The amount of food your dog needs depends on a great many things. One dog differs from another in its basal metabolism, the amount of energy it uses, the demands of his nervous system, the requirements of growth and general maintenance, and the kind of work it does, if any. In brief, dogs differ in their food needs as much as people do. While one person eats a great deal and remains lean, another may eat far less and become fat. So too with dogs. The Domestication of the dog has meant that, on the average, it does not exercise nearly so much as it did in his primative state. As a result, one must watch a dog's weight, particularly the weight of a city or apartment dog, or else the dog will become fat. Too much weight weakens the heart and will shorten the life of the dog. The key to correct nutrition is a balanced diet. A dog needs a balance of certain basic nutrients: vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and (for bulk) carbohydrates. When it receives these in the right amounts, it will probably also be receiving enough calories, which it can turn into energy. There is no fixed formula - each dog is different. You will have to feel your way, guided by what common sense tells you and what you see with your eyes. I will tell you in untechnical language what diet means for your dog. On the whole a person and a dog need the same type of foods, although of course in different quantities. Usually a person is larger than a dog and therefore needs much more than a dog. Also, the average person is considerably more active than a dog. Even the city dweller burns more energy than the average dog, unless one has in mind a farm dog or an Alaskan Malamute mushing great distances every day through the snow and wind. In terms of requirements, a dog and a person differ only in the need for vitamin C. Mature dogs do not need vitamin C, they seem to manufacture their own.

When do I feed my dog ?

As always, there is no hard and fast rules about how many times a day a dog should be fed. The idea is to maintain a desired body weight - not too heavy, not too thin. It's the amount of food their eating that remains the important thing. Other indicators of a happy healthy dog are the brightness of the eyes, the shininess of the coat, and the activity level of the dog. Dogs by nature are worse than humans. Many of them would eat to the point of bursting. I've certainly known my share of humans who would do that too. But dogs do love to eat, in general. Here at Healthy Dog, all our experts agree and believe that twice a day is a correct amount of times to feed a dog.

The three stages of feeding your dog

Puppies get to eat more often than adults because of their special nutritional needs. Here are the three stages of how many times you should feed your dog.

1) Four times a day in little amounts . Usually this is ages 1 to 6 months.

2) Three times a day from 6 to 11 months.

3) Twice a day thereafter. We recommend two daily feedings because dogs are so food driven that mealtime is the highlight of their day. Also if your dog becomes ill overnight or during the day, feeding time is the best time to notice that. Some sick dogs will only let on they don't feel well by refusing food.

Get your dog on the schedule that suits you

You want to teach your dog when it is young that when meals are served, it better get right down to business of eating them. If you let him dillydally around about eating, he'll wind up taking charge of the mealtimes. Put food down for fifteen minutes - if your dog hasn't paid attention and eaten in that time, then take it away. He'll learn to eat when it is offered.

A Feeding Danger

Bloat or gastric torsion is caused by gas building up very quickly in the stomach after the dog eats (eating very quickly increases the risk). This can cause the intestines to twist. It requires immediate surgical intervention to save the dog's life. On the outside, the stomach looks extremely distended, as though it could burst. In fact the intestines can burst internally, which is what makes this event life threatening. Larger breeds are more prone to bloat and therefore benefit even more by having stages in their mealtimes as they grow. (see the three stages above), so be careful your dog does not eat a large amount of food in a short amount of time.

Bloat is the second leading killer of dogs, after cancer.