This is easily the most common question vets are asked by new dog owners at the first visit. It is always asked in such a way they clearly think that we will have an immediate answer off the top of our heads (“Why, 3 cups of course!”). In my younger years, I would go into a litany about how it’s much more complicated than a simple amount, mostly because my younger self was worried they would think they picked the wrong new vet. In reality, it’s not really all that complicated… but it’s certainly not a simple answer either.
The first bit of information needed in this decision is the brand of food. A while back, there was a food made that was fed to dogs running the Iditarod Sled Dog race in Alaska. Word got out that it was an amazing food that kept sled dogs healthy and a bunch of folks started using it. The problem is that it was a super-high calorie food and feeding a half cup of it wad like feeding almost 2 cups of standard dog foods. So, we ended up with a lot of obese dogs that wouldn’t make it across their back yard, let alone Alaska. All bags of food have a feeding chart telling you what amount to feed based on your dog’s weight. That’s the first part of the answer I give to clients. However, the weights also give a range of amounts. This is where question #2 comes in.
The next piece of information needed is whether or not the dog is fixed. It is well-established that spayed and neutered dogs have a metabolism that is about 30% lower than an “intact” dog. So, if a fixed dog was fed the high-end of the volume range on the feeding chart, they have a higher risk of becoming overweight.
The third piece of information is activity level. The average “Duxbury Dog” is more active than most with committed families that get them out in the forest and on the beach for some exercise. But many dogs just get time in the yard and little more. On the flip side, I have patients that are police dogs, hunters, agility trial runners, and other markedly active pups. Even if these dogs are fixed, I will have owners use the higher end of the volume range from the chart.
The last piece is what the dogs get for snacks. Personally, I would snack all day if I could. So would dogs and we would both be clinically obese if we did. Still, some snacks are fine and good for keeping dogs happy and trained. Unfortunately, most dog treats are like Doritos: they are delicious because they are loaded with things that are bad for our waistline. So, I need to know what treats they are getting and how much.
Regardless of the amount chosen, it’s good to track your dog’s weight and watch if they are getting too big. Most animal hospitals (ours included) allow people to come and use the pet scales without an appointment or charge so that owners can keep their dogs healthy and svelte. Just like with people, it is very hard to get the weight off once it’s on.