Adult Dogs in Their Prime
In general, dogs eat to meet their caloric needs, not to meet their requirements for individual nutrients such as protein, minerals and vitamins. So it's up to you to be sure your adult dog is getting a nutritionally balanced diet. Fortunately, there's a wide variety of dog foods on the market today formulated to provide 100% of dogs' nutritional needs. Just be sure the labels say complete, balanced or 100% nutrition.

Factors that Affect Nutritional Needs of Adult Dogs

In addition to providing your adult dog with a balanced diet, be sure to consider other factors that effect his energy needs and, thus, the amount of food required.

Lactation
Nutritional requirements may increase three times normal amounts for a mother dog nursing a litter. Lactation needs are greatest by the third week after birth and increase with the size of the litter.

Exercise
Compared to dogs that are exercised regularly or allowed access to large yards, dogs that are confined to small areas and get little exercise need fewer calories. On the other hand, energy requirements increase by as much as 300% over a typical maintenance diet for hard-working dogs, such as those that hunt, race or herd.

Environment
Variations in temperature influence a dog's diet. The colder the temperature, the more energy a dog requires to maintain his body temperature. If your dog spends at least half his time outdoors during the cold winter months, for example, the amount of food he needs may double compared to what he normally eats during the summer.

Mature Dogs
As dogs mature, their metabolism and physical activity slow down. Thus, dogs need fewer calories as they age. To help prevent your older dog from becoming obese, you may have to decrease the amount of food offered. Many veterinarians and dog-food manufacturers consider the geriatric stage in a dog's life as beginning after 7 years of age. Keep in mind, however, that the aging rate varies with different breeds. Some signs that your dog is slowing down and may need a change in diet include:

• Increases in body weight
• Changes in vision and hearing
• Difficulty in moving
• Changes in bowel or urinary behavior
• Bad breath possibly due to teeth or gum problems

Fighting Obesity

Obesity is a widespread and serious problem for pet dogs. Obesity shortens a dog's life span, as well as increases his chance for heart disease, susceptibility to infections, liver disease, diabetes and other health problems. So to help your dog enjoy a longer, healthier life it's important to help him maintain a normal weight.

Too Little Exercise and Too Much Food Leads to Obesity
Overeating and inadequate exercise are the most important factors that cause obesity in dogs. Additionally, age becomes a contributing factor as older dogs slow down both physically and metabolically.

The following chart gives you an idea of the amount of calories your dog needs each day. Keep in mind that conditions such as age, environment and amount of exercise all influence a dogs' energy requirements.

CALORIC REQUIREMENTS OF DOGS
Weight of Dog in Pounds	Calories in Summer	Calories in Winter*	Calories for Growing Puppies**
2	120	180	200
5	250	375	400
10	420	630	700
20	700	1,050	1,200
30	930	1,400	1,400
50	1,350	2,000	2,000
70	1,680	2,500	2,500
100	2,400	3,600	3,600
*Only for dogs living outdoors more than 50% of the time. **Puppies are considered to be growing until they reach adulthood,or at about 9 to 18 months, depending on breed.

Counting the Calories
To help you determine the number of calories that your dog consumes, many dog foods have the caloric content listed on their packages. As a guide, an average dry food for adult dogs supplies about 1,550 to 1,600 calories per pound of food or 300 to 400 calories per cup, while complete canned foods provide about 500 to 750 calories per pound of food. If your dog is overweight, consult your veterinarian about a weight loss program and a target weight. Here are some ways to help your dog take off and keep off the unwanted pounds:

• Exercise your dog regularly. (It might enhance your health and weight status, too!)
• Weigh your dog weekly.
• Keep track of your dog's caloric intake. Don't forget to count snacks, as well as regular meals.
• Treat responsibly.

Responsible Treating

Treats are an important part of the relationship between owners and their dogs. Treats are helpful in training, as well as enticing picky dogs to eat. But in many cases, they also can lead to unhealthy weight gain. So how can you provide your dog with the pleasure of treating, without harming his health?

Treat Your Dog Responsibly
The answer is treat your dog responsibly. The way to do this is by considering treats as part of your dog's total diet plan. For example, choose treats that are low in fat and calories, as well as nutritionally sound. And don't forget to count the calories that treats add to your dog's diet. To compensate for the calories treats add, reduce the amount of dog food you normally offer.

Milk-Bone is the Treat of Choice
Milk-Bone solves the problem of finding a good-for-your-dog treat that tastes good, too. Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits are 100% nutritionally complete for adult dogs and, therefore, won't cause an imbalance in your dog's diet. In addition to providing protein, minerals and vitamins that are essential in a dog's diet, Milk-Bone are low in fat and calories. Each Original Milk-Bone Biscuit is less than 7% fat. (See the chart below.)

	Puppy Biscuits	Original Small Biscuits	Original Medium Biscuits	Original Large Biscuits
Calories/Biscuit	9	19	36	112
Protien	25%	22%	22%	22%
Fat	11%	6.6%	6.6%	6.6%
Sodium	.5%	.5%	.5%	.5%

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
Original Milk-Bone and Milk-Bone Puppy Biscuits

Milk-Bone Promotes a Healthy Mouth
A healthy mouth is another benefit provided by Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits. Studies show that Milk-Bone, given daily, helps remove plaque which leads to tartar build-up on a dog's teeth and gums. Milk-Bone helps prevent bad breath, oral infections and tooth loss in your dog.

Treat Your Dog Responsibly with Milk-Bone

• Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits are 100% nutritionally complete and balanced.
• Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits are low in fat and calories - nearly half the fat of other leading dog biscuits.
• Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits are a good source of the protein, vitamins and minerals all puppies and adult dogs need.
• Milk-Bone Dog Biscuits help remove and control plaque and tartar build-up on dogs' teeth and gums.