Diet for Old and Young Dogs
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I have two dogs, one who is 16 and one who is four. What food is appropriate to feed each of them?
- Doug
It can be challenging to choose the right food for your pet, Doug, because there are so many options available. We recommend high-quality products such as those offered in veterinary offices and pet supply stores. Your veterinarian is also a great resource for making specific product recommendations. We generally do not recommend generic or store brands as a first choice for pet foods. Although they may have lower prices, they may actually be less economical because the nutrients in them are not as easy for pets' systems to absorb; therefore, pets end up less well-fed.
It is also important to choose a diet that is intended for your pets' life-stage needs. Because of the differences in your dogs' ages, you may want to consider feeding them two different diets, an adult dog food for your four-year-old and a senior diet for your sixteen-year-old. It may take some time for them to adjust to eating separately, but in time, it will become habit.
You can learn more about feeding your pets from our Top 10 Tips for Feeding Your Adult Dogand Top 10 Tips for Feeding Older Pets.