Adult Maintenance Nutrition

Maintaining an optimal body condition and weight while providing adequate energy should be the primary goal of any nutritional program. A body condition score chart is a helpful tool to determine a dog’s body condition and consulting one can help guide owners towards a different strategy such as increased exercise or a change in food intake that improves body condition. The goal of feeding programs for adult dogs at maintenance should be to maintain optimal body weight.

When choosing a type of food, a dog’s size, age and/or life stage, and activity level should all be considered as these factors can influence their nutritional requirements.  Fortunately, choosing a complete and balanced pet food is easy as owners simply need to make sure that the food they are selecting has a statement on the label which indicates that the food meets the minimum requirements established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Adult maintenance dogs can be fed once per day, but can also be fed more often.