What should you feed your senior dog?
Food for senior dogs should be species-appropriate and made from fresh and high-quality ingredients that provide the nutrients to support an aging dog. Raw dog food hits all these checks, and more.
The ideal senior dog food you choose should be
Raw! We’re not saying that because we are a raw dog food company, but because raw is best suited to match the nutritional needs of a dog who is slowing down, who doesn’t need as many calories, and is maybe dealing with joint issues and needs extra help in supporting their joints and muscles.
The benefits of raw feeding
There are so many benefits to feeding raw food that we could write a whole guide about it. Oh, we did, and it’s here, called ‘The benefits of raw dog food’.
For senior dogs, our raw food because they contain:
- Appropriate levels of calories for older dogs: Whereas dried food can be exceptionally high in calories which can lead to weight gain if dogs can’t use up these calories
- High levels of natural fibre: Older dogs are more prone to constipation, diarrhoea and other digestive issues. A natural fibre diet helps to keep poos regular, which supports anal gland health as well
- High quality protein: Older dogs are prone to a loss of muscle mass which affects their mobility. Protein supports muscle maintenance and tissue repair. That’s why we pack our raw dog food recipes with 80% protein
- Omega-3 fatty acids that support joints and reduce inflammation
All these benefits sounds great?
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When should you switch to senior dog food?
When your dog falls into the senior category largely depends on their breed and size. The smaller the breed, the longer it takes them to age. So, for:
- small breeds, this could be 10 – 12 years,
- medium breeds 8 – 10 years,
- large breeds 6 – 8 years,
- and giant breeds 5 – 6 years.
How much raw food to feed your senior dog by weight (kg)
There’s no standard amount of food senior dogs should be eating as it depends on things like weight, breed, age, health, and how active they are. All of which we take into account when customising your dog’s menu – just take our quiz!
But as a guide, you can use the 2% to 3% of body weight as food recommendation. For example, a dog weighing 15kg will need between 300g (2% of body weight) and 450g (3% of body weight) of food each day.
Dog feeding charts by breed size and weight
Here’s a breakdown of estimated feeding amounts by breed type and weight, based on 2% to 3% of their body weight as food. Please note, the percentage is slightly higher for toy and small breeds:
Toy breeds (e.g. Chihuahua, Pomeranian)
| Weight | Daily food amount |
|---|---|
| 1kg | 50g |
| 2kg | 100g |
| 3kg | 125g |
| 4kg | 175g |
| 5kg | 200g |
Small breeds (e.g. Pug, French Bulldog)
| Weight | Daily food amount |
|---|---|
| 6kg | 200g |
| 7kg | 250g |
| 8kg | 250g |
| 9kg | 275g |
| 10kg | 275g |
Medium breeds (e.g. Beagle, Border Collie)
| Weight | Daily food amount |
|---|---|
| 11kg | 275g |
| 12kg | 300g |
| 13kg | 325g |
| 14kg | 350g |
| 15kg | 375g |
| 16kg | 400g |
| 17kg | 425g |
| 18kg | 450g |
| 19kg | 475g |
Large breeds (e.g. Labrador, German Shepherd)
| Weight | Daily food amount |
|---|---|
| 20kg | 500g |
| 21kg | 525g |
| 22kg | 550g |
| 23kg | 575g |
| 24kg | 600g |
| 25kg | 625g |
| 26kg | 650g |
| 27kg | 675g |
| 28kg | 700g |
| 29kg | 725g |
| 30kg | 750g |
| 31kg | 775g |
| 32kg | 800g |
| 33kg | 825g |
| 34kg | 850g |
| 35kg | 875g |
| 36kg | 900g |
| 37kg | 925g |
| 38kg | 950g |
| 39kg | 975g |
| 40kg | 1000g |
| 41kg | 1025g |
| 42kg | 1050g |
| 43kg | 1075g |
| 44kg | 1100g |
Giant breeds (e.g. Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound)
| Weight | Daily food amount |
|---|---|
| 45kg | 1125g |
| 46kg | 1150g |
| 47kg | 1175g |
| 48kg | 1200g |
| 49kg | 1225g |
| 50kg | 1250g |
| 51kg | 1275g |
| 52kg | 1300g |
| 53kg | 1325g |
| 54kg | 1350g |
| 55kg | 1375g |
| 56kg | 1400g |
| 57kg | 1425g |
| 58kg | 1450g |
| 59kg | 1475g |
| 60kg | 1500g |
What else affects the daily food amount besides weight
Apart from weight, other things that are considered when working out food amounts include breed, sex, age, and health conditions.
How much to feed overweight senior dogs
If your senior dog needs to shift some extra pounds, we recommend reducing their daily amount of raw food by 10% for a couple of weeks and reweighing them to see if their weight is reducing. For example, if your dog eats 600g a day, a 10% reduction will make it 540g a day.
How much to feed underweight senior dogs
Now, if you have the opposite problem and your senior dog is underweight, you can increase their daily food amount by 10% for a couple of weeks to see if this helps. For example, if they eat 600g a day, a 10% increase will make it 660g daily.
Amount of exercise your dog’s getting
Your senior dog’s exercise needs may change as they age. This is normal. The energy they had as an adult is diminishing, and they prefer to live in the slow lane. Adjust their exercise to suit their needs; it could be shorter walks or less energetic walks (less hills, more flat ground). Bear in mind that as your dog is exercising less, they may not need as much food.
Signs you’re feeding the right amount
A dog whose weight is within the average for their age and breed is a starting point in knowing if you’re feeding the right amount. However, as other things can affect weight other than the amount of food they eat, working from a Body Condition Score (BCS) can be a better indication that your dog is in a healthy shape.
Other signs that your dog is getting the right amount of food are:
- Healthy coat: That’s soft and glossy with no localised hair loss
- Healthy skin: That’s soft to the touch and isn’t dry, itchy, or peeling
- Satisfied between meals: No begging for scraps from your plate
How much should a senior dog weigh?
There’s no average weight for a senior dog as it’s dependent on their breed. For smaller senior breeds this will be less than a large senior breed. Check out our dog weight guide for advice on your dog’s average weight or speak to your vet.
How often should you feed your senior dog?
Most senior dogs thrive on 2 meals a day, typically breakfast and dinner. Some, however, prefer to have one meal a day. If your dog changes how often they want to be fed, monitor their weight and body condition just in case they start losing weight. If you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or health, speak to your vet.
The best feeding times for senior dogs
For senior dogs on 2 meals a day, the best time to give them their first meal of the day is usually just after they’ve had their morning toilet break. What time this is depends on your schedule. For example, it may be 7am or 8am. Their evening meal could then be 12 hours later. In between they may need a healthy snack to see them through to dinner.
For dogs on one meal a day, they may want this at breakfast, lunch, or dinnertime.
These timings are suggestions and you may find your dog prefers slightly different feeding times.
Ideal feeding schedules for senior dogs
The feeding schedule for your senior dog may not be too dissimilar to what they were used to as an adult. If you’re changing from another food type like kibble, which can be left down all day, here are examples of feeding schedules you may want to consider when changing to raw food.
Ideal feeding schedule for a senior dog on 2 meals a day
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 6am | Wake up + toilet break |
| 6am to 7am | Breakfast |
| 7am to 8am | Chill time |
| 8am to 10am | Gentle morning exercise |
| 12 to 1pm | Chill time |
| 1pm to 3pm | Get attention from family |
| 3pm to 5pm | Gentle exercise |
| 6pm to 7pm | Evening meal |
Ideal feeding schedule for a senior dog on 1 meal a day
There’s no set rule for when you should feed your dog. Some dogs will prefer their only meal as breakfast, as lunch, or as dinner.
This feeding schedule is based on a dog having an afternoon/evening meal:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 6am | Wake up + toilet break |
| 7am to 8am | Gentle exercise |
| 8am to 10am | Chill time |
| 12 to 1pm | Play |
| 1pm to 3pm | Gentle exercise |
| 3pm to 5pm | Meal |
| 6pm to 7pm | Chill and snuggles |
Can I introduce raw food to my senior dog?
Absolutely (2), and we’re sure they’ll love Bella+Duke raw dog food. Most dogs take to raw food straight away, but some dogs can become set in their ways in their older years and may need a little longer to get used to the change in their diet.
How to switch your senior dog to raw food
You know your dog the best and if you’ve switched food before you will know how they took to the change so you can use this experience to guide you in how to make the move to raw.
- You can try a straight swap, where you introduce raw food at the next mealtime.
- The alternative is a gradual swap, where you feed a small amount of raw food along with a reduced amount of their regular food (e.g., 10% raw vs 90% their regular food), and slowly adjust these amounts until your dog is enjoying a full raw meal.
Our switching food guide explains both methods in greater detail.
Top tips on feeding senior dogs on a raw diet
You may notice that your dog’s appetite is decreasing as they age. As senior dogs aren’t as active as they were in their younger years, they naturally don’t need as many calories from their food, so they eat less. However, if you notice a sudden decrease in your dog’s appetite, it’s worth chatting with your vet. Try feeding smaller meals more frequently to match your dog’s changing appetite. Larger meals could be intimidating for your dog and put them off eating.
Using a raised feeder can also help older dogs as they don’t have to stoop so low to eat, reducing pressure on the neck, back, and joints. (3)
Warming their food with bone broth enhances the flavour and aroma, making it appealing to older dogs who may be losing their taste and smell.
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References
- Turmeric for osteoarthritis in veterinary medicine:A review https://herbalvets.org.uk/docs/turmeric-dejonckheere.pdf
- Heikkilä, T., Pernu, N., Kovanen, S., & Kivistö, R. (2017). Raw Meat-Based Diets in Dogs and Cats. Veterinary Sciences, 4(3), 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4030033
- Nutrition Notes. Counselling Clients on Food Bowl Selection: What’s the dish? Shannon Nowak BS LVT RVT https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/03/TVN-2022-02_Pet_Bowls.pdf
FAQs
How much should I feed my senior dog per day?
While there’s no official recommendation to how much a senior dog should be eating, a starting point is giving them 2% to 3% of their body weight as food each day. For example, a dog weighing 10 kg will eat 200g to 300g of raw food a day. Our raw dog food calculator can provide an estimate of the feeding amount based on your dog’s age and weight.
Do older dogs need 2 meals a day?
How many meals a dog needs a day in their senior years depends on your dog. Some may prefer 2 meals and some may drop to 1 meal a day. Go with what your dog prefers.
How do you settle an old dog at night?
There are numerous reasons why an older dog may be unsettled at night; pain or discomfort, changes in their lives, doggy dementia and feeling confused, and more. But there things you can do to help your dog feel relaxed and settled, including:
- Developing an evening routine that includes ‘chill time’. May be play some calming music – it supposedly helps dogs to relax
- Considering a calm diffuser to release pheromones in the area your dog will sleep, to help them to relax
- Reassuring your dog that everything is OK, if any changes have taken place in your home recently
- Considering if their bedding is causing them issues or is restricting their movement
If your senior dog continues to be unsettled at night, consider seeking advice from your vet.
Is wet food better for senior dogs?
OK, this is a tricky question to answer. As a raw food company, we believe that a raw diet is best for dogs of all ages, including seniors. If raw wasn’t a choice, then we’d say that wet food is better than dried food as it has a higher moisture content and is easier for older dogs to chew and digest.
How do you know if your senior dog is suffering?
We wish our canine companions could be with us forever, but our time with them is limited, and just like humans, things can start to give out as with old age. Some of the signs of suffering to look out for include:
- Loss of mobility (trouble standing, walking, climbing stairs)
- Sudden change in weight
- Loss of sight (bumping into things)
- Incontinence or trouble pooing or weeing
- Yelping or barking when certain areas are touched
- Anxiety (new or increased)
- Forgetting commands
- Changes in routines (eating, drinking, sleeping)
- Confusion
Each dog is unique and some may exhibit none, some, or all of these signs. If you have concerns about your senior dog’s behaviour, book an appointment with your vet.
Is raw feeding good for older dogs?
Absolutely! Raw dog food is packed with nutrients in their natural form, which dogs’ bodies can easily recognise and utilise to the maximum. Whereas synthetic nutrients aren’t as well absorbed and utilised. These nutrients support your aging dog’s overall health and well-being, from joints to brain health.
Can I feed my senior dog raw meat from the supermarket?
Yes it’s OK to feed raw meat you have got from a supermarket or shop, though are there some precautions to take first. Raw meat from supermarkets is sold on the assumption that it will be cooked, so it doesn’t go through the same rigorous testing we undertake for raw meat that goes into our pet food.
So, before feeding it to your dog, pop it in the freezer for at least 3 days. This minimises any bacterial growth which may occur and it will also kill off the parasites commonly found in meat in the UK.
Do UK vets recommend a raw diet for senior dogs?
Some vets will be OK with your dog eating high-quality pre-made raw food. Others will be more cautious, usually because they see dogs who are suffering from nutritional deficiency and other ailments from homemade raw diets that lack the ingredients to make them balanced and complete.
Should I feed or walk my senior dog first in the morning?
This depends on your dog and your schedule, but it’s generally recommended you walk your senior dog before feeding them as exercise shortly after eating may cause digestive issues, and potentially bloat in some breeds.
At what age should dogs be transitioned to senior dog food?
The age you transition your dog on to senior food depends mainly on their breed and size. For smaller dogs, like Chihuhuas this could be when they’re 10. For giant breeds, it could be from 5 years old, when they’re technically classed as seniors. Of course, it’s your choice if/when you want to move your dog to senior food.
What are healthy dog treats?
Healthy treats are made from natural ingredients without added grains or glutens. Check out our range of natural and delish treats for dogs of all ages and sizes.
How many dog treats can I feed my dog a day?
We recommend that treats don’t exceed more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake.
