How Much Should You Feed Your Dog?

Overfeeding is one of the most common and underappreciated health problems in UK dogs. An estimated 50% of dogs in the UK are overweight, and in most cases the cause is simply consuming more calories than they burn. The feeding guide on the back of the bag is a starting point, but it was written for an average dog — not yours specifically.

Why Feeding Guides Are Not Exact

Feeding guides are calculated based on an average dog of a given weight, at average activity levels, with average metabolism. Your dog may differ from all three of those assumptions.

Neutered dogs typically require around 20 to 30% fewer calories than intact dogs of the same weight because the hormonal changes affect metabolism and energy balance. Most feeding guides do not account for this, which means following them precisely for a neutered dog often leads to gradual weight gain over months and years.

Activity level also matters considerably. A working Border Collie doing 3 hours of active exercise per day needs significantly more food than a French Bulldog doing two 20-minute walks.

How to Assess Your Dog's Body Condition

The most reliable guide to whether you are feeding the right amount is your dog's body condition, not a number on the scale.

Run your hands along your dog's ribcage. You should be able to feel each rib individually with light pressure, with a thin layer of fat covering them. If you cannot feel the ribs at all without significant pressure, the dog is overweight. If the ribs are visible and prominent without touching, the dog is underweight.

Viewed from above, a healthy dog should have a visible waist — a gentle narrowing behind the rib cage. From the side, there should be an abdominal tuck, where the belly rises towards the hind legs.

If you are unsure, your vet can score your dog's body condition formally at any checkup.

Calculating the Right Amount

Start with the feeding guide for your dog's weight range. If your dog is neutered, reduce the starting amount by around 15 to 20%. If your dog is very active (working dog, agility, regular long runs), increase it by 10 to 15%.

Then observe. After 4 to 6 weeks at the adjusted amount, reassess body condition using the rib check above. Adjust up or down by 5 to 10% increments and reassess again after another 4 weeks. Slow and steady adjustments are more reliable than dramatic changes.

Meal Frequency

Most adult dogs do well on two meals per day. Once a day is nutritionally adequate for healthy adults but can increase the risk of bloat in large deep-chested breeds (Great Danes, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles) and may leave some dogs uncomfortable between meals.

Three meals per day is appropriate for puppies under 6 months and can also help dogs who tend towards nausea or stomach gurgling on a longer fasting window.

Treats and Extras

Treats count as calories. A single commercial dog treat can contain 30 to 50 calories — for a small dog, that is 10 to 15% of their daily calorie requirement. If treats are a regular part of training or daily life, reduce the main meal accordingly.

Vegetables like carrot, cucumber, and green beans are low in calories and can be useful as treat alternatives for dogs on a weight management programme. Avoid grapes, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, and xylitol-containing products, all of which are toxic to dogs.

Switching Foods and Portion Sizes

When you change foods, the portion size almost always changes too. Foods vary significantly in calorie density — a highly digestible, high-protein food may need to be fed in smaller volumes than a bulkier, lower-density food. Always check the kcal per 100g stated on the packaging and adjust accordingly rather than transferring the previous portion size directly to the new food.

Browse foods with full nutritional information at furra.co.uk, where FurScore includes value-for-money assessment based on daily cost.