Weight tables of certain dog breeds are for orientation purposes only. Better to judge individually whether your dog is ideal weight. If this is not the case, you should check the energy requirements.
The energy requirement describes the amount of energy that the dog needs for its life functions and efficiency. This individual requirement should be covered by the daily feed. The dog needs not only energy for own movements and thus muscle strength, but also generally for its basal metabolic rate (z.B. functions such as respiration, circulation and regulation of body temperature). Even a sleeping dog consumes energy.
Difference between ideal weight and ideal view
The correct measure or. to find the optimal amount: A too high energy intake can easily lead to overweight. Too little energy, on the other hand, can result in weight loss and deficiency symptoms (especially in the growth phase). Only if the feeding amount corresponds to the actual consumption, the dog can maintain its ideal weight. In a real sense, the dog is not oriented to the ideal weight, but to the ideal view. Because a dog whose activity level is increased, increases in muscle mass and at the same time decreases in fat mass. Muscle is heavier than fat, however, and so the scales would erroneously indicate an increase in (excess) weight. Proceed therefore with the ideal weight after view. Here the so-called. Body Condition Score (BCS) proven. The waist must be visible from above (behind the ribs) and the tucked-in belly line from the side. In addition, the dog should be well proportioned overall and the dorsal vertebrae should be palpable to light pressure. In growing young animals, the BCS is at best meaningful in conjunction with a growth curve and regular weight checks.
The (calorie) requirement can vary greatly from dog to dog, but what factors does it depend on?
On which factors is the calorie requirement in the dog dependent?
- Active, athletic dogs have a higher energy requirement.
- Young, spirited dogs usually need more food than older, calm dogs.
- Size and weight play a decisive role.
- Dogs in the growth phase need an increase in energy corresponding to the weight development.
- Short-haired dogs need more energy to maintain their body temperature than long-haired dogs with a lot of undercoat.
- Dog sporty high performances require additional energy.
- Neutering often leads to a lower energy requirement.
- Pregnancy or certain forms of keeping (group/outdoor keeping), as well as many illnesses, are energy-consuming.
- Environmental factors: Increased humidity, increased air movement or extreme outside temperatures increase the energy requirement.
Calculating the energy requirements of a dog
The energy requirement, i.e. the amount of calories the dog has to take in daily, is very variable and depends on many factors. So of course the weight and the body size play a decisive role. It should be remembered that a dog weighing 40 kg does not simply have eight times the requirements of a 5-kg dog – on average it needs less than five times this amount! Small dogs have a proportionally larger body surface through which heat – i.e. energy – is lost. Therefore, small dogs need proportionally (not absolutely) more food, respectively. Energy than large dogs. While the smaller dog with 5 kg 320 kcal/day (ca. 90 g Adult Chicken per day), the larger 40-kg four-legged dog needs 1520 kcal/day (approx. 420 g Adult Chicken per day) from.
The energy requirement of the dog differs therefore already alone on the basis of race, age, sex, body size, feed conversion and achievement intensity. A feeding table can therefore only be regarded as a recommended guideline. This reflects the calorie requirements of an average active dog. Deviations upward or downward are therefore no rarity. The goal is to find out the right amount of food for your own dog. In general, you should always base the feeding recommendation on the ideal weight and not on the actual weight. Adjust the amount of food in small increments as needed and monitor the weight change over a period of 1 to 2 weeks.
The average calorie requirement of a dog per day [according to Meyer/Zentek, 2016]
So that you do not have to calculate the calorie requirement of your dog laboriously, we offer you the following table for quick orientation (data in kcal/day):
| 5 kg | 450 kcal | 340 kcal |
| 10 kg | 750 kcal | 560 kcal |
| 20 kg | 1.270 kcal | 950 kcal |
| 30 kg | 1.720 kcal | 1.290 kcal |
| 40 kg | 2.130 kcal | 1.600 kcal |
What to do if your dog is overweight?
If a dog consumes more energy than it needs, the excess energy is converted into body fat and can lead to obesity. Overweight four-legged friends should not be put radically on a diet by simply reducing the amount of food they eat. This could lead to an undersupply of proteins, vitamins and minerals. We recommend a reduction of the feed quantity by a maximum of one third. Your dog should lose between 1 and 2% of its own body weight per week – more would put too much strain on the body. For a 40 kg dog this would mean a weight reduction of 400 to 800 g per week.
Excess weight in dogs – just like in humans – can lead to secondary diseases. This includes problems with the cardiovascular system and respiratory tract, as well as an increased risk of anesthesia. In addition, increased body weight leads to a further reduction in activity levels and then reinforces the spiral towards obesity. So treats and chewing articles for in between should be strongly reduced and generally deducted from the daily feed amount. A 5-kg-dog can consume 1/5 of the daily requirement with 20 g of treats!
How many calories (per 100g) do common chews and PLATINUM products have?
| Pig’s ear | ca. 20 – 30 % | > 70 % | 430 kcal |
| Buffalo skin bones | approx. 1 – 20 % | 50 – 80 % | 430 kcal |
| Dried rumen | approx. 12 % | > 65 % | 500 kcal |
| Dried lung | approx. 9 % | > 75 % | 400 kcal |
| Bullwhip | approx. 9 % | ca. 85 % | 430 kcal |
| PLATINUM snacks | 9,9 % | 24 % | 322 kcal |
| PLATINUM dry food | 14 – 16 % | 23 – 27 % | 360 kcal |
The calorie requirement changes in the course of life
Increasing age is usually accompanied by reduced calorie requirements. The dog does not move as much as before and the activity level is partly additionally restricted by diseases. Also the metabolism of older animals slows down. Therefore, keep a close eye on your four-legged friend as he gets older and adjust the feeding amount if necessary. Especially in case of diseases like arthrosis it is important that your dog keeps his ideal weight and does not have to carry too many kilos around with him.
In contrast, a bitch, for example, has an increased energy requirement during the gestation period, but especially also during the suckling period. It is essential to adjust the calorie intake in this phase to avoid weight loss.
Dogs who have a little too much on the ribs, do not immediately need a diet food. The weight management can be done here usually without problems about the feed quantity. Because decisive for dog food is, beside the pure content, also the Quality and thus the optimal usability of the proteins. These dogs can therefore continue to be fed PLATINUM without hesitation.
However, if your four-legged friend has e.g. a long-lasting overweight, where an adjustment of the feed quantity is not sufficient, it may be advisable to resort to a special diet in consultation with the veterinarian. For these dogs, too, there is now an offer in proven PLATINUM quality.
For animals with special requirements – veterinary products from PLATINUM VETACTIVE
The veterinary line of our subsidiary PLATINUM VETACTIVE extends the existing PLATINUM range with products for animals with therapeutic needs. The products developed in collaboration with veterinarians were of course based on the proven PLATINUM philosophy and our PLATINUM quality standards. The PLATINUM VETACTIVE portfolio, which will continue to grow in the future, already ranges from special foods and nutritional supplements to care and disinfection products.
Since these are therapeutic products for animals with special requirements and these animals are usually cared for by their veterinarian, you can obtain PLATINUM VETACTIVE products either from cooperating veterinary practices or via the website by naming your veterinarian.
PLATINUM VETACTIVE service team for detailed and individual advice on its own toll-free service number 0800. 8 38 36 63 at your disposal.