What is Individually Balanced Fresh Dog Food?

Individually balanced fresh dog food refers to fresh dog food that is exclusively balanced for a specific dog. To be able to balance any fresh dog food individually, the following parameters must be considered about the dog:

1. Age
2. Breed
3. Castration
4. Reproduction Status
5. Body weight and Condition
6. Physical Activity

‍

Age

Age affects the nutritional requirements of a dog and the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the minimum number of calories required for basic bodily functions.

• The BMR of a 1-month old Dachshund puppy per kg body weight is considerably higher than that of a 3-year-old Dachshund adult. This means puppies have higher nutritional requirements (including the need for more calories) than adults.
• The BMR of a 3-year-old Dachshund per kg body weight is considerably higher than that of a 12-year-old senior Dachshund.
• This means the nutritional and calorie requirements of an adult dog are higher than those of a senior dog. Most dog food producers focus only on age and weight when formulating diets for dogs. This is why you see lots of commercial foods labelled as „puppies“ or „adult dog“, but you rarely see a focus on some of the other factors that affect nutrition, such as body condition (whether the dog is over or underweight), reproduction status (whether they’re castrated, pregnant or lactating), breed or physical activity level. These needs are equally important, as they affect the BMR and the kind of nutrition a dog needs to thrive.

Breed

The BMR and mass-specific metabolic rate (MSMR) vary widely among breeds. For example, small breeds have a lower BMR and a higher MSMR than large breeds.

• A dog’s nutritional requirements change based on his breed and age, among other factors.
• Dogs become seniors at different ages, depending on breed size. Most large-sized dogs are considered seniors when they turn 8 years old, but small breeds won‘t reach their golden years until they are 10 or 11.

Castration

Spaying and neutering lower the BMR in dogs. A few months after castration, the BMR begins to decrease, and as a result, the maintenance energy requirements decrease. So if you continue to feed your dog the same type and amount of food, you are over-supplying your dog with nutrients (including energy), which can lead to obesity and other problems.

Reproduction status

Pregnancy and nursing increase the nutritional requirements of a dog. The pregnancy stage and how many puppies the dog is carrying should also be considered when choosing a proper diet.

Body weight and condition

How much energy a dog uses, and his metabolic rate depends in part on his current body condition (proportion of lean muscle and fat tissues) and amount of metabolically active tissues. Your dog‘s weight is an important factor in evaluating body condition and calculating the weight of metabolically active tissues.

Physical activity

Dogs that are physically active regularly will spend more energy than dogs with a sedentary lifestyle. This means not only dogs involved in competitive sports but also dogs who regularly hike or run with their humans. The amount of activity your dog engages in regularly will considerably affect his nutritional requirements.

‍

How Can Feeding Individually Balanced Fresh Dog Food Help

Individually balanced fresh dog food is the best way to feed dogs. Because the food has been explicitly balanced based on the dog's profile, it will address all of their nutritional requirements. With Cola's Kitchen's individually balanced fresh dog food, you will always know exactly what you are feeding your dog. We individually balance each recipe to meet the exact needs of your dog based on their profile. So you can always feel comfortable that they are eating a truly complete and balanced diet.

Cola's Kitchen ™ is the first Individually Balanced Fresh Dog Food producer in the world. Our food is formulated by Dr. Farshad Goodarzi. He is an animal nutritionist with two PhDs in Animal Nutrition and Poultry Science. His ongoing academic research has evolved around animal nutrition, feed/food processing, animal physiology and health, and gut microbiology. He has more than 25 publications in the best international peer-reviewed journals of the field and a regular speaker in different scientific seminars and conferences. Dr. Goodarzi is also currently a research associate at the Free University Berlin.

Cola's Kitchen's food is formulated under strict guidelines to meet or exceed the highest industry standards. While there is no risk for your dog eating our Salmon recipe daily, we highly suggest that they have variety in their diet and not eat the same recipe every day. We have 3 ingredient sets to choose from, and we always recommend for your dog to take all three if they don't have any restrictions. To learn more about Cola's Kitchen and our food click here.

‍