Amount To Feed Your Dog

The quantity of food a dog needs depends on his age, size, activity level, individual nature and temperature of his surroundings.

The young dog, which is burning up a lot of energy, generally has a greater need for food than the older dog. But there are variations between dogs of the same age and weight, just as there are with people. Some dogs seem to eat themselves thin, while others put on weight almost at the sight of a chocolate drop. 

Basically, the food requirements of the breeds can be categorized into those for Toy, small, medium and large dogs which means, as the standard tin of dog food contains about 13% oz (80 g), that the Toys need a quarter to half a can daily, a small dog, like a West Highland Terrier, needs half a can, a dog of Cocker Spaniel size needs a whole can, and a large dog of Labrador or German Shepherd (Alsatian) size needs a can and a half or even two cans.

As a further guide, 2 oz (57 g) of minced beef would prove sufficient for a diminutive Chihuahua while the requirements of a Dachshund would be more like 8 oz (227 g). On average a dog weighing 10 lb (4.5 kg) needs 8 oz (227 g) of food a day and a dog weighing 25 lb (11.3 kg) needs 1 1/4 lb (567 g).

Marrow bones may be given occasionally but small bones, chops, lamb bones, ham bones and poultry bones should not be given as they may be swallowed whole and splinter inside the animal. Beef, shin and knuckle bones are best and most butchers, if you ask, will be only too happy to saw off a bone especially for the family dog.

Weight-Watching

Your vet will advise you on the ideal weight for your dog, so aim to maintain this. Weight him weekly or monthly: either take him to the vet clinic to be weighed (some clinics charge for this), or weigh yourself, then pick up your pet (if possible) and weigh yourself again and subtract the first weight from the second to find out what your dog weighs.

Daily Ration

Decrease or increase the amount given accordingly depending on his condition and weight. Check how many calories there are in his daily ration. If he's getting enough he'll stay fit and healthy; too many and he'll get fat; not enough will result in him losing condition and becoming underweight.

Calorie-Counting

As an example, a small, healthy, adult dog engaging in two hours of average activity daily will require between 125 and 700 calories a day. A large dog will need from 1,400 calories per day to maintain his condition.

Daily Feeding Guide (Approximate)

Warm Reminder and Advice

Extremely active dog gets lots of daily exercise. He do not need a high-protein diet to ensure he gets enough energy. A diet higher in fat or carbohydrate is better for very active dogs as these components put less strain on the liver and kidneys than extra protein.

Giving human meal leftovers to your dog is fine, but count them as part of his daily diet to avoid undesirable weight gain. Steer clear of highly spiced food, such as curry, and foodstuffs containing chocolate, alcohol, raisins, grapes, onions and garlic, since these ingredients can prove fatal to some dogs.

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