How Much Should I Feed My Dog?
The question of how much food your pet dog requires is a bit technical. The reason behind this technicality is that the needs and requirements of every pet in terms of their nutrition are unique. One pet might require a lower amount of overall calories per day, and another might require very high calories in a day.
Most people mistake either feeding their pets way too much or way too little. This can lead to countless health problems which do not get fixed quickly.
Let’s talk in detail about how often you should be feeding your pet in a day.
Do not feed them too little or too much:
If you end up feeding your pet way too little or way more than what they require per day in terms of nutrition, it can lead to countless issues. These issues could be any of the following;
- Congestive heart failure issues might arise.
- Breathing issues might occur.
- Skeletal problems such as disks, bones and joint problems hinder fitness.
- Skin problems that might lead to significant issues.
- A shorter life span in general.
We know all these things sound too depressing but don’t worry. Your pet will stay healthy! All you have to do is be intelligent and wise and feed your pet the proper nutrients in the right amounts to ensure their longevity and their perfect fitness levels in the long term.
How you can determine the right amount of food for your pet:
It would be best to focus on a few things before you can determine how much food your pet dog needs in a day.
- The activity level.
Depending on your pet's activity and energy level, you will be deciding the quantity of food that your fur baby should be consuming. If your dog plays around a lot and stays active throughout the day, it needs more food. But if your fur buddy has a sedentary lifestyle of ease and comfort only, it must not be consuming a lot because it will lead to obesity.
- Body weight of the pet.
Your pet's body weight should be an essential factor in deciding the number of calories it needs in a day. If your pet is overweight, it means that it does not need as much food as a pet dog whose weight is below the level that it actually should be.
- Type of food for the pet.
Most importantly, the type of food that you are giving your pet is critical to consider. If you are giving your pet a highly nutritious meal every day, make sure you keep the quantity to a moderate level; otherwise,, it will lead to an overabundance of calories, leading to health issues.
Look at the food labels!
Take a look at the food labels as they tell you the nutrient requirements according to the fitness levels of your pet dog and also give you an idea of how many meals your pet dog should be having in a day.
Food labels are so important. I remember looking at them and thinking to myself “dang some of those ingredients are not very good for my dog” Gotta be careful because some companies put ickt stuff in dog food!
Did not know that overeating or underrating could lead to a shortened life. Definitely important to keep in mind
My girl is a little chub and needed to lose a few pounds. We are trying to get her more active as well now that it’s summer she loves being outside. It seems to be working actually. I noticed in this blog you mentioned if they aren’t as motivated to stay active they may be a little overweight and I totally agree with that. After she has lost some weight I did see an energy increase
I have always wondered if you tie a bone on the treadmill like they do in movies if your dog will actually walk on it! lol my fat dog clyde needs to go on a diet
I couldn’t tell if my dog was overeating or undereating so I went to the vet and I guess I was giving her the right food she needed! So yay to that
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