How many times a day does a dog eat and how much?

You’ve probably heard the expression “canine hunger”. Most dogs never seem to have enough to eat and won’t stop eating as long as they have something to put in their mouths. But the quantity and frequency of a dog’s meals are two determining factors for his health and well-being, as important as choosing the right food for him.

Adult dog’s food

A dog’s weight and size are two basic factors in determining its nutritional needs, but contrary to what might seem logical, the relationship between weight and the amount of calories per day is not proportional.

A dog’s energy requirement is inversely proportional to its weight

What does this mean? Bearing in mind that energy is provided by the carbohydrates and lipids in a dog’s diet, it means that a large dog should consume a lower calorie food than a small dog.

Be careful not to confuse “less calories” with less quantity. The fact that the energy requirement is lower does not mean that he should eat less, but that his food should have fewer carbohydrates and lipids. The same applies to protein, minerals and vitamins: large dogs need less of these, always in proportion to their weight.

On our website we have a Nutritional Search Engine to choose the food that best suits your dog’s needs.

The amount of food you should feed your dog is not proportional to its size is not proportional to its size

The volume of the food ration is not fully proportional to the size of the animal, as large dogs have a shorter digestive tract than smaller dogs, in relation to their weight. This is why overfilled meals cause digestive problems and poor nutrient assimilation in large dogs.

How many meals a day should a dog eat?

Apart from the quantity and composition of the food, the frequency with which you feed your dog is also important to consider if you want him to have a healthy digestion. Here are a few tips:

• Ideally, feed your dog 1 to 3 times a day, depending on his physical activity and metabolism.

– Eat once a day. This is recommended for dogs with a high level of physical activity. Eating only once during the day is beneficial to their physical activity. It is best to feed them after exercise to avoid digestive difficulties or health problems.

– Eat twice a day. For most adult dogs, it is recommended that the recommended daily amount of food be divided into two meals a day, so that their bodies can regulate the energy they need.

– Eat 3 or 4 times a day. Dogs with an overweight tendency should divide the daily amount of food into 3 or even 4 feedings. This frequency will help them to metabolise their food better and lose weight in the long term. Giving our friend more feedings does not mean increasing the amount of food, but spreading it out in small portions throughout the day.

• It is not recommended to leave the food available to the dog all day long, as they tend to overeat and eat more than they need.