• Feed a dog once or twice each day.Dog image by Lea Petrasova from Fotolia.com
  
  

Feed Once or Twice Daily

• Dog food manufacturers recommend how much food to give a pet each day. This information listed on the bag is for the average healthy adult dog and is subject to U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Most manufacturers recommend feeding a dog once or twice daily (split the daily serving into two portions). The more a dog weighs, the more a dog will eat, according to recommended daily feeding amounts. Feed a dog weighing 12 lbs. or less 1/2 to 1 cup of dry food each day, add another 1/2 cup for 13- to 20-lb. dogs; feed 1 1/2 to 2 1/3 cups for 21 to 35 lbs., 2 1/3 to 3 cups for 36 to 50 lbs., 3 to 3 1/4 cups for 51 to 75 lbs., 3 3/4 to 4 2/3 cups for 76 to 100 lbs. and an additional 1/4 cup food for every 10 lbs. over 100 lbs..
  
  

Try Not to Overfeed

• With the vast number of snacks and treats on the market, it can be easy to overfeed a dog. The daily food guidelines are for a dry-food only diet. If a dog is eating snacks, table scraps or canned food, decrease the amount of dry food. If a veterinarian has suggested weight loss for a pet, give less food. A dog with a low activity level may also eat less than the recommended guidelines and a very active dog may eat more.
  
  

Bottom Line

• According to "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats," one in three dogs is overweight. To keep your pet from getting chubby, feed a quality pet food and keep recommended daily feeding amounts in mind. Exercise your pet daily and avoid too many snacks.