Matching dog nutrition to life stage — puppy, adult, senior — is a critical welfare intervention that prevents developmental disease, obesity, and age-related decline.
Nutritional welfare failures in dogs are extremely common and significantly impact longevity and quality of life. Obesity — affecting approximately 40-65% of dogs in developed countries — is the most prevalent nutritional welfare problem, causing reduced life expectancy, joint pain, respiratory compromise, and reduced activity. Conversely, feeding large breed puppy foods formulated for small breeds causes excess calcium intake and developmental orthopaedic disease including osteochondrosis and angular limb deformities. The raw feeding movement makes welfare claims not supported by clinical evidence, while exposing dogs and households to zoonotic pathogen risk. Welfare-positive nutrition is individualised, life-stage appropriate, complete and balanced, and adapted to the dog's health status and activity level.