You feed your dog and then go to fix a meal for yourself. As you sit down to enjoy your meal after a long day at work, your furry friend isn’t far behind, begging for more to eat or rather, your food. This scenario is all too familiar to dog owners across the country. It seems no matter how much dog food your dog eats, they are still hungry. This may be the case or may not be. It’s important to find out how much dog food you should be feeding your dog so that you are not underfeeding or overfeeding your pooch.

For most dogs living in a pleasant home environment, underfeeding is rarely the problem. In fact, studies show that more than half of dogs living in the United States are overweight. Pet obesity is considered the number one health threat in companion animals. Make it a point to frequently review your dog’s eating habits and activity levels to help them maintain a healthy weight and prevent a plethora of weight-related illnesses.

The urge to constantly eat is often the result of boredom. Get your dog out of the house to get some exercise and expel some of that energy. Try taking your dog for a walk, to a dog park to get in a good run, or play fetch. Keep in mind, however, that your dog will need to replace that released energy with nutrient-rich foods. This means that if you already have an active dog, there does lay the possibility of underfeeding them it that expelled energy is not being replenished.

Other factors that can affect a dog’s hunger level include weather, age, and even the type of food. When the temperatures rise or drop drastically, dogs are less active so less energy is used. Similarly, as a dog matures, they are usually less active so again, fewer nutrients are needed to replenish it. Depending on whether you feed your dog wet or dry dog food can also make a difference in hunger levels. Wet dog food usually can move through the body in four hours while dry dog food can maintain for eight hours.

If you aren’t sure how much to feed your dog, here is a general dog feeding guide you can use to help ensure safe feeding habits.

We hope this dog feeding guide is helpful in keeping your pet healthy and happy. If you have any concerns or questions regarding your dog’s nutrition or eating habits, be sure to consult your veterinarian.