how much to feed your dog
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How Much to Feed A Dog to Meet His Energy Needs
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.
How to feed your individual dog
So where should you start? The first place to start is with the food itself. Feeding a poor quality food is never a good idea because in addition to actually being more expensive because of the increased quantities needed to fulfill nutritional requirements, it also produces more waste. It is also more likely to create digestive or behavioral problems. So, to begin, choose a high quality food and look at the recommendations on the label to get your starting point. From there you need to have an accurate weight of the dog and a projected target weight, whether it is an adult on a diet or a growing puppy. Look at the table above and get an idea of your dog's activity level. Remember to factor in the other environmental variables and any additional calories in the form of treats or table foods, and adjust the starting amount accordingly. Ask your veterinarian's opinion on what your dog's ideal weight should be and factor that into your feeding amount. Remember that most dogs are overfed and underexercised so, if in doubt, I usually tell people to feed a little less. After you have started feeding the amount that you have calculated that your dog needs, then you need to weigh your dog at least monthly to determine if the amount fed is appropriate. If necessary, increase or decrease the amount of food slightly until the dog stays at his ideal weight. A handy trick for weighing your dog on a bathroom scale is to weigh yourself while you hold the dog and then weigh yourself without the dog and subtract the difference.
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