Appropriate nutrition is foundational to dog welfare, yet the pet food market is complex, poorly regulated, and generates significant confusion among owners.
Nutritional welfare problems in dogs range from obesity at one extreme to nutritional deficiency at the other. Both cause significant welfare harm. The proliferation of unregulated pet food claims makes owner decision-making difficult. Complete and balanced commercial diets meeting FEDIAF or AAFCO standards provide reliable nutrition; home-prepared and raw diets require careful formulation to avoid deficiencies. The most important nutritional welfare intervention for most dogs in developed countries is preventing overfeeding and obesity.