w d dry dog food feeding guide

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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How Often Should I Feed My Dog?

Growing dogs need plenty of food and your veterinarian may tell you to feed a new puppy a few times a day. However, what about when your dog gets older? You might wonder, "how often should I feed my dog," or "how much should my dog eat?"

To answer those questions, here are some feeding guidelines that cover boisterous puppies, relaxed seniors, and every age in between.

Nourishing a Puppy

Since puppies grow quickly, they need to eat highly nutritious food and they need it often. 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. This process will help them grow big and strong.

6 to 12 Weeks

Puppies should be eating food nutritionally designed to meet their needs for bone and muscle growth, like Hill's Science Diet Puppyfoods, which fuels your on-the-move puppy. A quality puppy food contains optimal amounts of protein, DHA, and vitamins to keep your puppy growing at appropriate rates. For puppies, four feedings a day are recommended for ages six to twelve weeks. It's also a good idea to start puppies with moistened food to help them chew.

3 to 6 Months

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. Its recommended to feed them puppy-sized portions until you see signs that their body is maturing.

6 to 12 Months

At this age, reduce to twice-daily feedings. 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 1214 months or even longer. Bigger breeds should continue on puppy food longer, up to 14 months.

Not sure what your dog needs? 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. Over the course of a week, gradually decrease the amount of the current dog food while increasing the amount of new dog food for a safe and comfortable transition.

As with anything that plays a pivotal role in your dog's overall health and development, talk to your veterinarian about proper feeding regiments. While dog food bags and cans will often provide feeding instructions on the packaging, feeding habits can vary from dog to dog based on breed, weight, health conditions and more. Your vet will be able to provide you the best recommendation to the sized proportions you should be feeding your pup to help set themup healthy growth.

Feeding an Adult Dog

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. Again, this is a good conversation to have with your veterinarian to ensure they receive adequate nutrition.

Years 1 to 7

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. Keep an eye on your dog for signs of weight gain, and cut down on food if necessary under the supervision of your vet. Some of the signs your dog is overweight include not being able to feel their ribs, loss of a discernible waist, pads of fat over the hips and base of the tail and a waddling gait.

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. If you have a more sedentary dog, consider a food that matches their lifestyle to ensure they still get the right nutrients without causing weight gain.

Years 7+

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 Seniorfoods, 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. Dog foods like Senior Vitality help give your older pup the right amount of calories, while including additional nutrients to help them get that youthful spirit back.

Caring for a Senior

Your dog has officially made it over the hill of middle age. With seniority your dog is changing, so make sure you're keeping an eye on their nutrition and health, and consult your vet to see if you should switch to a senior dog food. 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. For instance, your shih tzu might still be barreling around the house at eleven, but your golden retriever might be slowing down by age seven.

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. If you see changes to your dog's weight or eating habits, talk to your vet.

Feeding your dog the right amount of high-quality dog food through each step of their life will go a long way to keeping your four-legged friend healthy. Just as eating amounts vary from person to person, eating amounts vary from dog to dog, which is why consulting your vet is the best place to start.

Keep in mind the above age ranges and information are just guidelines. Health issues might age your dog faster, or they could remain vital well into their senior years. Monitoring your dog's health, choosing high-quality dog food for every life stage, and keeping an open dialogue with your vet will help you answer how much to feed your dog and make the best choices to nourish your furry friend through puppyhood and into his golden years.

w/d Multi-Benefit Dry Dog Food

INGREDIENTS:Whole Grain Wheat, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Fat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Oats, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Pork Liver Flavor, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Caramel color, Flaxseed, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Glyceryl Monostearate, Potassium Citrate, Iodized Salt, L-Lysine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Tryptophan, Calcium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene.

w/d Multi-Benefit Dry Dog Food

Dog Feeding Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Feeding Guide

No matter how old, how big or small, or how active your dog is, their dog food should be high-quality, contain real meat, healthy fruit and vegetables, gluten-free grains, and a full range of the necessary supplements.

Lets delve into more specific feeding guidelines.

Puppies

Feeding your puppy is important, but its just as important to feed the mother properly while shes pregnant. This will give the puppies the nutrients they need before theyre even born! Its the best way to get them off to a healthy start.

A pregnant dog will need a puppy food with 20% or more fat. Shes eating for many, after all, and she needs extra energy. It also needs to be high-calorie, high in protein, easy to digest, and should contain DHA and a healthy calcium/phosphorus ratio. Feed her several meals of this throughout the day.

Now, lets look at how to feed the puppies when theyre born.

Birth to Weaning (8 to 10 Weeks)

Newborn puppies will generally be fed by their mother for the first few weeks of life. If theyre being nursed by their mother, youll need to keep feeding her a high-fat, high-calorie diet while shes nursing.

If you have to feed a newborn pup yourself, theyll need to be bottle-fed every 3 to 4 hours until theyre two weeks old. From two to four weeks old, they can be bottle-fed every 6 to 8 hours.

From about four weeks old, puppies will start to develop their teeth. At this time, they should begin to be transitioned to solid food. Soak some puppy pellets in a mix of water and milk replacer until its soft and spongy. Dip the puppys noses carefully into this mixture a few times a day until they learn to lap.

Once they begin to lap the food and water/milk mixture, gradually reduce the amount of moisture you add to the food at each meal. Ideally, by four to six weeks, they should be eating the puppy food with no added moisture. They may occasionally still feed from mom, but they should be eating more of their own puppy food.

At this age, you should be feeding them 4 to 6 times a day. By eight to ten weeks, they should be completely weaned from their mother and should be eating four meals of puppy food per day.

8 Weeks to Adulthood

From 8 weeks to about three months, your pup should be eating four meals a day. At this age, you can begin to feed three slightly bigger meals per day. Make sure youre still feeding your puppy the right amount of calories even though theyre eating fewer meals!

Between 6 and 9 months of age, most dogs should transition down to two meals a day. However, its important to note that small breed puppies, like Yorkies, will mature faster than large breeds like Rottweilers or giant breeds like Great Dane puppies.

Larger breed puppies may require three meals a day until the age of about two years. Its a good idea to chat to your vet about this to make sure youre feeding your pup correctly for his breed and size.

Adults & Senior Dogs

Neutered Dogs

If youve had your dog spayed or neutered, theyll need fewer calories. Neutered dogs also have a slower metabolism, so its essential that you feed them accordingly.

Once your dog has been neutered, youll need to take some time to see how theyre reacting to their food. Keep a close eye on your dog in the weeks following his neutering. Its likely that hell begin to gain weight if hes eating the same amount.

Reduce his food by about 15% and watch him for a week or two to see what effect it has. If he still seems to be gaining weight, reduce it slightly more or choose a lower calorie food. If he seems to be getting too thin, increase it again by about 5%.

Once youve found the sweet spot where your dog is active but not gaining weight, figure out his new calorie count and make sure you stick to it with food and treats.

Active/Working Dogs

Dogs who are extremely active (more so than your typical dog) or who are working dogs, will need more calories, more fat, and more protein than others.

A higher fat count is necessary to facilitate their higher-than-average energy levels. Remember, dogs get their energy from fat, so a fat count in the high teens would likely be adequate for active dogs. Dogs who expend a lot of energy doing hard work may even benefit from 20% fat or higher.

A high protein count (30% or more) is also important, to maintain muscle mass and keep them strong enough to stay active. Because active dogs burn more calories, its a good idea to choose a dog food thats slightly higher in calories so they dont end up burning much more than they eat.

Small Breeds

You may be surprised to learn that small breed dogs need more calories per pound than large breeds! A small breed needs about 40 calories per pound of body weight per day. Remember, youll need to split that total between however many meals youre feeding your dog.

It doesnt really matter how many calories are in each cup of their dog food. What matters is that you feed them the right amount.

For example, if your dog needs 400 calories a day and their dog food contains 400 calories per cup, feed them cup twice a day. If their food contains 300 calories per cup, youll need to feed them cup twice a day.

Aside from being a high-quality dog food, the kibble you choose should be small enough for their little jaws to handle, be easy to digest, have a fat count in the high teens, and contain joint supplements to strengthen those little joints.

Large Breeds

Large breed dogs (50+ pounds when adults) need about 20 calories per pound per day. Surprisingly, they also need less fat than small dogs in the low to mid teens, depending on their activity levels.

Large breed kibble should be slightly bigger so they can give it a proper chew. This prevents them scoffing it too quickly, which can lead to discomfort or dangerous conditions like bloat.

A high protein count (30% or more) and the addition of glucosamine and chondroitin are also important. Take note that large breed puppies also need a calcium/phosphorus ratio of 1:1.2, to facilitate the proper growth of their bones and prevent bone disorders later in life.

Giant breeds nutritional needs are very similar. They may need even less fat, and a moderate calorie count. If they gain too much weight, their joints can take severe strain.

Senior Dogs (7+ years)

As dogs age, they tend to slow down in their daily activity. Some dogs slow down significantly, while others only become slightly less active.

Senior dogs may need extra supplements in their diet. If theyre noticeably less active, a reduced fat count is necessary. A high protein count is still helpful, to maintain muscle mass and retain strength.

If they arent already, older dogs may benefit from a glucosamine supplement or switching to a food containing joint supplements. Its also extremely helpful to have supplemental DHA in a senior dog food, to keep their brain and eyes sharp.

Some older dogs (especially those with tiny mouths or severe dental problems) may struggle to crunch kibble in their old age. In this case, its a good idea to transition over to a wet food, fresh food, or even raw food. These are generally easier to chew, as well as easier on the digestive system.

Fussy or Greedy Dogs

Feeding Fussy Dogs

In some cases, dogs are perfectly healthy and have no allergies, but are simply picky eaters! Dogs are not that different from humans in some ways, and they can also become bored with eating the same dog food over and over again.

Here are a few tips to help you manage fussy dogs:

1) Add A Kibble Topper

This is where wet or canned dog foods can come in handy. When dry dog food gets a bit boring to your dog, the addition of a tasty kibble topper with a bit of a different texture can be all it takes to get them excited about eating again.

You can scoop a spoon of canned food into their kibble, or buy ready-to-add pouches designed specifically for this purpose. Try not to mix two vastly different flavors, though. If your dogs kibble is salmon flavored, try to stick to fish-flavored toppers.

Remember to take the calories into account here too. When you add a tablespoon of wet food to your dogs dry kibble, youre adding anywhere from 50 to 100 extra calories to their meal. This is a significant amount 100 to 200 extra calories a day can cause your dog to pack on the pounds.

2) Rotate Dog Food Flavors

Some brands, such as Acana, offer a variety of limited ingredient flavors that contain pretty much the same nutritional value. As long as your dog is still getting the same nutrients and avoiding problem ingredients, you can rotate dog food flavors easily to keep your pup interested.

Avoid switching between dog foods with vastly different nutrient values. Even small changes can cause digestive upset, so its best to stick to one brand that you know will give your dog everything they need.

Even if youre just rotating between one brands flavors to prevent your picky eater from becoming bored, transition properly from one to the next if its a flavor your dog hasnt tried before.

3) Mix Up Ingredients (If Feeding Fresh or Raw)

If youre feeding raw or fresh food, mixing up your ingredients may keep things interesting and tasty for your pup. Make sure they arent allergic to any of the ingredients youre using, of course.

When youre preparing your dogs food for them, youre in complete control. Switch up the proteins if you notice theyre getting fussy, or add in some tasty fruits like strawberries or blueberries for an exciting taste experience.

The beauty of raw or fresh feeding is that you have the freedom to switch it up every single day to satisfy picky eaters. For example, try chicken and sweet potato on one day, and beef and pumpkin on another day, as long as your dog isnt allergic to any of them.

Feeding Greedy Dogs

If your dog scoffs everything in their path, your first step should be to get them checked by the vet. Its possible that they arent getting enough food for their size and energy levels. If their weight is where it should be, youll need to find another way to get their appetite under control.

1) Choose a Higher Calorie Dog Food

If your vet has agreed that your dog seems starving because he isnt getting enough calories, make sure you know how many calories to feed your dog based on their weight and activity level.

The easiest way to get their calorie count up is to buy a higher-calorie dog food. This way, you can continue to feed them the same amount, but theyll be getting more calories in each serving.

A dog food thats higher in fiber may also be helpful. This should keep your dog full for longer, and they may not appear to be as greedy!

2) Change Their Feeding Schedule

Its also possible that theres too much time in between your pups meals and hes burning off his last meal long before dinner. Adding in an extra meal halfway through the day could solve this problem.

Again, make sure youre getting their calories right. If youre adding in an extra meal, youll need to split their total calories between three meals instead of two now, so therell be slightly less food in each meal.

For example, if your dog needs 300 calories a day and youve been feeding him two meals of 150 calories each, youll have to change it to three meals of 100 calories each.

3) Get A New Feeding Bowl

If nothing seems to help and your dog ploughs through his meal super quickly every time he eats, getting him a slow feeding dog bowl could help.

These bowls specially-designed maze-like bowls that make your dog work for his kibble! By eating slower, he recognizes when hes full faster. Eating slower also reduces the chances of bloat.

Make sure you get an appropriate bowl for your dog. Brachycephalic dogs will need different bowls to those dogs who have long snouts!

Dogs with Minor Health Problems

Digestive Upsets

If your dog has a sensitive stomach, choosing the right dog food for their condition can make a big difference.

If your dog poops abnormally often, feeding them a dog food high in fiber can help to reduce the amount of poop. Normal pooping habits are between one and five times a day, depending on your dog. Its a good idea to monitor your dog for a few days to get a baseline. Once you know whats normal for them, youll spot abnormal behavior much quicker.

Another common digestive problem is loose stools, or chronic diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by food sensitivities or food allergies, so changing up your dogs food as per this dog feeding guide could make all the difference. Choosing a food thats high in fiber could firm up your dogs stools.

Sometimes digestive problems also show themselves as flatulence! If your dogs gas is becoming a problem, its most often caused by an intolerance to a particular ingredient in their dog food. Again, switching up their dog food could reduce this problem significantly.

Its important to find the root of your dogs digestive problems so you can choose the best way to deal with it. A trip to the vet may be necessary.

Skin & Coat Problems

Does your dog struggle with a dry, brittle coat, itchy, flaky skin, or excessive shedding? Changing his diet can help with that too!

Choose a dog food thats free from allergens and high in Omega fatty acids. The absence of allergens means theres no reason for your dogs immune system to rebel, which can happen when its exposed to ingredients it doesnt like.

Omegas are extremely helpful for nourishing skin and moisturizing fur. Ingredients like salmon, salmon oil, animal fats, and flaxseed contain high amounts of Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Its also important that the dog food you choose contains a good balance of both. The AAFCO standard is a maximum ratio of 30:1 Omega 6 to Omega 3.

Joint Problems

Joint problems can affect almost any dog. But theyre more common in large breeds, very active dogs, senior dogs, and overweight dogs.

Large breeds need very specific nutrients in their food, especially as puppies, so they grow properly and at the right pace. Their larger frames can be fragile, though, so its recommended that pup parents of large breeds supplement their dogs diet with glucosamine from a young age.

Any dogs that are extremely active are at risk of joint problems. The more intense work the joints do, the more likely they are to have problems, including hip dysplasia and arthritis.

Senior dogs joints also often need an extra strength boost. Its common for older dogs to suffer from arthritis, which can lower their quality of life. The addition of joint supplements to their food can make a big difference both in their level of pain and their susceptibility to more joint problems.

Pups who are overweight would also benefit from the addition of joint-strengthening supplements. Their joints work extra hard carrying excess weight, so its essential that pet parents of overweight pets work on helping their pet lose weight in order to preserve their joints, as well taking pressure off the heart.

Behavioral Problems

If your dog isnt getting the right mix of vitamins and minerals from his food, it can lead to chemical imbalances (ie. a change in mental health) or health conditions (ie. a change in physical health).

Either one of these could cause your dog to develop behavioral problems. These problems could include aggression, unusual fear, lethargy, a lack of interest in life, or a significant change in their activity levels.

If your dog is acting up, its essential to consider what could be causing it without making assumptions. A trip to the vet is definitely in order. This may reveal a medical reason behind your dogs behavior, that could be rectified by a change in diet.

Behavioral problems like refusing to eat food could also simply be due to a sensitive stomach or food allergies or intolerances. If youre feeding your dog a kibble containing an ingredient they struggle to digest, theyre naturally not going to want to eat it.

In this case, simply switching dog foods to one that doesnt contain the problem ingredient may be all it takes to fix the behavioral problem. It may take some experimenting to find out what the problem ingredient is.

Urinary Problems

Urinary problems are often overlooked by pet parents. But if your pets peeing habits have changed, there could be cause for concern.

Choosing a dog food thats high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals can help to boost your dogs urinary health. Cranberries are a wonderful ingredient to find in a dog food for urinary health, too!

While its a common belief that switching to a low-protein dog food is the solution to urinary issues, its not quite the case. A low-protein diet is not recommended for dogs with urinary problems, but a lowered-protein diet is.

Dog foods with a protein count in the low 20s are perfectly acceptable. Anything lower than that is likely to be too little protein to maintain a healthy muscle mass over time.

Be aware that prescription dog foods for urinary health are often too low in protein to be healthy. Unless your dogs vet has specifically recommended going super low-protein, we recommend simply lowering your dogs protein count slightly.

A slightly lowered protein count can help reduce the chances of kidney and bladder stones, without causing other problems.

Increasing the amount of moisture in your dogs diet can also help to improve urinary health. If your dog has the calories, you can consider adding some wet dog food to their diet.

Heart Problems

If your dog is a breed thats susceptible to heart disease, choosing a low-sodium dog food is the way to go. Too much sodium (or salt) in your dogs diet can increase blood pressure and put strain on the heart.

For a dog food to be officially classified as being low-sodium, the sodium content needs to be roughly 0.3%. This is around 50 to 80mg of sodium per 100 calories of dog food.

Try to avoid foods that have salt on their ingredient list. MSG (monosodium glutamate) and nitrates (artificial preservatives) are ingredients you may find in dog foods that are actually high in sodium. If you spot these ingredients, its best to avoid feeding your dog that particular kibble.

Also, if your dog is overweight, consider reducing his calories to shed the extra weight. Extra weight can place extra pressure on the body, making the heart pump harder. Keeping your dog at his ideal weight means theres no extra strain on the heart.

Overweight Dogs

If you arent aware of how many calories your dog needs per day, it can be very easy to accidentally overfeed them. Some breeds, like Labradors, are hard-wired to eat, eat, and eat more! If you free-feed, feed them too many calories per day, or even leave food lying around, theyre likely to scoff everything they possibly can.

Even if you do know how many calories your dog needs and youre feeding them the right amount of kibble, it can be easy to accidentally add calories. A spoon of wet food as a kibble topper, four or five treats, or sharing your own food with them can increase their calories drastically, leading to weight gain.

Make sure you know how many calories your dog needs and stick to it strictly. Dont allow your dog constant access to food, and avoid feeding them human food.

Lack of adequate exercise also plays a role in weight gain. In order to help your dog lose weight, youll need to put them on a reduced-fat diet or weight management dog food, and increase the amount of exercise theyre getting.

While changing dog food can make a difference here, dont neglect the exercise part. Weight loss is a two-part process, and exercise helps to build muscle. The more muscle your dog has, the faster their metabolism.

w d dry dog food feeding guide

How Often Should I Feed My Dog?