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A young Australian shepherd, for example,
needs a lot of exercise, and that means a lot of food to
keep him going. A tiny, 10-year-old Chihuahua, though, may be more accustomed
to spending her day in your lap rather than building up a big appetite.
Dog food labels often provide some
guidance on portion size, but your vet will know best how much food your
dog needs to maintain a healthy weight, says veterinarian Louise Murray, DVM.
She's vice president of the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York.
"Diet should be based on a dog's
condition, and it should be very tailored to the dog," Murray says.
"Talk to your vet."
Your vet can also recommend foods that may
help protect your dog against disease, says veterinarian Chea Hall, DVM, of San
Luis Obispo, Calif. Large dogsmay be more likely than smaller dogs to
develop arthritis, for instance. Proper nutrition
may help protect your dog's joints and reduce the risk of arthritis.
Your vet can calculate how many calories
your dog should get each day, but most dog food labels don't tell you how many
calories the food provides.
"One cup could be 200 calories or it
could be 400, and that's a huge difference," says Hall, who recommends a
mostly dry food diet because dry is generally lower in calories than canned
food.