How Exercise Affects Your Pet’s Nutrition Needs

Does your furry family member zoom around the park, or are they more of a champion napper? We know that whether you have a Border Collie herding sheep for eight hours or a Bulldog happily napping on the couch, their nutritional needs will be very different, even if they weigh exactly the same. Activity level is one of the key factors in determining how much and what to feed your beloved companion. Yet, most feeding guides on pet food bags only distinguish between "active" and "less active" — a simplification that doesn't quite capture the full picture of their daily energy use. We're here to help you understand the specifics.

Activity Categories and Calorie Multipliers

To help us understand these differences, veterinary nutritionists have developed helpful categories for activity levels. They look at how much energy your pet uses compared to their resting energy requirements (RER):

RER (resting energy requirement) in kcal = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75. For a 20 kg dog, RER is approximately 660 kcal. A sedentary 20 kg dog needs about 790-925 kcal daily, while the same dog doing heavy work might need 1,320-3,300 kcal.

Protein Needs Scale With Activity

Just like us, our active companions need more protein to keep their muscles strong and help them recover. Sedentary dogs are generally well-supported by 18-22% protein (dry matter basis). Moderately active dogs thrive on 22-28%, and those high-performance working dogs, sled dogs, and agility competitors truly do their best on 28-35% protein, especially when it comes from animal sources.

For cats, protein needs are less affected by activity because cats are obligate carnivores with inherently high protein requirements (minimum 26% DM for adults, ideally 30-45%). Active cats may need slightly more total food rather than a higher protein percentage.

Fat: The Primary Fuel for Endurance

When your dog is enjoying sustained exercise (that's anything over 30 minutes), they mostly use fat metabolism for energy. This is precisely why you'll see working dog and sport dog formulas packed with fat (20-35% DM). Fat provides 2.25 times more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates — it's truly the most concentrated source of energy!

For short-burst activities (agility, flyball, sprint training), carbohydrates become more important because anaerobic metabolism (which powers explosive movement) relies on glucose rather than fatty acids.

Hydration and Electrolytes

Staying hydrated is so important for our active companions! They can lose water through panting (for dogs), evaporation, and even sweat (through their paw pads). A dog exercising in warm weather might need 2-3 times their resting water requirement. We care about their well-being, so offer water every 15-20 minutes during sustained activity, and don't wait for your dog to show obvious signs of thirst — by the time panting becomes excessive, dehydration has already begun to set in.

Electrolyte supplementation (sodium, potassium, chloride) can be helpful for dogs during extended exercise in heat, but it isn't usually needed for their everyday walks and play.

Timing Meals Around Exercise

Getting the timing right for meals around exercise can make a big difference for your pet's comfort and safety. Here's what we know works best:

• Before exercise: It's best to feed a small meal 2-3 hours before strenuous activity, not right beforehand. Exercising on a full stomach can increase the risk of bloat in deep-chested breeds, and we want to avoid that.
• During exercise: For activities lasting over 2 hours, offer small snacks and water at regular intervals to keep them energized.
• After exercise: Give your pet 30-60 minutes to cool down after intense activity before offering a full meal. Provide water immediately, but in controlled amounts — gulping large volumes can risk bloat.

Adjusting for Seasonal Changes

Just like us, our pets often have different energy levels throughout the year. Most dogs are more active in spring and autumn when temperatures are comfortable, and naturally less active in the summer heat and winter cold. We encourage you to pay close attention to their actual activity levels rather than sticking to a fixed feeding amount year-round. If your dog's exercise drops significantly during a heat wave or cold snap, it's a good idea to reduce their portions accordingly.