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🐕 Dog Nutrition and Welfare

Nutrition as a Welfare Foundation

Adequate nutrition is one of the Five Freedoms (freedom from hunger, thirst, and malnutrition). But in companion dogs, the welfare problem is more often over-nutrition and obesity than undernutrition. Choosing appropriate food, feeding appropriate amounts, and monitoring body condition are critical welfare responsibilities for dog owners.

Obesity — The Predominant Nutritional Welfare Problem

Prevalence and Impact

PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Reports consistently find that 40–60% of UK dogs are overweight or obese. Obesity is associated with:

• Arthritis and joint pain — excess weight dramatically worsens joint disease and pain
• Reduced exercise tolerance — creating a cycle of inactivity and further weight gain
• Diabetes mellitus — particularly in some breeds
• Respiratory difficulty — particularly in brachycephalic breeds
• Increased anaesthetic risk
• Reduced lifespan — obese dogs live 1.8 years less than lean dogs on average
• Increased cancer risk

Causes

• Overfeeding — feeding amounts based on label recommendations without adjustment for individual dog, treats not counted
• Excessive treats and table scraps
• Insufficient exercise
• Neutering (reduces metabolic rate by 20–30%) without caloric adjustment
• Breed predisposition: Labradors, Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Body Condition Scoring

Owners should assess their dog's body condition monthly. On a 1–9 scale (WSAVA standard):

• Score 4–5: Ideal — ribs easily felt but not visible; slight waist visible from above; abdominal tuck visible from side
• Score 6–7: Overweight — ribs difficult to feel; waist poorly defined; abdominal tuck absent
• Score 8–9: Obese — ribs cannot be felt under thick fat; no waist or abdominal tuck; fat deposits on neck and limbs

Choosing a Diet

Complete vs Complementary Foods

Only complete foods (labelled as "complete") provide all necessary nutrients. Complementary foods must be combined with others to provide complete nutrition. Always verify whether a food is complete.

Commercial Diets

Quality varies significantly across commercial foods. Indicators of a quality complete diet:

• Named meat source as first ingredient (not "meat and animal derivatives")
• AAFCO or FEDIAF compliance statement
• Feeding trials rather than just nutrient analysis for premium products
• Manufacturer with nutritional expertise (veterinary nutritionist formulated)

Raw and Home-Cooked Diets

Raw and home-prepared diets are popular but carry welfare risks if not properly formulated:

• Nutritional imbalances (particularly calcium:phosphorus ratios) cause bone disease
• Raw meat carries Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other pathogens — risk to dogs and humans
• Any home-prepared diet should be formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist

Life Stage Nutrition

• Puppies: higher protein, calcium, and energy density requirements — must feed puppy-specific food
• Adults: maintenance diet appropriate for activity level and neutered status
• Seniors: some benefit from lower calorie, higher protein, joint-support diets from 7+ years
• Pregnancy and lactation: dramatically increased energy and nutrient requirements

Treats and Chews — Welfare and Nutrition

Treats should form no more than 10% of daily caloric intake. Chews provide enrichment and dental benefit — long-lasting chews (raw bones with appropriate supervision, dental chews) satisfy the gnawing drive. Cooked bones are dangerous (splinter risk) and should never be given.