Dog Food Feeding Requirements - How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog

There is an old saying from a very wise dog owner: "When he's thin I feed him more and when he's fat I feed him less". We can all learn a valuable lesson from that. You know when your dog is fat so wouldn't that be an indication that he's getting too much food? Same goes for a dog that's too skinny. But there are some rules you really need to follow when deciding what food to give your dog and just how much is too much.

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One thing you should understand about dog food companies, they have determined that the quantity of food you feed your dog should be based on their weight and that is completely inaccurate! Here are some things you need to consider: What breed is your dog; what kind of exercise do you give him; is he a puppy, adult or senior dog; does your dog look overweight or underweight. This just means you need to be a little educated on how much your dog actually NEEDS and not how much a dog food company WANTS you to feed him. There is a big difference. The more you feed him, the more you will need to buy more of their food. Get it?

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So, What is a Dog Owner To Do

Relax...you just need to understand your dog's energy needs. It goes like this. If you have a large dog that is pulling an Eskimo sled, your dog will need about five times the amount of food that an indoor dog needs who rarely gets exercise.

First, figure out your dog's RER. This stands for Resting Energy Requirements. This is the amount of energy that a dog would need while remaining at rest. Example: a 20 lb. dog needs 366 calories per day if he/she is just resting the entire day. Then you take into account the exercise you give them. If you take this 20lb. dog out for two 30 minute walks per day, that is considered moderate activity for him/her. Then you take that moderate activity times 3. (366 X 3 = 1098 calories) This will give you a better estimate as to how many calories your dog needs for his activity level. If he doesn't go for as many walks in the winter, then you need to tone down the food.

To figure out how many calories your dog needs, the chart below is for a 20 lb. dog. They need 366 calories BEFORE any type of exercise, so if your dog is 40 lbs, he would need double the calories (732) before any exercise, etc.

Activity Level X RER (which in this case is 366 calories per a 20 lb dog)

To lose weight: 1.0 X RER

Neutered Male Adult w/normal activity: 1.6 X RER

Regular Adult w/normal activity: 1.8 X RER

Light Exercise: 2.0 X RER

Moderate Exercise: 3.0 X RER

Heavy Exercise: 4.8 X RER

Puppies (up to 4 months old): 3.0 X RER

Puppies (4 mo. - adult): 2.0 X RER

You need to start out with a good quality food. You may pay more, but your dog will not need as much of the premium food to get a balanced diet. Poor quality food takes more because there are so many fillers. Not to mention your dog can get digestive problems from it. Read your labels.

Next you need to get an accurate weight of your dog from your vet. Ask him/her what they feel your dog's ideal weight should be. Then you can check the chart above with your dog's activity level and go from there. Don't forget about the treats you are feeding him. They are calories, too! And remember the old saying: When he's thin I feed him more and when he's fat I feed him less". There's good value in that statement.

Dog Food Feeding Requirements - How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog

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