Dog Feeding Standards • UK Guide • October
What Do Dogs Need in Their Diet? The Nutrients, the Amounts and the Foods to Avoid
What does a dog need in its diet? Protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fresh water every day, plus digestible carbohydrate and fibre for energy and gut health, in amounts that suit age, size and activity. A complete food made to FEDIAF guidelines supplies them together.
This Petsprod guide covers the nutrients, how needs change with age, what homemade food must contain and a few myths owners ask about. It sits within our wider dog nutrition coverage.
The advice applies to healthy adult and senior dogs. A dog with a medical condition needs a diet plan from their vet.
Quick Summary: A balanced dog diet requires a precise daily mix of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and fresh water. While complete commercial foods formulated to FEDIAF guidelines cover these needs automatically, alternative or homemade diets must be carefully measured to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
What do dogs need in their diet every day?
Dogs need amino acids from protein, fatty acids from fat, vitamins, minerals and water every day. UK Pet Food counts around 37 individual nutrients, and they must be present in the right amounts and in the right proportion to one another.
You can explore our detailed guide to essential nutrients for dogs to see the full breakdown.
The table shows what each group does.
| Nutrient | What it does | Common sources |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Builds and repairs muscle, skin, coat and enzymes | Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, soya, peas |
| Fat | Concentrated energy; carries vitamins A, D, E and K | Animal fats, fish oil, vegetable oils |
| Carbohydrate and fibre | Digestible energy; gut health | Rice, oats, potato, beet pulp, vegetables |
| Vitamins | Vision, bones, blood clotting, nerves | Added vitamin premix, liver, fish oil |
| Minerals | Bones, teeth, oxygen transport, skin repair | Meat, bone meal, added mineral premix |
| Water | Digestion, temperature control, waste removal | Drinking water, wet food |
Protein. Protein supplies the amino acids a dog can’t make itself. Quality matters as much as the percentage on the bag.
Fat. Fat gives more than twice the energy per gram of protein or carbohydrate, and it supplies the fatty acids that keep skin and coat in condition. Rich scraps push calories up fast, so a sudden fatty meal can upset the stomach.
Carbohydrate and fibre. Dogs have no set carbohydrate requirement, but cooked starch from rice, oats or potato is a digestible energy source. Soluble fibre feeds gut bacteria and insoluble fibre adds bulk to stools. A firm stool is a quick daily check that the mix suits the dog.
Vitamins and minerals. Each has its own job. Calcium and phosphorus have to be in proportion as well as in the right amounts, which is why random calcium powders can do harm. Dogs get almost all their vitamin D from food.
Water. Dogs need fresh drinking water at all times, and without it they become dehydrated. Wet food holds more water than dry, so dogs on dry food tend to drink more.
How much of each nutrient does a dog need?
FEDIAF’s minimum levels for a healthy adult dog are 45.0 to 52.1 g of protein, 13.75 g of fat, 1.25 to 1.45 g of calcium and 1.00 to 1.16 g of phosphorus per 1,000 kcal of metabolisable energy. [3]
| Nutrient | Adult minimum per 1,000 kcal | Adult minimum, % dry matter* |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 45.0 to 52.1 g | 18 to 21% |
| Fat | 13.75 g | 5.5% |
| Calcium | 1.25 to 1.45 g | 0.50 to 0.58% |
| Phosphorus | 1.00 to 1.16 g | 0.40 to 0.46% |
*Calculated at 4,000 kcal per kg of dry matter from FEDIAF’s published tables. [3] FEDIAF reviews them every year, so check the current edition for exact values.
FEDIAF gives a range because it bases the figures on two energy intakes. A dog that eats less needs a denser food, so the higher figure applies. These figures are minimums. A dog on a complete food doesn’t need them calculated, and they matter mainly when judging a homemade recipe.
NI Direct says a healthy adult dog should hold a stable weight, neither too thin nor too heavy. [2] Weigh the portion in grams, check that the ribs are easy to feel under a thin covering of fat, and adjust in small steps.
What does “complete” dog food mean?
Complete dog food supplies every nutrient a healthy dog needs, in the right proportions, for the life stage on the pack, so it can be the whole diet. A complementary food, such as a treat or mixer, has to be fed alongside it.
UK Pet Food members commit to formulating diets in line with European guidelines. [1] Check that the pack says “complete” and names your dog’s life stage. Complete vs complementary dog food explains the difference in more detail.
Are dogs omnivores or carnivores?
Dogs are omnivores in practice. They belong to the order Carnivora, yet they digest cooked starch and take nutrients from both animal and plant ingredients. A diet can therefore include meat, cereals and vegetables, as long as the whole recipe is complete.
What do dogs need in homemade food?
A homemade dog diet needs a protein source, a fat source, digestible carbohydrate, a calcium source and a vitamin and mineral supplement, all in measured amounts from a recipe written by a vet nutritionist. UK Pet Food says most homemade diets are nutritionally deficient. [1]
The reason is the number of nutrients involved. UK Pet Food calls a balanced home recipe possible but complicated, with very little margin for error. Meat alone is low in calcium, so a plate of chicken and rice leaves a gap.
Follow these rules if you cook for your dog:
- Use a recipe from a vet or animal nutritionist. UK Pet Food points owners to the NRC and FEDIAF documents and suggests asking a vet for an expert with the right experience. [1]
- Weigh every ingredient in grams and don’t swap ingredients without checking.
- Add only the supplement the recipe names.
- Keep grapes, onions, garlic and chocolate out of the pot.
- Review the recipe with your vet when weight, age or health changes.
The page on home-cooked dog food covers what a nutritionist checks.
Are meat, grains and supplements necessary?
Dogs get their nutrients from whichever ingredients supply them in the right amounts. Meat is the usual protein source, and grains or potato supply digestible carbohydrate. A vegetarian or vegan food can work if it is complete and a vet guides the switch.
A dog on a complete food rarely needs supplements, and extras can push calcium and phosphorus out of proportion. Ask your vet before adding any.
How do a dog’s needs change with age and activity?
A dog’s needs depend on size, age, sex, activity, health and neutering. [2] Old dogs, working dogs, pregnant dogs and dogs in poor health can have special dietary needs, so their food and portions may need adjusting with a vet’s advice.
Small breeds need more calories per kilo than larger dogs, so they need an energy-dense food to meet them. [1] Weigh older dogs regularly and ask your vet to review the diet at each check. The guide to senior dog nutrition covers what changes.
What is the 7-7-7 rule for dogs?
The 7-7-7 rule is an informal behaviour guideline, and it has nothing to do with feeding. Sources define it in different ways, so check which version someone means before following it.
One version covers the first 7 days, 7 weeks and 7 months after a dog joins a new home. Another is a socialisation checklist of seven surfaces, seven objects and seven places. Neither comes from veterinary nutrition guidance.
The feeding point in a new home is to keep the dog on its usual food at first and change it gradually over several days. [2] The page on how to switch dog food safely explains how.
Is it true that 75% of dogs are depressed?
Guide Dogs UK research reported that nearly 75% of dogs in Britain show signs of depression or anxiety, with 18% showing them every week. Only 36% of owners recognised the signals. [4]
The signs include losing interest in usual activities and going off food. [4] A change in how much a dog eats or drinks can also signal ill health, so a dog that stops eating needs a vet check before anyone changes the diet or assumes a mood problem. [2]
The survey measured behaviour. What a dog needs to eat stays the same.
Which foods should dogs avoid?
Grapes, raisins, chocolate and onions can harm or even kill a dog, and meals made for people may not give a dog balanced nutrition. [2] Garlic, leeks, chives and the sweetener xylitol are also on the avoid list. Phone your vet at once if a dog eats any of them.
The full list is in foods toxic to dogs.
How can you tell the diet is working?
Check these every few weeks:
- A steady, healthy weight
- A firm, easy-to-collect stool
- A clean coat and healthy skin
- Steady energy for the dog’s age
- Normal appetite and thirst, since any change in what a dog eats or drinks can signal ill health
If any of these slips, adjust the portion first and ask your vet if it doesn’t recover.
Dog diet questions answered
How often should I feed my dog?
Most dogs need at least one meal a day, and splitting the daily amount into two meals is often preferable. Weigh the daily total and divide it. Change foods gradually over several days.
Can I feed my dog chicken and rice every day?
Chicken and rice alone isn’t a complete diet, so it suits only short periods on a vet’s advice. Over the long term a dog needs the calcium, vitamins and other nutrients that a complete food or a formulated recipe supplies.
Is raw food nutritionally complete?
Only a raw product labelled complete is. Many owners look at raw feeding through the 80/10/10 rule (80% muscle meat, 10% edible bone, and 10% organs, with half of that usually being liver), but even this breakdown requires careful balancing to avoid nutritional gaps. Raw feeding also carries bacterial risks for dogs and people, so ask your vet before starting and choose a complete product over a homemade mix.
Five steps to get it right this week
- Check that the main food says “complete” and matches your dog’s life stage.
- Weigh each portion in grams and split it into meals.
- Check the ribs and waist every few weeks and adjust in small steps.
- Keep grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions, garlic and xylitol out of reach.
- Ask your vet before changing the diet, adding supplements or cooking at home.
Resources
- UK Pet Food. “Dog health & nutrition advice”.
- NI Direct. “Welfare of dogs: the need for a suitable diet”.
- FEDIAF. “Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs” (PDF, nutrient tables). European Pet Food Industry Federation.
- CBS News Boston. “Study: Pet owners struggle to spot depression, anxiety in dogs”.
