JustAnswer > Dog
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Dog

Ask a Dog Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Dog question?

19 Vets and Dog Experts are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Dog Question?

Related Dog Topics:

  • Age
  • ,
  • Dog
  • ,
  • Cut
  • ,
  • May
  • ,
  • Pup
  • ,
  • Two
  • ,
  • Back
  • ,
  • Baby
  • ,
  • Bone
  • ,
  • Dogs

Question

I have a 8mo french Bulldog; I am interested to know what amount to feed him at each feeding (2xday). As his breed has heavy musculature and bone stutcture; I am concerned that the guidelines provided on the food packaging are insufficent for the French Buldog breed. By the same token, I worry that by feeding him more than the advised maount I could be causing him to become obese.

Submitted: 723 days and 9 hours ago.
Category: Dog
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED

Accepted Answer

All the foods have different calorie amounts per cup though many are similar. That is the first thing to look at to determine what your dog may need for food.
Then you need to look at the pup's current weight. The mid size dog breeds usually require about 30 calories per pound of body weight per day. The larger and giant breeds need only 20 calories per pound of weight, but the smaller breeds may need up to 40 calories per pound of body weight.
Now the French Bulldog is on the small size as dogs go but it is of 'mastiff' background and may actually need fewer calories per pound to maintain weight. Pups do need extra to use for growth. I think you can see this isn't an exact science!
But I'd figure out a diet giving him over a days time the number of calories for 30 calories per pound split across the two meals. So if he is 20 pounds then he'd need 600 calories to maintain his weight and split across two meals it would be about 300 calories per meal. If your food has 310-320 calories per cup then it would be about a cup a meal to maintain weight. You might add as much as 1/4 more to allow for growth.
If he gets pudgy cut him back, if he starts looking a little lean add some more.
There is always variance due to exercise levels, temperature, and the age of the dog.
For my little dogs I found a baby scale at a yard sale - one of the nice flat easy to store ones and I keep track of their weight that way.
You want him muscular not fat as that is best for his health.
Hope this helps you!

Picture
Expert: NancyH
Pos. Feedback: 99.5 %
Accepts: 19879
Answered: 11/16/2007

Dog Expert:Rescue, Train,Breed,Care

30+ yrs dog home vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior&training, responsible show breeding, genetics

Related Dog Questions

  • My 5 year old husky/malamute mix has had an ongoing, ...
  • I recently started caring for rescue dogs, and of course my ...
  • my female germanshepherds vulva is very swelled
  • Where are the heart and spleen located in most dogs?
  • Hi my pomeranian is whining, hiding from us, and when we ...
  • my 10 week old puppy''s neck swelled up today. It ...
  • My 9 yr old Golden was just treated for gastritis (normal .....
  • Hi, my Chihuahua''s pupil stays contracted and ...



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.