# What kind of protein percentage would you look for?



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

I've always been more concerned with the protein source than the actual percentage of protein. But now that I'm thinking about switching foods again, I'm taking another look at the percentage.

An average day for Riley looks something like this:
-Breakfast at 5:30, followed by some quiet time.
-A good 2-3 mile hike (usually at a pretty brisk pace) later in the morning.
-Fairly inactive for most of the afternoon
-Another mile or so walk, slower-paced, in the late afternoon/early evening. Some "hall ball", some tug and playtime with me.
-Supper at 6:00, then quiet time, chewing on a toy or whatever 
-7:30ish - 10:00 is usually spent climbing on my head, playing hall ball and chewing on some toys. Occasionally, he'll nap for half an hour.

His current food is pretty low, I think, at 23%. His weight is holding steady at 75lbs.
Given his typical activity level, would you keep the protein percentage close to what he's getting now? Or do you think he could he benefit from a higher level?


----------



## The_Artful_Dodger (Mar 26, 2009)

I'm interested in knowing about this too. I actually emailed my friend who is a vet to get her opinion on possibly changing Dodger's food - one of my concerns was the lower protein ratio in his current food. She said she'll talk to me about it tonight when I go out to dinner with her and another friend who is doing her phd in animal science (and does research involving nutrition). So hopefully between the two of them they will be able to explain it to me and I can pass on anything I learn! 

For now, I was skimming through my friend's text book on canine and feline nutrition, and found a chart that recommends the following for dogs:

Adult maintenance: 

protien - 26%
fat - 38%
carbohydrate - 36%

Endurance performance 
protein - 32%
fat - 56%
carbohydrate - 12%



But I also read that the numbers can be misleading due to differences in the digestibility. So a food could have a higher protein percentage listed but if the protein source is lower quality than it might actually have less protein available than a food with a lower percentage but a high quality source (or something to that effect). 

And now I'm reading that you also need to consider the energy densities (which I think means calories). Dodgers current food is lower in calories, so he gets more of it than he would a higher calorie food. So even though the percent of protein is lower, he may still be getting the same amount of protein as he would eating less of a food with a higher percentage. But another food I'm considering is very similar in calories but higher in protein percentage - which is what has made me confused in the first place :doh:

Riley's activity level sounds similar to Dodger's and Dodger weighs 74 lbs, so I would imagine thier needs would be similar. If I learn anything more from my friends I'll let you know


----------



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

The_Artful_Dodger said:


> Riley's activity level sounds similar to Dodger's and Dodger weighs 74 lbs, so I would imagine thier needs would be similar. If I learn anything more from my friends I'll let you know


That would be great. Thank you!


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Nothing more than 26% for my baby.

I wouldn't go below 24% though.


----------



## MyBentley (May 5, 2009)

I've fed everywhere between 23% -42% protein throughout many years and a variety of dogs. With my current two dogs, I've found the 30-32% protein range ideal with 16-19% fat. 

Bentley, my senior, especially does better with the 30% protein. His muscle mass is much more firm and lean than when I had him on lower protein kibbles in his early years. I read more and more often that current findings indicate healthy senior dogs benefit from higher good quality digestible protein rather than less.

On a side note, I'm wondering if the fat percentages in post #2 are a mistake or with what means of measurement is being used. I've never seen a kibble with either 38% or 58% fat.


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Back when I fed kibble, Ranger seemed to do best on a high protein, grain-free kibble like Orijen or Evo. When I was healthy and active (seems like AGES ago), we'd start off our weekdays with a 3 mile walk before work, a 1.5 mile at lunch, and end the day with another 3 - 4 mile walk before supper. Most of the time when we weren't walking, he was tearing around the yard wrestling with his doggie friend so he was on the go pretty much all day until 6pm. I know some people think the high protein foods are for "working" dogs - those in the field all day or in rigourous training and that walking doesn't count for much, but we were always walking at a vigorous pace, not strolling along. On the weekends, we'd spend our saturdays and sundays doing 12 - 15 km hikes in the mountains so I think Ranger was well-off getting his high protein food. I wouldn't necessarily feed it to a couch potato but I also don't think a dog has to be an uber athlete before getting a high protein kibble. Just my opinion, of course.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

MyBentley said:


> I've fed everywhere between 23% -42% protein throughout many years and a variety of dogs. With my current two dogs, I've found the 30-32% protein range ideal with 16-19% fat.
> 
> Bentley, my senior, especially does better with the 30% protein. His muscle mass is much more firm and lean than when I had him on lower protein kibbles in his early years. I read more and more often that current findings indicate healthy senior dogs benefit from higher good quality digestible protein rather than less.
> 
> On a side note, I'm wondering if the fat percentages in post #2 are a mistake or with what means of measurement is being used. I've never seen a kibble with either 38% or 58% fat.


 
I was wondering that too... those fat levels are out of sight!


----------



## The_Artful_Dodger (Mar 26, 2009)

MyBentley said:


> On a side note, I'm wondering if the fat percentages in post #2 are a mistake or with what means of measurement is being used. I've never seen a kibble with either 38% or 58% fat.


You're right - and I shouldn't have posted that without understanding what I was reading. The chart I was looking at showed each one as a percentage of metabolized energy, which is a lot different than what is listed on the guaranteed analysis. It's a more accurate way to compare foods with different caloric densities - but I have no idea what these values are for the foods I want to compare! 

I've also learned that sometimes values are expressed as "as fed" (i.e., contains moisture) and sometimes as "dry matter". Basically I was told to make sure I'm comparing apples to apples. 

The more I learn about this - the more I realize how much I don't know!


----------



## nellie'smom (Dec 27, 2007)

I like 22-26%, but that's just me. I read somewhere a long time ago that an adult dog only requires 18%? I think that is too low.


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

For adult dogs I like a minimum of 30% protein, 20% fat.


----------



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Swampcollie said:


> For adult dogs I like a minimum of 30% protein, 20% fat.


Wow. Would that be a little too much for Riley's activity level, though? Or would 30% be okay for him? 
The only higher-protein food we tried for any length of time was Evo Red. He didn't do well on it, but I don't know if it was the protein level or something else.




The_Artful_Dodger said:


> The more I learn about this - the more I realize how much I don't know!


Same here!


----------

