| The
Puppy Puppies
can begin nibbling on moistened Natural Balance®
dog food before they are weaned. From six weeks to six
months, feed three times a day. When you first start
feeding Natural Balance® Dry Dog Food, we suggest
you take a look at the "Suggested Feeding
Guidelines for Puppies" on the web page
of the Natural Balance® Dry Dog Food you are using,
and start with the recommended amounts in the Table
provided. You may want to add a small amount of Natural
Balance® Canned Dog Food for ease of feeding. The
amount of canned dog food can be gradually decreased
as the puppy matures. After six months, it is recommended
to feed twice daily.
The
Adult Dog Adult dogs should be fed either
once or twice per day. When you first start feeding
Natural Balance® Dry Dog Food, we suggest to start
with the "Suggested Feeding Guidelines
for Adult Dogs" on the web page of the
Natural Balance® Formula you are using, and start
with the recommended amounts in the Table provided.
Energy requirements vary with environmental conditions,
temperature and activity of your dog. The amount of
food should always be adjustable to suit your dogs
needs. If you would like to provide a special treat
for your dog, you can add small amounts of Natural Balance®
Canned Dog Food or Natural
Balance® Dog Food Rolls.
Working
Dogs Based on the work your dog will be
asked to perform, the nutritional requirements will
vary accordingly. As the work load increases, the demand
for protein and fat increases proportionally. Dogs in
hard training will generally require twice the maintenance
levels.
Pregnant
Females The female requires little or no
increase of food during the first five weeks of pregnancy.
During the remaining 3 weeks, the demand for nutrients
will gradually increase and the food intake accordingly.
During the seventh week, the food intake should increase
by approximately 10% and by 20% during weeks 8 and 9.
Many females experience episodes of lack of appetite
during pregnancy. The addition of Natural Balance®
Canned Dog Food or Natural
Balance® Dog Food Rolls
can many times overcome this problem.
During
Lactation Lactation is the most nutritionally
demanding period in your dogs life. Immediately
after whelping, the nutritional demand for the new mother
increases by 50% compared to the maintenance level.
Nutritional requirements are dependent on the size of
the female and the number of nursing puppies. A high
digestibility and energy dense food will aid in optimum
milk production. Adding larger proportions of Natural
Balance® Canned Dog Food or Natural Balance®
Dog Food Rolls will help stimulate the her appetite.
So as not to overwhelm the digestive, the lactating
female should be fed 3 or 4 times per day. As a guideline,
we suggest the following schedule:
After whelping,
feed 50% above maintenance level-feed in 3 equal meals
per day.
During the second week, feed
twice the maintenance level- feed in 3 0r 4 equal meals
per day.
During the third week, feed
three times the maintenance level-feed in 3 or 4 equal
meals per day.
During the sixth week Gradually
reduce the food intake to twice the maintenance level
during the sixth week-feed in 3 equal meals per day.
During week 7 and 8, feed 20%
above maintenance levels- feed in 2 equal meals per
day.
The
Older Dog As your dog begins to age, his
energy expenditure will decrease. Decreasing the amount
of food accordingly will allow for the maintenance of
proper body weight for less active dog. Older dogs are
sometimes more reluctant to eat hard foods. Adding larger
amounts of Natural Balance® Canned
Dog Food or Natural Balance® Dog
Food Rolls will make the most finicky
eater enjoy his daily meals. |