Most experts recommend feeding your dog twice a day — once in the morning and once in the evening — though puppies under five months of age should be fed three to four times a day, or as directed by your veterinarian.
Having regularly-scheduled feeding times not only establishes a routine, it also allows you to monitor your dog’s health. If he picks at his food throughout the day, you may not notice right away if he’s not eating well. But if he normally eats heartily as soon as you put the bowl down, you will immediately see a sudden lack of appetite, which is often an indication that he’s not feeling well. If your dog’s appetite doesn’t improve in a few days, have him checked by your veterinarian.
One of the best ways to keep dogs healthy is to feed them the right amount of dog food. Too little and a dog can suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Too much eventually results in obesity and all of the health problems related to that condition including:
- Musculoskeletal problems like osteoarthritis, cruciate ligament ruptures, and intervertebral disk disease
- Congestive heart failure
- Cushing’s disease
- Skin disorders
- Some types of cancer
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to figure out exactly how much individual dogs should be eating. Determining the correct size for meals depends on the type of food dogs are fed, how many times a day they eat, their size, their metabolic rate, the amount of exercise they get, and more.
Food for dogs should have
- Above-average meat content
- Safe fat-to-protein ratio
- Moderate carb levels
- No high-risk ingredients
- No anonymous meat
Ask us and we will guide you.