What should I feed my dog?

The most frequently asked question from dog owners is, "What should I feed my dog?" Feeding your dog an appropriate amount of a well-balanced diet is important to its overall health
To understand how and what to feed your dog, you need to understand the nutritional requirements of dogs and how those requirements have evolved throughout their growth

Dogs are from the Carnivora group, a large group of mammals that share a similar dental structure. The nutritional needs of animals belonging to this group differ

Some have absolute requirements for meat in their diet (called obligate carnivores) like cats, while others can meet their nutritional requirements by eating a mixture of meat and plants like dogs.

Dogs can thrive if they eat a vegetarian diet balanced with their protein and energy needs, but a diet based solely on meat does not meet their nutritional needs.

Any balanced diet must contain an appropriate amount of minerals, vitamins, amino and fatty acids necessary for building and maintaining tissues, and these quantities vary according to the age stage of the dog (puppy, adolescent, adult or elderly) and the physiological condition such as (pregnancy and lactation)

Domesticated dogs have adapted over thousands of years to consume the diets provided by their human companions, including foods that have been cooked. As mentioned earlier, dogs can digest complex carbohydrates more easily once they have been cooked

Feeding raw diets can carry a number of risks for the dog as well as the people in the home, especially those who are young or immunocompromised

The six essential nutrients are water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. These essential nutrients are required as part of a dog's regular diet and are involved in all essential functions of the body

  Dietary Guidelines (AAFCO) were developed by the Association of American Feed Control Officials
These guidelines are the general basis for the nutritional content of commercial pet foods. Make sure your dog food meets AAFCO standards
Keep in mind that these are guidelines and your dog may need more or less depending on his health condition. Talk to your vet for more information about specific nutrients your dog may need

The best advice you can receive about feeding your dog is this: feed your dog the highest quality food you can afford. No differences were found between premium foods and foods of average quality in nutrients

Rather, the difference is in the quality and source of the ingredients. Both dog foods may contain up to 27% protein but differ greatly when it comes to digestibility.

Pet food ingredients are described in order of weight. Each ingredient is weighed when added to a batch Food  Ingredients such as fresh meat contain a lot of water, much of which is lost during processing

This means that a dry diet that lists corn as the first ingredient may be better nutritionally than one that lists meat first.

The best way to choose an appropriate food for your dog is to ask your veterinarian. However, here are some general tips to help you decide what should go into your dog's food bowl

Choose a diet that contains known whole food ingredients. If most of the listed ingredients are unfamiliar to you, look for another diet

Choose a low-calorie diet. Most adult, indoor, spayed or neutered dogs have low energy requirements

Your dog's diet should contain relatively few calories per cup; Ideally less than 350 calories. If your dog food has 500 calories per cup and you have a 20-pound dog, the amount you should be feeding is small (and not satisfying!). Unfortunately, high-calorie foods mean that even a little extra can make you gain weight

The ideal way to determine how many calories you should feed your dog is to determine the lowest weight of the dog and feed it according to that weight. Unfortunately, this requires constant monitoring (and weighing) and is not always practical

Your vet can estimate how many calories your dog needs each day based on his lifestyle and degree of body condition. The standard formula used to calculate the energy requirements for the average adult dog who lives inside your home, receives light daily exercise, and is spayed or neutered is

 Weight in kilograms x 30 + 70 = daily calorie needs

This formula is just a starting point. Most dogs require fewer calories per day, while a few require slightly more. This daily calorie total includes not only your dog's meals, but any snacks and treats as well

If your dog needs to lose weight, your veterinarian will recommend caloric limitation (which is usually 70% to 90% of the amount calculated to maintain weight).

The biological evolution of dogs as hunters has endowed them with specialized digestive adaptations that allow them to eat a large meal followed by days of not eating Food. However, for most pet dogs, feeding once or twice per day is recommended

Many dogs will benefit from eating evenly divided meals two to three times daily
No matter what feeding schedule you choose, avoid allowing your dog to exercise vigorously after a large meal, especially if your dog eats his food quickly.

This will help reduce Disorders Bloating, bowel obstruction, or other serious digestive disorders, make sure your dog has access to fresh, clean water at all times

In terms of nutrition and digestibility, there are no differences between dry and canned (wet) dog food. You should make your decision based on your lifestyle, preferences and budget. For dogs that need to consume more water or have certain special dietary needs, canned food may be a better option. Otherwise, most dogs will be healthy on dry food

Some dry foods are specially formulated as dental meals and can help remove plaque mechanically

Are there breed differences in nutritional requirements?
In the past several decades, nutritionists and veterinary researchers have identified that there are specific differences in metabolism and nutritional requirements

Dog breeds that developed in specific locations, such as the Arctic Circle and some water breeds, may have adapted to specialized diets popular in their native habitat. Inbreeding and genetic differences between individuals in each species may lead to a further need for personalizing a pet's diet in order to improve health.

In addition to considering your dog's breed, you should also consider your dog's lifestyle. Working pets (hunting dogs, field test dogs, and herding dogs) require different ratios of protein and fat in their diets than do domestic, sedentary dogs.

Dogs have varying nutritional needs during their life stages, and feeding a diet designed for all life stages is not necessarily appropriate. All-purpose dog food may not provide enough nutrients to meet the needs of a growing puppy or a pregnant or nursing mother

Conversely, this all-purpose diet may provide excess nutrients for an elderly or inactive dog. Respected nutrition experts now recommend feeding your dog according to his life stage (puppy, adolescent, gestational, adult, senior) to maintain Health Your dog's general well-being

They require relatively larger amounts of Food Because they grow quickly and have limited space in their little stomachs. At 6 to 8 weeks old they are fed 4 to 6 meals a day. By 6 months, the need for Food It can be fed two to three meals a day

Good puppy food has advantages over adult dog food because it is tailored to the nutritional requirements of puppies and contains the right amount of calcium. Due to their rapid growth, any nutritional errors that occur during growth will have more serious and lifelong consequences

Since development is approximately complete by 8 to 10 months of age, the average puppy can be switched to adult dog food at about 12 months of age.

After weaning, the majority of puppies lose the ability to digest sugar Milk (lactose). So, while small amounts can be tolerated, feeding Milk It can cause intestinal upset and diarrhea because dogs cannot digest it properly

Older dogs, especially those over the age of 7, will benefit from a diet tailored to their needs. Senior dog diets often contain fewer calories, higher protein, lower sodium, and lower starches.

Many also contain ingredients such as prebiotics or probiotics to maintain healthy gut microbes, a boost of omega-3 fatty acids and other antioxidants to fight inflammation, and glucosamine to promote joint health.

Be sure to ask your vet about the best food for your senior dog. Some diets for seniors will include medium-chain triglycerides to help slow changes in the brain that can lead to stroke Disorders aging

Choosing a high-quality food from the hundreds of brands and formulas available can be challenging. The pet nutrition industry is very competitive, and most commercially available foods are very good balanced diets

You can ask the Shopify technical support team to help you choose a quality Food The appropriate one that meets your dog's individual needs according to his age, health and physiological condition. And if you have any questions about a specific food, we can help you answer them. You can order the different types of food you need for your dog and it will get you home in the fastest time.

Contact us in the right way for you now and let us help you

Nutrition - General Feeding Guidelines for Dogs
Dog Nutrition: Guide to Dog Food Nutrients
YOUR DOG’S NUTRITIONAL NEEDS