dogs). You can start slowly introducing adult food around 10 months, so that by 12 months your dog has fully transitioned to the new food.

Large-Breed Puppies

A large breed puppy will reach an adult size of larger than 70 lb. These puppies have some differences in nutrient requirements because of the huge amount of growth they need to do. They have an increased risk of developing bone or joint problems as they grow, and thus it is important to feed large puppies a food that has a nutritional adequacy statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) specifically for the growth of large dogs.

In addition to a larger amount of growth, large breed puppies also take longer to reach adult size. For this reason, your veterinary healthcare team might suggest feeding puppy food until the dog is closer to 18 or 24 months of age.

Adult Dogs

There are many food options available for your adult dog. It is important to select a food that is complete (contains all essential nutrients) and balanced (in the correct proportions), and you can find this information on a pet food label by looking for a nutritional adequacy statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). It is often best to choose a food formulated for adult maintenance, but in some cases, an all-life-stages food could be appropriate.

Once you select a food, it is important to feed the correct amount. Obesity is prevalent in domestic dogs and this can result from an excess of calories. Once a dog becomes overweight, it can be challenging for them to lose the excess weight, so a better approach is to prevent them from becoming overweight in the first place. Whether you choose to feed dry, canned, or a combination, or whether you meal-feed or free-feed, it is important to ensure that your dog receives the proper number of calories and gets enough physical activity.

Feeding the individual

It is important to remember that when it comes to diet and feeding behaviors, each dog is an individual with unique needs and characteristics. The number of meals offered and the amount and type of food used will vary with individual preferences and activity levels.

In addition, nutritional requirements and dietary preferences change over the course of the dog’s lifetime. Puppies and adult dogs have different nutritional needs and should have food specially formulated for these life stages. Dogs with certain illnesses will benefit from a therapeutic food that may control symptoms and delay progression of disease.

Choosing a high-quality food from hundreds of available brands and types can be challenging. The pet food industry is competitive and relies on persuasive marketing to sell products. Not all pet foods are created equally, and while there are many balanced, commercially available diets, not all will be the best choice for your dog. It can be difficult to determine quality based strictly on reading the label.

Your veterinary healthcare team can help you interpret food label information based on scientific principles, and can help you choose a food that meets your dog’s specific needs. When you have questions about a particular food or food ingredient, your best source of information is your veterinary healthcare provider.