How Often Should Your Dog Be Fed?

Connor Pet Health - we know that keeping our pets happy, healthy and engaged is extremely important part of all of our lives.

Dogs are essentially scavengers and will eat whatever they can find. This means that their diet isn’t as regulated as ours, so their feeding schedule can vary depending on their environment and what they’re able to get their paws on. However, there are a few general guidelines you can follow to make sure your pup is getting the right amount of food at the right time. 

How Often Should My Dog Be Fed?

1. This varies between dogs, so there is no universal answer. There are two main concerns when deciding how frequently you should feed your dog: size and age. These will help you decide the best schedule for them. Smaller or younger dogs need to eat more often than larger or older ones of the same breed, and even within a specific age range some may require more food than others – depending on their metabolism. 

2. With this in mind, generally it’s recommended to feed small breeds up to three times a day, medium breeds twice a day and large breeds once daily. However, because all dogs are different it’s important to track your pet’s weight so you know they aren’t undernourished – if they lose weight, you may need to feed them more often. In addition, older dogs have different nutritional needs too. 

3. Like humans, as dogs age their metabolism tends to slow down and so they tend to use up the energy from food less efficiently. This means that a senior dog will require fewer calories than a younger dog of a similar breed would for the same activity level. They may also eat less at each meal because their sense of smell is reduced as well as their ability to taste which can make eating less appealing.

What Should My Dog Be Eating? How Much Food Should I Give Them?

1. Again this depends on your specific breed of dog and size along with many other factors such as age and activity levels but there are some general guidelines. It’s important to remember that these are just guidelines and your dog might benefit from slightly more or less food than is being suggested so always talk to a vet before drastically changing their diet.

2. Puppies eat much more frequently than adults, needing two or three small meals a day so they can keep up with their high energy demands. The same goes for pregnant and nursing dogs – a female in her last trimester will need around 25% extra calories per day, while when lactating it’s recommended that she consume an additional 200-250 kcal per day in the form of puppy food, making sure that this contains an appropriate balance of all the nutrients required by her puppies as well as herself. Puppies take around five months to reach their adult size, but will also continue to grow and develop during this time.So it’s very important that they’re given a balanced food which contains all the nutrients they need.

3. Adult dogs should be fed at least once daily; twice is preferred for most breeds although some do better with three or four meals per day. Most experts recommend feeding at specific times rather than leaving food down all day, as if the dog has too much undigested food in their stomach and small intestine when you feed them again at night, it can cause gastric problems such as bloat. It’s best to give them access to water throughout the day so they can regulate how much they drink. If you’re using a self-feeder, make sure the amount of food you’re putting in it is appropriate for your dog’s size and weight, as well as taking into account their age.

Why Isn’t My Dog Eating? What Can I Do About It?

1. Firstly, take them to the vet – they might be ill. But assuming there isn’t any medical problem, consider how much they’ve been fed recently; are you just filling up their bowl without weighing out for specific meals each day? If so then you should probably cut back on how much food you’re giving them at each meal. Also try increasing exercise levels which will give your dog more incentive to eat its meal. 

2. A change in diet may also be required but this can only be done gradually by mixing in the new diet with the old one over a period of two to three weeks. If you’ve already tried these things and your dog is still not eating, it might be worth checking for dental problems which can make eating uncomfortable – talk to your vet about this.

3. If you want to make sure your dog is getting the best care possible, it’s important that you understand how much and what they should be eating. Keep in mind that just like human dogs have different nutritional needs depending on their size, age, breed and activity level.


All About Connor Pet Health

Connor Pet Health – we know that keeping our pets happy, healthy and engaged is an extremely important part of all of our lives.  That’s why I put together my thoughts on how we can go about keeping our best friend healthy in this day and age. This blog brings to you news about pet health, treatments and therapies, inspiring stories, expert advice, and much more to help you – and your fur baby – live your healthiest life every day.

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