Developing a Dog Diet

Even if your dog is not overweight, it is smart to develop a dog diet to keep him healthy. Your vet and other dog experts will have their ideas on what nutrition your individual dog needs, but in reality only you and your dog know what will work best. There are several considerations you should take into account prior to developing a diet for your dog.

Consider Your Dog’s Age

Your dog’s age determines much of his nutritional needs. Puppies and younger dogs are still developing teeth, bones and muscle, and because of this, they need higher levels of protein and carbohydrates to fuel their bodies’ processes. The energy of these younger dogs must also be considered, in the type of food you select, as a food that mainly contains fillers rather than nutrition will burn off too quickly for these energetic pups, leaving them hungry and possibly to becoming overweight.

Elderly dogs need fewer calories but not less nutrition. Unfortunately, many low calorie pet foods consist mainly of fillers to replace calories. Check the food’s nutritional information to ensure you are not feeding your dog empty calories or foods that will pass through his system without being beneficial in any way.

Consider Your Dog’s Medical Conditions

Your dog’s medical problems affect the type of food and amount of food he should ingest. Skin, intestinal, liver and other problems may mean that he cannot eat certain types of protein or needs easily digested or organic foods. Furthermore, certain types of medications may not react well with certain types of foods. If your dog has a serious or consistent medical condition, ask your vet for food suggestions.

Consider Your Dog’s Weight

An overweight dog is a serious problem. Obese dogs often have leg, hip or breathing problems because of the larger than normal weight they must carry around. If your dog is already overweight, developing a diet is necessary for him to lose those extra pounds, but even if your dog is not heavy, you should always work to prevent him from becoming too large.

The best way to do this is to choose a low calorie, high nutrition food that does not consist mainly of carbohydrates or other fattening foods and to feed your dog the same size portion every meal. The food’s package will tell you the serving size for the size of your dog so you do not need to guess at how much to feed him. Remember that your dog does not need a completely full bowl to get good nutrition.

Consider Your Lifestyle

Your lifestyle is another main issue in developing a dog diet. If you are home during the day and you and your dog are active by taking several walks, your dog may need more calories. In contrast, if you are gone all day and your dog mainly sleeps away the hours, he will need fewer calories. Additionally, you must be realistic about your ability to stick to a feeding schedule. Most vets agree that it is bad to feed your dog only once a day, as this slows their metabolism down and, in many cases, causes them to eat too quickly when fed due to being too hungry. If you are unable to feed your dog twice a day on a consistent schedule, you may need to invest in an automatic food dispenser.

Consider Your Budget

The market for canine products has expanded in recent years. There are hundreds of different types of dog foods available for you to choose from, not all of which are created equal. While you don’t necessarily need to feed your dog the most expensive food, the cheapest foods may not contain much nutrition. Choose the food that best fits your dog’s needs and your budget.

Despite what the product advertises, not all dog foods will be the best for your dog. Read the product information to determine what ingredients the food contains and where its calories are derived from.