Like people, dogs have different stages in their life cycle and with each one there are different needs regarding their diet and the nutrients they must maintain to be a healthy dog.
Before talking about the nutritional needs of each stage, it must be clarified that each breed size has its own life cycle and the stages are reached at different times.
Choosing the best dog food according to their age is very important to be able to adequately satisfy their needs.
This table shows a very general idea of how dogs develop according to their size, although it depends on each breed, this idea will help us explain how we should feed our dog throughout its life.
| Size and weight | Puppies | Adults | Senior / Seniors |
| Miniature Breed 1 to 5 kg |
Up to 8 months | From 8 months | From 9 years |
| Small Breed 6 to 11 kg |
Up to 10 months | From 10 months | From 8 years |
| Medium Breed 12 to 36 kg |
Up to 12 months | From 12 months | From 7 years |
| Large Breed 25 to 55 kg |
Up to 15 months | From 15 months | From 6 years |
| Giant Race 30 to 90 kg |
Between 18 and 24 months | From 18 months | From 5.6 years |
The classification of breeds by size is done taking into account the height of the withers, which is the distance between the ground and the base of the dog's neck. The weight of the animal may vary depending on its height and build.
Feeding in puppies
This stage begins when the dog is weaned, that is, it stops feeding on its mother's milk and begins to eat solid food.
In most cases, newborn dogs stop drinking milk after 2 months. To promote weaning, it is advisable to start feeding with wet food or soaked feed so that it is easy to digest.
It is very important that at this stage of their life the food is very rich in protein since muscle and bone development is very accelerated and the demand for energy is high. Choosing a quality puppy food will help your puppy grow healthy and strong.
As a reference, you can use the percentage of crude protein indicated in the nutritional table of the feed you are going to buy.
From approximately 2 months to 4 months, it is advisable to give food 4 or more times a day, after the fourth month you can reduce one portion a day and give it in the morning, at noon and at night. Always following the recommended daily amount for your weight. You can find this information on the feed bag that you usually use.
The recommended daily amount of food varies depending on the brand, so we recommend that whenever you make a feed change, you look for this information and take it into account when dosing your daily food ration.
In some cases, breeds require an extra supplement to ensure their healthy development, as is the case with Pit Bulls, who are recommended a supply of calcium and chondroprotectors to strengthen their bones since as adults they support a lot of weight due to the muscle mass they develop. .
In this and in all cases we recommend consulting the veterinarian to find out if our dog needs special care.
Feeding in adult dogs
Once the adult stage arrives, the dog changes its energy demand and with it its level of caloric burning.
Therefore, it is recommended to reduce portions to 2 meals a day to regulate your weight. In addition, the protein level must be lower and the food must have a balance of vitamins, minerals and fats, among other essential nutrients to prevent our furry friend from gaining weight over the years.
Today there are many different diets to feed adult dogs, from dry food to the BARF diet. If your dog's diet is feed, a good practice is to complement the diet with wet food or oils (such as salmon oil ) that, in addition to moistening the feed, provide other nutrients necessary for its development. In this way, the digestion and absorption of nutrients is easier since their release depends on the food being moistened, which is why it is so common to see your dog go straight to the water bowl after eating.
Feeding in older dogs or senior dogs
At this stage in which the dog begins its old age, physical activity usually decreases even more, in addition, its system and organs demand different reinforcements to maintain its state of health in optimal conditions.
The food that we recommend for this period of your life is a food that has a high content of vitamins and fats that promote the correct functioning of the body and maintain two meals a day. There are various brands that offer food aimed especially at senior dogs, at Paraíso Mascota we recommend Satisfaction Senior feed .
In many cases, older dogs develop some health conditions that require them to be on special diets tailored to their needs. For these cases there are a series of special feeds that reinforce one or another nutrient that helps improve living conditions.
With these feeds it is worth emphasizing that they are not foods that cure the dog's condition, but rather they slow down the development and promote the dog's well-being. That is why at this stage of his life, it is very important to consult the veterinarian or an expert in canine nutrition and make sure that our friend is receiving everything he needs to be well fed.
As we have been able to read throughout this post, choosing the best food for dogs according to their age is very important. At each stage of your life, your friend has different nutritional needs and you must adapt the diet to each moment of his life.
That's all for today =D If you have any questions or would like us to answer your questions in future posts, contact us. We will be happy to help you!
Sources:
- Nutritional Guides for complete and complementary foods for dogs and cats , European Federation of Pet Food Manufacturers.
- WALTHAM® Pocket Book of Essential Cat and Dog Nutrition , Edited by Professor Dominique Grandjean and Dr. Richard Butterwick
