How much should I feed my dog?

Part of being a responsible dog owner is feeding your pet the right amount every day. Too much and your dog may become overweight. Too little and they won’t get the calories or nutrients they need.

So, exactly how much should you be feeding your dog?

From age to activity levels, how much to feed a dog depends on a lot of different factors. Here’s a quick rundown of the most important.

Puppies typically need more calories, vitamins and nutrients per kilogram of bodyweight than adult dogs. As dogs age and become seniors, they typically need less food per kilogram.

The amount of food your dog needs to eat depends on their breed.

Naturally, larger breeds tend to eat more than smaller ones, but larger breeds actually require less energy and protein per kilogram of their bodyweight than smaller breeds. This is because growing too quickly is a key contributor to joint abnormalities such as elbow or hip dysplasia. ‘Large breed’ formulations exist for this purpose.

Energetic breeds such as Border Collies and German Shepherds need more food than less active breeds like Greyhounds and Bulldogs.

Spayed and neutered dogs don’t need as much food as unneutered dogs. Pregnant or nursing females need to eat a lot more calories, too.

Health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and food allergies can affect what type of food your dog needs to eat, and how much.

Dry dog food is calorie-dense, while wet food typically contains more water but fewer calories. If you’re wondering how much raw food you should feed a dog, these diets are often high in protein and fat, so consult your vet for tailored information.

Different breeds mature at different ages, so some dogs will need to continue eating puppy food for longer than others. However, most breeds begin transitioning to an adult schedule between six and 18 months old.

Since different breeds of puppy vary enormously in size and growth rates, and since there are so many different brands and formulations of puppy food, it’s not possible to give an accurate measurement of how much food your puppy needs. Fortunately, it’s a legal requirement for pet food manufacturers to provide a feeding guide on every item of pet food.

A dog’s nutritional requirement is calculated based upon its resting energy requirement (RER) multiplied by a factor that represents its lifestyle.

The RER is how much energy your dog’s body requires simply to carry out its internal metabolic functions without moving. Since dogs move, the actual daily energy requirement is a multiple of the RER, with more energetic dogs requiring more nutrients to supply the required energy and essential proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

However, to work out how much to feed your dog, use the feeding chart on their food packaging as guidance. Always speak to your vet for tailored advice before increasing or decreasing your dog’s food.

As they age, dogs typically need less energy but better-quality protein. This is to eliminate the need for their liver and kidneys to process excessive unnecessary or even junk-protein molecules.

While manufacturers have to specify the percentage of protein inside their food, they don’t have to offer any indication of the quality of that protein. As a result, it’s entirely possible to make a legally compliant dog food that has, for example, 24% of protein from junk-protein sources such as feathers, beaks, and feet, and describe it as ‘chicken’ on the label.

This is why it’s important to ask your vet to recommend a quality pet food suitable to your dog’s breed. Since older dogs may already have some age-related liver or kidney compromise, it’s important that we do not ask their body to work any harder than necessary processing junk-nutrients.

If you have dog insurance with Petplan, you can use our free Pet Expert Chat feature to speak with vet professionals about your dog’s diet. Simply log into your My Petplan account and navigate to the My Support area to access.

When deciding how often to feed your dog, take their age and size into consideration while also choosing a routine that suits your lifestyle.

Generally, puppies receive their recommended daily requirement of energy and nutrients over three or four meals until they are around six months old. After that, most healthy dogs tend to be fed their recommended daily requirement of energy and nutrients over two meals, usually in the morning and evening.

Some dog owners prefer to free feed their dogs, while others stick to a regular feeding schedule. To help you decide which option is best for your dog, we’ve outlined the pros and cons of each.

A routine helps dogs know what to expect. Once you’ve decided how many times to feed your dog, you can decide what time their meals should be.

Many owners choose to feed their adult dogs at around the same time the family is eating their meals. Others may find it easier to feed their dogs when it’s less busy.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose and then stick to a mealtime for your dog, wherever possible. Regular mealtimes help support your dog’s digestion, and you’ll soon notice they start to learn when it’s dinner time!

Some dogs have special dietary needs because of medical conditions or sensitivities. Speak to your vet about different dietary needs for dogs to help identify the right food for your dog.

Treats are a great way to reward your dog, but it’s important not to overdo it. Treats should only make up 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake, otherwise they may start putting on weight and will need to go on a diet.

When calculating your dog’s daily rations, remember to account for roughly how many treats they get per day. Remember, treats aren’t just about consuming extra, unnecessary calories, they often contain junk-nutrients that the body has to work to eliminate. If possible, stick to good-quality, low-fat options such as boiled chicken or homemade treats.

Feeding your dog the right amount of food helps them stay as healthy as possible. Too much food can lead to obesity, while too little means they won’t have enough energy.

Always follow the feeding guidelines of the brand of food you’re using and speak to your vet for tailored portion advice based upon their specific daily requirement of energy and nutrients.