How much should I feed my dog?
Probably less than you think. They always look like they are hungry.
Overfeeding in dogs (and humans for that matter!) is the main driver of disease. Cancer, heart disease, dementia and diabetes are all related to metabolic health and body composition. If you want to keep your pup disease free and spry for as long as possible, you want to keep them pretty lean. One controlled study on 48 labs showed that dogs that were fed 25% less lived significantly longer.
It’s not always straight forward. Some dogs are just heavier set than others, even on limited diets. Other dogs always look and act hungry. For healthier pups, limit their caloric consumption as best as you can. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should starve them. Feed on the lower side of their caloric guidelines and weigh them regularly. They’ll be happier in the long run when they are in good health as they get older.
Pay attention to your dogs body shape.
You should be able to see a defined waistline and feel their ribs slightly.
Take pictures from above to document body shape change over time.
Below is a feeding table with approximate feeding guidelines (weight and calorie intake based on activity levels) for pups.
How to apply this to our daily food recipes
In each daily recipe there is an approximate calorie calculation per batch Simply divide the calories in the recipe by the amount of calories your dog needs every day to determine how many days the recipe will feed your dog for.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Let’s say you are making our one pot stew recipe and your dog is about 15 pounds.
2800 calories (the total amount in the recipe) divided by 400 calories (approximate daily requirement for a 15 pound dog) equals 7 days. The recipe would be enough for about a weeks worth of food for your pup.
You would cook the stew, then divide it into 7 equal portions and feed it to your pup over 7 days. (You can divide into 14 portions if you prefer to feed them twice a day).
If your dog is under 5 pounds, then their daily requirement may only be about 200 calories, so this recipe would make about 2 weeks of food for them (2800/200 = 14 days). Use the above calorie table as a rough guideline. Individual activity levels and requirements will differ slightly.
If your dog needs to gain or lose weight, slightly lower or increase their portions and keep an eye on the scale.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. We are not experts. Please consult a vet for medical advice.
My doddle is on the lower side of the weight range . He is 26 pounds and moderate activity. How many calories should I feed him?
What if my dog is a tiny 2,9 lbs pomeranian, how much should she eat ?