BALANCING YOUR DOG’S CALORIES

Chow time! It's probably your dog's favorite time of day, right?

With so many tasty options available, achieving a healthy balance of nutritious food and yummy treats can be tricky. How much is too much? How often should you feed your dog? What's the right mix?

Of course, canine nutritional needs vary based on breed size (from toy breed to large breed), life stage (growing puppies, young adults, lactating mothers and older dogs) and energy output (from sedentary to highly active). All dogs require energy and a blend of nutrients, such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water. Inactive adult dogs need fewer calories, while active adults need more fuel.

How Many Calories?

Here's a handy chart showing approximately how many calories the average adult dog needs per day based on weight and activity:

Dog Body Weight
	5kg	10kg	20kg	30kg	40kg
Activity Level II: 1 hour to 3 hours/day playing off lead	318	534	898	1,218	1,511
Activity Level I: Less than 1 hour/day walking on lead	368	619	1,040	1,410	1,750
Activity Level III: 1 hours to 3 hours/day mainly high impact activity	418	703	1,182	1,602	1,988
Highly Active: 3-6 hours/day Mainly high intensity activity	585	984	1,655	2,243	2,783

These are the energy needs based on ideal body condition for adult dogs of various weights. Individual dogs' energy requirements might differ, so it is important to adjust the amount fed to obtain or maintain your dog's optimum weight.

How Often to Feed?

Experts recommend feeding your adult dog twice daily. To calculate portions for an adult dog, divide the amount suggested on your dog food label into two meals, served eight to 12 hours apart.

Room for Treats?

Most of your dog's calories should come from a nutritious, complete and balanced dog food, such as NUTRO^® NATURAL CHOICE Dog Food. It's perfectly fine to give occasional treats, particularly if they offer an additional health benefit, such as GREENIES^®. However, treats should not exceed more than 10% of a dog's daily caloric intake, and you should always adjust the amount of your dog's main meal to account for the calories provided from treats.

Dry or Canned?

The choice of whether to feed dry formulas, canned dog food or some combination of the two depends on your dog's preferences and needs. Dry food packs the most nutrients per bite, and it can be left in the feeding dish all day without spoiling. Canned food also provides complete and balanced nutrition, plus dogs enjoy the meaty texture and flavor. You also can explore mixed feeding.