A Simple Dog Feeding Guide For Beginner Dog Owners

Feeding dogs is not something giving them any delicious food available. They need a proper diet. It is not merely giving them foods with protein, and they are good at that. Giving them the proper size of food with the right amount of nutrients by learning how to calculate dog feeding (วิธีคำนวณการให้อาหารสุนัข).

Importance of right food feeding 

Pet owners must know the importance of proper food feeding to dogs.

Factors affecting how much to feed

There are factors in how much you should feed a dog, such as:

• Age. Puppies need more energy. They can get it from:
  • calories
  • protein
  • vitamins
• Size. Large dogs eat more than small dogs.
• Body condition score. Overweight dogs must eat fewer calories. Dogs that need to gain weight must eat more.
• Activity level. Dogs that do more exercise need more food.
• Food offered. Some foods offer more calories or more of other nutrients. It means you need to check on these.
• Reproductive status. Less calories must be given to neutered or spayed dogs. Eating more food is necessary for pregnant and nursing dogs. It helps them support production of milk for the puppies.

The nutritional needs of a dog changes:

• when they get older

• when changing lifestyles

How to know the right amount of food to feed?

The best way to start feeding a dog is to check what nutrients a dog food contains. You will know the nutritional value a food contains, in which you can figure out what dogs can get from it. It has a feeding chart that guides a specific amount to give for a dog.

A calorie calculator helps determine how much of this nutrient to take. The dog specifically needs 50% more or less than the usual. Body condition scoring fine-tunes how much food to give the dog.

Dog feeding chart

A healthy adult dog is the easiest to feed. They are done growing, which means the nutritional needs are fairly consistent over time. Weight is the most important factor when feeding them.

Use a dog’s ideal weight to determine how much food to offer. It targets the weight goal, which is lower than the dog’s actual weight if it is overweight. You can give them a little higher if they are too thin.

Here is a dog feeding chart that guides you:

1. 3-12lbs. ½–1¼ cup
2. 13–20 pounds. 1¼–1⅔ cups
3. 21–35 pounds. 1⅔–2⅓ cups
4. 36–50 pounds. 2⅓–3 cups
5. 51–75 pounds. 3–3¾ cups
6. 76–100 pounds. 3¾–4⅔ cups
7. Over 100 pounds. 4⅔ cups
8. Add ¼ cup for every 10 pounds of body weight for over 100 pounds

The risks of overfeeding

Overfeeding can cause digestive problems to dogs. It can result in gastrointestinal issues, such as:

• diarrhea
• vomiting
• constipation

The risk of overfeeding is chronic digestive problems. This can result to:

• nutrient deficiency
• discomfort

FAQs

How to calculate the right food to give for a dog?

Calculate the right amount of food to eat for dogs by following the dog feeding chart.

What will happen to an overfed dog?

An overfed dog causes vomiting.

Is an overfed dog risky?

An overfed dog has a risky health condition. It can cause serious, long-term dangers to their:

• health
• mobility
• lifespan

It often results in a temporary food coma. Overeating causes risky health condition to dogs, like:

• bloated

• pancreatitis

What signs do you see in an overfed dog?

Dogs are overfed when they are suffering from:

• distended/firm belly
• extreme lethargy
• heavy panting
• restlessness
• vomiting

It is essential to recognize that overfeeding is not caring for your dogs. Instead, it comes with a potential threat to their health. Pampering them with love and attention is not feeding them too much food.

Follow the dog feeding chart to guide you on how much to give them.