What Should I Be Feeding My Dog?
Part 2: Breaking Down Nutrient Labels on Dog Food
Post By: The Puppy DogMa - AKA Midas’s Mom
As a first time puppy DogMa with a picky eater, I found myself quickly frustrated with the colossal amount of information available about dog foods and little guidance from my veterinarian. So, as usual I took it upon myself to do some research and of course, share it with you! The goal of this article is to help REAL dog moms like you become more educated in canine nutrition and feel confident in your dog food choice!
Step One: Determine your dog’s life stage
Each dog’s daily energy needs will vary based on their breed, age, neuter status, activity level, etc. For example, older dogs usually need less calories per day, but a slightly higher protein content to maintain their reserves (NRC, 2006). On the other hand (or paw), a puppy needs about two times as many calories as a healthy adult dog. So, when looking for the “perfect” dog food, the first thing to know is your dog’s stage of life. The AAFCO has nutrient profiles for 3 physiological states: growth, adult maintenance, and reproduction/lactation (notice that this does not include geriatric… I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about whether your older pup needs a special diet).
Growth - Puppies
While puppies are growing, they need more frequent meals and a special formula to meet their nutritional demands. For example, puppies have increased calcium needs in order to properly develop their bones. This is why it is important you buy the puppy brand rather than the regular adult food on the shelf!
As your puppy grows, their requirements will continue to change for the first year. At around 6 months, most puppies will be at about 75% of their adult size and can be fed 2-3 meals daily (Llera, 2020). By 8-10 months of age growth is nearly complete. Most veterinarians recommend switching to adult maintenance food twice daily at around 12 months (Llera, 2020).
Size
Note, size of your dog is also a factor in determining their nutritional requirements. Large breed puppies (projected to weigh more than 50 pounds as adults) are at higher risk for medical issues with hips, elbows, etc. so it is often recommended that they are fed special large breed puppy food (usually contain optimal ratio of proteins and calcium to moderate rapid bone growth) (Llera, 2020). They may even require a transitional (adolescent) food after weaning off the puppy food.
If your pup is already out of the puppy stage, keep reading. We’re moving on to the adult diet recommendations, which as you’ll remember begins around your dog’s first birthday! Although I will not be discussing here, there are other diets for specific life stages such as reproduction//lactation and old age to consider as well. We recommend consulting your veterinarian as to your dog’s specific needs.
Step 2: Determine your dog’s daily calorie needs, roughly
Daily energy needs are usually conceptualized in the form of calories. Dog foods vary greatly in the number of calories per feed and are important to consider when choosing your dog’s food. Using the formula in my previous blog post you can approximate your dog’s daily calorie needs roughly. (Remember that factors such as activity level, neuter status, health, etc. can affect daily caloric needs and to speak with your veterinarian if needed).
Knowing this, you can choose a food that is somewhere in the middle of the spectrum when it comes to calories per feed as this works for most pups. Once you calculate your dog’s needs, it’s much easier to answer the age old question, “How many scoops of food should I give my dog?”
Finally, I would caution you when reading labels that have special diets such as “grain free” as oftentimes these diets may eliminate one thing, but replace it with another that can be higher in calories, fat, starch, etc. So it’s important to be particularly aware of the calorie content in more specialized or selective dog foods.
Step 3: Determine the nutrient values in your dog’s food
Dogs are omnivores, meaning they get some energy from plant sources and some from animal sources. Just as humans, dogs need a certain amount of energy to sustain their normal activities each day. We all eat energy in the form of calories from either carbs, protein or fats. All three of these nutrients are essential as they provide building blocks the body needs to function. The NRC minimum recommendations for each essential nutrient are as follows:
up to 50% carbohydrate (can include up to 2.5-4.5% fiber),
10% protein, and
up to 5.5% fat.
Protein
Protein can come from both animal sources (meat) and plant sources (corn, potatoes, peas, lentils, chickpeas). AAFCO has definitions for most ingredients, for example,
Meat: “clean flesh of slaughtered mammals and is limited to the striate muscle with or without the accompanying and overlaying fat and skin, sinew, nerve and blood vessels which normally accompany the flesh.” (FDA, 2020).
“Meat meal” is “rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach, and rumen contents.” Meaning, it can contain parts of animals that most people would not think of as “meat.” (FDA, 2020)
Sources of protein are not limited to meat and most dog foods include plant based protein content as well. In fact a study from 2020 found that 1/4th of vegan pet owners seek a similar diet for their animals in the US (Amorium Zafalon, 2020). However, it is very challenging to formulate a complete and balanced diet for dogs, and I will not get into it here. So, regardless of what diet you choose for yourself and your pup the most important thing when it comes to protein is whether your pup is getting enough which takes into account whether it is meat or meat meal.
Carbs
Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, and fiber. Some examples of carbohydrates that may be listed on your dog’s food label are cereals, legumes, corn, brown rice, whole wheat, barley, etc. As a human doc in training, carbohydrates make me think Diabetes big time. However, dogs (and humans) NEED carbohydrates!
Recently there has been a fad in feeding dogs exclusively “grain free” diets (although they are usually not CARB free - they switch out grains for starchy carbs instead which causes other issues). So far, grain free diets have been linked to increased prevalence of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs, which the FDA has released several statements about (McCauley, 2020).
This doesn’t mean that no dog should be on a grain free diet. My point is that just because a diet works for you as a human, does not mean that it will work for your dog. Just like I inform my human patients, every food group is needed (in moderation), and we have them for a reason.
All this to say, if you have thought about a grain free diet (or any “special” diet) or are currently feeding your dog one, I would urge you to talk with your veterinarian about potential risks and make sure the food is appropriately supplemented to meet your dog’s needs.
Fiber
Carbohydrates include fiber. Adding more or less fiber to your dog’s diet can affect his ability to absorb nutrients, (and change his poop!). For example, too much fiber can cause other nutrient deficiencies because it doesn’t allow for as many nutrients to be absorbed as the food travels through the gut. Some fibers (nonfermentable) are primarily used to decrease caloric intake in overweight animals and thus “diet or weight control” dog foods may have high levels of fiber in them as it makes the dog feel full without consuming too many calories.
Why does it matter? Well fiber can affect the intestine function.
Too much: Diarrhea, decreased digestibility of nutrients, increased pooping frequency, reduced palatability of dog foods (NRC, 2006)
Examples: Wheat bran, barley
Too little: Constipation, decreased pooping frequency
Examples: Diets high in starch (rice, potatoes)
Thus, if your dog is having gastrointestinal issues or needs to lose a little weight, you can try modifying their food’s fiber content within the normal range (between 2.5-4.5%, go higher or lower within the range, or talk to your vet).
Fats
Again, contrary to popular opinion, fats are not all bad! They contribute key components that allow the body to function properly. In fact, dietary fats provide the most concentrated source of energy in the diet. In addition, there are some components in fats that your dog’s body cannot make on it’s own. Therefore, it is crucial that they consume them.
Most commercial dry pet foods take into account the recommended 5% requirement. However, it becomes quite an issue in the raw meat-based diets (RMBDs). So, yes they may have higher in protein, but the trade off is higher fat content, and lower carbs/fiber. This can lead to obesity and numerous health issues, gas production, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal upset (Freeman, et al. 2013). There are also several other risks to consider when thinking about feeding your dog a RMBD, so stay tuned for my next blog post on RMBD’s!
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to these major macronutrients, there are also several essential ingredients in dog food including vitamins and minerals. The amount of these ingredients is usually very small to achieve appropriate levels in the traditional dog diet (again if vegan diet, RMBD, etc. make sure you talk to your vet about appropriate supplementation) and will be listed further down on the ingredient list, which brings me to my next point!
I hope that all you DogMa’s find this informative and helpful so the next time you’re wandering around the pet food aisles you can be confident in your choices! Stay tuned for my next blog post where I will discuss Raw meat based diets!
Furever yours,
Sources:
AAFCO Methods for Substantiating Nutritional Adequacy of Dog and Cat Foods . The Association of American Feed Control Officials > Home. (2014). Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.aafco.org/Portals/0/SiteContent/Regulatory/Committees/Pet-Food/Reports/Pet_Food_Report_2013_Midyear-Proposed_Revisions_to_AAFCO_Nutrient_Profiles.pdf
Baldwin, K., Bartges, J., Buffington, T., Freeman, L. M., Grabow, M., & Legred, J. (2010). AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. American College of Veterinary Nutrition. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from http://www.acvn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/AAHA-Nutritional-Assessment-Guidelines.pdf
Beitz, D., Bauer, J., Behnke, K., Dzanis, D., Fahey, G., Hill, R., Kallfelz, F., Kienzle, E., Morris, J., Rogers, Q., & Feuer, D. (2006). Dog nutrition final fix - national academies press. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.nap.edu/resource/10668/dog_nutrition_final_fix.pdf
Freeman, L. M., Chandler, M. L., Hamper, B. A., & Weeth, L. P. (2013). Current knowledge about the risks and benefits of raw meat–based diets for dogs and cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 243(11), 1549–1558. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.11.1549
Llera, R., & Yuill, C. (n.d.). Nutrition - general feeding guidelines for dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. Retrieved March 11, 2022, from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutrition-general-feeding-guidelines-for-dogs
McCauley, S. R., Clark, S. D., Quest, B. W., Streeter, R. M., & Oxford, E. M. (2020). Review of canine dilated cardiomyopathy in the wake of diet-associated concerns. Journal of Animal Science, 98(6). https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa155
Medicine, C. for V. (2020, February 28). Complete and Balanced Pet Food. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/complete-and-balanced-pet-food
Zicker, S. C. (2008). Evaluating pet foods: How confident are you when you recommend a commercial pet food? Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 23(3), 121–126. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.tcam.2008.04.003
