Interactive lesson

Feeding and housing a dog, step by step

Interactive lesson: how much food and water a dog and cat need, commercial and cooked food, what is poisonous, body condition, kennel, run and fencing.

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The whole lesson as text

1. How much food and water

The amount depends on the dog's weight, its work and the season.

Amount by weight — A large 40 kg (88 lb) guardian eats roughly 0.45–0.6 kg of good-quality dry food a day, and outdoors in winter and on the hill up to 0.8 kg.
Water always — A dog drinks roughly 50–60 mL per kg of body weight a day: a 40 kg dog 2–2.4 L. In winter the water must not freeze.
A cat is different — A 3–5 kg cat eats roughly 50–70 g of dry food a day. It needs cat food, with taurine; porridge with milk is not a meal.
How often a day — An adult dog 1–2 times, a puppy up to 6 months 3–4 times. Feed large, deep-chested dogs in two meals and don't put them to hard work straight after eating.

Why: Food needs rise more slowly than weight: a 40 kg dog doesn't eat eight times as much as a 5 kg dog, but roughly five times as much. So start from the table and the instructions on the bag, then adjust to body condition.

Older, neutered and less active dogs need 10–20 % less, nursing bitches and puppies much more.
The instructions on the bag and the dog's condition always take priority over the table.

2. Commercial food

Complete commercial food covers all of a dog's needs on its own.

Complete, not complementary — For the everyday meal use complete food. Treats and tins "to go with a meal" are only an extra.
Food by age — A large-breed puppy eats large-breed puppy food until 12–18 months, with no added calcium. In winter give a working dog food for active dogs or a bigger portion.
How to read the bag — The first ingredient on the list is the largest. For a working dog look for meat or meat meal in first place and clear protein and fat figures.
Storing food — Keep the bag in a metal bin or drum with a lid, dry and away from mice. Use an opened bag within 4–6 weeks; throw away rancid or mouldy food.

Why: The bag says "complete" or "complete feed for dogs". Complementary food, treats and tins "to go with a meal", isn't enough on its own.

Always change food gradually, over 7–10 days: each day a little more of the new and a little less of the old. A sudden change brings diarrhoea.
Dearer food isn't always better, but the cheapest often has a lot of cereal and the dog has to eat more of it.