10,460 answers about dogs
From a puppy’s first feeding schedule to a senior dog’s comfort care, dog owners ask it all — this page gathers the dog library of KinsLe Answers in one place. Browse by topic below, from feeding and training to health, grooming, safety and travel. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
763 answers in Feeding & Nutrition — page 11 of 32
Most adult Bichon Frises do well on two small meals a day, which suits a little dog with a modest stomach and keeps energy and appetite steady. Bichon puppies, like other small-breed youngsters, need three to four small meals spread across the day because tiny dogs burn through a small meal quickly and can become…
Most adult Bernese Mountain Dogs should eat two meals a day rather than one large one, because this is a big, deep-chested breed and smaller, split servings are gentler on the stomach and digestion. Puppies need three to four smaller meals as they grow, and giant-breed youngsters should stay on an appropriate growth…
Most adult Australian Shepherds do best on two meals a day, morning and evening, which steadies the energy of a high-drive herding breed and avoids one huge serving sitting in the stomach during activity. Puppies need three to four smaller meals while they grow, and a working Aussie on a genuinely demanding day may…
Start with the feeding guide on your dog's food for his target weight, then correct it using his body condition rather than the bag alone, because guides assume an average dog and yours may be a sprinter or a sofa specialist. Weigh the food instead of scooping, count treats and chews as part of the day's total, and…
A food that does not agree with your dog usually announces itself through digestion and skin: looser or more frequent stools, gas, gurgling, occasional vomiting, reduced appetite, or new itching and ear trouble that began after the food changed. The clearest test is timing — signs that started within days of a new…
Switch when your dog is close to adult size and weight rather than on a fixed birthday — small breeds mature earlier than large ones, whose growth plates need puppy nutrition for longer — and make the change gradually over about a week. Start with mostly puppy food and a little adult food, then shift the balance every…
In a multi-pet home, grazing bowls are the invitation, so move every animal to scheduled meals in separate spaces and pick up anything unfinished. Feed cats up high or behind a gate your dog cannot pass, feed a slower dog behind a closed door until he finishes, and supervise the whole meal rather than filling bowls…
Begging persists because it has worked, so the fix is to make it never work again while giving your dog something better to do during meals. Feed your dog before you sit down, settle him on a mat away from the table with a long-lasting chew or stuffed toy that is his alone, and have every person at the table ignore…
The guaranteed analysis is the panel that lists minimum crude protein and crude fat, plus maximum crude fiber and moisture, so start there rather than with the front-of-bag claims. Read protein and fat together: a dry food with modest protein and high fat is calorie-dense, while high moisture in a wet food makes its…
Put weight on a dog who is too thin by first checking with a vet why he is thin, then feeding more calories in digestible form across several smaller meals a day; increase his ration gradually, or move to a more energy-dense food, adding one measured change at a time so his stomach copes and you can see what works.…
Plan meals around long walks by feeding the main meal after exercise rather than before, and leaving a clear gap — at least an hour, and more for large deep-chested breeds — between a full stomach and vigorous activity. On a walking day, offer a light early start if he needs something, walk, then serve the proper meal…
Make your dog's food last longer in hot weather by storing it cool, sealed, and dry — and by serving smaller amounts that get finished rather than left standing; keep dry food in its original bag inside an airtight container in the coolest cupboard, away from sun and overheating garages, rolled closed to exclude air.…
Judge your dog's food less by marketing and more by its label and by him: look for a named animal protein as the first ingredient, a statement that the food is complete and balanced for his life stage, and a manufacturer who employs nutrition expertise and tests the finished diet. Then read the evidence in front of…
Keep your dog's water bowl clean and fresh by emptying, washing, and refilling it daily — that slimy film that builds up is a bacterial layer, not harmless residue. Wash the bowl with hot soapy water and a brush or sponge kept just for pet bowls, rinse well, and choose stainless steel or ceramic over scratched…
Introduce a new food to a fussy dog gradually, mixing a small amount of the new food into his current one and increasing the proportion over about a week, so his stomach and his suspicion both adjust slowly. Serve meals at set times and lift the bowl after twenty minutes rather than leaving food down or offering…
Help your dog lose weight safely by feeding a measured, slightly reduced ration consistently — not by crash dieting — and weighing him regularly so the loss stays gradual. Start with a vet check and a target weight, weigh his food instead of scooping by eye, cut treats back or fund them from his daily kibble, and add…
Feed them in the same routine but with physical separation — different rooms, a baby gate between them, or crates — so the fast eater cannot finish first and move in on the slower dog's bowl. Give the speedster a slow-feeder bowl or puzzle toy to stretch his meal past the other's finishing time, serve measured…
An elderly dog losing interest in food needs the cause explored first and the food made easier and more tempting second: warm his meals to release aroma, soften textures for sore teeth, and offer smaller portions more often in a quiet spot. Note that a fading sense of smell, dental pain, nausea, and several…
A nursing dog with a large litter needs far more food and water than normal — often free access to an energy-dense diet through peak milk production — because she is feeding many puppies from her own body. Offer a high-quality puppy or all-life-stages food in frequent meals or free-choice, keep water constantly topped…
A greedy dog who always seems hungry usually needs his food slowed down, spread out, and made to work harder for him — not simply increased. Split his measured daily ration into more, smaller meals, use a slow-feeder bowl or scatter part of it in grass so eating takes minutes instead of seconds, and swap calorie-heavy…
Most dogs who have had teeth removed eat surprisingly well once the gums have healed, because they crush food against the hard palate rather than truly chewing every piece. Start with soft, wet food or kibble soaked until it mashes easily with a fork, serve it slightly warm to release aroma, and offer smaller meals…
Slow the delivery, not just the dog: spread his meal in a wide shallow bowl or slow-feeder, scatter it in short grass, or soften it with warm water so it cannot be inhaled in three bites, and split the daily ration into smaller, more frequent meals. Keep mealtimes calm and separate from other pets, since competition…
Protect the core and trim the extras: a complete, balanced food you can afford consistently beats a premium food you keep running out of and substituting. Buy the largest bag he will finish while it stays fresh, store it sealed and dry, and measure portions — overfeeding a big dog is one of the commonest hidden costs.…
Separate them in space and time: feed on a schedule rather than leaving food down, put the cat's bowl where the dog physically cannot reach — up high, behind a gate with a cat-sized gap, or in a room the cat reaches through a cat flap — and lift leftovers when the meal ends. Most dogs find cat food irresistible and…
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