How Much to Feed a Dog

Once a day is often enough to feed a grown dog, no matter how much it begs between meals. It is all right to let a growing puppy eat all it wants. But an adult house dog on this kind of schedule soon becomes overweight. It is much simpler to keep a dog's weight down than it is to educe it. If a dog seems famished when it has finished its meal, give it a little more. If it doesn't eat it all, it has been given too much. If it is gaining weight, or losing, the owner should provide more or less food appropriately to keep the dog in proper condition.

Feeding Tips for Puppies

The following tips would help you to maintain the health and encourage growth of your puppy effectively.

• For the first 8 weeks of their birth puppies should not be separated from their mother. If they are taken away from their mother they become ill. The mother’s milk provide them nutrition and ability to develop antibodies that would help the puppy grow strong, healthy and disease free. When the puppy would be three to four weeks old you may try out with some solid food as well. Serve your puppy with a watery solid food having one third of water to promote proper digestion. This will help the puppy well with the food when it would get separated from its mother.


• When the puppy is 6 or 8 weeks old provide your puppy with food three to four times a day. Be careful about the food that you are serving your little pup with. Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs. They must be given appropriate amount of protein, calcium and proper amounts of calories. While buying commercialized foods read the label carefully and you should purchase the one that has meat mentioned at the top of the ingredients.


• When the pup is 8 weeks old give food to eat twice in a day.


• A three to 6 months old pup would be in the phase teething and may be selective for food and even the diet may reduce to some extent. You should serve the dog with nutritious food twice a day. You are advised to take the dog to a vet if it undergoes a stomach upset for a continuous period of two days.


• Though would appear to be a grown up but your 6 moths to 1 year old dog is still a puppy and it should be given food that are appropriate for a pup. Some larger breeds of dogs are given puppy food till the age of two years. For switching over from puppy food to dog food you are advised to consult a vet doctor. Even when you have started giving your young adult dog with dog food make sure the food is balanced diet having meat as its primary ingredient.

The amount of food served to your dog should be reduced to measured amounts as your pet grows old and finally reaches the matured stage.