| The 75 Percent Rule | January 16, 2007 |
A very short article in DogWatch
(December 2006 issue) talks about how the amount of food you give your dogs now might have an impact on their long-term health and quality of life . . .Research at the universities of Pennsylvania, California-Davis and Washington St ("Lifelong diet restriction and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the hip joint of dogs") shows that the dogs who were fed "ad libitum" (able to eat freely as they wished) the label-recommended amount for their size and age tend to experience more signs of canine hip dysplasia than dogs who were given 25% less food under the same feeding conditions.
Although the article doesn't provide a lot of details, the dogs who are fed less (25% diet restriction) seemed to be able to delay the onset of hip problems and enjoy more quality of life throughout their lives.
The feeding instructions on pet food labels are only suggestions. Every animal is unique. Physical size, age, appetite, energy level, emotion, metabolism are all different from animal to animal. Serving suggestions may make your particular pets overweight or underweight (most likely the former). It's always wise for pet owners to monitor their pets' weight and adjust the amount of food (including treats!) they give their pets. If you free-feed your pets, it's even more important to measure the amount of food you give them in advance.
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