Many dog owners are faced with the question of how much dry food to give a dog a day so that she is full and not overeating. This is especially important when the dog has a tendency to obesity and health problems. The norm exists, it depends on what breed of dog, how active he is, and what age category he belongs to.
Portions depending on the size of the dog
As already noted, the serving size depends on the energy nutrition of the finished diet, as well as how much the pet weighs:
- Representatives of large breeds , the mass of which starts from 40 kg, consume an average of a pound of premium-class dry granules per day, and an economical feed will require 700-800 grams.
- Average dogs , weighing from 12 to 40 kg, eat about 350-450 grams per day. premium-class food and 550-650 grams of ration of economy.
- Small dogs , the maximum weight of which is 12 kg, eat per day from 150 to 300 grams of high quality food and 350-400 g of economy.
Of course, a portion of the highest quality feed will be much smaller in size due to their nutritional value. This majority of owners suggests that the more expensive feed actually turns out to be much more profitable. Usually, having calculated the daily dose of food, the owner needs to distribute it into several equal portions, depending on the number of feedings: this can be one, two or three meals a day.
Diminish the most accurate dosage will help scales, which are used by the hostess in the kitchen. Some of the feed comes with special measuring containers - containers or glasses. In their absence, it is necessary to measure "by eye". A measuring spoon can be a tablespoon — on average, 100 grams of granules — these are three spoons. An approximate norm is 2 tablespoons of pellets per kilogram of pet's weight. But in any case, it is averaged data that need individual adjustment.
The daily portion of food usually decreases in the summer, this applies to representatives of any breed. But it is worth remembering that you will need to return to the standard dosage when it gets cold. For service or overly active dogs should increase the portion of food on average by 25%. The same is necessary for pets participating in competitions and all sorts of shows. Another category of dogs in need of mandatory nutrition is pregnant and lactating females.
Puppies deserve special attention. When they have an intensive growth (this period falls on a period of 4-7 months), they need to be fed more than an adult pet. In this case, the portion increases, as a rule, by 2 times.
It is important to remember that dogs that eat production rations need constant access to drinking water.
See also:
- how much water a dog should drink ;
- dry dog food ;
- what to feed a Yorkshire terrier ;
- than feed a German Shepherd .
Calorie content depends on the class of feed.
The portion size is influenced by the class of feed. After all, the more expensive the food, the higher its nutritional value:
- Feeds related to economy class. This type of product has the lowest energy value, so the daily portion will be maximum. This is due to the fact that such products are made from lower-quality by-products and cereals, and natural meat is not added to them. Caloric content is about 280-320 Kcal.
- Dry feed premium category. Because of the composition of the meat, they have a higher nutritional value - 300-380 Kcal . This indicates that the portion will be smaller.
- Super premium diets. They are considered the best daily food for pets of any breed. Their basis is the meat part, and cereals are practically not used in their manufacture. If we talk about their energy value, it is about 400-450 Kcal .
- Food - holistic. One of the new directions in the manufacture of industrial animal feed. Their ingredients are products suitable for human nutrition. The meat portion in the feed is above 60%, this indicates their high nutritional value. This is the most expensive food, but at the same time the portion of food is much smaller than that of other diets.
But whatever feed the owner chooses, there is a hint for him on the packaging. A table is always printed here, according to which an individual portion can be calculated based on the weight of the dog. And since manufacturers use different products, the norm will be, respectively, different.