Unless your dog is pregnant, nursing, or especially hardworking, she’ll have relatively low nutritional requirements for maintaining an ideal body condition. A variety of Purina® products are designed to provide healthy adult dogs with complete, balanced nutrition.

What to Feed

With the variety of nutritionally balanced dog foods available, providing a proper diet for an adult dog can be straightforward and simple, with no need for supplements. Treats should account for no more than 10% of his total diet as higher levels can cause him to become overweight, dilute the nutritional value of his commercial diet, and may make him a finicky eater.

A few other feeding tips to remember:

• Never feed your dog chocolate, as it can be toxic.
• Avoid any pet food products labelled “Fat Free.” Fat is an essential nutrient and a certain amount is critical for your dog’s health.
• Consistency is key. Feed your dog at the same time and place every day, and avoid changing his diet unless necessary. When transitioning products, do so gradually over a period of 7-10 days to avoid digestive upsets.

When to Feed

Your dog’s ideal feeding schedule depends on his breed, activity, and metabolism. Whether he’s fed once or several times daily, it’s important to keep his routine consistent. Feed him at the same time each day, making sure that fresh drinking water is always available. Your dog’s appetite may vary from day to day, but this shouldn’t pose a problem unless a loss of appetite persists. Should that occur, have him examined by a veterinarian.

Feeding During Pregnancy

The normal gestation period for female dogs is nine weeks. During the first six weeks, her nutrient requirements will be no greater than normal. During the last 2 to 3 weeks, however, you’ll notice a gradual increase in her appetite, and should increase her portions accordingly.

As whelping nears, your dog may lose her appetite. This is normal. In many cases, food refusal during the ninth week is an indication that she’ll give birth within the next day or two. Within 24 hours after giving birth, her appetite should return. Once her puppies are born, she will require up to 2 to 4 times her regular nutrition.  Monitor her diet to maintain an ideal body condition. Also, make sure she stays hydrated throughout her pregnancy. Keep water bowls clean and full to encourage consumption throughout the day.

Feeding During Lactation

Milk production is one of the most nutritionally demanding stages in a female dog’s life. Look for products labelled “complete and balanced diet for reproduction and growth” or “for all life stages” so you’re sure to supply her with the nutrition she needs at this time. While her puppies are nursing (for a period of up to four weeks), her food and water requirements will increase. At peak lactation, she may ingest 2 to 4 times more food than usual! That’s normal behaviour, and you should respond by offering her all the food she wants.

Feeding Puppies

Over the first seven to ten 7 to 10 days of life, a newborn puppy will double his birth weight and become increasingly more active. As a rule of thumb, each puppy in a litter should gain approximately his birth weight during each week of the lactation, or nursing period.

A puppy can typically be introduced to solid food around 3 to 4 weeks of age. By six weeks, most puppies are ready to be weaned from their mother’s milk.

The nutrient requirements to support normal growth and development of puppies are greater than those for an adult dog. For this reason, nutritionally complete and balanced diets designed for growth and reproduction or those tailored toward all life stages are recommended. Following this rule, no additional supplement- in the form of vitamins, minerals, meat, or other additives-is needed.

Needy as they are, a puppy’s stomach capacity is not large enough to hold his nutritional requirements in one feeding. Therefore, young pups should be fed at least three times a day. Feeding schedules can be reduced to twice a day when puppies are 4 to 5 months old, and to once a day when they are eight months or older.

You should establish routine eating habits by feeding your puppy in the same place and time each day. Offering table scraps is not recommended because it encourages begging, and may create a finicky eater.

Feeding Hardworking Dogs

The more active your dog is, the more nutrition he’ll require.

Hardworking dogs include those used for hunting, herding sheep, or sled dog racing, as well as those who routinely run long distances (greater than 20 miles per week). These dogs may have increased nutrient needs while training or working. Food requirements will vary depending on an individual dog’s activity level. In general, their diets should contain at least 26% protein, 10% fat, 30% carbohydrates, and 3,850 kilocalories per kilogram of dry food.

When a dog is not training or working, he’ll require less nutrition. During the off seasons, either reduce his feeding portions, or gradually transition to a lower-energy food (containing at least 20% protein and 3,300 kilocalories per kilogram). Maintaining your dog’s good body condition in the off-season will help make training seasons less stressful.

It’s also important to know that your hardworking dogs should not be fed a meal immediately before or after a session of hard activity, as this may cause gastric upset. Instead, give him regular snacks or treats during periods of increased activity to prevent hunger pains and fatigue. The snack or treat should be doled out in small portions, with fresh water, and followed by a period of rest.

Feeding Older Dogs

Dogs are defined as older or senior when they’ve reached the last quarter of their expected life span, largely determined by their size and breed:

• Small to medium breed dogs 7 years and older
• Large to giant breed dogs 5 years and older

Some signs of advanced aging include changes in body weight, difficulty moving, loss of hearing and  sight, changes in skin and/or hair coat, changes in urinary or bowel habits, or bad breath associated with oral problems.

Aging will affect dogs’ diets in different ways. Studies have shown that healthy older dogs utilize protein in a similar manner to young adult dogs. However, some geriatric pets may need up to 50% more protein than younger ones. Today, commercial diets formulated for adult dogs generally provide adequate protein for seniors, but their less active peers may be prone to weight gain. Monitor them and adjust feeding amount to maintain an ideal body condition.

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