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Dogs Large and Small: The Allometry of Energy Requirements within a Single Species¹

Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 4RT, United Kingdom

Dogs are unique among mammals in having a 100-fold range in body weight for nonobese adults. This variation makes the calculation of the power function for metabolic body size and hence the allometry of energy requirements a particularly challenging subject. Several functions have been proposed from W^0.68 to W^0.88 (W = body weight in kg). In the present study we measured the heat output of 22 dogs representing seven breeds, aged 1–10 y with W from 5.8 to 48.8 kg, using a whole-body calorimeter specifically designed for this purpose. Regression of log energy output against log W gave the equation 678 W^0.64 (r = 0.96; P < 0.001), which is considered to represent resting energy expenditure (REE) as kJ/d. If estimates of the energy cost of activity are added to REE, new equations of 655 W^0.69 (low activity) and 643 W^0.73 (higher activity) are obtained, depending on the amount of activity included in the calculation. From these results we suggest that the allometry of energy requirements of adult dogs is a function of different exponents for REE and the energy cost of activity. It does not appear to exceed W^0.75 and may be nearer to W^0.67.

KEY WORDS: • symposium • dogs • energy requirement • calorimetry • allometry • metabolic body weight

¹ Presented as part of the Waltham International Symposium on Nutrition of Small Companion Animals, at University of California, Davis, CA 95616, on September 4–8, 1990. Guest editors for the symposium were James G. Morris, D'Ann C. Finley and Quinton R. Rogers.

² To whom correspondence should be addressed: Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 4RT, United Kingdom.