How Much to Feed a Dog

How Much to Feed a Dog

Once a day is often enough to feed a grown dog, no matter how much it begs between meals. It is all right to let a growing puppy eat all it wants. But an adult house dog on this kind of schedule soon becomes overweight. It is much simpler to keep a dog’s weight down than it is to reduce it. If a dog seems famished when it has finished its meal, give it a little more. If it doesn’t eat it all, it has been given too much. If it is gaining weight or losing, the owner should provide more or less food appropriately to keep the dog in proper condition.

Feeding Tips for Puppies

The following tips would help you to maintain health and encourage the growth of your puppy effectively.

• For the first 8 weeks of their birth puppies should not be separated from their mother. If they are taken away from their mother they become ill. The mother’s milk provides them nutrition and the ability to develop antibodies that would help the puppy grow strong, healthy, and disease free. When the puppy would be three to four weeks old you may try out some solid food as well. Serve your puppy with watery solid food having one-third of water to promote proper digestion. This will help the puppy well with the food when it would get separated from its mother.
• When the puppy is 6 or 8 weeks old provide your puppy with food three to four times a day. Be careful about the food that you are serving your little pup. Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs. They must be given the appropriate amounts of protein, calcium, and proper amounts of calories. While buying commercialized foods read the label carefully and you should purchase the one that has meat mentioned at the top of the ingredients.
• When the pup is 8 weeks old give food to eat twice a day.
• A three to 6 months old pup would be in the phase of teething and may be selected for food and even the diet may reduce to some extent. You should serve the dog nutritious food twice a day. You are advised to take the dog to a vet if it undergoes a stomach upset for a continuous period of two days.
• Though would appear to be a grown-up but your 6 months to a 1-year-old dog is still a puppy and it should be given food that is appropriate for a pup. Some larger breeds of dogs are given puppy food till the age of two years. For switching over from puppy food to dog food you are advised to consult a vet doctor. Even when you have started giving your young adult dog food make sure the food is balanced diet having meat as its primary ingredient.

The amount of food served to your dog should be reduced to measured amounts as your pet grows old and finally reaches the matured stage.

See more: How to Accustom your Dog to a Diet