require sufficient nutrients to meet energy needs and to maintain and repair body tissues. The amount you feed your adult dog or cat should be based on the animal's size and energy output. Activity levels vary dramatically between pets, and will play an important role in determining caloric intake. Here are some tips:1. House pets vary widely in their activity levels. An animal with a "normal" activity level should receive what we call "maintenance" energy. A pampered lap dog may require ten percent below maintenance, while an active pet who regularly exercises outdoors may require maintenance plus 20 to 40 percent.
2. Show dogs and cats
must be fed a balanced diet with the correct amount of energy, since deficiencies may be quickly reflected in coat quality. While on the show circuit, the pet's energy requirement may increase by 20 percent or more. The pet should be fed maintenance amounts when not on the show circuit.3. The dietary needs of working canines, such as police dogs, guide dogs and cattle dogs, will depend on their occupations. Energy needs will increase with the work level and/or stress. A dog with a moderate work load may require an energy increase of 40 percent compared to maintenance, whereas a dog with a high work load may require an extra 50 to 70 percent. An animal recovering from surgery or suffering from a disease may have an increased nutritional requirement for repair, healing and fighting infection.
4. Environment influences energy needs. Extreme hot or cold weather can increases a pet's energy needs. Both keeping warm and keeping cool require extra energy expenditure.
5. An animal recovering from surgery or suffering from a disease may have an increased nutritional requirement for repair, healing and fighting infection.
6. Dogs and cats
may be fed successfully in a number of ways that meet both the owner's and the animal's needs and circumstances. Pet owners should consult with their pet's veterinarian to determine the best feeding schedule and types of foods for their pets.7. First up is portion-control feeding. You will measure your pet's food and offer it as a meal, thereby controlling the amount of food that can be consumed. This method is used for weight control programs and for animals who might overeat if fed free-choice. Food can be provided in one or more meals daily.
8. We generally recommend that all dogs be fed twice daily. Simply divide the amount suggested on the label of your pet’s food into two meals spaced eight to twelve hours part. Puppies, kittens, and animals recovering from certain medical conditions often require more than two meals per day.
9. Free-choice feeding is also known as "ad lib" feeding or "free feeding." Food is available at all times, as much as the pet wants, whenever the pet wants. Most lactating pets are fed by the free-choice method, and free choice is an accepted method for the feeding of cats. This method is most appropriate when feeding dry food, which will not spoil if left out.
Some dogs and cats
, however, will overeat when fed free-choice, which can result in:a) Obesity. If your pet eats free-choice and has put on too much weight, you will need to switch to portion-control feeding,
b) Developmental Bone Diseases. If you have a large- or giant-sized puppy of a breed susceptible to OCD, hypertrophic osteodystrophy, or hip dysplasia, do not free-feed your pet. He may overeat, which can lead to rapid growth and a greater incidence of bone diseases. Large- or giant-breed pups should be fed with the portion-controlled or timed-feeding methods.
10. The timed feeding method involves making a portion of food available for the pet to eat for a specified period of time. For example, the food can be placed in the dog's bowl for a period of thirty minutes. After that time, if the pet has not consumed the food, it is removed. This can be a good feeding method for puppies, particularly just after weaning. A standard guideline would be to offer food to your puppy for 30 minutes, two or three times per day.
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