While many owners want to know their dog's calorie needs simply to beware of the number, there are many elements that are much more important than just calories.
Let's look at other factors to consider:
1) Quality-
1000 calories of junk (filler food) vs 1000 calories of wholesome ingredients (fresh meat, vegetable and fruits) is as different as day and night. You can never meet nutritional needs based solely on calories.
If a Boxer dog were to ingest 1000 calories of low-quality, manufactured food with cheap fillers such as peanut hulls and modified corn starch (the canine equivalent of human junk food), there would be very few nutrients for his body to absorb. Any extra carbs would be packed on as fat and super cheap ingredients would pass through the body, come out the other end and do nothing to keep the dog's energy level high.
Alternatively, if a Boxer dog were to ingest 1000 calories of wholesome ingredients such as white breast chicken meat (protein), sweet potatoes (carbs) and blueberries (sugar, carbs, fiber), his body would draw on all of those, making good use of them. Protein is essential for maintaining and building bones, muscles, cartilage and skin. The healthy carbs would fuel the body and the blueberries would offer a high packed punch of antioxidants.
Hopefully, most owners will fall into the middle ground of this. If you can't home cook and you offer commercial food, have it be filler-free. Avoid artificial coloring, preservatives and flavoring which can wreak havoc due to allergy sensitives. Look for a quality brand that offers 'real' foods such as chicken, veggies and fruit without fillers that unnecessarily pad the meals with garbage that passes through the body, offering a temporary fullness without any nutrients.
We recommend Orijen, a 5 star dog food that is considered one of the best. *** See the
Boxer Dog Specialty Shoppe
for all recommended foods, snacks & healthy dental treats.