Canine Science

 Discuss guidelines for feeding dogs  Identify 3 factors affecting diet  Define calories  Identify calorie requirements for various dogs  Discuss obesity in dogs

 Provide prepared foods from a reputable manufacturer  Always serve your dog’s food at room temperature  A bowl of FRESH water should always be available  Dispose of any canned or moist food left uneaten  Discard leftover dry food at the end of the day

 Never offer spoiled or stale food to your dog  Never feed a dog cat food. It is too high in protein.  Never feed your dog brittle bones, such as chicken bones  Watch your dog’s weight. Do not let it get fat.  If your dog refuses to eat for 24 hours consult a vet. This may be an indication of an illness.

 A dog’s diet is based on: ◦ Size ◦ Age ◦ Daily Activity Level  On average, a normal dog will eat 2.5% of its body weight. ◦ Ex) A 45 lb Australian Shepherd will eat 1.13 lbs of food/day. ◦ Practice: How many pounds of food will a 22 lb cocker spaniel eat in one week?

 Definition: The energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius  What does that mean???? ◦ Keyword is ENERGY ◦ Calories are the energy that fuel the body

DOG TYPE Toy Ex) Yorkshire Terrier Small Ex) West Highland White Terrier Medium Ex) Australian Shepherd Large Ex) German Shepherd Giant Ex) Great Dane Weight 11 lbs22 lbs44 lbs88 lbs176 lbs Calories Required

 Working Dogs  Puppies  Pregnant Dogs  Lactating Dogs

 Determined in kilocalories per day (Kcal/day)  Kilocalorie is the caloric measurement used for metabolic studies.  Can be easily calculated.  May need to be adjusted based on individual animal’s lifestyle and body condition. 

 If your dog is overweight: ◦ Increase its exercise ◦ Feed smaller meals ◦ Feed low calorie diet You should feed about 60% of the typical calories required for its ideal weight

 There are several items you should never feed a dog. Can you name a few?  The 3 factors affecting a dog’s diet are size, age, and daily activity level.  Calories are the ENERGY that fuel the body!!  You can tell if your dog is overweight by evaluating its body conformation. How?

 Using the internet or magazines, find out what types of things are harmful to dogs if ingested.  Print pictures from the internet or cut pictures from magazines of these items.  Make a poster, using the pictures, informing dog owners about items harmful to their dog if ingested.