How many times a day to feed an adult dog and a puppy

The dog’s stomach is stretchable, so it can eat a large amount of food.
This feature is inherent in nature.

Wolves always gorge until their bellies are full to survive until the next caught prey.
But for a domestic dog this is not necessary. The overeating will have a negative impact on the health of the pet.

Feeding regimen, what it should be

It is important to start building a feeding schedule within a few weeks after purchasing a pet, as soon as the dog is completely comfortable in a new place.
A clear schedule has many advantages.
First of all, a strict combination of physical activity with meals helps prevent obesity.

Feeding schedule for your pet

The exact daily amount to feed is always calculated individually and depends on many factors:

• age;
• size’s;
• body weight;
• breeds;
• physical activity.

Depending on the periods of the pet’s life, the ratio of carbohydrates and proteins should change.
Daily amount to feed depends on physical activity

Required number of feedings for dogs and the size of the portion

The portion size depends on the size of the dog and its physiological characteristics.
For example, sick and pregnant dogs need a special diet and amount of food.
The dog’s diet can consist of prepared dry or wet food, as well as natural food. It is important not to mix these types with each other.
If the dog is kept on a natural type of feeding, do not mix it with dry food.

How to calculate the amount of natural food

If the dog is kept on a natural type of feeding, the daily amount of food should be 7 % of the total body weight of the dog.
For puppies, this is 3 %.
For a pet to be healthy, the balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates should be taken into account when making a dog’s diet.

They should be divided as follows:

• meat from 40 to 50 %;
• carbohydrates in cereals, 25–35 %;
• dairy products – 20–30 %;
• vegetables – 10–15 %;
• fish up to 10 %.

How much dry food does a dog need for one meal?

When calculating the amount of dry food, it is important to take into account its caloric content. It is indicated on the package and depends on the granule class.
100 g of dry food of the economy class contains only 250 kcal, in the super-premium class it already contains 450 kcal.
The manufacturer always indicates the dosage rate on the feed packaging.

To find out how much to feed your dog, you need to divide the daily amount by the frequency of feedings. The amount depends not only on the age of the dog, but also on its size.

For example, active Huskies and Huskies who spend a lot of time actively outdoors need more food than Dachshunds or Chihuahuas do.

Number of feedings depends on the dog’s age

Your pet’s feeding schedule should be age-appropriate. The diet changes depending on the size of the dog.

Option for feeding a puppy from 1 to 3 months

Puppies need a special diet, depending on the period of growing up. It is not necessary to monitor the frequency of feedings for up to a month, since the animal will feed on mother’s milk.

From the month you need to start giving the puppies complementary food in the form of soaked granules. On a full diet puppies go from two months.
From this time on they are completely weaned from their mother’s milk.

Puppies from one to three months are fed 5–6 times a day

After 3 months

After three months there is still a night feeding period. The last time the puppy needs to be fed at 10:00 pm, and the first time you need to give food already at 06:00 am. Gradually the number of feedings decreases with age.
Most often the puppy itself refuses one of the meals.

After a puppy turns one year old, it is considered an adult dog. From this moment on it is fed once or twice a day.

Feeding a pregnant dog

A nursing and pregnant dog should eat increased portions of food.
The frequency of feeding increases up to five times a day. The portion size is raised gradually, starting from the fourth week.
During this period the daily amount to feed should be increased by 15 %. Additional protein products should be added.
As the puppies grow in the womb, the dog needs more vitamins.
Before giving birth, the amount of food consumed should be increased by 50 % of the norm per day.

Important! Despite the need to increase the portions, you can not overfeed the animal, so as not to provoke obesity.

Feeding during illness

The diet plays an important role in the treatment and recovery period after the pet’s illness. Veterinarians recommend feeding a weakened animal at least four times a day in small portions.

If the pet has diseases of the digestive system, it is preferable to give it liquid food: porridge and soups.

Older dogs have food reduced to 3% of their own weight.

Vitamins and mineral additives in the diet

For the good health of a pet it is important not only how many times to feed an adult dog, but also what vitamins it receives.

Mineral and vitamin complexes are important for any breed of dog, regardless of whether it is a Caucasian or a Yorkshire Terrier. They are necessary for normal metabolism and good health.
Mineral feeding can be in the form of tablets or treats. In the liquid form they can be added to the food.

In large quantities the dog needs calcium and phosphorus. They are involved in the formation of teeth and bones.
If there is a lack of these elements, the dog can begin to gnaw the ground, eat plaster.
For proper energy metabolism and muscle development pets need magnesium.