Dogs can be a little more high maintenance than other pets. They need more affection and more attention than any other pet, and you also have to pay extra heed to what you are giving them to eat. Is it good for their bones, is it good for their coat? Will they have the energy that they need throughout the day. You have to make sure that they do not fall ill because of the food that you are giving to them. The amount of food heavily depends on the age of the dog and its health.
Weight
Weight plays a huge role in what and how much you should be giving your dog to eat. It’s common knowledge that smaller dogs need to be fed less than larger dogs. This is something you can deduce, but apart from that, you have to pay attention to the specific weight of the dog if your dog weighs 10 pounds or 15 pounds or more. There are certain instructions for each type of weight that each dog weighs. You can feed accordingly after doing a little research and make your life easier.
Dogs that weigh 10 to 20 pounds can be fed about three-fourths of a cup to about one and a half cups. Dogs that weigh about 10 pounds are usually fed three-fourths of a cup. Dogs that weigh 15 pounds will easily consume about 1 cup. It will be enough to fill the dog up for a while. 20-pound dogs need to be fed a little more than 1 cup of food to help them last a while. This goes for small dogs. Smaller breeds eat less and are a lot more active.
Medium breeds can weigh from 30 to 50 pounds, and they require food accordingly. There are certain guidelines that you can follow. For 30 pounds, you can give the dog one and three-fourths of a cup to fill it up. If the dog weighs around 40 pounds, you can feed it two whole cups and a quarter of a cup to meet the requirements of that specific dog. When the dog weighs about 50 pounds, it will easily eat two cups and two-thirds of a cup. Its body will utilize the food and give the dog the energy that it needs. Of course, according to their appetite, these specifications can differ from dog to dog, but this can be the framework for your decisions. It’s a very “trial and error” kind of process.
Larger dogs that can go from 60 to even more than 100 pounds obviously will require a lot of food to fill them up completely. A 60-pound dog will easily consume three cups of food. A 70-pound dog will eat about three and a half cups of solid food. An 80-pound dog will eat three and three-fourths of a cup of food. A 90-pound dog will eat about four and a quarter cups of food very easily. If your dog weighs about 100 pounds, it will eat four and a half cups of food.
For every 10 pounds that the dog increases, you can add one-third more to provide for the dog’s health and well-being. This can vary according to your dog’s hunger, but this is the appropriate amount of food that your dog should be eating, and if it’s eating less than that, then you may have to get your dog checked up to make sure everything is fine.
Schedule
Schedules matter a lot when it comes to feeding any pets. You may have to condition them overtime to ensure their eating schedule aligns with what is convenient for you and your schedule. The dog’s body will train itself to feel hungry around that time, and it will help maintain a healthy routine for the dog. Schedules matter more than we like to believe when it comes to a pet. It is important to stay regular and consistent in feeding your dog. A dog is a responsibility, and there is no room to forget.
Age plays a huge role in the number of times in a day you will have to feed your dog. When your dog is a puppy, it will likely need to be fed at least thrice a week, much like a kitten for the first eight weeks. The dog will feed on its mother, but afterward, you have to be cautious and make sure that you are feeding it timely. After about eight weeks, you can start feeding the dog twice a week. It is better to feed them watered-down dry food to help with their chewing and make sure their body develops and grows accordingly.
Once the dog is about 90% of its breed’s average adult weight, you may start feeding it an adult diet, as mentioned before. Adult dogs will need to be fed twice a day; once in the morning and once in the evening. It is essential to consult a vet to receive specific guidelines for your dog and fulfill their needs.
Health Condition
Diseases are significant to consider; if your dog suffers from a disease, you need to make sure that it is tended to, according to what a vet recommends. The food that you give it should contain the ingredients that it needs.
Activity
The activity can play a certain role in how much you are going to feed your dog. If your dog is very agile and active, it may need more food than what is prescribed, on average, for a dog of its weight. If a dog is less active, be sure to reduce the amount of fat that you give it to avoid obesity.
Conclusion
Dogs are a proper responsibility, and you need to be prepared to tend to their needs before you plan on getting one. Do your proper research.