Different Dog Foods For Different Dog Ages

Dogs come in many assorted breeds, shapes, and sizes. They also have different nutritional requirements as they age. Choosing the right type of dog food for your pet will help to keep it healthy and happy as it ages. Here are some guidelines to follow when choosing the proper dog food for your dog's breed and age.

Puppies

Most dogs are considered puppies from birth to age 12 months. However, large breed dogs (such as Newfoundlanders, Great Danes, etc.) are considered puppies up to the age of 18 months. It's important to choose the right puppy food depending on the size of your dog.

"Normal" puppies require puppy food for the first year. This type of dog food contains extra protein and fats to help with muscle and skeletal growth, ensuring optimum nutrition during this fast growth stage. Large breeds, on the other hand, require puppy food specifically made for large breeds. That's because the "large-breed puppy foods" are designed to help reduce hip and joint diseases often associated with fast growth in large dogs. Remember... large breeds should be fed puppy food for 18 months.

Adult Dog Food

Once your dog has reach adult hood (12 months for most dogs, 18 months for large breeds), it's time to switch to Adult Dog Food. Depending on your dogs size and activity level, you'll need to choose the proper food to fit your dog's lifestyle. Adult dog food should contain the proper levels of protein, fat and carbohydrates that your dog will need to maintain a healthy life. However, if you dog is very active and has a lot of high energy, you may want to feed him on of the high-energy, high performance foods. These contain extra calories to supplement the calories your very active dog burns off.

Calorie Reduced Food

Humans aren't the only ones who tend to put on weight. Dogs who are less active and don't get as much exercise as they should will also tend to become "heavy". This can cause stress on your dog's joints and muscles. "Diet" dog foods are strictly regulated by the industry and must contain no more than 1409 calories/pound of food. Don't confuse this with labels that say "reduced calorie" or "reduced fat". This type of labeling is misleading, as the dog food may still contain a lot of fat and calories. Only "lite" foods fall under industry guidelines. Read your labels carefully.

Senior Dog Food

Once your dog reaches the age of 7 he enters his "senior" years. At this time, you should probably switch to the Senior Dog Foods. You will probably notice that your dog is becoming less active, sleeps more and may have more stiffness in his joints. Senior Dog food contains reduced fat, increased fiber levels, and additional Glucosomine, along with reduced salt and phosphorus levels.

Choose Your Dog Food Brand Carefully

No matter what age your dog is, be sure to take the time and research the best types of dog foods on the market. Many cheap commercial dog foods found on grocery store shelves can actually cause more harm than good over the years. To help you make a better, informed choice, be sure to read ingredient labels, compare dog food brands, and do further research on this important topic. Your dog will love you for it.

Rose Smith is the author and owner of Caring For Canines, a web site that provides information on natural dog health care. To learn more about dog nutrition, please visit us at: http://www.caringforcanines.com/canine-nutrition.shtml

best cleaning company Highland Park ..
In The News:

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.
Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.
Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.
Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.
Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.
Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.
Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.
Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.
Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

How Old is Your Pet- Really?

Just how old is your dog really? More than likely... Read More

Pet Pampering Business is Booming

It's no secret that Americans love their pets. In fact,... Read More

Chihuahua Training is Easy!

Chihuahua Training is Easy! You may be wondering if Chihuahua... Read More

Puppy Training that is Safe for Your Puppy

Puppy training can and should begin the day you bring... Read More

Your Guide to Cat Breeds

For the first 8,000 years of their relationship with humans,... Read More

Caring for an Older Cat - Cat Health and Cat Care

Cats are living longer lives thanks to dedicated care from... Read More

Facts You Need To Know About Adopting A Dog

Mum, dad, can we get a puppy? Its a plea... Read More

Train Your Dog With Respect

Proper training of your dog should begin when he is... Read More

Aquarium Supplies Part 2 -- My First Experience With Goldfish

If you are seriously considering keeping fish as pets or... Read More

Why Does My Pet Eat Grass?

Are you concerned when your dog or cat eats grass,... Read More

Tips to Help Solve the Three Most Common Dog Barking Complaints

Many dog owners find themselves frustrated, deeply concerned and even... Read More

What You Should Know About Dog Health Care

Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important... Read More

Build A Better Mousetrap, And People Will Buy It

This is an old saying that many of us have... Read More

Make Your Home Cat-Safe - How To Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy

* Lock things up that could cause harm* Keep the... Read More

Dog Flea Control Management: How To Prevent, Treat, And Kill Dog Fleas

Dog flea control and management requires an integrated approach. For... Read More

No, No, No! Drop It, Drop It! Give It To Me Now!

Puppies can be so exasperating! They know what we want,... Read More

Is YOUR Child Ready for a Dog?

Are you considering buying a dog for your child or... Read More

How To Avoid Bad Doggy Behavior, And Teach Your Puppy Some Manners

A poorly trained dog can embarrass its owner and offend... Read More

Take that Junk out of your Trunk

Your local grocery store is chock full of food and... Read More

Determining Skin Disorders In The Aquarium

Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully,... Read More

An Introduction to Dog Beds

Some people are so attached to their pets that they... Read More

Five Cat Food Factors That Discourage Feline UTD

One of the most common causes of Feline Urinary Tract... Read More

Ear Mites in Dogs: Quite Earritating

Does your dog have that sheepish look? It could be... Read More

How To Use Leading Your Horse To Get Control And Response

I've been around many people who try to lead a... Read More

5 Tips For Choosing the Best Vet For Your Dog

Find a vet, if possible, who specializes in small animals... Read More

high-end home cleaning Winnetka ..