How much should a dog eat? And how many times a day?
How much should a dog eat? And how many times a day?
Written by Silvia Capelli
January 28, 2024
How much should a dog eat? And how often each day?
Common questions about pet nutrition often concern quantities.
The questions are always the same: How much should a dog eat? And how many times a day? How many kibbles should an adult dog eat? And a puppy?
Let's clarify with simple examples that will help you meet your best friend's caloric needs in the best way.
If you want to know how many calories your dog needs to stay healthy, go to the end of the article to discover our table with the calorie/weight ratio for puppies, sterilized, intact, overweight, and obese dogs.
How often should a dog eat each day?
How often dogs should eat mainly depends on the age of the animal; it's not true that small dogs should eat twice a day and large ones only once.
How often should an adult dog eat?
An adult dog should eat twice a day, regardless of breed or size. Ideally, the daily ration should be divided into two meals, breakfast and dinner.
This distribution is ideal for the owner and allows the dog to start the day with a full stomach and go to bed without being hungry.
How often should a puppy eat?
A puppy feeds exclusively on mother's milk until the first month of age. Then, you can start integrating one meal a day of ground meat or puppy food.
If artificially fed, a puppy between 4 and 8 weeks should be given 4 meals a day.
Mother's milk should gradually be replaced from 8 weeks, during which puppies should still be given 3 or 4 meals a day.
From 3 months, you can reduce to 3 meals until 6 months of age, then switch to the standard two meals a day.
How often should a newborn puppy eat?
For a newborn orphaned puppy that needs to be fed with artificial milk, things are different.
The newborn should be fed every 2-4 hours during the day, and about every 4 hours at night. The night meal should be given at least until the puppy is 15 days old.
Newborn puppies should not have fixed quantities; let them eat as much as they want and they will stop when full.
Solid food integration should start around 3-4 weeks of age, proceeding as previously described.
How often should a 6-month-old dog eat?
At six months, you can start feeding the puppy like an adult, i.e., with two meals a day.
Many owners prefer to maintain three meals until the first year of age, especially for very active puppies, but it's a personal choice.
How much should a puppy dog eat?
The energy needs of a puppy are much higher than those of an adult dog. As a guide, the percentage in grams should correspond to 6-7% of the dog's weight.
For example, for a 3-month-old puppy weighing 5 kg, the total will be 300-350 grams per day.
For a 3-month-old puppy weighing 10 kg, the daily requirement will be 600-700 grams.
The puppy's growth phase is a very delicate period. The little one should be fed the right amount of food, and if in doubt, it's better to use practical puppy kibble.
If of good quality, dog kibble is an ideal balanced food to provide the newcomer with all the nutrients they need.
How much should an adult dog eat?
The basic formula is very simple: a large dog with a normal activity level should consume about 2 – 2.5% of its body weight.
If it is sedentary or elderly, the percentage can drop to 1.5%. A hunting dog in activity, on the other hand, can reach 4 or 5% of its weight.
Small dogs, on the other hand, have a faster metabolism and the percentage of food should be 4% if they are very active, or 3% if they lead a normal city dog life.
The formula is calculated with the weight in grams, divided by 100, and multiplied by the percentage corresponding to the size.
But let's look at some examples to see how much a dog should eat based on weight.
How much should an 8 kg dog eat?
(8000:100) x 3 = 240 grams
How much should a 30 kg dog eat?
(30000:100) x 2 = 600 grams
Homemade diet table: How many grams should a dog eat?
We have calculated the indicative amount of grams to be administered based on the weight of the dog.
The table is obviously generic, and is based on the needs of an adult dog doing normal physical activity, i.e. the two classic walks a day.
And it does not take into account calories, which obviously have their importance, and which we will discuss later.
CUT
DOG WEIGHT KG
TOTAL GRAMS OF FOOD
SMALL
3
90
5
150
7
210
10
300
12
360
AVERAGE
15
440
18
450
20
500
23
575
25
625
30
750
GREAT
35
700
40
800
45
900
50
1000
Many tables indicate a dog's caloric needs, but calculating the total for each meal can be challenging.
Adhering to the previously mentioned protein/carbohydrates/vegetables distribution formula (plus the daily snack and maybe some tidbits accidentally dropped from our plates) should provide the right caloric intake for the dog.
How much meat should a dog eat?
The total amount derived from the percentage formula per kg of weight should be divided among animal proteins (which should make up at least 50% of the total), carbohydrates, and vegetables.
For our 8 kg dog, we will prepare a meal divided as follows:
120 grams (minimum) of meat or fish
60 grams of vegetables (or in proportion)
60 grams of rice or pasta (or in proportion)
The proportion can vary depending on the type or number of snacks given to the animal. Always check the calorie content, as some products can be very high in calories!
How many kibbles should an adult dog eat?
If we choose to feed the dog kibble, the issue is straightforward: the packaging indeed indicates the ideal daily amount to maintain a healthy weight.
Roughly, the correct ration of dog kibble is about 10/15 grams per kg of the dog's weight, depending on the chosen product and the size of the dog.
As mentioned, small dogs have a higher caloric need than larger ones, but in this case, the kibble component is crucial to define the exact quantity to be administered at each meal.
There are kibbles for all tastes and needs, for large or small dogs, puppies or seniors, active or overweight dogs... it's all clearly written in black and white, and there's no room for error.
However, even in this case, the dog's appearance will speak in favor or against the dosage indicated on the package.
If you need a guideline, this table is formulated based on a generic product for small and large adult dogs.
CUT
DOG WEIGHT KG
GRAMS PER WEIGHT
SMALL
3
45
5
75
7
105
10
130
12
150
MEDIA
15
195
18
200
20
220
23
250
25
275
30
300
GREAT
35
350
40
400
45
450
50
500
How to know how much my dog should eat?
We all know how to recognize a dog in good shape: it's vital, active, lean, has healthy-looking fur, and doesn't get tired after a two-minute walk.
If the dog is emaciated, it's evident that we're not feeding it enough, while if it's overweight, we should reduce the portions, improve the quality of the food, or simply feed it light dog kibble.
Every animal is unique, and what works for one dog might be wrong for another.
And I can't stress enough the usual recommendation: in case of doubts, it's better to take Fido to the vet, just as one would take a child who is underweight or overweight to a pediatrician.
Feeding a Pregnant Dog
A pregnant dog has completely different caloric needs, especially as the due date approaches.
Keep in mind that her calorie intake won't vary much during the first 45-60 days of pregnancy, but it will increase by 40-45% as the birth approaches.
It's important to divide the daily rations into more meals, as the enlargement of the uterus will make it difficult to ingest the usual amount of food.
Given that this is a very delicate phase in the dog's life, it's crucial to avoid DIY approaches and consult with a trusted veterinarian.
Obviously, the amount will change based on age, weight, the number of puppies expected, and her overall health.
The veterinarian will help you gradually increase the daily food ration and will indicate which product is most suitable for the wellbeing of the mother and puppies (there are also specific kibbles for pregnant dogs), or how to formulate a homemade diet.
It's very important to carefully monitor the animal's weight change during pregnancy and inform the veterinarian in case of unusual variations.
Feeding a Dog After Giving Birth
In this case, too, consulting the veterinarian is imperative. The health status of the new mother, age, number of puppies... it's difficult to give precise guidelines.
There are too many factors to consider for deciding how to feed her based on general online guidelines.
The nutritional needs during lactation can double or triple depending on the number and age of the puppies.
It's probably best to leave kibble available all the time, so the dog can help herself whenever she wants.
How much should an elderly dog eat?
An elderly dog needs fewer calories compared to an adult dog, as they will obviously be less active.
Therefore, you can reduce the intake to 2% of the body weight for small breeds, and 1.5% for large breeds.
A dog is considered elderly from 7 years of age if it's a large breed, while small dogs generally can switch to senior diets a bit later.
If fresh food requires reduced calories, for dry food, it's better to rely on a product specifically for senior dogs, like Hill’s Science Plan Mature Adult 7+.
However, since this is a delicate period in a dog's life, a veterinary consultation will clear any doubts.
And don't forget that elderly dogs often lack teeth, so the food should be blended or cut into very small pieces!
How often should elderly dogs eat?
It's better to divide the daily ration into at least three meals, to facilitate food assimilation without overburdening the animal.
How much should a neutered dog eat?
Neutered dogs often tend to gain a little weight, especially females.
For this reason, they are often fed for a limited time with specific kibbles for weight maintenance, or the quantity and calories of fresh meals are slightly reduced.
However, this is not the case for every dog and can vary from individual to individual. Therefore, it's better to evaluate with a veterinarian whether the dog needs a slight variation in daily quantities or caloric intake before deciding to make a dietary change.
In our table, we have also indicated a proposal for calorie reduction for neutered dogs following a homemade diet.
If you prefer dry food, you can evaluate these products, which are among those recommended after sterilization:
Royal Canin CCN MINI STERILISED – kibbles for neutered adult small breed dogs – 3kg
PURINA PRO PLAN All Size Adult Optiweight Kibble for neutered large breed dogs, 1 14 kg bag
How long can a dog survive without eating?
It may happen that a dog feels unwell and decides to fast. Unlike us, dogs don't need to consume food continuously.
A 12-hour fast can be normal, but beyond 24 hours, you should start to monitor the situation.
If the animal doesn't eat anything for two or three days, you should notify the veterinarian, especially if it shows other symptoms such as:
Apathy
Excessive thirst
Dehydration (not drinking)
Panting
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Incontinence
Loss of coordination
How many calories should a dog consume per day?
If you support a homemade diet but are unsure about the caloric needs, here's a table with indicative daily calories for:
Puppy under 4 months old
Puppy over 4 months old
Neutered dog
Intact dog
Overweight dog
Obese dog
Of course, the table is indicative, and the estimates are based on the needs of a perfectly healthy dog that gets the right amount of exercise.
But since every animal is unique, you can refer to this table for a general idea, but to know exactly what your furry friend needs, it's best to consult with a veterinary nutritionist.
I invite all readers to share their experiences on this topic in the comments section.
Any information you wish to share about health, character, products, and tips on training or diet will help us create a great community of owners who not only love dogs but also know how to manage them best.
If you found this post helpful and want to learn more about dog care, well-being, and training, we are happy to help. Find here lots of useful information to better understand your furry friend.
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