Daily Feeding Suggestions for Dogs

Dog owners have a responsibility to care for their beloved pets to the best of their abilities. This means providing a dog with companionship, veterinarian care, shelter and food. A balanced diet has a lifetime effect on a dog's overall health. Providing a dog with quality, nutritious food that offers all the necessary protein, vitamins and minerals aids in prolonging a dog's life.

  1. Feed the Same Food

    • Feed your dog the same food (same brand) every day. Dogs have sensitive digestive tracts that are easily upset when foods are drastically changed. If you must change food brands, then do it gradually over four days by mixing 25 percent of the new food with the old food on day one, 50 percent of the new food with the old food on day two and 75 percent of the new food with the old food on day three. On the fourth day, feed all new food only. Diarrhea may occur as the dog's digestive tract adjusts to the new food.

    Provide Fresh Water with Dog Food

    • Provide a bowl of fresh water for the dog all day. Do not take the water away when feeding the dog food. Fresh water should be available at all times. Place the water in a clean bowl and change the water if bits of food should drop into the water bowl.

    Best Food to Feed

    • Dogs are different. Many breeds require high protein diets, others need weight maintenance foods and young dogs require puppy food. Discuss the various foods available with a veterinarian to decide which brand and type of food is best for your dog's overall health. Choose a food that clearly states meat is the number one ingredient on the label. Avoid meat byproducts unless the label specifically says they are human-grade. Do not purchase dog food that uses BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin as preservatives. All three of these can be detrimental to your dog's long-term health.

    Feeding Amount and Time

    • Feed the dog the same amount of dog food every day. Follow the directions on the dog food label to determine the correct quantity, which usually goes by weight of the dog. Twice a day feedings are ideal for most dogs. Feed the dog at approximately the same time every day. The dog will depend on having a full food bowl at a certain time and will often wait beside the food bowl in anticipation. Some owners opt to allow their dogs to self-feed with an automatic food dispenser or by keeping the dog bowl full of food at all times. These dogs do not overindulge and rapidly gain weight. Each dog is unique and the feeding amount must be tailored to fit your dog's needs.

    Dog Treats

    • Dogs adore treats. Pet stores sell a wide variety of bones, chews and other fun-shaped treats. Feed your dog up to five treats per day. Treats should make up less than 5 percent of a dog's daily diet. Feeding a dog more than this can result in the dog filling up on treats alone and avoiding a balanced dog food. Dogs should never have spicy table scraps, which can upset their stomachs. Many dogs are incapable of digesting milk products and will suffer stomachaches from consuming foods that contain milk. A wide range of dogs enjoy vegetables and fruit. Provide your dog with a few cooked green beans, a small baby carrot or apple slices as a nutritious treat. Fruit and vegetables contain an abundance of enzymes, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants, which are all beneficial to your dog's long-term health.

    Lifetime Diet Needs

    • As dogs age, their nutritional needs change. Monitor your dog closely and feed accordingly. A young puppy should consume puppy food, a dog in young adulthood should consume an all-purpose adult dog food and an elderly dog should eat a dog food that meets its advanced age requirements. Plan each stage of the dog's dietary needs with a veterinarian.