What Factors Affect The Calorie Requirement Of Dogs?
The factors that affect the calorie requirement of dogs are:
The activity level of the dog
The current state of the dog – is he overweight, underweight or an ideal weight?
The metabolism of the dog (as a guide, larger dogs tend to have a slower metabolism)
Age / life stage – puppies will need more calories than adult dogs, and adult dogs will need more calories than sedate senior dogs.
The dogs’ lifestyle – do they live or spend much of their time outside in all weather conditions? What is the quality of their coat like? Huskies have much better insulation than hound-type dogs.
The health state of the dog – is the dog ill or recovering from illness? Is mobility reduced? Is the immune system mounting an attack?
Is the dog pregnant or nursing puppies?
The temperament and mental state of the dog