How to adjust a dog's food ration?

Puppy and adult ration, differences

Many dog owners ask themselves the same question: How much should I feed my dog? And more importantly: Should I change the ration between puppy, adult, and senior?

The answer may come as a surprise: the basis of a dog's natural diet remains surprisingly stable throughout their life. This article offers a practical approach, informed by experience and enriched by the key principles of the BARF model.

This topic is also addressed and developed HERE

A stable ration, evolving needs

Contrary to popular belief, a puppy doesn't eat radically differently from an adult. It eats more in proportion to its body weight (up to 10 %), but the composition of the ration remains essentially the same. An adult, on the other hand, eats around 2 % of its weight. Therefore, it's mainly the quantities that are adjusted, not the food categories.

> Concrete example:
A 5 kg puppy will eat around 500 g/day, divided into 2 or 3 meals.
A 25 kg adult will eat about 500 g/day too, but in 1 meal.
The type of food remains the same.

A ration based on meaty bones

The backbone of the ration, according to the BARF approach, is based on meaty bones. Many experienced breeders, including those who follow the recommendations of the Dr Ian Billinghurst (Give Your Dog A Bone) or of the Dr. Karen Becker, estimate that the bone part should represent approximately 20 % of the meat ration (or approximately 15% of the total ration). This allows for a good calcium-phosphorus balance, essential for growing puppies. Furthermore, the search for a balance between the different micro-nutrients must be thought of weekly and not per meal, no living being on earth regulates itself at mealtime.

Example of a simple weekly structure to vary meat sources:

Days 1, 2, 4, 5: Chicken back (75 % meat + skin, 25 % bones)

Day 3, 7: Meaty thighs (less bone)

Day 6: Red meats + offal (boneless)

Tip: Avoid adding calcium (bones) on offal days, so as not to hinder the absorption of iron and zinc.

Simple and effective supplementation

The meat ration represents 60 to 80 % of the total ration. The remainder can be adapted according to preferences and availability:

Fresh fruits and vegetables (cooked or raw)

Table leftovers (rice, bread, vegetables, etc.)

Good quality kibble (for variety or simplicity)

Supplements: eggs, fish oil, sardines, brewer's yeast, etc.

The key here is flexibility. The key is to ensure a consistent bone and meat base.

Croquettes: a marketing segmentation more than a biological necessity

The kibble industry today offers a multitude of products: food for small breed puppies, large breeds, juniors, sterilized adults, seniors, specific breeds, etc. This abundance is in reality less justified on a biological level than on a marketing level.

Indeed, no serious study demonstrates that a dog of breed X needs a different kibble than breed Y, or that a senior dog requires a radically different processed food. This segmentation mainly allows for the multiplication of ranges and the selling at a higher price of products that are sometimes not very suitable, particularly for puppies.

According to the work of Larsen et al., 2012 (Nutritional needs of puppies, Vet Clinics of North America), the nutritional needs of puppies vary mainly in proportion to their weight and growth, but not in their nature.

The case of large breed puppies is telling: many "special large breed" kibbles are in fact poorly balanced in calcium and phosphorus. An excess of calcium or an unbalanced ratio (ideally around 1.2:1) can promote osteoarticular disorders (see Hazewinkel & Tryfonidou, 2002), particularly in rapidly growing puppies.

A well-constructed natural diet—based on balanced meaty bones, a variety of meats, and attention to body signals—meets these needs much better than a segmented industrial food.

Observation, the key to adjustment

The perfect food balance is not mathematical: it is observation that prevails.

Ribs too visible? The dog may be too thin.

Slight waistline, wide back? The dog is overweight.

Adjust the quantities daily, as you would with a growing child.

In summary

The puppy and the adult receive the same standard ration, in adjusted quantity.

A balanced ration contains 60-80 % of meat (including 10-20 % of bones, 10% of offal, etc.) and 20-40 % of supplements (vegetables, cooked cereals, table scraps, etc.).

Observation is your best tool: neither scales nor charts, but common sense.

This topic is also addressed and developed HERE