My dog eats less than recommended on food bag. Should I worry?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Hi, I have a chiweenie and he's been eating 1/3 cup of dog food. We increased it to 1/2 cup because on the dog food bag it said for 10 pounds he should be eating 1 cup but we didnt want the drastic change to shock him. Should I be worried that he's eating a lot less than suggested? Went to the vet yesterday and he's a healthy dog and doesn't seem to want more, sometimes he doesn't even finish the 1/2 cup.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 26th, 2017
Do not worry at all and your old routine is perfect. Dog food bags always tell you to over feed because you go through it faster, therefore buy more food!! A general rule is 1/2 cup a day for a 10# dog. Treats and bones count also. So if his weight is healthy then ignore the bag and continue they way you normally do
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on June 3rd, 2018
it depends on how much she is eating? Typically the bag does state more than what your pet needs daily. Feel free to repost with how much your pet is eating daily and how much the bag says to eat, and we will be able to let you know if this is normal or not. We look forward to hearing back from you soon. Take care!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Food & Nutrition
Suggested serving size of most dog foods for my dog are much more than I feed my dog and he keeps a cosistant good weight. Am I missing something?
Suggested serving sizes are recommendations for the "average" dog and vary greatly depending on the ingredients and nutritional value of the food. If your dog keeps a consistant good weight, is healthy and has a shiny hair coat, then you are doing everything right. When in doubt take him to your vet for a weigh in and Body Condition Scoring. Usually this is a free service offered by your veterinarian,
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog isn’t eating the recommended amount as stated on the bag. Is that ok for her?
it depends on how much she is eating? Typically the bag does state more than what your pet needs daily. Feel free to repost with how much your pet is eating daily and how much the bag says to eat, and we will be able to let you know if this is normal or not. We look forward to hearing back from you soon. Take care!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Just recently looked at the feeding guide on the side of my dogs science diet. It says for 20 pound dog to feed them 1 1/2 cup a day. I was shocked on how little that looks like. Oliver is about 16-17 pounds. I feed him twice a day should I be doing
The feeding recommendations are averages for all dogs. They can vary widely based on metabolism and energy level. Based on the picture you posted of Oliver, his weight looks perfect. If you are feeding him 1 cup twice daily, but his weight stays at 16-17 pounds and your vet says he is a good weight, then I wouldn't change anything. But I find that most dogs need less than the recommendation on the bag as they get older and their metabolism and activity decreases, so be sure to monitor his weight carefully. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
How much food should i feed my dog ? Thanks In the past zuzia didnt eat as much kibble insterd she ate wet dog food. But now she mostly eats kibble and rarely eats wet dog food. Should i be concerned or is it normal? Thanks
I would not be concerned about this change from wet to dry food as long as she is eating and is not too thin. You will need to refer to the bag of dog food you are feeding to see how much you should be feeding her. Every food has a different amount of calories per cup of food so it is very hard to make a blanket statement that a dog 10# should be eating X amount of food. It depends on the food. So check the bag and feed her according to their recommendations for her weight.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Chanel is 3 kgs, I think she’s overweight. When we first got her (she was 3 months) we gave her 1 cup each meal but after checking we served her food according to the serving chart on their food’s package, it said to divide 5/8 cups into 3 meals, so
1.5 cups of food per meal sounds like a lot. What you have to remember is that every dog food has a different amount of calories per cup so there is no blanket statement that a certain dog should have so many cups of food per day. It depends on the food you are feeding. You want to use the feeding chart on the bag and feed her to her ideal weight. If it says to divide 5/8 cups into three meals that is what you should do. I cannot tell you if she is overweight without seeing her. Most of the times dogs are not actually continually hungry. They just like the bond of getting something from you. Don't give in or she will be overweight.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Is it normal for my 17# adult cavalier King Charles spaniel to maintain her weight on 5 oz (a scant 2/3 of a cup) per day? the bag of her food says she should be eating 1 1/4 cups of food per day, but if I give her any more than 5 oz. she will gain w
Remember that all dogs are individuals just like humans. Some dogs have a fast metabolisms and others have slow metabolisms. If Chloe is maintaining her weight then that is the appropriate amount of food to feed her. The only other conditions that will cause pets to gain weight easily is endocrine diseases such as Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism. You may consider having her tested for those diseases since they will slow down her metabolism and caused her to gain weight easily. Otherwise you should continue to feed her the same amount of dog food. If Chloe is acting like she is starving or always hungry, you may try switching her to a lower calorie food so that she can eat a greater amount. If her lifestyle does change and she becomes more active, she will likely need to increase the amount of food. I hope this helps.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
How often per day should I feed my dog and how much should I give him ? Do you think he is an ok weight for his age or should he be heavier ?
Small red dogs can safely be fed once or twice a day based on your schedule or how well they eat. A base starting point for feeding is about 1 cup of food for 20 pounds. This can be varied based on health status and activity level. For him being older I would try twice a day at 1/2 cup each. If he loses weight you know to increase some and vice vera. There is no way to know if his weight is appropriate without feeling him belly and back as the hair hides a lot. Your vet can examine him and tell you for sure and calculate exact calories needed
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My dog has been on a grain free soy free and chicken free food for about 8 months, He is 3 and has been gaining weight. He eats about 1/2 can of food twice a day and maybe a handful of dry food in between. He is never been a very active dog. He is p
You can keep him on his regular diet, just feed less of it and increase his activity. The general guideline is 1 cup of dry food per 30lbs of body weight. You can divide it into 2 or 3 meals. Limit treats and do not offer any table food. If he continues to gain, consider an exam with your veterinarian. Blood work may diagnose endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism which can cause weight gain.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My puppy isn’t eating as much lately, not significantly, but I noticed that when she drops food outside her plate, she makes sure she eats it. I’ve been dropping her food outside her bowl every now and then and she eats it that way... any idea why s
This is completely normal. A lot of dogs like to pick their food up and put it on the floor then eat it. This is okay if this is how she wants to eat it. I think she is eating plenty. My rule of thumb is 1 cup per 20 pounds and you adjust depending on how skinny or fat they are. If she is at a healthy weight meaning she has a waist and you can’t easily see her ribs then I would just let her continue to eat 1 cup. As she gets larger she will probably increase the amount she eats on her own. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, Is it normal that my dog only eats 324 calories per day and weights 17 pounds? I read that dogs this size can have about 400 calories. (one cup of food) she only has 2/3 cup of food. Is their something wrong with her thyroid do you think? She se
Without knowing her breed of dog, I can't say if 17 pounds is a good weight or not for her. Some dogs do need to eat less based on their activity level, as they may be less active than others. With on a 17 pound dog, 2/3 cup of food per day is fine, especially if it's within her daily caloric range. I feed my Chow, who is 50.6 pounds, 1.5 cups of food per day, and she's a healthy weight. If she needs to lose weight, it sounds like you are doing it in a healthy and safe way, and I would keep going. Typically, dogs are affected by hypothyroidism, so if there was a problem with her thyroid, she would be gaining weight, not losing it.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Have A Vet Question?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
