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What Do Dogs Eat? Tips On Feeding Your Dog

Feeding your dog the right nutrients and a complete, balanced diet doesn’t have to be a head-scratcher. Find out what can a dog eat, how much food to feed your dog, how many times to feed a dog, how to handle treats and supplements, and much more.

1. How Do I Decide What To Feed My Dog? 

When deciding which dog food is right for your pet, consider these three factors: 

• Your dog’s life stage (Whether your dog is a puppy, an adult, or a senior)
• Lifestyle (How active your dog is)
• Condition (Overall health and bodyweight of your dog)  

2. How Many Times Should I Feed My Dog? 

Puppies should be fed three times a day from weaning (3 to 6 weeks) to 4 months of age. After 4 months, they should be fed twice a day. Most dogs should continue to be fed twice a day throughout their life, although some pets do well with one feeding.

3. How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog? 

The amount to feed your dog depends on its age, size, and activity level. Feeding guidelines, which list the daily-recommended portion, are included on all IAMS™ packages. Start feeding your dog with this amount and adjust according to its needs. Remember to divide the portion accordingly if you feed more than once a day.

4. How Much Should I Feed My Puppy? 

The amount you need to feed your puppy depends on 3 main factors — breed, weight, and age. However, you can look at this general guideline that we recommend for puppies: 

This diet contains 390 kilocalories of metabolizable energy (ME) per 100 gms. Remember to have clean, fresh water available for your dog always.

5. When Should I Switch My Puppy To An Adult Dog Food Diet? 

You should not change your puppy’s food to adult abruptly. Giving your pet time to acclimatize to the new taste of adult food is very important. Also, if you suddenly switch your pup’s food, it can cause digestive problems. Go through this schedule that will help you understand how much to feed your dog and transition your dog’s diet from puppy food to adult food:

•  Day 1 – Add 75% puppy food and mix 25% adult food on your dog’s plate. 
•  Day 2 – Add both foods in equal quantities i.e. 50% puppy food and 50% adult food.
•  Day 3 – Increase the quantity of adult food to 75% and bring down the quantity of puppy food to 25%.
•  Day 4 – Fully transition to adult dog food.  

Here is the weight and age-wise breakdown on when to transition your puppy’s diet to adult food 

6. When Should I Switch My Dog To Senior Food? 

While transitioning from adult dog food to senior dog food, it is important to factor in your dog’s weight. Take a look at this weight table to know when to transition your dog’s food from adult to senior – 

7. What Is The Best Way To Introduce A New Diet To My Dog? 

When changing your dog’s food diet, it’s important to slowly introduce new food. Start by offering your dog’s daily portion in a ratio of 25% new food to 75% current food. During the next three days, gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of the old food.

8. What Food Can A Dog Eat If It Is Overweight? 

If your dog has gained unhealthy weight, make sure to cut down on fats along with increasing regular exercise. We recommend IAMS Adult Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food, which is low on fats and offers a nutritious blend of fibers and natural prebiotics that support healthy digestion and L-carnitine for a healthy metabolism. How much food to feed your dog if they’re overweight is another major concern. You need to make sure you do not decrease the quantity of the food your dog eats as it will prove detrimental to its health — your dog needs its daily intake of proteins and required fatty acids.

9. What Should I Feed My Pregnant Or Nursing Dog? 

It’s important to understand that your dog’s nutritional needs change during pregnancy and ensure you feed her nutrition-rich food. For pregnant dogs, we recommend IAMS™ Puppy food as it’s full of proteins that can help your pregnant dog during the gestation period and also improve the quality of milk to nourish her puppies post-delivery. 

10. Is It Necessary To Feed Both Wet And Dry Food? 

Wet food is an excellent treat that can be fed alone or mixed with dry food. Although IAMS wet dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, it is not necessary to offer wet food at every feeding. Our dry foods are formulated with high-quality protein sources such as chicken, lamb, or fish, and contain all the essential nutrients pets need. The crunchy texture of dry food also promotes healthy teeth and gums and aids in overall good oral hygiene. In addition, some of our dry dog foods contain a dental enhancement to help block tartar buildup on teeth during and after meals.

11. Will My Dog Be Bored Eating The Same Food All The Time? 

No. Boredom with food is a human trait. Dogs are creatures of habit and usually are happy with just one food. Dogs generally eat to meet their energy or nutritional needs. They have very short digestive systems, and if their diet is abruptly or constantly changed, digestive disturbances can occur. Also, constant changes can make a pet a finicky eater.

12. Is It All Right To Moisten Dry Food? 

Adding water will not change the nutritional value of dry pet food. However, once moisture is added, the food should be eaten relatively soon — and any uneaten portion should be discarded to avoid spoilage. We recommend feeding your dog dry food from IAMS because it is beneficial to your dog’s dental health.

13. Will It Hurt My Dog If They Eat My Cat’s Food? 

Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements and should not eat each other’s food. For example, cats require a much higher level of taurine in their diet. An occasional venture into each other’s bowls will not be harmful, but it is not recommended to feed your dog cat food regularly.

14. How Many Biscuits Can I Feed My Dog Each Day? 

We recommend feeding your dog approximately two to four small biscuits per cup of food. Keep in mind that when you add biscuits to your dog’s daily diet, this increases its daily calorie intake, so you should reduce the amount of food you feed. Check the calorie content of the biscuit since biscuits vary in size and formulation.

15. Can I Supplement Your Dog Foods With Vitamins, Minerals, Oils, Etc.? 

Our foods are nutritionally complete and balanced. Adding vitamins, minerals or oils can offset the balance the food provides. One of the benefits of feeding your dog a high-quality product is that it has been carefully balanced in proper ratios to provide optimal nutrition — nothing needs to be added.

16. Why Does My Dog Need To Eat Protein? 

Protein is one of the essential elements that should be a part of your dog’s diet. Including protein in your dog’s diet will strengthen its muscles, ligaments, and cartilages. A protein-rich food also brings about a healthy shine to your dog’s coat! 

17. Why Should One Maintain A Feeding Schedule For Dogs? 

It is important to maintain a feeding schedule for dogs so that they are conditioned to expect food at that time and also avoid irregular snacking in between. 

18. What Are Things Not To Feed A Dog?  

You should never feed your dog home-baked goods, candy, gum, chocolate, limes, onion, and grapes. They can harm your dog’s digestive tract and cause infections as well. 

19. Why Should You Feed Iams Dog Food Over Homecooked Food?  

IAMS dog food is full of key nutrients that your dog needs for its healthy growth. The basic ingredients in our food include chicken, fish oil, beet pulp, wholesome grains, and natural prebiotics.

20. How Can I Learn More About Pet Nutrition?  

To learn more about pet nutrition and dog food diet, feel free to contact us here.