A healthy diet and nutrition are important factors in ensuring the healthy growth of dogs. Dog owners often struggle with one question: how many meals should my dog be fed.
There are no strict regulations or specific answers for this, so some owners choose to feed their dogs twice a day. But more important than the frequency of eating is the amount of food consumed, which is often influenced by the age, health condition, and breed of the dog.
What factors affect a dog’s eating frequency
Veterinarians recommend feeding dogs at least twice a day. Dogs with physical problems or specific needs require a separate dietary plan. If your dog is in the growth stage.
If you have eaten enough food but haven’t gained weight, you need to consider whether the dog has parasites in its body
In addition, the different breeds largely determine the frequency of dog feeding, with large dogs requiring more calories per day than small and medium-sized dogs.
Age also affects the frequency of eating, with two month old dogs and two-year-old dogs having a very high calorie demand.
How much should puppies eat?
Puppies grow rapidly, so they need richer food and sufficient nutrition, which lays a very important foundation for their future growth.
Calcium is very important for the growth of puppies, otherwise they are likely to suffer from bone diseases. For example, rib valgus, deformation of wrist and elbow joints in the forelimbs
Regarding the frequency of feeding for puppies
When puppies go through the weaning stage, they need to eat multiple meals in small amounts, and each meal should not be too much. Eating in small amounts can help dogs better absorb and maintain energy levels. Not overfeeding is to prevent them from gaining weight and causing diseases.
Starting around four months, you can increase your appetite, reduce the frequency of feeding, and gradually start feeding twice a day.
Small dogs and puppies need to eat approximately 4-6 meals per day before four months, 3 meals for medium dogs, and 3-4 meals for large dogs.
How much should adult dogs eat?
I believe many owners will be misled by their dog’s “language” or deceived by their dog’s behavior to eat and drink. The daily energy requirement can be calculated based on the standard weight of the breed of dog.
The calculation formula is as follows
Daily energy requirement={2 [(weight KG * 30)+70]} For example, a 30KG dog needs 1940 calories of energy per day.
Regarding feeding time
Don’t give your dog the habit of eating anytime and anywhere. To cultivate rich eating habits, different textures of food, and different dietary methods for dogs from an early age.
After growing up, it is important to cultivate a habit of fixed and quantitative care for dogs in order to ensure their physical health.
How do you know if your dog is full?
Look at the abdomen: If you don’t know if the dog is full, you can wait for it to finish eating and touch its belly. If it is slightly swollen, it means it is full. If the belly is bloated, it means it has been overfed. Conversely, if it feels flat, it means it is not full.
Check the poop: A normal feeding amount should ensure that the dog’s excrement is moderately soft and hard, and it should not stick to the ground when cleaning. If the excrement is found to be too hard and granular, it indicates that the dietary portion is insufficient; On the contrary, if the excrement is sparse, it indicates that the dog’s diet is excessive.
Long term excessive feeding is not good for the dog’s digestive system and can lead to indigestion. Pet owners can prepare some probiotics and dog food to feed together.
Feeding suggestions for dogs
Prepare clean water daily
Water is the source of life, and dogs are no exception. Owners should prepare fresh drinking water for their dogs every day, so that they can replenish water in a timely manner after exercise and eating.
Do not feed sweets
Dogs should not eat human snacks and desserts. Eating too much can lead to obesity, tooth decay, and is also unhealthy. So the owner should not casually feed their own snacks to the dog, as this will develop a habit.
Not feeding sharp bones
Don’t let your dog gnaw on chicken bones, as they can easily break and damage your stomach when swallowed, and they are also difficult to digest. If you really want to give your dog teeth grinding and calcium supplementation, you can choose large bones from pigs, cows, and sheep.
Choose healthy dog food
Long term feeding of low-quality dog food to dogs can lead to poor physical condition, including hair loss, tear marks, bad breath, and loss of appetite. Dogs that consume low-quality dog food for a long time are also prone to gastrointestinal diseases, posing a threat to their health.
Conclusion: How many meals does your dog eat every day now?
Original article author：Shit Shovel Officer，If reprinted, please indicate the source.：https://www.petcatanddog.com/article/836.html