Feeding your dog is undeniably one of the most significant things that you need to do to ensure that he/she obtains proper nutrition. But the question is, how often should you feed your dog? Keep reading to find out the answer to this question that is commonly asked by most dog owners.
Feeding Your Dog: How Often Should You Do This?
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Puppies 2-3 months old
If your puppy is two to three months old, you need to feed him/her at least four times a day. But small breeds like Yorkshire terrier and Chihuahuas must be fed five times to prevent hypoglycemia.
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Puppies 3-6 months old
In this stage, your dog can consume solid food. However, you need to lessen its normal dosage to smaller intakes. What’s more, your furry friend needs to be fed three meals a day.
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Puppies six months to one-year-old
Once your dog reaches this number, he/she should start obtaining meals twice a day only. However, you need to do it slowly so that you will be able to maintain schedules and your dog will adapt its new life with ease.
Bear in mind that the puppy stage is extremely crucial to guarantee good development.
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Adult Dogs
According to most vets, adult dogs should be fed once or twice a day – once in the evening and morning. However, some dogs may possibly need more frequent mealtimes depending on their breed as well as health. Furthermore, dogs that have feeding restrictions, special dietary needs, and medical problems like megaesophagus, may require specified feeding schedules.
Nevertheless, at this phase, the digestive system of your dog is stable and at the same time strong. But, unlike other animals, your furry friend doesn’t need to eat on a regular basis so to keep his/her intestinal transit full of life.
On the other hand, don’t forget to vary the menu of your dog from time to time to make it feel happy and motivated. In addition to that, in adult dogs’ diet owners should incorporate treats that can be used to reward them. For instance, if your dog completely burns up calories and has a healthy weight, you can give him/her some snacks. But if you are a bit hesitant we highly recommend that you offer your dog some low-calorie snacks. Though such foods are quite costly, they actually help in preventing obesity in dogs.
How Much Should Adult Dogs Eat
Adult dogs, on average, consume food conforming to around two to three percent of their body weight each day. But keep in mind that it will still depend on the age of your dog, level of physical activity, caloric intake, as well as his/her ideal weight in line with the breed and height.
Since it isn’t possible to offer guidelines which consider all these factors, various dog food brands provide a general recommendation on how much you should feed your pet depending on weight. These recommendations, on the other hand, can be found on the food packaging.
Make sure to utilize these suggestions as your general guideline and decide if you’re going to offer a little less or a little more according to the specific characteristics of your dog.
Remember that an active dog needs to be fed more food compared to those that don’t perform lots of physical activities.
Another great way to identify how much your adult dog should eat, consider weighing him/her once a month to check if the weight is increased, maintained, or reduced.
Tips for Feeding Your Dogs
1. Don’t feed your dog before traveling
Feeding your dog before traveling may contribute to a torsion or stomach dilation. As a matter of fact, these conditions are life-threatening and needs instantaneous vet intervention.
2. Never feed your pet from your plate or table
Doing any of this will encourage drooling as well as attention-seeking behaviors like barking and begging.
3. Medium to large dog breeds must be fed from an elevated bowl
This prevents your dog from swallowing air while he/she eats that may result in bloating which isn’t a simple condition as we have mentioned a while ago. For owners of such breeds who are supposed to be vulnerable to this disease, make sure to seek help to your vet for further precautions.
4. Don’t change the diet of your dog abruptly
Unless it is under the direction of your dog’s vet, don’t change his/her diet abruptly. That is why, if you are planning to change your dog’s diet, make sure to it little by little over a period of seven to 10 days.
Final Thoughts:
Knowing how often as well as how much to feed your furry friend is one of the most crucial parts of caring for him/her. Keep in mind that striking the balance between not enough and too much may take some time. The moment you have the perfect formula, stick with it.
However, if you’re not certain about how often should you feed your dog it is best to ask a veterinarian to ensure that your furry friend is meeting his/her healthcare requirements as well as nutritional needs.