LEAFLET No. 13
Dog-Feeding Suggestions
IN feeding dogs, one should 
keep in mind the following 
points:
the ration should be palatable; it should contain enough pro-
tein, minerals, and vitamins; it should be sufficiently concen-
trated to provide enough energy without overburdening the
digestive system but at the same time it should have sufficient
bulk to prevent constipation; and finally it should be economi-
cal to feed.
RECOMMENDED RATIONS
Miscellaneous Feeds
Where only one or two dogs are kept they may very well
be fed by scraps from the kitchen, provided these consist of
bread, meat, cooked vegetables, cereals, and some skim milk
or buttermilk. Kitchen scraps usually contain an excess of
vegetable and starchy foods and need supplementing with some
meat and milk to provide protein, minerals, and vitamins.
If several dogs are kept it will be necessary to supply other
feed in addition to the kitchen scraps. Perhaps the simplest
thing to do in such cases is to feed the same mash mixture which
is used for laying hens. Any high-quality laying mash should
give fairly satisfactory results. The amounts and methods of
feeding the laying mash should be the same as described later
for the Auburn Dog Ration.
In response to a demand for a feed that would be better
adapted to the needs of the dog than is the usual poultry lay-
ing mash, the following ration has been developed at this station:
The Auburn Home-Mixed Dog Ration
Yellow corn meal --------------------------- 350 lbs.
Wheat bran ------------------------------- 100 lbs.
Wheat middlings --------------------------- 200 lbs.
Meat Scraps (55 to 60 per cent protein) ------- 100 lbs.
Fish Meal (55 to 60 per cent protein) ---------- 100 lbs.
Skim milk powder or dried buttermilk ----------- 100 lbs.
Alfalfa meal or alfalfa leaf meal -------------- 20 lbs.
Bone meal ------------- ------------------- 20 lbs.
Salt --------------------------------------- 10 lbs.
Smaller amounts may be mixed by taking the same propor-
tion of each ingredient. This is desirable if only a few dogs
are to be fed, in order that the ration may not become stale.
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
OF THE
ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
M. J. FUNCHESS, Director
AUBURN
JANUARY 1935
Or better still, several dog owners may cooperate in the pur-
chasing and mixing of the ingredients. Of course all the feeds
must be fresh and free from staleness or rancidity when they
are mixed and the ration must be kept dry. Rancid or musty
rations are always unpalatable.
The wheat middlings should be flour middlings containing
about 5 per cent of fiber. If standard middlings or shorts, which
contain around 6 per cent of fiber are used, the middlings should
be increased to 250 pounds and the wheat bran decreased to
50 pounds. The choice between skim milk powder and dried
buttermilk will depend largely upon the relative cost of the
two products. If plenty of skim milk or fresh buttermilk is
available the dried milk may be omitted from the mixture. If
this is done, one pint of skim milk or fresh buttermilk should
be fed for each pound of the ration. For bitches in whelp or
suckling and for growing puppies the feeding of some skim milk
or buttermilk in addition to the regular formula (with the skim
milk powder or dried buttermilk included) will give somewhat
better results. If the fresh milk is not available, the skim milk
powder or dried buttermilk may be increased to 200 pounds
and the yellow corn meal decreased to 250 pounds.
How to Feed.-The home-mixed ration may be fed dry; it
may be moistened with water, skim milk or buttermilk, and fed
raw; or it may be moistened with water and boiled or baked.
However, cooking is unnecessary and adds to the expense and
trouble of feeding. In case the dog seems to tire of the feed
the method of feeding may be changed occasionally.
How' Much to Feed.-The amount to feed will depend upon
the size and activity of the dog. Approximately one pound per
day will be sufficient to keep a 40 to 50 pound dog in good
condition, if the dog is not working. For a hard-working dog
of this size about one and one-half to two pounds will be re-
quired. The amount should be determined by the appetite and
condition of the animal. A dog that is properly fed should not
be fat but should be strong and vigorous and should always
be hungry at meal time. Dogs that are over-fed are apt to go
"off feed" frequently.
How Often to Feed.-Dog owners follow various practices
regarding frequency of feeding. As a rule, it is sufficient to
feed once a day. This should be in the morning for dogs that
hunt at night, and at night for those that hunt in the daytime.
Dogs should never be fed just before starting on a hunt. This
makes them sluggish and poor hunters and frequently 
causes
nausea and vomiting, particularly if the dogs are hauled for
some distance in a car or truck. Guard dogs should be fed in
the morning rather than at night when they need to 
be alert
and watchful. In the case of dogs that are working very hard,
such as hounds running as often as three nights a week, one
feed a day may not be sufficient to keep them in the best con-
dition. These dogs should be fed early in the morning and
late in the afternoon on days when they are not hunted; on
the days when they are to be hunted the following night they
should be fed only in the morning, the afternoon feeding being
omitted.
The behavior of the dog should be carefully watched and
at the first indication of a failing appetite it is well to omit a
feeding or two entirely.
Palatability.---Most dogs eat the ration readily but some
require a few days before they eat it well. Dogs that have
been "spoiled" by pampering sometimes refuse the ration at
first but they may usually be trained to it by proper methods of
feeding. Dogs that are confined and not working do not re-
quire a large amount of food and the owner should not worry
if they do not eat the ration greedily. If they are not given
other food they will eat enough of this ration to keep in good
condition.
Completeness of Ration.-The Auburn Dog Ration was de-
veloped with the idea of furnishing an adequate supply of pro-
tein, vitamins, and minerals at a moderate cost. Its cost could
be increased by the addition of liver, yeast, cod liver oil, eggs,
fancy kinds of cereals, or enzymes of uncertain or questionable
value. There is no convincing evidence that the ration would
be improved by such additions. It has been given a rather thor-
ough trial by numerous dog owners during the past two years,
one of whom has fed an average of twenty dogs on it through-
out this period. The results obtained seem to justify 
its recom-
mendation as a satisfactory ration that can be mixed at home
with an attendant economy in dog feeding.
If a dog does not eat well and thrive on this ration, an ex-
amination for worm infestation or other ailments should be
made. If a dog is not diseased, this ration will keep him in
good condition at much less cost than the usual prepared feeds.
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
W. D. SALMON, Research Professor of Animal Nutrition