With your tiny puppy now all grown up, it’s time to say “goodbye” to puppy formula and “hello” to adult dog food. This usually happens at about 12 months old for small breeds, and around 24 months for giant breeds.
Just like people, every dog will have a different requirement when it comes to food intake. Factors such as life-stage, activity levels, breed, size and age can all affect the ideal portion size, and your dog’s needs will change during the course of their life. If you’re not sure how much food to feed your dog and what diet to pick, here are some handy tips from our Pet
Care Team.
What should you feed your dog?
Dogs are omnivorous and need a wide range of nutrients to support optimum health. This includes the correct balance of proteins, fats and oils, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. In South Africa, pet food is strictly legislated and every individual product has to be proven to be balanced and safe, and a complete, commercial pet food must meet minimum quantities of specific nutrients to comply with these. This means that a high quality, complete pet food will contain the right balance of everything that your pet needs from their diet.
How often to feed a dog?
Our Pet
Care team is often asked: “how often should I feed my dog?” Many adult dogs are fed twice a day – equivalently breakfast and dinner. However, a puppy should be fed more frequently throughout the day, with three to four (or more frequently when they are very young) meals recommended until at least six months of age. Some smaller breed dogs will also benefit from three smaller meals. Owners of larger breed dogs sometimes opt to feed one meal a day, however if your pet has a tendency to bolt their food, they may be better off with two smaller meals, rather than one big one. Bolting a lot of food at once can lead to gastrointestinal problems.
If you’re not sure how often to feed your dog, speak to your veterinary practice.
