How much do I feed?

The rule of thumb for healthy adult dogs is 2-3% of their optimal body weight. If they are overweight, aim for the DESIRED weight, not their current weight. Same for an underweight dog, take their desired weight to figure your starting amount for each meal.

Take your dog’s weight (or desired weight) and multiply x 16.
This will give you your dog’s weight in ounces.
Multiply his weight in ounces x .02 (or .03 for 3 %)

Example=my Malinois Raine weighs 62 pounds. She weighs 992 ounces. (62 x16)

I multiply her weight in ounces times 3% to get the feeding amount of 29.76 ounces. (992 x .03)

I round it off to 30 ounces of food per day for Raine, or approximately 1.9 pounds.

Chances are that some days I will feed Raine 2 pounds per day, and some days 1 3/4. I don't typically use a scale for my own dogs these days, I am pretty good at eyeballing the amount needed.

This will give you a starting point for determining the amount to feed your dog each day. If he seems thin, increase food daily. If he seems chunky, decrease. This is where your journal or diary comes in handy, if you are the kind of person that likes to keep track of this sort of thing. I just wing it most days. Be aware that you should be constantly monitoring your dog’s condition and activity to adjust your feeding.

Puppies eat anywhere from 5-10% of their body weight daily while they are growing. It’s important to keep young dogs lean and not overfeed them. I like to see a hint of rib, but not too much. Skeletal development is something that can be compromised by putting too much weight on soft, still developing puppy bones. Be vigilant about your pup’s body condition and adjust your feeding accordingly.