At some point every guardian has wondered how many times a day the dog should eat. Whoever is a pet parent for the first time ends up facing this question, and believe me: the subject raises many doubts. There are those who leave the dog food at the pet's disposal all the time, and there are those who establish a certain schedule for the pet's meals, but besides knowing how many times the dog is fed.should eat per day, the quantity of the food is another important factor.

To unravel the main doubts about dog food, we have separated some important information that every guardian needs to know. See below how to calculate the amount of dog food, as well as how many portions should be offered daily to your four-legged friend.

How many days old can you give puppy food?

Before getting into the subject, we must understand that feeding puppies goes through several different stages. The first of these consists of breastfeeding, which must be done from the mother to the puppy (but in some cases, the use of artificial milk is also a valid option). After being breastfed for a month, the puppy must go through a food transition with the use of food, whichis nothing more than crushed feed grains mixed with a little artificial pet milk or water.

Around 45 days of age, it is already possible to introduce dog food into the puppies' routine. The only attention in this case is to make sure that the food is suitable for the animal's life stage. As puppies are still growing and developing, they have a different nutritional need than adult and elderly dogs. So always look on the packaging or ask for guidance from a professional.veterinarian to choose the right feed.

How many times a day should the dog eat?

Now that you know how many days a puppy can eat food, another important point is how many times a day the puppy should eat until it reaches adulthood. Unlike older animals, dogs should have their food fractioned into several small portions throughout the day, following the logic below:

• 2 months: 4 to 6 times a day
• 3 months: 4 times a day
• 4 to 6 months: 2 to 3 times a day
• After 6 months: 2 times a day or as recommended by your veterinarian

In adulthood, it is recommended that the dog has two meals a day, one in the morning and another in the late afternoon or early evening. Although many guardians prefer to leave the food in the pet's bowl all the time, this is not ideal and ends up being one of the most common mistakes when feeding a dog. In addition to losing flavor, texture and crunchiness, this habit makes us lose track of how much we have to eat.food is being offered to the dog and can favor a condition of canine obesity, for example.

How to calculate the amount of puppy or adult dog food?

This is perhaps one of the most important precautions when taking care of dog food. To know exactly how to calculate the amount of dog food, regardless of age, the ideal is to be based on the animal's weight. Usually the calculation takes into account a percentage of the pet's weight. See how much dog food is ideal per day according to his weight:

• Miniature size (from 1 to 5 kg): 55g to 95g of feed per day, equivalent to between 1 and 1.5 cups of feed.

• Small size (from 5 to 10 kg): 95g to 155g of feed per day, equivalent to between 1.5 and 2.5 cups of feed.

• Medium size (from 10 to 25 kg): 160g and 320g of feed per day, equivalent to between 2.5 and 5 cups of feed.

• Large size (from 25 to 40 kg): 320g and 530g of feed per day, equivalent to between 5 and 8 cups of feed.

• Giant size (over 40 kg): 530g and 810g of feed per day, equivalent to between 8 and 12 cups of feed.

But beware: the ideal is to consult a veterinarian to understand how your puppy's needs work, because the amount indicated can vary from animal to animal. A dog that consumes a lot of energy and is very active, for example, may need a larger amount of dog food than a dog that is more lazy and does not exercise.

Also, don't forget that the above-mentioned values should be divided into two daily portions. That is, a medium-sized dog that consumes 320 grams of food should eat twice a day, with a portion of 160 grams during the day and another equal at night.