Dogs Need Snacks Too!

March 11, 2020

Dogs Need Snacks Too!

Every dog’s metabolism is a little different – their age, breed, genetics, and activity level all influence how many calories they need each day. Just like us, dogs need extra fuel when they’re working and playing hard. Veterinarians use formulas that provide guidelines for calorie requirements based on a dog’s weight.

Your dog’s resting energy requirement (RER) is the number of calories they would need to maintain their weight just sitting on the couch all day. (It’s a bit of a tricky equation, but if you like a challenge, multiply your dog’s body weight in kg raised to the ¾ power by 70.)

Your dog’s metabolic energy requirement (MER) is 1.7 x RER. This is the energy your dog uses on a typical day that includes exercise like going for a walk or playing with a friend.

How many Backpack Bars should you pack? We have calculated the difference between high energy days (2 x RER) and normal daily needs to give you a range.

WEIGHT	NUMBER OF BACKPACK BARS ON ACTIVE DAYS
25 lbs	0.5-1
50 lbs	1
75 lbs	1.5
100 lbs	2

Backpack Bars are about 193 calories per bar – so check the guidance on your usual dog food to determine how many calories your dog gets each day, and adjust accordingly. If you are going hard and your dog is hungry - break bars into smaller pieces and feed frequently to help maintain level energy.