The right food for Senior dogs usually have a lower energy requirement than in younger years, as their spontaneous activity is reduced. Senior dogs therefore need high-quality, easily digestible food to relieve the strain on their organs. You can find out what you need to consider when feeding a senior dog in this article.
1. Senior dog food: When should I start offering my dog senior food?
The senior phase for dogs begins at an average age of seven years. Large dog breeds are considered "old dogs" at the age of five or six. A small dog is only considered old at the age of nine. In this phase of life, your four-legged friend's diet should be individually adapted to his activity level.
2. Senior dog food: Why does my older dog need senior food?
In order to avoid obesity and the negative consequences for health, it is often necessary to reduce the amount of food previously used.
Minor deviations from the feeding recommendation are unproblematic, but if the amount of food is reduced permanently and significantly, it should be noted that the amounts of essential nutrients such as amino acids, trace elements and vitamins are also reduced. In this case, you should therefore switch to a high-quality senior food with a lower energy content to ensure that your furry friend gets all the nutrients it needs.
To this end, we have developed several complete foods for older dogs. In addition to the lower energy content, the protein and phosphorus content is also slightly reduced, as relieving the kidneys and/or liver is often important, especially for older pets. The crude fibre content ("dietary fibre"), on the other hand, is higher so that, for example, intestinal movement is also supported.
3. Senior dog food: What should I consider when feeding my senior dog?
Older dogs often do not tolerate large portions so well, so a feeding rhythm of three to four meals a day is suitable to relieve the digestive system.
If your furry friend has problems chewing the food, you can soften it with lukewarm water.
4. Do you have further questions about your senior dog's diet?
Feel free to contact our nutrition experts. They will be happy to help you by e-mail and by telephone via our free hotline.
Phone: +49 (0) 800 333 8 222 (free of charge)
E-Mail: expertenteam@bosch-tiernahrung.de
Monday - Thursday: 7.30 - 12 o'clock & 13 - 16 o'clock
Friday: 7.30 - 12 o'clock & 13 - 15 o'clock
About the author
Dr. Anna Mitura
Animal Nutrition Physiologist & Product Manager
I am a real Northern Lights and come from Schleswig-Holstein, where I grew up in a small village with dogs. The dog of my heart is called Rufus and is a 13-year-old giant schnauzer mix senior. As a product manager, I develop new recipes for dogs and cats, hold training courses and lectures for customers and dealers and advise you on our free service hotline.
