A dog should not eat the same food for their whole lives.Puppies need different nutrients than adult dogs, just as senior dogs need different food than adults. Activity levels of a dog also play an important role in deciding what food they should eat, especially if the dog is overweight.
Puppy Formulas
Puppy food should be fed to a dog until it is one year old. The size of puppy kibbles is usually smaller than that of adult formulas, so that the puppy can chew and digest the food properly. Nutrients in puppy formulas are different as well. There are more calories in puppy formulas to accommodate the rapid growth of the dog, ensuring that bones and tissues develop properly.
A puppy food should also contain DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid). This is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that usually comes from fish oils. DHA helps with the brain development of puppies, and is thought to make them smarter and easier to train.
Large breed puppies should be fed a puppy food that is specifically formulated for large breeds. A regular puppy formula may cause a large breed to grow too quickly, causing health problems like hip dysplasia.
Adult/Maintenance Formulas
Once a dog is a year old, it should be switched to an adult or maintenance formula. Puppy formulas have too many calories for dogs of a regular activity level, and continuing to feed them puppy food may cause them to become overweight.
Just as with puppy food, there are adult formulas for small and large breed dogs. Feeding a dog food that is specifically tailored to the needs of your dog helps the animal get the nutrition it needs.
The kibble size of small and large breed dog foods will ensure that the animal chews its food properly, which aids in digestion.
Light/Calorie Reduced Formulas
If a dog is overweight, a food that is low in calories should be fed until the animal is back in shape. Dogs are smaller than people, so even if they are only a few pounds overweight, the excess fat can cause serious medical problems. Less active dogs tend to pack on the pounds, so a calorie reduced formula should be fed in conjunction with regular exercise. If you are not sure if your dog needs to loose weight, visit a veterinarian.
Senior Formulas
Once a dog is seven years of age, you should start feeding a dog food formulated for seniors. Senior formulas have less calories than an adult diet to account for the less active lifestyle of a senior dog.
Supplements like glucosamine and chondritin are usually added to senior dog foods to help with the aging joints of the animal.
Senior diets should not be fed with the intention of helping a dog loose weight. If you have a senior dog that needs to shed some pounds, feed a light or calorie reduced formula until the dog is back in shape. Once the dog is at their ideal weight, switch them back to a senior formula.
As dogs enter different stages of their lives, the nutrition that they need will change, so their owners need to change the diet they feed their dog accordingly.
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