Thursday, March 17, 2011

How Much To Eat?

Tigger Just Chillin!  He gets fed 1 1/2 cup in morning and 1 cup in the evening!

Keeping track of your diet is hard enough for most people. Your pet needs the same attention to their diet as you do.  Overfeeding is very common in dogs (and people too).  So how you you know how much to feed your dog?  As in humans there is no one answer because all dogs are different.  I am always surprised when I ask someone how much their dog is supposed to be fed and they have no idea.  They just put food down in an amount they think is right.  They have not done any research or read any label on the correct amount of food their dog should get.  Then they are surprised that they have an overweight dog.  You have to have a plan to feed yourself and your dog!  Eating without a plan will lead to both of you being overweight and feeling like crap.

Let me give you some tips to help you when feeding your mutt:
  • Don't free feed your dog.  By this I mean don't set down food and leave it there until it is gone.  Some people keep food down for the dog at all times and this can be a recipe for disaster.
  • Have specific feeding times and if your dog does not eat all the food at that time pick it up.  Eventually they will get the point that they need to eat it when it is put in front of them.
  • Feed them twice a day.....but not twice as much!  I figured out what my dogs calorie requirements were for the entire day and divide that into one morning serving and one evening.  I try to keep feeding times consistent at 4am and 6pm.  For everyone the times may be different but just keep the times consistent day to day.  Dogs need routine.
  • Use the back of the dogs food bag as a guideline for how much to feed your dog.  Keep in mind this is ONLY a guideline and if your dog is overweight you may need to ask your Vet how much you should feed fido.  You can see the calorie content for various foods at www.petobesityprevention.com.  This website is also a good resource for guidelines on calorie requirements for dogs. 
  • Don't feed human food to dogs except for veggies like carrots and broccoli. I use these as treats for my dogs.  Most dog treats can be very  high in calories.
  • If your dog is a normal healthy weight then more active days you may want to increase calorie intake slightly. 
  • If your dog is overweight consider a weight control dog food. 
  • Don't exercise your dog right after feeding it. 
  • If your dog is a fast eater consider getting a specific bowl that will slow them down.  You can purchase these at www.brake-fast.com
Happy Feeding!