Find out what should determine portion size.<\/p>\n
You may be the one holding the food bag, but your pet is definitely the one with the power. All they have to do is turn those big, sad eyes on you, woof (or meow) sadly and you\u2019re ready to give in. But how do you know when they\u2019re actually hungry and when they\u2019re just scamming you for more? There are a couple of factors to consider.<\/p>\n
For starters, are you actually feeding your pet based on their food\u2019s guidelines? It\u2019s the chart on the back of the bag that designates how many cups per day a dog or cat should eat based on weight and activity (and it\u2019s not just there for decoration). By using that as a guide for your average day, it\u2019s easier to decide how much you should increase (or decrease) on special occasions, if needed.<\/p>\n
Are you using a measuring cup to figure out portions? Guess-timating portion size could mean you\u2019re varying how much you feed your pet without even realizing it. Little differences in serving size can mean \u00a0big weight gains for small dogs. Also, if you want to get really precise, you can even try an autofeeder, which measures the food out for you.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019re sure that your pet is getting the recommended daily amount, it\u2019s time to look at what could \u00a0be speeding up (or slo<\/span>wing down) their metabolism. One explanation is that it\u2019s just in their genes. After all, even dogs of the same breed are built a little built differently. Some are lean, some are roly poly some are in the middle. That\u2019s because we all metabolize food a little bit differently, even pets.<\/p>\n Age is another factor. The guidelines on food bags are often set for adult animals, so if you\u2019re feeding a younger or older pet you\u2019ll need to adjust accordingly. Puppies and kittens need a lot of calories to play hard and grow big, so that could mean 2 \u2013 2.5 times the usual amount. Meanwhile, a mellow senior dog or cat whose main sport is napping will need a little less than the recommendation to avoid piling on the pounds.<\/p>\n You should definitely consider activity level for dogs (not so much for cats). If your canine pal is begging for extra mileage on walks as regularly as they beg for more food, they really may need more than the usual amount. However, if you have a couch potato on your hands, they might benefit from less than the daily recommendation.<\/p>\n Same goes for season. In the summer, your dog hits the dog park like you hit the gym and burning extra calories means they\u2019ll need extra food. But come winter, their walks get shorter as the days get colder and that could mean cutting down their normal portion a little.<\/p>\n Also, don\u2019t forget about treats. If they\u2019re filling up on dessert, they definitely don\u2019t need extra dinner. Add in the calories they\u2019re getting from treats just like it was part of their meal.<\/p>\n