![]() However, even without knowing the size and weight of the parents, most dogs grow to more or less the average size of other dogs of the same breed. It can sometimes be harder to find records on the father, unless the pregnancy was planned and arranged. However, if you adopted your puppy from a breeder, or the kennel has records of the mother, someone can probably inform you of the size and weight the mother grew to. Looking at the average weight of adult dogs of the same breed and sex as your puppyįor some owners, particularly if your dog is a rescue, you may not know the parents, so the former is not an option.Observing the size and weight of your puppy’s parents.However, there are two reasonably reliable ways of estimating how large your dog will become. Thus, it is important you know the eventual size of your dog, so you can buy the right food for him or her and help keep them at their ideal and healthiest weight.Įvery dog is different and, no matter how well you feed your puppy, some dogs won’t grow to be as big or as heavy as others of the same breed. Keeping a close eye on your dog’s weight can extend their life span. ![]() This can lead to long-term growth and health issues, such as obesity. Feeding a dog food intended for a different-sized breed will result in nutritional imbalances. Conversely, large breeds, which are considered to be 25kg or more (but see the chart below for a more accurate breed-by-breed interpretation), have the most growing to do, so they need large breed dog food to get all the energy they must consume to grow at such a rapid rate.įor this reason, many dog food products have a breed size indicator on the packaging, letting you know if it is suitable for small, medium, large and even extra-large breeds. For example, small breeds, generally considered to be 10kg or less, have much less growing to do than medium-sized or large breeds.Ĭonsequently, they need less energy, so small breed dog food reflects this and provides them only with the nutrients they require to stay healthy. Not only is this useful to know before adopting a specific breed (large breeds need more space, smaller breeds tend to live longer, etc.), but this information has a strong influence on what you should feed your dog. Remember this is a guide and a common-sense approach is needed by the owner at all times to ensure their dog does not gain too much weight – please call us for advice if necessary.įor tailored feeding advice from our team of nutrition experts, contact us today.Whether your dog is still a puppy or already an adult, it is important to have an idea of his or her expected size and weight when they are fully grown.Some dogs and puppies will need the upper raw dog food and raw puppy food limits allowed, whereas some will need the lower limits.Puppies should be lean and not overweight to protect their joints.Use careful observation as your puppy develops.However, it’s a very different story for growing puppies as we detail below. Feeding guides are helpful, but ultimately they provide recommendations rather than exact quantities.Īs we’ve said, a general rule with raw dog food, in order to sustain a dog’s ideal bodyweight, you should be feeding your adult dog between 2-3% of its ideal bodyweight per day. Remember, every dog’s metabolism is different, as are their nutritional requirements, so feeding should be matched to their individual needs. ![]() If you have a dog that is overweight or underweight then the amount of food given can be adjusted as necessary. Monitor their weight carefully, so that you can adjust portions as necessary. We recommend starting at 2-2.5% and monitoring the dog’s weight, increasing or decreasing the amount of raw food given as required. Most dogs will require the lower end and some the upper end. In Bruno’s case that is 600-900g of food per day. In order to sustain this, he will require somewhere between 2-3% of his bodyweight per day. ![]() This is his ideal weight and the weight that you want him to maintain.
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