“All Life Stage Diets”- Are they nutritionally balanced for both puppies and seniors?
Just like us our dog’s nutritional requirements change as we age. Puppies have different feeding habits than older dogs. A puppy requires twice as much protein and 50% more calories per pound of body weight in order to meet its growth requirements. They also need appropriate levels of calcium and phosphorus, to aid in growing bones. Puppies must eat 3-4 times daily until the age of 3 months, three times daily until 6 months and then twice daily for the remainder of its life.
As our dog ages, his or her lifestyle may change, and just like us their metabolism may change as well. We need to adjust the calorie intake accordingly. The average size dog requires 30 calories per Lb of body weight. Obesity is the number 1 issue with older dogs and understanding good feeding habits is important. Diets consisting solely of meat diets are not recommended for dogs due to the lack of vitamin and minerals found in meat alone. A dog’s diet should consist of balanced proportions of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and water. A healthy dog requires a variety of meat and plant food. Senior dogs should have less phosphorous and sodium to maintain kidney and heart health. Contact us if you have any questions, we have a nutritional consultant on staff.