Your Pets Count

pet information that caters to your special friend

You are currently browsing the The Pet Product Guru blog archives for the day Friday, December 28th, 2018.

Archives

Calendar

December 2018
M T W T F S S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  

Archive for December 28th, 2018

Feeding Your Dog Properly

Friday, December 28, 2018
posted by Jim Murphy

If you’re a new dog owner, the first priority is making sure you’re feeding him properly.  It’s important that you feed a mix of quality dog foods in the right amounts. Dr. Jennifer Coates, of Pet MD has put together a very useful guide on this topic. You can read the article below and use the chart to select the correct portion amounts.


One of the best ways to keep dogs healthy is to feed them the right amount of dog food. Too little and a dog can suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Too much eventually results in obesity and all of the health problems related to that condition including:

 

  • Musculoskeletal problems like osteoarthritis, cruciate ligament ruptures, and intervertebral disk disease
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Cushing’s disease
  • Skin disorders
  • Some types of cancer

 

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to figure out exactly how much individual dogs should be eating. Determining the correct size for meals depends on the type of food dogs are fed, how many times a day they eat, their size, their metabolic rate, the amount of exercise they get, and more.

 

To start the process, take a look at the feeding guide on your dog food’s label. They are usually presented as a table that looks something like this:

 

Feeding chart for dogs

 

Unless stated otherwise, these amounts are the total that is recommended for your dog over a 24 hour period. Most adult dogs should eat two meals a day (puppies often require three or more feedings), so you’ll need to divide the amount in the table by the number of meals you are offering.

 

Combine this information with your knowledge of your dog’s lifestyle to come up with the initial amount of food you are going to offer your dog. If I had a relatively inactive 35 pound Corgi who had a tendency to gain weight, I might start with 2 cups of food per day. On the other hand, if my dog was a hyper 35 pound Border Collie, I would feed a little more.

 

Next, use a scale or body condition scoring system to fine-tune the amount you are offering. Check your dog every 2-4 weeks and keep a diary of your results. If your dog is inappropriately gaining or losing weight/body fat, adjust your portion sizes appropriately. In general, dogs who are at a healthy weight:

 

  • Have an “hourglass” figure when looked down upon from above. The abdomen should be narrower than the chest and hips.
  • Are “tucked up” when looked at from the side. This means that a dog’s chest is closer to the ground than his belly when he is standing.
  • Have ribs that are not readily visible but are easily felt with only light pressure.

 

Every time you change dog foods you will have to go through this entire process again.

Talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions about your dog’s health or diet. The doctor can help you determine exactly how much your dog should be eating based on the specifics of the case.

Remember your pets count!

Enjoy your last weekend of 2019 with the best oldies! Edgewater Gold Radio is playing great oldies for 17 years! Join us for our 60s and 70s weekend! Download the free Edgewater Gold Radio app or listen from our website: Edgewatergoldradio.com.

 

add comment    Comments Off on Feeding Your Dog Properly