Are you a new dog owner trying to figure out how to give your new puppy the best start? Or perhaps you’re changing your dog’s food from dry to wet and want to know the best way to manage it?
If so, the team at Closer Pets can help.
Getting your dog’s diet right is one of the best ways you can provide what they need. Feed them the right amount in the right way and you’ll set them up to live their best life.
Puppies will get the energy they need from their food to run and play all day long. Adult dogs will have everything they need to stay healthy, walk as far as you’re willing to go and always be ready to play.
That’s a good enough reason to get their diet right!
Let’s cover the basics of how much wet food to feed a puppy or adult dog.
How much wet food to feed a puppy
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to provide a one-size-fits-all answer to how much wet food to feed a puppy.
It may initially seem like your puppy will eat anything that’s not nailed down or attached to something else, but it’s incredibly important to get their diet right.
They need lots of energy to help them grow, and the nutrition to give them the best start possible.
But you do need to get their portions right. Feed them too much and you could cause stomach upsets. Feed them too little and it may slow their development or not give them enough energy to enjoy being a puppy.
The amount of wet food to feed a puppy depends entirely on their age, breed, size and activity level.
If there’s a feeding guide on their food, we recommend following it to ensure you’re giving them enough. Puppies will always appear hungry, but it’s just as important to not overfeed their sensitive stomachs as it is to underfeed them.
How much wet food to feed a dog
As with puppies, how much wet food to feed an adult dog will depend on their age, breed, size and activity level.
Larger dogs will eat more than smaller ones. And older dogs will move less and likely want to eat less.
Higher-quality food is typically more nutritionally dense, so you may need to feed your dog smaller portions. That’s why it’s not possible to offer more guidance here. Again, we recommend following the feeding guidelines on the food.
It’s important to monitor your dog’s condition to ensure they are getting enough food.
Keep an eye on their activity level, skin and fur, and body composition. A dog should ideally be lean and active, but not so lean you can see their ribs or clearly feel their spine.
The opposite is also true. They shouldn’t get a belly or begin to look rounded – they should just have a thin layer of fat on their body.
Should you feed your dog wet and dry food?
There is nothing wrong with feeding your dog both wet and dry food. Wet food can provide moisture and is easier to chew and digest. Dry food adds a crunch, can help clean teeth and includes lots of nutrition.
If your dog is happy eating both wet and dry food, there’s no reason not to give it to them.
Choose quality food and divide their daily food allowance between the two food types, and your dog should be perfectly happy.
You can mix the wet and dry food together or give them wet food for dinner and dry food to graze.
Your dog will usually make their preference known!
How many times should you feed your dog per day?
There is no set rule for how often you should feed your dog. This will also come down to age, breed, activity and your lifestyle.
Generally speaking, puppies should ideally eat little and often. They have small stomachs and need a steady supply of energy, protein and nutrients.
Typically, from eight weeks to six months, you could feed them three to four meals per day up to their maximum daily intake. From six months onwards, you can move to twice per day and keep it that way for the rest of their life.
Whether you use a combination of mealtimes and grazing is entirely up to you.
How to serve wet food when you’re not home
If a puppy needs feeding up to four times per day and a dog twice, how can you feed them when you’re at work, school or out of the house?
The answer is simple: an automatic pet feeder – keeping your dog well-fed while you go about your daily life.
They can serve wet or dry food on a schedule that suits you and your dog. And you have the option to keep wet food chilled and fresh in warmer months.
Set up your automatic pet feeder with the required number of portions, set the timer and leave it on the floor where your dog can find it and let them eat.
We would recommend familiarising your dog with the feeder before leaving them alone, just in case. Introduce them to the feeder, show them how it works, place food in the bowl so they know what to expect and use it a few times while you’re home.
And if you let your dog graze on dry food between mealtimes, make sure there is always some around for them to eat.
They will soon get the hang of it!
Feeding multiple dogs at once
If you have more than one dog, you’ll need to monitor mealtimes as much as possible to ensure one dog doesn’t steal another’s dinner.
They may be the best of friends, but when it comes to food, all bets are off!
If you’re around for mealtimes, portion the food according to your dog’s needs and place them on the floor when you’re ready. And teach them to stick to their own bowl, making sure that all your dogs get their fair share.
If you’re out of the house or working, consider using the MiBowl Automatic Microchip Pet Feeder for smaller dogs. It works like an automatic feeder, but it has a mechanism so that only the dog with a paired microchip can access the food to eat.
It’s a genius idea that can solve a very common issue with feeding multiple dogs when you’re not there to mediate.
Feeding guide for new dog owners
Being a new dog owner is an exciting time and one filled with laughter and adventure.
It’s also a time for learning and making sure you give your dog everything it needs to live its best life.
Hopefully, this wet food feeding guide for dogs has given you enough information to get you started. Good luck – there’s nothing quite like being a dog owner!