Why Does It Matter How Much I Feed My Dog
It might seem strange that you would need to monitor what your dog is eating, or even to restrict their calories to a certain amount.
Surely dogs will just eat what they need and stop when they are full?
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many dogs, given the opportunity, will just keep eating!
One study suggests that obesity affects up to 40% of the canine world. And this problem has sadly been linked to early death and worsening other disorders, like hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
Feeding your dog the correct amount will help to reduce their risk of obesity. So, its important to get it right.
Tips For Making Your Dogs Food At Home:
- If youre not ready to make the leap to cooking all of your dogs food, try just adding some real, whole foods to their kibble. You can start with simply stirring in a scrambled egg, mixing in some chopped apples or carrots, or adding a small amount of the homemade dog food in with their normal kibble.
- You should be able to serve this homemade dog food to your dog either hot or cold. Ive found that dogs love this dog food so much, that they are not picky about how its served.
- Its not usually a good idea to abruptly change your dogs food. Start transitioning them to homemade food by mixing some of this in with their regular food or kibble for a few days until they are used to the new food. Your dogs belly will thank you. And again, remember to always discuss with your vet before feeding your pet something new.
- To give your dog a variety of different nutrients, use different meats, fruits, and vegetables to make your dogs food. However, if your dog has a sensitive stomach, it might be best to stick to one combination that you know works.
Puppy And Growing Dogs Feeding Schedule
Not only will puppies require a different kind of feeding schedule, but they also will require a lot more attention to ensure they are adjusting well to new foods. Amidst all the craziness that comes with raising a young pup, you are probably wondering just how much dog food a puppy requires.
For the first eight weeks, puppies should freely nurse on their mothers milk whenever they want. After the first four weeks, they can start incorporating small amounts of watered-down dry food, which will help them transition off their mothers milk.
After eight weeks, puppies should be eating nutrient-rich food twice a day.
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When Is A Dog Considered An Adult
When a dog reaches 90% of its expected adult weight, its considered an adult for feeding purposes, according to The Merck Veterinary Manual. An adult dog diet, or maintenance diet, contains nutrients suited for animals that have passed their growth stage. Most of a puppys growth occurs by 6 or 7 months of age, but large and giant breeds can continue to grow for 12 months or beyond.
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What Factors Impact How Much To Feed A Dog
Several factors can impact not only how much food to feed your dog, but also what type of food he needs.
- Weight: Maintaining an ideal body condition is important for your dogs overall health. If your dog is not his ideal body condition, you may need to make adjustments in what and how much you are feeding him, says Dr. Callie Harris, DVM. Consider a weight management formula to help your dog achieve and maintain his ideal body condition. We also recommend working with your veterinarian to rule out any health concerns.
- Activity Levels: The feeding recommendations on dog food packages are based on average adult dogs with normal activity levels. If your dog gets a lot of daily exercise by going on daily runs or hikes with you, he may need more calories to meet his energy needs. Dogs who are less active and overweight may need a more managed daily caloric intake, according to Dr. Harris.
- Age: As your dog grows, his nutritional needs change. If your dog is still a puppy, he needs a puppy food for growth and development. Seniors may benefit from senior formulas that help keep older dogs active and their minds sharp. Work with your veterinarian to determine the type of food your dog needs based on his life stage and lifestyle.
Once you find a complete and balanced food that meets your dogs individual needs, you can determine how much food to feed him. The dog feeding chart on the back of his dog food package can help guide you.
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Feeding Guide: How Much Dry Food Should I Feed My Puppy
Your puppy should eat between 4-6 meals a day because their stomachs are small. Their tiny stomachs get full quicker, but they need to go potty frequently. The amount of dry food they need also depends on how much they grow.
So, when can your puppy start eating dry food?
Your pup should still be nursing between 4 – 8 weeks old before introducing any other type of food. The change shouldn’t be too sudden .
What about a puppy between 6 – 9 Months old?
Let’s look at a puppy 6 weeks old and weighs 5lbs. You’d typically feed them 1 cup a day and divide that across the day.
How Much To Feed A Senior Dog
As dogs age, they may suffer from problems like sensitive stomachs or achy joints.
Senior dog foods are often packed full of antioxidants, nutrients, and supplements to help with these problems.
Senior dogs may not eat less, or less frequently than adult dogs. But their nutritional needs can change.
So, speak to your vet if you think that your dog needs a different type of food as he gets older.
You can take a look at our guide to the best senior dog food for more help with feeding an older dog.
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What Time Should Puppy Have Last Meal
The first meal should be around 7 a.m., then another at noontime for lunch, and the last at 5 p.m. for dinner. You can change the time for the first two as you please, but the last meal should always be around 5 p.m. so that he will have plenty of time to digest his food and eliminate one last time before bedtime.
Read Dr Kristy Conns Advice:
Congratulations on your newest four-legged addition to your family. I understand the excitement and trepidation that comes with bringing home a furry ball of joy. You want to do right by her and that includes making sure she is getting the correct amount of nutrition. This is a popular time of year for bringing home puppies so Id like to take the opportunity to review basic puppy feeding guidelines for the first year of life while covering your question which may also answer any future questions you or other readers may have.
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Bad Diets For Dogs Have Tragic Consequences
Just as we might like to eat foods that contain sugar, which is detrimental to our health, our dogs also like to eat these low value foods because they taste so good in many cases, with dogs being such scavengers, theyll simply beg for ANY food thats potentially on offer. It is entirely in our control not to harm their health by giving in to their longing expressions! So if youre wondering how much should I feed my dog of sugary snacksthe answer is zero!
How Often To Feed A Puppy
So now that you know how much to feed your puppy, you might be wondering, How many times a day should a puppy eat? Setting a routine for your puppys feeding schedule is critical so he can learn when to expect his food.
- 4-12 Weeks: Young puppies need three or more feedings per day to adequately meet their nutritional needs. So, according to the feeding guide that comes with their food or the chart above, divide that by three or more and give the food to them throughout the day.
- 3-12 Months: As your puppy gets older, you can reduce the number of feedings to twice daily. Their energy level should reduce thus, they dont need as much food throughout the day.
- 12+ Months: Most adult dogs eat two meals per day. Youll want to divide their food requirement by two.
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Macadamia Nuts: Cant Eat
Dogs should never eat macadamia nuts.
Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin that may lead to vomiting, muscle weakness, tremors, hyperthermia and depression when dogs consume them, even in small amounts .
Additionally, macadamia nuts have a high fat content, which may elevate your dogs triglyceride levels and potentially lead to pancreatitis.
Caloric Requirements Of Dogs
Just like people, the more active a dog is, the more calories it should consume to meet its energy requirements. To determine a starting point, or resting energy requirements , for how many calories your dog should eat each day, a little math is involved.
First calculate how much your dog weighs in kilograms. To determine this, divide your dog’s weight in pounds by 2.2. Once you have your dog’s weight in kilograms, multiply it by 30. Last, add 70 to that number to get your dog’s RER in calories. Next, if your dog is healthy, multiply the RER by 1.8 if it is not neutered or spayed, 1.6 if it is neutered or spayed, and 1.4 if it is prone to becoming overweight. If your dog is between four months and a year old, multiply the RER by two and if it is less than four months old, multiply it by three. This will give you the maintenance energy requirement for a healthy dog that is moderately active. If your dog is very active or lives outdoors, more calories will usually be needed but the MER may need to be adjusted by up to 30% more or less than you calculated depending on how your dog maintains its weight.
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When Should I Stop Feeding My French Bulldog Puppy Food
If you have a French bulldog puppy, you are probably well aware that they will eat their food quickly. And if you are not well aware, its because your little pup is long since finished eating the entire bag of food before you could even get to the last bowl.
Its best to stop feeding your French bulldog puppy at 7-8 weeks old so they do not overeat and become overweight.
You should also change their diet by introducing them to adult dog food around 8-12 weeks old to adjust to eating adult foods better.
If your French bulldog puppy is well fed, you will find that they are not as needy for eating. They will not strain themselves in an attempt to eat their meal. They wont be at the table or even whine for food all day long. They will only come around when theyre hungry and need a little snack.
The best time to change your French bulldogs diet from puppy food to adult dog food is between 8-12 weeks. However, if eight weeks is too early for your puppy, you can start at around 12 weeks old.
Its best to stick with them on the same feeding schedule until they are older. This is when they have probably grown out of their puppy coat and shed it entirely if they grow regularly.
I’ve Heard Conflicting Advice About Feeding My Dog
Feeding your dog does not have to be mysterious. By recognizing a few key concepts and attributes of dogs we can create a very reasonable feeding plan for them.
Dogs are creatures of habit. We can use this fact to our advantage by creating a regular feeding schedule and sticking to it.
A regular feeding schedule helps with house training puppies, as well as adult rescue dogs who have not been taught household manners. Puppies generally need to relieve themselves within 10 to 15 minutes of eating a meal. By linking a ‘potty stop’ with a meal we not only allow ourselves to predict when the pup needs a trip outside, we allow the puppy to learn to associate the urges to urinate and defecate with being in the appropriate location. This is a very important step in the house-training process.
Feeding an adult dog at regular times provides the security and predictability of a routine. Meals become a cornerstone event of the day around which other activities are added. A feeding routine helps your dog cope when there are changes in the household .
“A feeding routine helps your dog cope when there are changes in the household.”
A feeding routine makes a necessary food change easier. When your dog is used to eating at the same times each day, his body becomes conditioned to expect food at those times. Hunger can be a great motivator! If the stage is set for increased hunger followed by meals at regular times, then transitioning to a new food will often be seamless and straightforward.
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Feeding Calculator Makes Things Easier
If you find all the reading, writing, and arithmetic discussed above a bit intimidating, some dog food providers have excellent online tools that can help you. JustFoodForDogs feeding calculator is sophisticated, conversational, and easy to use. You answer a few simple questions and, based on age, breed, weight, activity level, health, body type, and the number of daily treats, the calculator will make daily feeding recommendations for your pooch. These recommendations include calories per day, the best meals for your dog, and the number of ounces and cups per day for each different recipe. No matter how carefully you plan out your puppys meals, it is still best to monitor the pup for growth and adjust as needed.
So whether the method used to determine how much food to feed my dog is back-of-the-napkin math, an advanced online feeding calculator, or a visit to your vet, its essential to get it right. Studies have shown that even being moderately overweight can reduce canine life expectancy by as much as two years!
Dog Food Fundamentals: How Much Food Do I Give My Puppy
Typically, 4 daily feedings are enough for your puppy’s nutritional needs. Feed small dogs by the age of 12-13 weeks. During this time, you also need to start decreasing daily feeding from 4 to 3 meals. You’ll even notice your 4-legged furry friend loses its potbelly when they’re about 12 weeks old.
A rule of thumb is to watch how much food is left over. Reduce your pup’s portion size if there are leftovers after and only give them the amount they eat. That’s because the portions depend on their personal metabolism and body type.
Plus, nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog – even of the same breed, litter, age, etc. Once you notice your dog skips a meal or picks their food, it’s time to reduce the amount you serve them.
If you’re training your dog using treats, reduce their meal portions too.
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What Do You Need To Know About Dog Food Calculator
This is what you believe your pet should weigh. Youll also need to know the number of calories in the specific dog food youre feeding him. The calculators formula 2 uses a dogs metabolic weight to suggest an approximate serving size. The Dog Food Calculator was designed for adult dogs only not for puppies.
On the other hand, if my dog was a 35-pound Border Collie who never sits still, I would feed a little more. Another option is to try using a calorie calculator for dogs, but keep in mind that while these often spit out a precise number, your dogs actual needs may be as much as 25% more or less.
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A Note About Wet Food
Wet food can be a more pricey option that dogs certainly tend to prefer, but it is important to do your research to make sure the food you are feeding is good quality. AKC warns that meaty food alone may not give your dog the fully-balanced diet she needs, and you may have to supplement with a mix of wet and dry foods.
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How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog
Dog owners have a lot of options when it comes to the food they choose for their pet, but their brand of choice is only the beginning. Age, size, disease status, and activity level of a dog will determine how much a dog should eat. The amount your dog should be fed might be very different than someone else’s dog, so knowing what your specific dog needs is important. Providing proper amounts of food and the appropriate nutrients can help keep your dog not only happy but healthy.
How Often Should I Be Feeding My Dog
It is recommended that you feed your adult dog twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening. If you wish to divide their daily food into 3-4 smaller meals, this is also acceptable. This way they have time to digest their food and keep their metabolic clock ticking over. Puppies should be fed more often using the following guide, or what has been recommended by your Greencross Vet.
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