I've been wondering if I simply "cut back" on my 10 mo old GSD's dog food, it I might also be cutting back on vital nutrients (vitamins & minerals) that are also in the dog food which do not contribute to weight gain.
I contacted the pet food company that makes the product I feed my dog (which has a "B" rating from petfoodadvisor.com and is 313 calories per cup). Here is the content of his email. I hope it helps some who are also concerned with this same question;
"To answer your question, if you reduce feeding amounts from a calorie standpoint, you can indeed restrict other nutrients to dangerously low levels."
"Whether this occurs depends on the calorie content of the food. For instance, if you are feeding your dog a cup per day of a very high fat/calorie food (say, 450 calories per cup), and you decide you need to cut her down 225 calories, you will only be feeding 1/2 cup of that food, whereas if you instead go to a weight loss food with 280 calories per cup, you will still be feeding almost a cup."
"So, if you reduce the feeding amount of a very high calorie food, you may be feeding such a small amount of the food that the other nutrients can be in the "nearly deficit" range, whereas the weight loss foods, which have a HIGH Nutrient & Calorie ratio, will still be supplying the nutrients, but less calories."
"Mainly it comes down to a foods nutrients: calorie ratio, which would be lower in high calorie foods.""I don't think a restriction, with the Zero grain turkey which is moderate fat/calorie content, would be difficult, just keep a close eye on the body condition and once she is at ideal level feed to her weight again."
This makes sense to me and was exactly what I was concerned about. It looks like what I'm feeding her will be ok for temporary diets, but if I need a long term food for her that permanently supplies higher nutrients and lower calories, I will need to switch to an actual "diet formulated" food which this manufacturer does not make.
I contacted the pet food company that makes the product I feed my dog (which has a "B" rating from petfoodadvisor.com and is 313 calories per cup). Here is the content of his email. I hope it helps some who are also concerned with this same question;
"To answer your question, if you reduce feeding amounts from a calorie standpoint, you can indeed restrict other nutrients to dangerously low levels."
"Whether this occurs depends on the calorie content of the food. For instance, if you are feeding your dog a cup per day of a very high fat/calorie food (say, 450 calories per cup), and you decide you need to cut her down 225 calories, you will only be feeding 1/2 cup of that food, whereas if you instead go to a weight loss food with 280 calories per cup, you will still be feeding almost a cup."
"So, if you reduce the feeding amount of a very high calorie food, you may be feeding such a small amount of the food that the other nutrients can be in the "nearly deficit" range, whereas the weight loss foods, which have a HIGH Nutrient & Calorie ratio, will still be supplying the nutrients, but less calories."
"Mainly it comes down to a foods nutrients: calorie ratio, which would be lower in high calorie foods.""I don't think a restriction, with the Zero grain turkey which is moderate fat/calorie content, would be difficult, just keep a close eye on the body condition and once she is at ideal level feed to her weight again."
This makes sense to me and was exactly what I was concerned about. It looks like what I'm feeding her will be ok for temporary diets, but if I need a long term food for her that permanently supplies higher nutrients and lower calories, I will need to switch to an actual "diet formulated" food which this manufacturer does not make.