We begin this week’s “RUFF TAILS” featuring a beautiful 11-month-old Blue Merle Collie named Sterling.
This is Sterling!!! Sterling is our very sweet, sensitive, and sometimes sassy Blue Merle Collie. He loves to play along with his dog friends and can often be seen prancing up a storm and tossing a toy into the air to impress his friends.
Sterling is our third rough collie and we picked him up from the breeders at 8 weeks old. He is now 11 months old and although we have been doing puppy training from the beginning, the real grown-up dog training has started in earnest.
He is learning to walk calmly on a loose leash and to come sprinting back when called but we still need a bit more practice in the learning of these skills…. especially when his friends are around!!!
Welcome to Doggie Dialogue
We have many clients asked us this very question, “how much food should I feed my dog?”
We recommend feeding your K9 high-quality dog food to keep them healthy. However, feeding your K9 too much food can have consequences.
Well, what is the right amount? There are several factors when determining how much your dog should be eating. The correct meal size depends on the type of food, your K9’s current body weight, number of meals throughout the day, the amount of exercise and their metabolic rate.
We recommend looking at the feeding guide on your dog’s food label.
PUPPY FEEDING GUIDE:
Most adult dogs eat two meals a day, however puppies often require three or four feedings.
ADULT FEEDING GUIDE:
Your veterinarian can help you with your dog’s body condition score (BCS) and help you determine an appropriate calorie amount.
Dogs who are at a healthy weight often have an “hourglass” figure, when you look down on them from above. The abdomen should be narrower than the chest and hips.
If you feed your K9 too much, it can eventually lead to obesity and other health issues such as congestive heart failure, skin disorders, Cushing’s disease, musculoskeletal problems like osteoarthritis, intervertebral disk disease or ligament rupture.
Giving your dog the right amount of quality dog food can help support your K9’s overall health. Should you need any guidance with this subject matter, please speak to your vet, on what would be best nutrition program/diet for your K9.
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