Dogs and humans have co-evolved for many thousands of years. During this time, dogs participated in human society through companionship, protection, shepherding, and hunting. Today, this human-canine relationship has expanded to include several important working and service roles, such as guide work for sight- and hearing-impaired handlers, and specialized tasks such as scent detection, just to name a few.
What are the nutritional considerations for working and service dogs?
Since working and service dogs come in many different forms, the nutritional recommendations also vary according to the individual and the environment. In some instances, dogs live within the household of those they serve and may have similar nutritional needs to that of a typical pet.
Nutritional Adequacy
Dogs should be fed a complete and balanced diet, appropriate for their life stage, to ensure they are receiving an adequate supply of essential nutrients. Many working and service dogs begin training and socialization as a puppy and serve well into adulthood. Thus, their diet should support them through these critical stages.
You can determine if a diet meets the animal’s needs by looking for the nutritional adequacy statement on the pet food label or the company website. If this statement includes the term “complete and balanced”, with reference to an AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) nutrient profile or a feeding trial using AAFCO procedures, the diet is considered nutritionally complete for the identified life stage.
Energy/Calories
The daily energy requirements of a working or service dog are highly variable and are dependent on the amount and type of work performed. These animals may therefore require a higher or lower intake of calories than feeding instructions state on a pet food label.
Feeding instructions should be considered a starting point. You will need to monitor the dog’s body weight and body condition score to adjust the feeding amounts as needed, according to response. The goal is to feed to a body condition score of 4-5/9.
For more information, see the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Body Condition Score Chart for Dogs online, and the “Body Condition Scores” handout.
With practice, handlers can learn how to score their dogs for body condition, allowing for regular monitoring in the home. Those who are visually impaired can learn to use tactile assessments to score a dog for body condition (e.g., feeling the ribs and pelvic bones, feeling for an abdominal tuck). Talk to your veterinarian for assistance on how to use the body condition score tool for your dog.
It is vitally important to avoid overfeeding, which places dogs at risk of joint disorders, such as osteoarthritis, which in turn may impact a dog’s mobility and aptitude to perform work.
Treats
High-calorie and high-fat treats are often fed to dogs for positive reinforcement of a job well done. While treats may indeed be rewarding, they can also be detrimental, because they can unbalance the overall diet and they can cause unwanted weight gain, which may hinder their ability to work.
"Measure out the total allotment of food needed for the day and ration it out for meals and snacks."
If training treats are necessary, consider using the dog’s own kibble as treats. Measure out the total allotment of food needed for the day and ration it out for meals and snacks; this will avoid excessive calorie consumption and will reduce the risk of feeding an unbalanced diet. Alternatively, if unbalanced treats are used, they should account for no more than 10% of the total energy intake for the day as a general target.
Water
Water is arguably the most important essential nutrient. Dogs that perform higher levels of physical activity and/or those that work in warm environments require more water than those at rest in ambient conditions.
Fresh, clean water should always be available; consumption of small amounts of water more frequently is better than large amounts of water in one sitting. Dogs do not lose electrolytes through perspiration like humans do, so electrolyte drinks are not as important for dogs as they are for people. Fresh clean water is best.
Public Health Considerations
Food safety is a priority for all dogs and for the people they work or live with. In some instances, service dogs may visit healthcare facilities in which immunocompromised individuals reside, including young children or seniors.
Dogs that are fed raw food diets present a potential infectious disease risk to people and the surrounding environment, and particularly so for immunocompromised individuals. The primary concerns relate to bacterial or parasitic contamination of raw meat products that the dog may have consumed.
While there are anecdotal reports in favor of feeding raw food diets to dogs, the significant health risks associated with feeding raw meat still outweigh any potential benefits. Currently, most veterinary nutritionists do not recommend feeding raw food diets to dogs, and this opinion is supported in the veterinary literature and human healthcare fields.
How should I select a diet for a working or service dog?
With the above considerations in mind, there are many dietary options available for working and service dogs. If the dog has exceptional demands, such as high levels of daily physical activity, energy-dense performance-type diets meet the criteria for complete and balanced nutrition.
Veterinary nutritionists agree there is no single best diet that meets the unique needs of all working and service dogs. Instead, a diet recommendation for any animal should be based on a combination of factors, including medical history, dietary history, and physical examination findings from your veterinary clinic. Collaborating with your veterinary healthcare team can result in the best diet recommendation for your pet's individual needs.
