Dog & Puppy Feeding Guide

There are numerous foods available for dogs – it can be difficult to know what is best for your four legged friend.

Life stages of dogs

Understanding the different life stages your dog goes through is essential to ensuring that their needs are being met as they get older. Your pet will have different nutritional, environmental and physical requirements at each life stage so consider modifications as essential to your dog being happy and healthy. Each life stage varies depending on the size of the breed as small breeds will finish growing at a younger age than larger breeds.

Feeding through the stages

Gradually introduce your puppy to kibble over a week by mashing a little down with hot water to create a paste and cooling to room temperature. Gradually add less water until your puppy is eating the dry kibbles.

Always feed the recommended amount on pack. Over-feeding puppies may encourage an acceleration in growth, which can cause skeletal abnormalities where joints are not formed correctly. For example, osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia.

We know that puppies love food! So make sure you keep an eye on how fast they consume it! When dogs eat too fast, they can gulp down excessive amounts of air, causing expansion of the stomach and increasing the chances of bloat.

Follow the on-pack guidelines to ensure you are feeding the correct amount for the weight of your puppy. There should always be plenty of fresh clean water available for them to drink.

A complete puppy food should have:

• Smaller kibble for puppy-sized mouths and to make eating and digestion easier.
• A high level of digestible proteins (around 32%) to assist growth and muscle development.
• Extra calcium for strong bones and teeth.

Check out our range of Puppy food.

If you are changing your adult dog’s food, gradually replace the old food with the new over 5-7 days. The amount of food your dog needs depends on their size, breed and level of activity.

Every dog is different so please refer to our feeding guides for our dog food as a guide, adjust as necessary depending on your pet’s appetite, environment, and activity level . Lactating bitches may eat up to three times as much as the indicated serving.

When feeding a complete dry food, we recommend giving your dog their daily requirement in two or more servings. It’s important not to over feed your dog – especially if you’re feeding them household scraps or treats! Remember to take treats into account when working out your dog’s portion sizes. Fresh, clean water should also always be available. To help keep their teeth clean, give your dog something hard, such as bone or chews, on a regular basis.

Explore our range of adult dog food.

As your dog enters their golden years, you may start to notice some of the signs of aging. Feeding your senior dog a specially formulated mature food can help to ease the effects of growing older. Burgess Mature Dog Food with Chicken is full of ingredients to help with your dog’s mobility, natural defences and digestion.

The amount of food your dog needs depends on their size, breed and level of activity. You’ll be able to find detailed feeding instructions on the back of food packs. As a guide, feed your dog 90g of food for every 5kg of body weight. If your dog is over 32kg, feed them 70g of food for every 5kg of body weight.

When working out how much food to give your senior dog, don’t forget to take treats into account! Fresh, clean water should always be available for your dog.

Discover Burgess Mature Dog Food with Chicken.

Quick tip

Don't forget to take treats into account when you're working out how much to feed your dog each day!

Sensitive Adult Dog Turkey

from £7.99 – £43.00 — or subscribe and save 15%

View

Add

View

A Guide to Dog Nutrition

Domestic dogs, like their ancestors, are omnivores. In other words, they rely on a balanced diet of both vegetation and protein to remain healthy. It’s a no-brainer that dogs love to eat and they can have a reputation of devouring almost anything! However despite having a great appetite, dogs can’t decide what’s nutritionally best for them, which leaves it up to us to provide them with the balanced nutrients they need.

Harvey, the Golden Retriever

“After trying several dry dog food brands for my Golden Retriever with his sensitive stomach, I tried Burgess Salmon and Rice. At last his stools have settled! He loves the food – I’m so happy and so is he! Thank you Burgess for a brilliant dog food.”

Nicola, The Wirral

At Burgess, we know your dog's health is paramount. Our Sensitive dog food is specially formulated for dogs who suffer from sensitive skin and stomachs. Our recipe is made without the usual ingredients that can cause intolerant reactions for some dogs. Burgess Sensitive dog food is made from the finest ingredients to ensure excellent quality and taste. Our recipes include highly digestible proteins, prebiotics, beet pulp and rich sources of Omega 3 fatty acids to help maintain healthy digestion, skin and coat condition.

Our Supadog recipes are made using wholesome ingredients to ensure excellent quality and taste. It's tried and tested by dogs that love Supadog!
Our Supadog food is manufactured in the heart of Yorkshire and is made with protein and nutritious cereals and vegetables. All to give your dog a balanced diet and help to keep them happy and healthy.

Transitioning to Burgess dog food

Transition your dogs diet over a period of 7-10 days by gradually reducing the old food and replacing with Burgess.

Foods to avoid

This list includes common household foods that dogs should avoid but is by no means exhaustive. If your dog has consumed any of these items then please seek veterinary advice.

Grapes & Raisins

Chocolate, Coffee & Tea

Alcoholic Beverages

Milk & Other Dairy Products

Onions & Garlic

Raw Eggs

Raw Fish

Mushrooms

Other foods to avoid include

Fat trimmings

Pits from peaches and plums

Large amounts of liver

Macadamia nuts

Mouldy or spoiled food

Potato

Rhubarb

Tomato leaves

Potato and tomato stems

Excessive salt

Sugary foods

Large amounts of table scraps

Do you need more advice?

To help you find the right food for your pet have a look at our product range.

You can get in touch with our customer care team who will respond in 3-5 working days. Our dedicated team of pet experts will help you make the right choice.

If you should have any concerns about the health of your pet, always consult a vet.