Feeding Your Adult Dog

Now that your little puppy has grown up, it's time to bid puppy formula farewell and welcome to adult dog food.  For small breeds, this often occurs about 12 months of age, and for gigantic breeds, it occurs around 24 months.

Every dog will have varied dietary needs, just like people do.  The appropriate portion size depends on a number of factors, including your dog's size, age, breed, activity level, and life stage. Additionally, your dog's demands will alter as they age.  Here are some helpful suggestions from our PetCare Team if you're unsure about the right diet and how much food to give your dog.

 

What should you feed your dog?

Being omnivores, dogs require a variety of nutrients to maintain good health.  This contains the proper ratios of carbs, minerals, vitamins, proteins, and fats and oils.  This implies that the proper ratio of all the nutrients your pet requires from their diet will be present in a premium, comprehensive pet food.

 

How often to feed a dog?

"How often should I feed my dog?" is a question that our PetCare staff is frequently asked.  A lot of adult dogs eat twice a day, which is the same as breakfast and dinner.  A puppy should, however, be fed more regularly during the day; until they are at least six months old, three to four meals a day are advised, or more frequently if they are very young.  Three smaller meals will also help certain dogs of smaller breeds.  Larger breed dog owners occasionally choose to feed their pets just one meal each day, but if your pet has a food bolting habit, you could be better off giving them two smaller meals instead of one large one.  Gastrointestinal issues may arise from consuming large amounts of food at once.

Consult your dog's veterinarian if you're unsure of how frequently to feed them.

 

Find an ideal spot - Away from the bustle of the house, in a peaceful location, feed your dog.  Always put the dog food on a surface that is easy to clean, such a tiled floor, and serve it in a clean dish.  Use a rubber feeding mat or an anti-slip bowl if you notice that your dog's bowl is slipping over the floor.

While elderly dogs or messy eaters might prefer an elevated dog feeder, dogs that gobble up their food might benefit from special anti-gulp dog bowls that encourage slower eating.

To prevent bullying and fighting, feed your dogs at the same time but separate from each other if you have other dogs living with you.

 

Serving and storing food - Wet food (cans, tubs, or pouches) is easier to digest and has a more appealing scent when fed to dogs at room temperature.  To do this, remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before feeding.  While briefly warming food in the microwave is acceptable, make sure the food is never hot.

Food that is wet can quickly go bad, so don't leave it out.  Even in the refrigerator, moist food should not be kept for more than 24 hours after it has been opened.

Conversely, dry food does not spoil when left out during the day.  To preserve its scents and prevent it from growing stale, store it in a dry, clean place, preferably in an airtight container or a resealable box.

The majority of dogs like crunching on their dry food, but if your pet prefers it with a little water or you must avoid hard food for a medical reason, soak the meal in water for up to half an hour before feeding.  Since dry kibbles aid in the removal of plaque, you may wish to add a regular dental treat to your pet's diet if you do add water to dry food.  Keep in mind that consistent brushing is the most effective method to avoid dental disease in dogs.

 

Feeding and exercise - Your dog should never be exercised an hour before or after eating.  A medical emergency known as gastric dilatation and volvulus, which causes the stomach to swell and the gut to twist, can affect dogs of large and enormous breeds.  Your dog may retitch, have an enlarged stomach, and act extremely uncomfortable as symptoms.  If you have any concerns about your dog, call your veterinarian right away.

 

What factors decide how much food to feed a dog?

Your dog's breed, size, age, lifestyle, and health can all have a big impact on how much food they should be fed.  The feeding instructions included on pet food packages are frequently a good place to start.  To keep your pet's bodily condition score healthy, you should feed them the appropriate amount.  When considering breed size variations, body condition is a wonderful approach to determine whether your pet is underweight or overweight.  Accurately weighing out food portions is ideal because you can then modify your dog's diet until you achieve the ideal portion size to keep them healthy

Aim to maintain your pet's feedings at less than 10% of their total food intake, but bear in mind that any treats should be offset by a smaller portion of their daily meal.  If not, they run the risk of eating an imbalanced diet.

• Smaller dog breeds possess a quicker metabolism, which causes them to expend energy far more quickly. Based on their body condition and degree of activity, some can require twice as many calories in comparison to larger breeds. To provide them with the extra energy boost they require, the finest food formulae for small dogs are high in fats, carbohydrates, and extra protein. To accommodate smaller mouths and stomachs, they are also available in smaller kibble sizes.
• Larger dog breeds they may have slower metabolisms, but their appetites are undoubtedly bigger!  Larger, more gratifying kibbles found in specially made large breed formulations enable big dogs to chew their food for longer periods of time rather than bolting it.  These diets often contain reduced fat levels and more concentrated proteins to support ideal body condition.
• If your canine companion is extremely energetic or a working dog, to fit a "active" lifestyle, you might select a dish that has been specially prepared. Higher fat, protein, and vitamin B12 levels will result from this, aiding in the release of food's energy. Additionally, vitamin E helps improve muscle recovery following extended durations of intense activity.
• In order to provide pregnant bitches with the extra calories and higher concentrations of other essential nutrients they require, it is usually advised to return them to a high-quality puppy diet.  Learn more about feeding a pregnant dog.
• A 'light' formula may help prevent weight gain because less active dogs need less fat.
  
• Certain dogs may develop food group sensitivities, or they may have health issues that necessitate a special diet. To make sure the new diet is appropriate for your pet's health needs, any dietary modifications made for these reasons should be evaluated with a veterinarian.
  

Speak with your veterinarian or veterinary nurse if you're unsure about the best diet for your dog.

Where to find a dog feeding chart for how much to feed your dog?

You can find dog feeding charts directly on the package of your dog food. To maintain a healthy body condition score, start with adhering to these recommendations and modifying your pet's portion as needed. You can determine whether your dog is overweight using this simple guide.

Should you choose wet or dry dog food?

Your dog's and your own personal preferences will ultimately determine whether you offer food wet or dry.  Pets that are pickier may prefer wet food since it frequently has a richer flavour and scent.  A veterinarian may suggest giving your dog a wet meal to help increase water consumption if they have been diagnosed with a kidney or bladder issue.  Dry food is typically lower in fat and is frequently made to support tooth health.  For overweight dogs, this may help control weight loss.

It can be beneficial for some owners to feed their dogs a mix of dry and wet food so that they are accustomed to both textures in case you need to switch their diet at any time.  Any high-quality, comprehensive adult dog food will give your dog the proper nutritional balance, regardless of the formula you select.

 

Dog food for special health issues

Consult your veterinarian about "therapeutic diets," or specialised adult foods, if your dog has any known health conditions, such as skin or stomach sensitivities.  As part of a treatment plan for a particular illness, they will be created to include the proper ratio of nutrients.  Because they might include more or less of some nutrients than what a typical, healthy pet needs, these should only be fed if a veterinarian recommends it.

You probably won't need to switch your pet's diet from a typical adult meal until they reach senior status, which is about age 6 or 7. This is unless your pet needs a therapeutic diet. Learn more about feeding your senior dog.

Always keep an eye on your dog’s body condition because weight increase or loss could indicate that you should ask your veterinarian to check their health or reevaluate their food.

Where to feed your dog?

Away from the bustle of the house, in a peaceful location, feed your dog.  Always put the dog food on a surface that is easy to clean, such a tiled floor, and serve it in a clean dish.  Use a rubber feeding mat or an anti-slip bowl if you notice that your dog's bowl is slipping over the floor.

Specially made dog bowls or puzzle feeders that promote slower eating might be helpful for dogs who gobble up their food.  A elevated dog feeder could be preferred by older dogs or untidy eaters.

To prevent bullying and infighting, if you have other dogs in the house, feed them simultaneously but separately.

Should I feed my dog treats?

We all enjoy giving our pets special treatment, but to prevent overfeeding, remember to alter their main meal to account for the extra calories.  The kind of treat you select will determine how many and how frequently you receive it.  Treats, biscuits, and chews should generally make up no more than 10% of your dog's regular diet.

Your dog may not be able to enjoy the same delights as their companions if they are following a veterinarian-recommended diet, but that doesn't mean they have to miss out completely.  A portion of their regular diet might be used for training and as treats.

Certain practical treats, like dental chews, are available in a range of sizes based on your dog's weight.

Like with food, follow the feeding instructions on treat packets and consult your veterinarian or veterinary nurse if you're unsure of how many treats to give your dog.

What not to feed your dog?

In addition to understanding what to feed your dog, it's important to keep in mind what you shouldn't. Since some human meals can be harmful to your pet's health or even poisonous, you should attempt to avoid giving your dog table scraps. If you do occasionally give in to your pet's titbit cravings, keep in mind that they should never make up more than 10% of their diet. You should be careful about the foods you provide your dog; learn more about harmful substances and foods for dogs with our helpful guide.

Using a dog feeding chart to alter your pet's diet

You might occasionally need to switch your dog's diet, such as when they're switching from an adult pet food to a senior diet.  Allow for a gradual transition process (around 7–10 days) as abrupt dietary changes can disturb their digestive system.

• Offer the new food separately or mix a small amount with their existing meal.
• Reduce the amount of the old food and gradually raise the amount of the new food over the period of seven to ten days until you have switched them out entirely.
  

Your dog will need to adjust to the change texture if you're moving from a wet to a dry meal.  They might initially chew it more vigorously, consume more slowly, and most likely desire more water.  The additional time spent chewing is beneficial for dental health and does not indicate that your dog is enjoying their dry meal less than their wet food.

They might drink less when they go from dry to wet and think it's strange that there isn't as much crunch.  A few biscuits can always be added for texture.  It's important to keep in mind that a serving of dry food could appear smaller than one of canned food.  Your dog will receive the same amount of energy from a smaller quantity of dry food as they would from a bigger helping of wet food because dry foods are often higher in calories.

You should talk to your veterinarian if your dog won't eat a new meal, even one that was suggested by them, as there might be a specific cause for their fussiness.  Do not be concerned.  It is highly probable that you will find a different meal to try or methods to get them to eat.