How Much Food Should I Give My Puppy
Theres a saying in canine feeding: Watch the dog, not the dish. Body condition, not the amount eaten or left in the bowl, should determine portion sizes. Portion sizes depend on individual metabolism and body type, and nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog. If your puppy occasionally skips a meal or picks at food, dont worry. It could mean she is ready to eliminate a feeding or that you have given her too much, in which case simply reduce the quantity served.
Also, if you are doing treat-based training with your pup, adjust the amount you feed at mealtime accordingly. Whenever training with treats, keep the treat as small as possible.
Dog Feeding Guidelines: How Much Food Should Me Dog Be Eating
It makes sense then that your dog should only eat what is good for it and in quantities that wont result in it developing health problems later in life.
Feeding guidelines on dog food can be a good starting point when assessing how much dog food is the right amount, but as Dr Lowe told K9 Magazine:
feeding guidelines on dog food packaging are extremely useful but should serve as a starting point only when assessing the right amount of food in your dogs daily diet.
Working dogs will need more food for the energy that they will expend in the course of the day but a dog that lays around the house all day and doesnt get any exercise will not need to eat the same portions of food.
You should weigh your dog on a regular basis and see whether it is gaining or losing weight and adjust the amount of food it is eating accordingly.
You know, its quite incredible the amount of people who have literally no idea how much their dog weighs or indeed any idea of how much they should weigh. Simply getting to grips with this information can literally extend your dogs life, in some cases for a considerable amount of time.
Many experts argue that there has been a general decline in the general health of dogs that correlates with the widespread introduction of certain types of processed dog foods.
Useful Tips On How To Transition A New Dog Food
I also experienced switching one dog food to another due to my pets shifting preferences. I faced this struggle when I kept on buying different brands to get back into eating dog food. On the brighter side, my pet got used to transitions because of these tips. Here are some useful ways on dog food transition for new brands:
- On day one, I mixed 80% of old dog food with 20% of a new one.
- One day two, I combined 60% of the old one and 40% of a new one.
- On day three, I blended 40% of the old one with 60% of a new one.
- On day four, I mixed 20% of the old one with 80% of a new one.
- On day five, I fed 100% of the new food to my pet.
Regardless of any dog food category, such as generics, premiums, natural foods, homemade, or raw foods, these tips are applicable. However, its always best to seek the advice of a veterinarian to avoid unwanted health problems, especially obesity.
I always stick to my veterinarians advice when it comes to feeding my pet because its the proper way to feed him. Despite my desire to buff him up, I dont force him to eat a lot to grow up and have a leaner body. Moreover, I highly discourage my family members at home to not feed him anything unadvised by the veterinarian.
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Is Puppy Food Different To Adult Dog Food
While puppy food should have many of the same ingredients as adult dog food, puppy meals tend to have higher concentrations of essential nutrients. This is because puppies have different requirements to older dogs just as human babies have different diets to adult humans. Puppies have a lot of growing and developing to do and building these tissues requires lots of protein, calcium and numerous other nutrients, as well as lot of energy.
Feeding a puppy adult dog food means you will need to feed them more often to ensure they get the nutrients they need, or risk stunting their development. One interesting example to illustrate this is that smaller dogs, including puppies, have a higher surface-to-volume ratio than larger dogs, which means that, relative to the amount of body heat they can create, smaller dogs have a larger area through which to lose heat. It is for this reason that puppies dont only need to eat and exercise more to keep their body temperature at normal levels, but why many tend to love a nice heated dog bed.
Equally, feeding an adult dog puppy food can also be dangerous, as it can lead to an overload of nutrients which can lead to problems later in life. For example, large dogs are already prone to skeletal issues, which the extra calcium in puppy food can exacerbate.
Whats The Best Time To Feed My Puppy
Once you know how much and how often to feed your puppy, youll need to create a feeding schedule for them. Taking the amount of food your pup needs and dividing it into smaller meals is the best and easiest way to do this. To keep things even simpler, base their feeding schedule around your own breakfast, lunch and dinner. The main thing to remember is consistency. Feed your dog at the same time every day to help your pup get used to the process. Also, make sure to feed your pal as early in the evening as possible to ensure they completely digest their food before bedtime. That way, accidents inside the house will be less likely.
Should I Leave Food Out For My Puppy?
Dont leave food out for your puppy unless you cannot find a way to provide a mid-day meal when youre at work. Free-choice feeding is a recipe for unhealthy eating and elimination habits. Not only does free-choice feeding frequently lead to overweight pets, its also a strain on their developing immune and digestive systems. If you must leave food out when your puppy is younger, be sure to eliminate free-choice feeding once he is old enough to transition to 2 to 3 meals per day.
Foods you should NEVER feed your dog include:
Grapes and raisins Xylitol Chocolate or anything with cacao beans
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How Much Wet Food To Feed A Dog
There are many different diets available for pups today. It is easy to get confused between marketing gimmicks and quality nutrition. With pictures of fresh wholesome meat and delicious looking fruit and vegetables on the packacging of many products, it is tempting to shop with your eyes.
We now know that many of these pet food labels use marketing tactics to promote food as healthy and use less than the highest quality ingredients. But don’t worry we’ll help you understand what to look for in a wet dog food and how much you should be feeding your best friend to keep them happy and healthy. We did the research and can offer you some of our best tips and tricks.
Can Bacon Give Dogs Diarrhea
Bacon, Ham and Fat Trimmings Bacon, bacon grease, ham, and fat trimmed off meat or bones contains a lot of salt and/or fat and at the least can cause indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea in both dogs and cats. These foods can also cause pancreatitis, a serious, potentially deadly inflammation of the pancreas.
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I Just Changed From Kibble To Wet Food How Do I Figure Out Portion Sizes
This is tricky! You can try the recommended portion on the can, or you can try to make some educated leaps about equivalent serving sizes. Youll have to figure out how many calories your dog is eating per day in dry food and then assess the amount of canned food youll need to hit the same approximate amount.
Theres no avoiding math when it comes to figuring out approximate calories. Because of the differing moisture levels and formulation between wet and dry food, its unlikely youll be swapping a cup of dry for a cup of wet.
Typically, canned food also contains fewer carbs and grain than kibble, because kibble needs grains and starches as part of the manufacturing process. Wet food means more protein and fat for your dog, and fewer grains even if your chosen wet food isnt even grain free.
Drawbacks To Feeding Wet Foods
As usual, there are some possible drawbacks to these foods. For one thing, if you have a medium-sized or larger dog, feeding a canned food diet can be virtually cost-prohibitive, especially if you try to feed a premium quality canned food.
Some of the top quality canned dog foods can cost $3-4 for a 13 to 14 ounce large can, with two cans per day recommended for a dog weighing 30 pounds and three cans per day recommended for a dog weighing 50 pounds Many people with large dogs only buy canned foods occasionally and use them as a topper or special treat because of the cost.
In terms of ingredients, many canned foods use the thickening agent carrageenan, made from seaweed. Concerns have been raised about carrageenan in connection with inflammatory bowel disease , intestinal ulcers, and other stomach problems.
Other concerns have been raised regarding guar gum, xanthum gum, agar agar, and other thickening agents used in canned foods and whether they are associated with digestive problems in some dogs.
Pet food cans today are also lined with Bisphenol-A , though there do not seem to be any good alternatives at this time.
Other drawbacks include the fact that feeding wet foods can be messy. Some dogs tend to get the wet food on their faces and bodies when they eat. They can also spread the food around the floor and elsewhere.
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Beneful Wet Dog Food Product Lineup
Beneful® Prepared MealsIncludes real wholesome ingredients that you can see, in a resealable container.
Beneful® Chopped BlendsFinely chopped, with real ingredients you can see. Breaks apart easily for a Beneful® meal experience like never before.
Beneful® MedleysReal, wholesome ingredients that you can see, in a rich, tasty sauce. All in a convenient 3 oz that helps keep your dog healthy and happy.
Calculate The Correct Portion Size For Your Dog
Your dogs food will have feeding instructions. However, these can be a bit vague, as most manufacturers will make suggestions based on a weight scale. For example, they may recommend feeding 150 grams for a dog that weighs 15 to 20 kilograms.
However, if your dog weighs at the top end of the scale, 20 kilograms, you may want to feed them a smidge more if theyre more active and have a low body condition score.
If you feed your dog twice per day, you will want to divide their portion in half.
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What If I Accidentally Overfeed My Puppy
First things first, dont worry. If you accidentally overfeed your puppy by a small amount, you can simply adjust their next feed taking into account the excess and simply reduce their next portion.
If, however, your puppy finds their way into the feed and helps themselves to a hearty feast or you have simply overfed them by a considerable amount, just keep an eye on them and if they start to experience discomfort or start exhibiting lethargic behaviour, get them checked over by a Vet. This type of behaviour might be an indication that they have GDV, which can occur from over feeding, and other activities like taking your dog out for exercise too soon after eating, and even stress. It is a serious issue, which is why we always advise the trip to your local vets.
Puppies dont understand that adage you can have too much of a good thing, in fact it sometimes feels like they wholeheartedly disagree, so be mindful that just because your puppy will continue to eat it doesnt mean they should. Its very easy to fall into the trap of thinking your puppy is still hungry but stick with the suggestions on the packaging and make small adjustments as necessary and you wont go far wrong.
American Journey Canned Dog Food
American Journey by Chewy provides a grain-free canned option for dog food and doesnt include corn, wheat, or soy to reduce food sensitivities. They use high-quality meat to provide the protein necessary for good nutrition. The USA-crafted meat-rich recipes dont include meat byproducts or harmful preservatives, or artificial flavorings. They also offer BPA non-intent cans to reduce harmful side effects.
Example: American Journey Stews Chicken & Vegetables Recipe in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
Feeding Quantities
American Journey recommends feeding 1-1-½ cans per 15 lbs of body weight per day as a general guideline, considering your dogs condition and activity levels. Puppies require up to twice the amount, and lactating females should be fed up to three times the recommended amount. The calorie content of this product is 955 kcal/kg or 338 kcal/12.5-oz can.
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Dog Feeding Chart: How Much Should I Feed My Dog
Determining how much food you should feed your dog isnt always straightforward.
Bringing a dog home for the first time, getting another dog or changes with your dogs weight, age or health can all warrant a closer look at how much food youre feeding at mealtimes.
Although complete and balanced dog food packages have feeding recommendations on the label, every dog is unique so you may still need to adjust how much and how often to feed your dog.
What Can A Puppy Eat
Most pet food should be formulated to be a complete diet, meeting all the nutritional and calorific needs of your pet. Puppy food is no different and so you should keep your new family member on a diet of their food only.
However, we understand that training your puppy is an important part of helping them to become a model citizen and increasing your bond together. Traditional dog treats are a great way of encouraging your puppy to learn, but these should be given sparingly in order not to disrupt their balanced diet. Always make sure you are using treats that are suitable for puppies. Portioning off some of your puppys daily diet to use as treats is one way of ensuring they dont over-eat. As a general rule, traditional dog treats should not make up more than of their daily calorie intake.
Better still, you can use healthy alternatives to treat your dog. While some fruits and vegetables are unsafe for dogs to eat, many can be consumed safely and make great substitutes for traditional treats. They are delicious, effective training snacks and dont upset your puppys diet to the same extent. However, be advised that while some fruit and veg are healthy alternatives, they can be quite hard on young teeth and could even be choking hazards for puppies, so should be given with caution. Although these treats are healthy alternatives, they should still make up no more than 10% of your puppys daily intake, due to the sugar content.
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How Much And When Should You Feed Your Dog
This will vary from dog to dog, but a general rule of thumb is for every 10 lbs your dog weighs they should be fed roughly 1 cup of prepared food.
For our 80 lb Hooch, that means 2 meals a day each containing 4 cups of food. It is important to note that, dogs with kidney problems often feel better when fed several small meals throughout the dayrather than just one or two large meals, so you may find that you need to adjust your feeding schedule as time goes on accordingly to keep your pup comfy!
How Much Canned Dog Food Equals Dry Food
When it comes to dog nutrition, you can choose to stick to canned, dry, or a mixture of both. The choice is entirely up to you.
Essentially, most parents are geared towards the dry side because they offer more in the way of caloric density compared to a canned diet. This is because dry foods dont have water.
Those with huge dog breeds particularly find it easy to stick to a dry food diet as it doesnt require a lot of volumes to be full.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, canned food is great because it is quality food. Wet food consists of more protein, it is easy to digest , and reduces bloat.
To know the equivalent of canned food in dry food, you have to calculate the calories in the canned food first.
Once you have a figure, calculate the amount of dry food equivalent to the calories.
Heres an example: If ¼ cups canned food = 400kcal, you will replace that with the amount of kibble thats equal to 400k calories.
If you intend of jumping between both canned and dry food, dont forget to offer plenty of water to avoid stomach upsets.
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Adult Dog Feeding Schedule
Most people choose to feed their adult dogs two meals a day one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening.
Other people will free feed their dogs. This involves leaving your dogs food ration down at all times, so he can eat as and when he chooses.
Some problems with free feeding include: dogs eating out of boredom, dogs eating excessively and becoming overweight, not noticing loss of appetite, and it being a less sanitary option.
Remember, the food amounts we recommended above count for your dogs entire daily allowance.
So, you will need to split this food up into separate mealtimes.