How to feed your dog according to its age
Puppy, adult or senior: how many meals, how much food and what changes at every stage, with the amounts you need to know.
The same dog eats different amounts at eight weeks, at two years and at ten: energy needs change with growth, and so does the number of meals. This is what goes on the plate at every stage, and the mistakes that are easiest to make.
Quick facts: how much to feed by age
A puppy: food for growth, not for speed
Until it stops growing a dog needs more calories and more protein per kilo than an adult, but that does not mean food without limit: a puppy that grows too fast puts weight on joints that are still forming. Use a feed labelled for its size (a miniature dog and a large one do not grow at the same rate) and follow the bag by age for the first year.
Between two and four months, three or four small meals a day; from four months, two or three. Take the bowl away between meals so the food does not go soft and so the dog learns that eating has a beginning and an end.
An adult dog: two meals and a stable weight
An adult dog can eat once or twice a day; twice is better, because it spreads the load on the stomach and stops the dog going fourteen hours on an empty stomach. As a starting point, work with about 2-3 % of its body weight a day in dry food, and correct from there: if you can see the last ribs but not count them, the dog is in condition.
- Weight is the guide: weigh the food with a cup or a scale for a week; the eye always overfills the bowl.
- Adjust with activity: a dog that walks two hours a day eats noticeably more than one that goes down to the corner.
- Treats count: they should be no more than 10 % of the daily calories.
A senior dog: the same, with small changes
From the age of seven or eight, dogs need fewer calories and more attention: sometimes the teeth hurt, sometimes it is harder to chew or to get up. A senior feed, soaked dry food or wet food in small amounts helps. If it eats less for more than two days, or eats well and still loses weight, that is a vet visit.
What to change (and what not) when switching food
Food is changed over seven days, mixing the old and the new: three parts old to one new, and moving the proportion each two days. A sudden change causes diarrhoea even with good food. And no: it is not necessary to change the food over time «so it does not get bored», as long as the diet is complete and suits its stage.
Keep reading these guides
Feeding goes hand in hand with these two:
Frequently asked questions
How many times a day should a puppy eat?
Until three or four months, three or four small meals; from four months, two or three; from a year on, one or two meals. Regular times help digestion and housetraining.
Is wet or dry food better?
Both can be complete. Dry food is practical and helps clean the teeth; wet food smells stronger and is useful for dogs that drink little or refuse food. What matters is the amount and the quality, not the format.
Do I have to change food as the dog grows?
Yes: a puppy feed has more protein and fat than an adult one, and giving it for years puts weight on. Make the change around the time the dog stops growing, over about a week.
What if it leaves food in the bowl?
Remove the bowl after 15-20 minutes. A dog that grazes all day loses its appetite rhythm and it becomes impossible to know how much it really eats.