Feeding your dog the right amount of high-quality food is one of the most important things you can do to help them stay healthy. Too much food can lead to obesity, while too little can result in malnutrition. Determining the appropriate amount of food for your dog can be challenging, as their nutritional needs vary based on age, breed, size, activity level, reproductive status, and health status. This article provides a comprehensive guide to understanding your dog's nutritional needs and using the Science Diet feeding chart to ensure they receive optimal nutrition throughout their life.
Understanding Your Dog's Nutritional Needs
A dog’s nutritional needs can vary as they get older or as their lifestyle or health status changes. Several factors influence how much food your dog needs:
- Age: Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs or senior dogs.
- Breed and Size: Large and giant breed puppies have different nutritional needs than small- and medium-breed puppies, and they should be fed a large-breed puppy formula for proper bone and joint development.
- Activity Level: Active dogs need more calories than sedentary dogs.
- Reproductive Status: Spayed and neutered dogs need fewer calories than unaltered dogs.
- Body Condition Score: Overweight dogs should eat fewer calories than a dog who’s at a healthy weight.
- Health Status: Dogs with certain medical conditions may have specific dietary requirements.
Consulting Professionals and Resources
Determining how much food your dog should eat isn’t always easy, but lots of help is available. The best place to start is on the label of the dog food that your pet eats. You should also speak with your vet about how much to feed your dog. Your vet will make a specific nutrition plan considering your dog’s age, size, body condition, activity level, and health status. A calorie calculator can also help, but the results are just an estimate.
Feeding Guidelines for Puppies
Growing dogs need plenty of food and your veterinarian may tell you to feed a new puppy a few times a day. Since puppies grow quickly, they need to eat highly nutritious food and they need it often. A quality puppy food contains optimal amounts of protein, DHA, and vitamins to keep your puppy growing at appropriate rates. Since they tend to burn so much energy, you'll start out feeding your puppy frequently, then slowly wean them down to less regular feedings. Puppies should be eating food nutritionally designed to meet their needs for bone and muscle growth, like Hill's® Science Diet® Puppy foods, which fuels your on-the-move puppy.
For puppies, four feedings a day are recommended for ages six to twelve weeks. Feedings can decrease to three times a day during this period. You will see your puppy start to mature during this phase - their baby potbelly and pudginess will start to disappear. At this age, reduce to twice-daily feedings.
Read also: Hill's Science Diet: Pros, cons, and expert analysis.
As they get closer to their full-grown size, a puppy’s nutritional needs become more like those of an adult dog. Also, feeding charts for puppy foods are typically based on your puppy's target adult weight. So look up how much your puppy will weigh as an adult and their current age to determine how much food to give your growing dog.
Transitioning to Adult Food
Keep in mind that after your dog is neutered, their energy level may decrease, so it may be a good time to switch from nutrient-rich puppy food to adult food. While you should always check with your vet about your puppies specific growth, typically smaller breeds should transition to adult food at 10-12 months, while larger breeds may take a little longer - 12-14 months or even longer.
It's also good to make the switch to adult food over a period of a few days. Too abrupt of a change may cause stomach problems for your pooch. To transition between foods, mix your dog's current food while gradually increasing to their new food.
Feeding Guidelines for Adult Dogs
Healthy adult dogs are the easiest to feed. Use your dog’s ideal weight to figure out how much food to offer. This target weight goal may be lower than your dog’s actual weight if they’re overweight, or a little higher if they’re too thin. Most owners feed adult dogs two half-portions a day. How much is that? It depends on your dog. Measure food, rather than eye-balling it, to make sure your dog is getting the right amount each day.
Dogs should eat at regular times, usually once in the morning and once in the evening - the key is consistency. Also, keep in mind that the type of food you choose is important. Once your dog is fully grown, you need to make sure you're feeding dog food that keeps them healthy and fit, so that they avoid developing health issues. Food type and portion size should be tailored to breed, size, and lifestyle.
Read also: Benefits of Science Diet for Puppies with Sensitive Stomachs
Feeding Guidelines for Senior Dogs
Your dog is getting older, a little slower perhaps. You have to remember dogs age more quickly than people do, so major health changes occur much earlier in life. Choose a food, like Science Diet Senior foods, formulated with ingredients to support brain function, energy, a healthy immune and digestive system and a luxurious coat. Food formulated for aging pets also takes into consideration that they have likely slowed down - this includes their metabolism.
Larger breed dogs may reach seniority sooner than smaller breeds, so it is important to ask your vet when your pooch has reached this phase. It might be around this time that you'll want to cut back on food to avoid the weight gain that comes with less activity. You should also watch senior dogs for signs of weight loss, which can be a sign of health issues, like dental problems. Continue with twice a day feedings. Your dog may appreciate the routine.
Using the Science Diet Feeding Chart
Check the label on your dog’s food for the feeding chart recommended by the pet food company for that specific dog food.
Let’s look at Purina Pro Plan Puppy Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula as an example. This food is 406 kcal/cup.
| Weight Range | Feeding Amount Per Day |
|---|---|
| 3-12 pounds | ⅓-1 cup |
| 13-20 pounds | 1-1¼ cups |
| 21-35 pounds | 1⅓-2 cups |
| 36-50 pounds | 2-2⅓ cups |
| 51-75 pounds | 2⅓-3 cups |
| 76-100 pounds | 3-3⅔ cups |
| Dogs over 100 pounds | 4 cups, plus ¼ cup for each 10 pounds of body weight over 100 pounds |
Important Considerations:
- The feeding chart is a starting point. Adjust feeding amounts as necessary to maintain optimal weight.
- New to this food? Your pets nutritional needs may change as they age. Always monitor your dog's weight and body condition and adjust the feeding amount accordingly.
Monitoring Your Dog's Weight and Body Condition
You’ll know you’re feeding your dog enough if they maintain a healthy weight with visible waistline, ribs that can be felt but not seen, steady energy, and firm stools. Use food label guidelines as a starting point, then adjust based on your vet’s advice.
Read also: Optimal Nutrition for French Bulldogs
Keep an eye on your dog for signs of weight gain, and cut down on food if necessary under the supervision of your vet.
Science Diet Products
Hill's Science Diet offers a variety of dog food formulas tailored to different life stages and specific needs:
- Hill's® Science Diet® Small Bites Puppy dry food: Carefully formulated for the developmental needs of puppies, so they get the best start in life & grow to their full potential.
- Hill's® Science Diet® Adult dry dog food: Uses a high-quality protein source for lean muscles, natural fibers for healthy digestion and omega-6s for a beautiful coat. Specially formulated to make grown dogs come running for mealtime, this adult food provides the right balance of nutrients to help your grown-up dog live a happy, healthy life. Science Diet dog food made with natural ingredients is #1 Veterinarian Recommended and is formulated for great taste adult dogs love.
- Hill's® Science Diet® Large Breed Puppy dry food: Specially made with a delicious chicken flavor and an optimal level of calcium for controlled bone growth: a unique developmental need of large breed puppies. Give your large dog his or her best start in life so they can grow to their full potential with balanced minerals that promote strong bones and strong teeth. This dog food made with natural ingredients uses DHA from fish oil to support your large dog's eye development and brain function. High-quality protein helps your large dog build and maintain muscle.
- Science Diet Senior foods: Formulated with ingredients to support brain function, energy, a healthy immune and digestive system and a luxurious coat.
Hill's Science Diet dog food made with natural ingredients is #1 Veterinarian Recommended and is formulated for great taste adult dogs love. Hill's Science Diet is precisely prepared to offer your dog the nutrition he needs for lifelong health and happiness.