Do you ever feel a twinge of guilt enjoying three meals along, with snacks while your furry companion only gets a couple of scoops of food?
It doesn’t have to be that way.
There are feeding approaches for your dog tailored to its specific requirements. Here are the top three options;
1) Let Your Dog Choose
For dogs at a weight and not experiencing any house training issues free choice feeding might work well.
With this method you can leave food out all day. Allow your dog to eat whenever they please. This approach is ideal for dogs burning more calories than their less active counterparts.
If you’re leaving food out for your dog to snack on throughout the day opt for food to prevent spoilage.
Nursing dogs typically follow the free choice feeding method as they require calories to sustain milk production for their puppies.
Drawbacks; Leaving dog food all day could attract pests, like insects, rodents or raccoons. This is especially true if you feed your dog outdoors so stay vigilant.
If you have pets they might argue over food. Additionally this approach is not suitable, for dogs.
2) Regulate Food Portions
For dogs that constantly crave food try controlling their portions. Start by consulting your vet to determine your dogs weight. If you’re using dog food follow the feeding instructions on the packaging based on your dogs weight. Sometimes the recommended amount may be more than what your dog requires. Your vet can help calculate the amount to feed.
You can opt to feed your dog twice a day. Its recommended to feed them with an interval of 8 12 hours between meals. If you choose this method divide the suggested portion indicated on the packaging; otherwise you might end up overfeeding.
3) Time Your Feeding
If you’re not concerned, about overeating but prefer not to leave food out all day consider timed feeding. Set a time limit (30 minutes) for your dog to eat. Once times up discard any remaining food.
When you offer food to your dog again 8 12 hours later they will likely be hungry and eager to eat.
What About Treats?
Its recommended that dog treats make up 5% to 10% of your dogs diet. Consult your veterinarian to determine the number of treats based on your dogs weight and activity level.
If you find yourself using treats frequently for training purposes opt, for pieces. Another option is to reserve a portion of your dogs kibble serving to use as training “treats.”
Always Looking Hungry
Using the feeding guidelines provided on a food label should serve as a starting point in determining how much to feed your dog. If they consistently appear hungry consider increasing their food intake. Keep in mind that some dogs may always seem hungry despite being overweight in which case switching to a diet food could be beneficial.
Factors Affecting Food Intake
The amount of food required by your dog may fluctuate under circumstances such as increased activity levels, pregnancy or nursing extreme weather conditions (hot or cold). During recovery, from surgery or illness.
Before offering food ensure that they genuinely seek attention and affection. If thats the case provide them with care and warmth instead.