how much wet food should a 6 pound dog eat

Are You Feeding Your Dog the Right Amount?

Why the Right Dog Food Amount Matters

If you feed your dog too little, they can suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

However, If you feed your dog too much, it will eventually result in obesity and its related health issues, like:

Giving your dog the right amount of quality dog food can help support your pets overall health and keep them feeling their best.

How to Find the Right Amount of Dog Food for Your Dog

You need to account for several factors when determining exactly how much your dog should be eating.

Consider the Important Factors

The correct meal size depends on factors like:

• Type of food

• Number of meals

• Body weight

• Metabolic rate

• Amount of exercise

Look at the Feeding Guide on the Bag

To start the process, take a look at the feeding guide on your dog foods label. They are usually presented as a table that looks something like this:

Unless stated otherwise, these amounts give you the total that is recommended for your dog over a 24-hour period.

Most adult dogs should eat two meals a day, and puppies often require threeor more feedings, so youll need to divide the amount in the table by the number of meals you are offering.

Take Your Dogs Lifestyle Into Account

Combine this information with your knowledge of your dogs lifestyle to come up with the initial amount of food to offer your dog.

For example, if I had a relatively inactive 35-pound Corgi who had a tendency to gain weight, I might start with a little less food than the table recommends. On the other hand, if my dog was a 35-pound Border Collie who never sits still, I would feed a little more.

Consider Using a Calorie Calculator

Another option is to try using a calorie calculator for dogs, but keep in mind that while these often spit out a precise number, your dogs actual needs may be as much as 25% more or less.

Determine Your Dogs Body Condition Score

Whichever method you pick, youll have to use a scale orbody condition scoring systemto fine-tune the amount of food you offer.

Your veterinarian can help you decipher your dogs body condition score (BCS) and determine an appropriate calorie amount.

In general, dogs who are at a healthy weight:

• Have an hourglass figure when you look down on them from above. The abdomen should be narrower than the chest and hips.

• Are tucked up when you look at them from the side. This means that their chest is closer to the ground than their belly when standing.

• Have ribs that are not readily visible but are easily felt with only light pressure.

Keep a Record of Your Dogs Weight Change

Check your dogs weight every 2-4 weeks and keep a diary of your results. If your dog is inappropriately gaining or losing weight, adjust your portion sizes appropriately. Make sure to discuss these changes with your veterinarian so they can ensure that there are no underlying conditions.

Reassess the Portion Size if You Switch Foods

Every time you change dog food formulas, you will have to go through this entire process again, because the number of calories in the food will be different.

Always Talk With Your Veterinarian

Talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions about your dogs health or diet. They can help you determine exactly how much food to offer based on the specifics of your dogs case.

Featured Image: iStock.com/Chalabala

How Much Wet Food to Feed a Dog (Calculations From Experts)

Key Takeaways

• Feeding wet food to dogs should be according to the dogs weight. Specifically, we should offer pets around 3 oz of wet food for every 3.5 pounds of their body weight.
• When switching from dry to wet doggy meals, note that a 1/4 cup of dry is equal to 3 oz of wet.
• Slight adjustments can be made on the portions if feeding for weight loss, weight gain, or perhaps for nursing moms. Seniors dogs and puppies eat differently and follow different rations since theyre in different life stages.

Dogs should get around 3 oz of wet food for every 3.5 pounds of body weight. This should be divided into two meals and then served to your dog one in the morning and another one in the afternoon. Some dog owners I know like to mix wet and dry food. Note though that the two arent equal usually, 3 oz of wet feed is the same as a 1/4 cup of dry food I like to weigh them separately before mixing. On the plus side, I find that mixing dry and wet food prevents my dogs from being picky which helps in case their regular food isnt available yet!

Reasons Why Wet Food is Good for Dogs

Additional moisture

Wet meals have more moisture, of course, compared to dry food. It is also suitable for dogs that do not drink enough water and are prone to dehydration. I typically feed wet food to my rescues since its more hydrating and gentler to their deprived stomachs. It can also be good for those dogs that experience kidney problems. Ive noticed though that quickly making the change from dry to wet food can also cause health problems like diarrhea. I would always consult the vet and follow a slow transition so theres time for my rescue to adapt.

It is easier to chew

Does your senior dog eat slowly? For older adult dogs that cannot handle dry kibble because of their teeth, canned or wet food is great because it goes down easier and helps them chew the food. It can also help prevent pain which happens in senior dogs with poor dental care. I suggest checking out some of the best fresh dog food brands that offer nutritious wet pet meals.

Higher protein levels

One of the exciting things about wet feed is that they are formulated with higher levels of protein and less carbohydrate than dry kibble. So basically, the meat content is higher in wet feed compared to kibble. Though not all wet dog food is made the same way, it would still be important to read the ingredients to confirm the protein content before settling on one wet canned dog food. Brands like Midwestern Pet Foods also offer insight on how they make and formulate their food so I find it more assuring to buy from these names.

It is more palatable

Most canned foods are made with natural ingredients that a dog eats more happily. That is because the actual chunks of meat and vegetables make the food more appealing to the dog. Dogs have a more developed sense of smell [1] than people, so they can sense when the food is organic and has fewer preservatives. It probably attracts them more to canned food as well because the moisture helps to bring the aroma out. Fresh meals, however, are still different in terms of palatability. Check out my canned vs fresh dog food comparison to learn more.

How Much Wet food to Feed Your Dog

Giving a dog about 3 oz of wet food per three pounds of the dogs weight would be advisable. That means a 30-pound dog must consume 1.8 pounds of a wet meal. That is also divided into two or more meals. The amount can be adjusted as needed to help maintain the dogs ideal body condition.

There are also age recommendations. For example, I would often give puppies more wet dog food since they have higher caloric requirements than adult dogs. I also make a point of keeping the supply of crisp water easily and constantly accessible. Medically accepted feeding guidelines typically change too so I also like to subscribe to any of todays best dog food delivery service companies that provide balanced meals for your dogs specific needs.

Tips for Giving Your Dog Wet Food

Deciding with a mix of wet food and the dry dog food

Some dogs enjoy canned or wet dog food when it is mixed together with dry food. It is because both come with nutritional benefits. I typically call this a topping or an add-on to the dogs overall caloric consumption. It can make the dry food that much more exciting for the dog as well. When I do this, I make sure to compute the overall calories separately so I know exactly how much my dog is getting.

Determine the right portion size

As stated before, medium breeds like a 30-pound Australian Cattle would need close to two pounds of wet dog food, and this is divided over two meals. For large breed dogs, it can eat more food around two cups of wet feed daily, while the amount is substantially reduced for small breed dogs. However, that is also dependent on the activities and health conditions. If the dog is not active or suffering from obesity, it would be better to reduce the dogs food to just one cup per day or as needed. Since I get lots of rescues, I usually have a feeding chart at home to guide me with the pets food.

Fresh water

Its crucial that dogs have access to fresh and clean water all the time. You can feed your dog wet meals but thats no replacement to pure, crisp water. The water bowl should be kept clean throughout the day. Dogs usually do not like water that has already been sitting for a time as well. I like to use a hanging water dispenser so the water is always fresh but it requires a bit of training for the dogs. There are also circulating water bowls which are great for both cats and dogs.

FAQs

Is it okay to feed YOUR dog wet food only?

The truth is it is entirely the choice of dog owners if you want to feed your dog wet, canned food, or dry food. The goal is to choose balanced food according to the dogs age, size, and activity.

How much food should I feed my dog?

If the dog is between 26 and 50 pounds, it can be fed two cups of wet feed. 50 to 75 pounds can be fed between two and two-thirds to three cups of wet feed. Again, this principle may change depending on whether the dog is overweight, underweight, nursing, a puppy, or a senior dog.

How Much Food To Feed My Dog & Feeding Chart By Weight

Giving your furry friend a nutritious, well-balanced diet and not overfeeding or underfeeding are among the most important things you can do for his lifelong health. Well help you determine how much food to give your dog and how many times he should eat each day, as well as any special feeding considerations you need to consider depending on your pups health needs.

Why Is Feeding My Dog The Right Amount So Important?

One of the most frequent questions we see from pup owners is, how much should my dog eat? Knowing how much to feed your dog is crucial for his health. Being overweight or underweight can lead to serious health problems. And this can occur in smaller dogs who are just a few pounds under or over their ideal weight.

Underfed dogs can develop such conditions as chronic lethargy, dehydration, a weakened immune system, severe nutritional deficiencies that affect organ function, and cognitive problems. More common, however, is what experts say has become an epidemic of obesity in pets.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) reports that over 55% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese.Being overweight can shorten your dogs life and increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, liver or kidney problems, and arthritis.

How Much Should I Feed My Dog?

Unfortunately, theres no straightforward answer to this question. Several important factors affect how much food you should be giving your pup:

• Your dogs life stage (puppy, adult, or senior)
• Type and brand of food
• Your dogs weight
• Activity level
• Your dogs body condition
• Number of meals per day

As you can imagine, it takes a bit of legwork to determine the ideal amount of food your furry friend should consume. Your best resource for nutritional guidance is your dogs regular veterinarian. But you can also follow the steps below to determine how much you should feed your pup.

Dog Feeding Chart By Weight

The best place to start is to follow your dog foods label, which can quickly answer the question, how many cups of food should I feed my dog? These feeding charts vary by type of food, brand, and caloric content of each formula. And be aware that all have their limitations.* Most also give you the daily amount to feed your pup, so youll need to divide that total by the number of meals you give your dog each day. Heres an example of a typical adult dry dog food feeding chart.

*Feeding charts are generalized and geared toward dogs who are at a healthy weight with an average activity level. They also dont take into account any special health concerns your canine companion may have. But there are ways you can further nail down how much to feed your dog after starting with your pups food feeding chart.

Factor In Your Dogs Activity Level

Take the information from your furry friends dog food feeding chart and then consider his overall activity level and daily exercise. This can help you determine whether you should feed him on the lower or upper range of the labels recommended daily amount.

For example, if you have a couch-potato Basset Hound, you likely want to give him a bit less food than the feeding chart recommends. Alternatively, if you have an Australian Shepherd whos a constant ball of energy, youll probably want to feed a little more than the suggested range.

Determine Your Dogs Body Condition Score

Evaluating your dogs current body condition can help tell you if hes too thin, at a healthy weight, or overweight.Then, you can tweak his daily caloric intake (if needed) to help him gain or lose weight. Once your dog has reached his ideal weight, youll need to adjust his portions. If your dog isnt currently at a healthy weight, its best to consult your vet for the most appropriate feeding plan for your canine companion and to check him out for any possible underlying health conditions.

To determine your pups body condition score (BCS), examine his ribs, abdomen, and waistline by sight and touch. If your dogs score is a 4-5, then weigh him to know his ideal weight. If he falls between a 1-3, he likely needs to gain weight, and a 6-9 means he needs to shed some pounds.

Use A Calorie Calculator

An alternative method is to use an online calorie calculator that will factor in your dogs BCS, but these still have some limitations in terms of factoring in your pups activity level and daily exercise.

Dont Forget To Factor In Dog Treats

When determining how much your dog should eat each day, its crucial to factor in the caloric content of any treats, table scraps, or supplements you give him. (FYI, experts advise against feeding your pup table scraps for many reasons.) Some dog treats and health supplements have more calories than you might think, and if you give these to your furry friend regularly, it could lead to weight gain.

If your pup is a huge treat fan, look for healthy, low-calorie options. We recommend Fruitables Skinny Minis or Wellness CORE Jerky Bites. And if your vet has determined you should give your dog a daily joint supplement or another type of supplement for his health needs, youll need to subtract the calories of that from his daily food intake.

How Much To Feed Puppies & Seniors

Senior dogs typically require fewer calories than adults because their activity and metabolism have slowed down. Once your canine buddy has reached his senior years, most vets advise putting him on a dog food formulated specifically for elder dogs. Typically, these formulas have fewer calories and less fat content, which are appropriate for their slowing activity and metabolism.

Puppies are in an entirely different category when it comes to feeding needs. Its extremely important to follow feeding guidelines for your puppy because these requirements change every few weeks or months as he grows quickly. See our in-depth puppy feeding guide for a detailed puppy feeding chart by weight/age and much more.

How Often Should I Feed My Dog?

Ideally, most adult dogs should eat at least two meals per day, approximately 12 hours apart. Likewise, three meals spread out equally during the day is another excellent option. If your dogs breed is at a higher risk for canine bloat, its recommended to feed smaller, more frequent meals.

When you feed your pup is entirely up to your daily schedule, but its important to set up regular feeding times and stick with them. Dogs thrive on routine, so theyll be most content with meals served around the same time each day.

Your Best Dog Food Options

Are you considering switching to a different dog food? If you havent settled on a new diet, we encourage you to see our various dog food reviews. Weve researched hundreds of types, brands, and formulas to help you narrow down your options. See ourrecommended foodsfor any age, diet type, and health concern, thebest dog food delivery servicesfor puppies and adult dogs, and our top picks for fresh dog food.