My dog is thin, but vet recommended small portions. Can I feed more?

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! This isn't an easy question to answer, it depends on if Bruno is a healthy weight. Is he overweight or too thin? I always recommend using the dog food bag as a guideline. If the dog is too heavy then cut back and if too thin then increase. The food my dog eats says he should eat 4 cups per day but 2 cups keeps him at the ideal weight. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-much-to-feed-a-dog-to-meet-his-energy-needs/

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would continue to feed her the small breed puppy food at the recommended amount on the bag. Puppy food is calorie-dense, so as to meet the energy needs of high-energy puppies. You can try breaking the amount into smaller, more frequent meals (ie three or four times a day) so she feels like she is getting to eat more. I would not over-feed her for fear of early onset obesity, which can lead to significant health issues later in life. You can also supplement her diet with healthy treats during the day such as carrots or green beans. After she is spayed, her energy requirements will decrease and she will need to be fed less food so she doesn't become overweight. I hope this is helpful!

I go by how hungry your puppy is not by the recommended amount of food on the bag. Young puppies need to eat more often so I feed three times daily. I would start with the amount on the bag. If he is starving at the next meal you are not feeding enough. He should be hungry at the next meal and just finish the food. Increase the amount as needed to keep him from being too hungry. As he grows up he will stop being hungry at the mid day meal so you can stop that. I continue to feed two meals dail for the rest of his life. Once he’s full grown you may need to cut back the amount if he starts to get fat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Louie.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Being lean is not always a concern. A good body condition is based on muscle mass and palpation of the body, not a number on a scale. You should be able to feel her ribs while standing without pushing hard and she should have an hour glass waist from the sides and top of her body. She should also have good muscle definition in her chest and limbs. Make sure you are feeding what the bag of food says for her daily amount based on her weight. Make sure your vet tests for intestinal parasites so they are not consuming her calories. I hope this helps! Kisses to Soska!

Some young, growing, active dogs require more calories then other dogs. If she feel she is lean then i would up the amount of food you are feeding or add in another meal per day. I typically recommend increasing the amount fed by 25%. You can spread this extra amount over the meals. You can also try supplementing some extra protein sources like chicken or ground turkey. You can also look up the calories (kcal) in her diets to figure out if she is getting enough. The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical School has a good site about determining how many calories a pet needs. If you google Ohio State pet calorie calculator it should come up. This will allow you to figure out her energy requirement (kcal/day) and compare this to what she is eating. Keep in mind that she still may need more then what you calculate if she is not gaining weight as every dog is different. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Yes you need to increase the amount of food at each feeding until he’s not so hungry. Feed him four times a day if needed to fill him up. Puppies rarely get too fat so give him enough food so he’s not starving. The amount on the bag is just a guideline. Pups that are more active and growing fast will eat more. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jasper.

Based on the photos e does not appear under weight. Most dogs are over weight so in comparison the fit dogs actually look thin For him to stay the same weight as he is you an feed 1.5 cups of food twice a day and still mix in the canned food he likes, about 1/4-1/3 a can at a time. If he does not finish the meal the. You may have to divide it into 3-4 feedings a day to get him to eat enough. If he is very active and he is using all these calories the. You can increase it. If he gets too. Big then decrease the canned food portion