Knowing what and how much to feed our four-legged friends helps them to live better for longer. Depending on the situation, the dog's diet varies in relation to the quantity and type of food that can be given.

For puppies, until the end of weaning, the main food is the mother's milk, rich in nutrients useful for its growth. After weaning, about two months after birth, you can choose to give solid food. The latter will consist of meals with high nutritional potential and distributed throughout the day 3-4 per day. The puppy needs the right amount of protein, which is essential for its growth. So it has to eat meat and fish, but also eggs rich in growth amino acids. Moreover, in his daily ration there must be calcium, useful for the bones, which must be associated with phosphorus according to precise quantities.

As for the diet of the pregnant female, more attention must be paid.
During gestation, which lasts about 2 months, the female's nutritional needs remain almost unchanged from normal. These change only in the last 20 days, at which time the ration must be increased and divided during the day.

Feeding during the lactation period, which lasts about 8 weeks, becomes even more challenging. In this period, in fact, the mother must eat 3-4 times more than normal and drink a lot of water, as it produces a high quality milk, rich in proteins, fats and carbohydrates. If the female is not regularly fed, some diseases can arise, because to produce milk she will draw on the resources of her organism, with the consequence that her immune defenses will notably lower.

Different speech must be done when our friend becomes old. The dog's diet must be retouched to some extent in the period of old age, which will come at different times and ways depending on the lifestyle of the animal and its breed. In this case, the diet must be adequate in relation to a lower efficiency of the digestive system and above all to a lower energy requirement, due to less physical activity. In order to avoid the typical diseases of senile age, the dog's meal must not contain excessive amounts of fat and less protein in order not to tire the kidneys; on the other hand, the need for vitamins will be greater. For the senior dog, veterinarians recommend a meal of white meat, eggs (yolk better than egg white), liver, cereals and bran.

More attention is required from dog owners when the dog is sick.
In the prevention and treatment of various diseases that afflict the dog, a balanced diet combined with pharmacological treatments is required. In these cases, a diet agreed with the veterinarian who is treating our friend is required.
There are some pathologies that we want to analyze.
In the case of diabetes mellitus, dogs as well as humans are given insulin for life; to this must be associated a diet that provides a regular intake of calories in relation to quality and quantity. The meal must be divided during the day and in relation to the injections, it must contain many carbohydrates and low fat, in order not to nullify the effectiveness of insulin.
If the dog suffering from heart failure, usually an elderly animal, the purpose of the diet in this case is to limit the retention of liquids such as sodium and water, typical of the course of this disease. The daily ration must consist of low sodium foods such as boiled pasta and rice, lean meats and egg yolk, low in proteins but many sugars and fats and with a consistent intake of vitamins.
For dogs suffering from renal insufficiency, a diet is recommended in which the energy intake is provided by fats and sugars, while proteins must be reduced. For this pathology, high biological value proteins of animal origin are recommended, as the body uses them without producing waste. Vitamins must not be missing.

As a last topic, we will deal with the one related to the difference between the home-made meal and the prepackaged one.
Cooking for the dog is demanding, because in addition to time, it is necessary to know how to dose the elements that the animal needs in the right proportions. To this end, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the individual foods. The proportions are 30 g of food per day for every kg of weight of the dog, divided equally between meat, rice and vegetables; raw foods must be cooked to eliminate the risk of disease. Cooking for the dog has the positive side that the gesture unites the dog and the owner and strengthens the bond between the two.
Pre-packaged food has the advantage of already containing all the elements necessary for the dog and being able to balance it according to needs. Specific lines are available in stores for the different periods of the dog's existence and for different lifestyles. They guarantee a significant saving of time, since they do not have to be prepared and, above all, there is a considerable saving of money. Pre-packaged foods can be complete foods or simple supplements, flakes and croquettes are distinguished in dry foods, which increase the animal's thirst, wet foods such as the classic canned food. There are foods for food intolerances, for maintenance, for puppies, elderly dogs and those afflicted by some pathologies. If you choose to feed the dog with prepackaged food, you must follow the instructions on the box, relating to the doses to be administered.
Homemade or prepackaged food, it doesn't matter much. The needs and times of the owner must be parallel to the needs of our four-legged friend. As for the human being, the correct nutrition of the dog can make our friend live better and longer.