how much homemade dog food to feed per day

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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How Much Homemade Dog Food Do I Feed My Dog? A Serving Size Guide

Whatever kind of dog you have, chances are youve struggled with how much to feed them.

On the one hand, you dont want to underfeed them, and feeding your dog makes them so happy! On the other hand, overfeeding your dog can leave them logy and overweight, to say nothing of how it can lead to them leaving you little presents with even greater frequency.

Making homemade food for your dog can help with nutrition and be fun and fulfilling, but portion-setting can be tricky. Are you wondering, how much homemade dog food do I feed my dog? Lets take a look.

What Affects Your Dogs Diet

This is a tricky question to answer, not the least, because many factors affect your dogs optimal diet and, as such, how much homemade food you should feed them. It isnt just food consumption, after all, but the number of calories your dog consumes.

The optimal amount of calories per day will depend, among other things, on age and activity:

Puppies: 990calories
Active Adult Dogs: 404 to 2100 calories
Inactive Adult Dogs: 296 to 1540 calories
Pregnant Dogs: 518 to 3170 calories

Those numbers make even more sense when you consider them in the context of a dogs lifestyle.

A puppy is still growing, sure, but they often arent doing the kind of work or have as large a body to maintain as a full-grown dog. On the flip side, as with human parents, a pregnant dog is eating for two (and frankly likely far more than that, given the size of dog litters) and so needs way more calories.

Whats more, not all adult dogs live the same kind of lifestyle. A retriever or bloodhound working side by side with their humans on a farm all day will need more calories than a porch hound laying around doing nothing but looking adorable all day. Sure, thats an important job but not a very calorie-consuming one.

How Age Impacts Whats Good for Your Dog

Young puppies are used to their mothers milk or formulas that contain similar ingredients, including lactone. Once they have been weaned, however, most dogs lose the ability to digest this healthily.

Any homemade dog food recipes must be tailored accordingly. Small quantities of lactose may be fine on occasion, but be sparing with it. Otherwise, you risk diarrhea and upset stomachs.

Puppies need to grow fast, so foods with high protein, carbs, and even healthy fats can help.

On the flip side, older dogs arent growing and often arent as active, so they need diets that fit. Their diets often tend to feature fewer cabs, lower sodium and include ingredients specially designed to help combat the effects of aging.

For example, foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants can help combat inflammation. Besides, medium-chain triglycerides can help combat senility and mental decline, making ingredients that include them, such as coconut oil and foods that include it, vital to older dogs diets.

Frequency of Feeding

Age and frequency of feeding are also closely linked.

Puppies may not need as many calories as older dogs, but they need to be fed more frequently than any other age group, as much as four to six times a day at six to eight weeks of age, and two to three times a day at six months of age.

By that point, they should be about 75% of their adult size, diminishing their optimal feeding frequency.

At around one-year-old, your dog should be ready for adult food. If your homemade dog food recipes include different serving sizes for puppies instead of adults, youll want to take this into account when determining the portions to give your dog.

6-8 weeks dogs: 4-6 times/day
6 months+ dogs: 2-3 times/day
Adult and senior dogs: 2 times/day

When does a puppy become an adult dog?

The age at which your puppy becomes an adult dog will depend on its breed and size. All breeds are categorized into five sizes of dog: Extra-small, mini, medium, maxi, and giant. Your puppy will become an adult dog at the following ages:

Extra-small breed (10 pounds): eight months
Mini breed (10-25 pounds): 10 months
Medium breed (26-55 pounds): 12 months
Maxi breed (56-100 pounds): 15 months
Giant breed (101 pounds and up): 18 to 24 months

Serving Sizes Matter

Just as important as your dogs age and activity level, as well as the nutritional content of the food itself, is the serving sizes.

As a general rule of thumb, you should have between 1/2 and 3/4 cups of food for every 25 lbs your dog weighs. If that doesnt seem like a lot, keep in mind two things, remember a little goes a long way with smaller dogs in particular. This is especially true with nutrient-rich homemade dog food.

Puppies: 1 1.5 cups (x2 adult dogs serving size) to grow healthy and strong.
Adult dogs: 1/2 and 3/4 cups of food for every 25 lbs
Senior dogs: a little less than adult dogs.
Pregnant dogs: increase the food by 20% during weeks 7 to 9.
Lactating dogs: increase up to 50% more normal amount of dog food.

Smaller serving sizes that are denser with nutrients are better than larger yet less nutritious servings. Think of a Big Mac versus a lean chicken fillet. One may be physically larger than the other, but youre bound to get a more nutritious meal out of the latter than the former.

The same logic holds with dog food serving sizes. Many commercial dog foods use filler. Meanwhile, your homemade dog food recipes do not, and so while they may be smaller portion-wise, your dog should be getting a more well-balanced, nutritious, and ultimately energizing and fulfilling diet.

Whats more, smaller portions also mean less strain on your dogs digestive tract.

Finally, if you do turn to store-bought options to supplement your homemade dog food recipes, youll want to make sure they are likewise nutritious and fit with your dogs diet.

For example, NaturVet All-in-One Support contains several key ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, which, as stated above, can have a positive impact on your dogs health. As with your dog food, be sure to check the serving size on any dog supplement package to make sure you arent overdoing it.

So, how much homemade food should you be feeding a dog? There is no one answer, but rather many interrelated factors:

The younger and more active your dog, the more calories they need, and the more often they should be fed.
Pregnant dogs need the most food in terms of overall caloric intake.

Portion size can also depend on the type of food you are using in your homemade food recipes. When feeding your dog meat proteins (e.g., poultry, rabbit, beef, lamb, fish, etc.), the Founders Veterinary Clinic recommends a ratio of to 1/3 lbs a day per 20 lbs of body weight. For non-meat proteins, such as eggs, that figure is to lbs per 20 lbs of body weight.

How Much Homemade Dog Food to Feed Your Dog

Are you planning to switch from kibble to homemade dog food? Well, you might be asking how much homemade dog food to feed your dog.

Your dog's nutrition is very important in maintaining its healthy body. So, feeding a dog a homemade diet is a great alternative to commercial kibble if you do it right.

Before we dive in, I wanted to ask you, are you currently feeding your dog commercial dog food?

Is your dog having skin problems, ear infections, lack of energy, or stomach problems?

Or maybe they aren't that old and have other health complications already. Some breeds are more susceptible to health issues, which could be another reason.

It could be their diet. In fact, it most of the time is their diet.

Well, commercial dry dog food is the equivalent of fast food. It's mostly cheap, accessible, ultra-processed food.

I know we all get some fast food occasionally, and I am guilty of it. But imagine if you ate that every day.

You would start to feel awful.

And unfortunately, our dogs can't speak, so they always seem to be fine and enjoy their food.

They eat it because commercial dog food companies add flavoring and dye back once the kibble has been processed to make it more interesting and enticing for your dog.

Making homemade dog food might not be hard for you because you can easily find sources on how to do it.

But then comes the conundrum we all deal with, how much homemade dog food should I feed my dog?

Well, it's not an easy question to answer.

So in this article, I'll try to explain how you can figure out the proper homemade dog food serving size in cups for your dog.

Below, I'll also discuss the factors that affect your dog's diet and the importance of a balanced homemade meal.

How Much Homemade Dog Should I Feed My Dog?

Note: Before you spend time figuring out how much homemade dog food to feed your dog, understand that the only person who can give you an accurate answer to this question is trained in canine nutrition a veterinarian or a canine nutritionist.

And even then, an expert may not be able to give you an exact answer; together, you will have to find recipes and exact serving sizes to meet individual dogs' specific needs.

Homemade Dog Food Serving Size in Cups

To start use this general guideline if you are like me wondering:

How much homemade food should I feed my dog by weight?

Great question.

To prep your dog's homemade diet, you'll need a set of measuring cups.

Somethinglike this is what I use.

For most of my homemade dog food recipes, I typically include serving sizes in the article.

I generally recommend feeding the below amount:

1/2-3/4 of a cup of food for every 25 pounds of body weight

While this doesn't seem like a lot, you must remember that a well-balanced homemade meal is much more nutrient-dense than most commercial diets.

Ideally, you use high-quality, whole-food ingredients rich in protein, moderate fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins when making homemade dog food.

On the other hand, commercial dog food brands are processed and contain fillers that are only added to the recipe to make your pet feel like they've had enough to eat.

Thankfully, homemade dog food does not include these types of ingredients (which is why you're making the switch in the first place).

This type of feeding is also better for your dog's digestive tract and digestion and will reduce the amount of stool a dog creates.

It's a win for you and the dog.

Homemade Dog Food Serving Size in Cups by Ingredient

You can also figure out how much homemade dog food to feed your dog by looking at the ideal quantities for each type of ingredient.

Use the following as general guidelines.

Note that all the suggestions are per 20 pounds of your dogs body weight and are the amount needed daily.

Give your dog 1/4 to 1/3 pounds of meat for every 20 pounds.
Give your dog 1/2 to 3/4 cups yogurt or cottage cheese or 3 to 4 eggs every 20 pounds.
If you use meat and non-meat protein sources, half each of the above.
Give your dog 1 to 2 cups of potatoes, rice, pasta, or other carbs per 20 pounds.
Give your dog 1/2 cup to a cup of cooked vegetables for every 20 pounds.
Add a tablespoon of canola or olive oil for every 20 pounds.
Add calcium with 1/2 teaspoon of bone meal or ground eggshell per 20 pounds.

Factors That Affect a Dog's Diet

When you decide to start cooking for your dog and delve into a homemade dog food diet, you'll have to do some reading and learning.

You need to fully understand the nutrients that a dog's body requires before you get to figuring out how much food to feed a dog.

Read this article to understand your exact nutritional needs, which will help you figure out serving sizes and how much homemade food to feed a dog would be more beneficial.

A dog's nutritional requirements can be figured out using calculations from the National Research Council (PDF), and they will be based on several factors:

age
breed
environment
activity level
medical history
current health condition

The type of homemade dog food diet you choose to feed a dog will also greatly impact the answer to this question, How much homemade dog food to feed my dog? Not all dog food recipes are created equally.

All of them will offer different nutrients. Some will be well-balanced and can be used as a staple in a pet's diet, while others may only be good as an occasional meal.

Why You Need to Know the Exact Serving Size of Food

You may be wondering why you even need to figure out the right homemade dog food serving size in cups for your pet. Some pet owners assume they can watch a dog's weight and ensure they're not gaining or losing.

This doesn't seem right.

The consequences of feeding a dog too much or too little food are obvious.

When overfeeding on calories, your dog will become obese, which could lead to several other health conditions: diabetes, joint problems, certain types of cancer, and heart and respiratory issues.

Feeding a dog too much food can also lead to vitamin toxicity. In such cases, too much of a good thing could be very bad.

For example, some of the most common vitamin toxicity cases are related to Vitamin A, which can cause bone spurs, lethargy, constipation, stiffness, and limping in dogs, and Vitamin D, which can lead to vomiting blood, seizures, muscle tremors, and abdominal pain in dogs.

At the same time, if you're not feeding your dogs enough essential nutrients, they'll be at risk of nutrient deficiency and becoming malnourished.

When you haven't figured out the exact serving size of homemade dog food and do not realize a dog isn't getting all the essential nutrients, it will become weak, and its organs will start failing.

In the end, nutrient deficiency will lead to death if it's not corrected in time.

The Importance of Balanced Homemade Recipes

Not all homemade dog food recipes will provide all of the nutrients that your dog needs, which is exactly what you need to work with an expert to figure out your individual dog's specific nutritional needs and how best to meet those needs.

In a recent study, researchers tested 200 homemade dog food recipes, many of which were written by veterinarians.

They found that only 9 of them provided all the essential nutrients in the right concentrations to meet the minimum standards set for dogs by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Only 5 of the recipes provided the essential nutrients in the right concentrations to meet the National Research Councils (NRC) minimum requirements for adult dogs.

This doesn't mean that recipes are bad most of them can hardly reach those nutritional needs without adding too many calories.

It means you must add supplements to your homemade dog food meals to balance them.

You will choose some of those specifically for a dog's breed or health condition.

For example, if your pet is predisposed to hip and joint issues, you may need to include a joint supplement.

The most common supplements recommended to add to homemade dog food recipes include multivitamin supplements, hip, and joint supplements, omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), Vitamin A & E, calcium, and extra protein supplements.

These will vary depending on your dog's condition. Some general multivitamins and fish oils will be good for all dogs, but you still need to consult your vet about this.

Some good examples include the below:

Other Tips for Making Homemade Dog Food

In deciding how much homemade food to feed your dog and how to make your dogs food yourself, keep the following advice in mind:

Pay attention to nutritional requirements. Dont just assume that eating your dog wholesome foods will meet his needs.
You dont have to ensure every single meal is fully balanced. Just make sure your dogs diet is balanced over time.
Give your dog more than just a little bit of yogurt to meet calcium requirements.
Your dogs nutritional needs are very different than those of humans.
Your dogs nutritional needs vary based on lifestyle, age, and more.
Dont go overboard with the vegetables. Pay attention to proportions.
Dogs need carbs, and grains arent always bad for them.
Raw diets arent necessarily good or bad. Always do your research before starting one.
Always change your dogs diet gradually to prevent digestive discomfort.

All of this shouldn't discourage you from making homemade dog food, but hopefully, it shows you you will need to put in a little more work (at least in the beginning stages) than simply pouring kibble into your pet's bowl.

To wrap this up: although I did give my recommendation for a serving size for most homemade food for dogs' diets in this article and my tips on how much homemade dog food to feed a dog, I cannot stress enough the importance of working with a veterinarian or canine nutritionist.

This is the only way to ensure you're feeding your pet an appropriate diet.

Furthermore, we have put together a course to teach our readers how to make and prepare homemade dog food!

Now you may be thinking,

Woah, what's the point? That sounds like a lot of effort.

They do fine on this brand!

My last dog lived till 15 on Hill's Science why would I switch.

Those are great points, but you would never know if they could have lived longer or had a healthier end to their life.

Well, no need to doubt because we have living proof.

In fact, we recently interviewed a woman who has been cooking food for their dog for 20+ years!

She has a mastiff that is 15 years old.

So that you know, the average lifespan of mastiffs is between 6-12 years.

She even said that all of her littermates have already passed on, and some of her littermates have also passed on.

The course will change your life and, most importantly, your dog's life.

Here's what you will get when you buy the Homemade Dog Food Mini-Course

Lifetime access to the course
Lifetime access to us and our well-known Youtuber, Samantha, where you can ask her any question you want about homemade dog food
Your first recipe and supplement recommendations for starting your homemade dog food journey
Your very own Batman Utility Belt for cooking for your dog
- Understanding why nutrition is important for your dog
- Learn the exact equation on how much homemade food to feed your dog
- Knowing exactly how many calories your dog needs to maintain and even lose weight
- The ideal rule of thumb for feeding your dog a balanced diet
- Worksheets that are yours to keep and print

And lastly, we feel so confident that you will benefit that we are going to throw in a 100% guarantee that if you are not satisfied with the product and customer service, we will refund you your money back.

Check Out Our Homemade Dog Food Mini-Course!

Common Mistakes When Cooking For Your Dog

You can make many mistakes when cooking food for your dog. It might be:

Not using trusted sources

You might be trying to find a more affordable food source, but be careful about it because you might find untrustworthy sources that could harm your dog.

Not preparing a balanced meal

A balanced meal is very important for your dog. So, making mistakes on it could lead to nutrient deficiency.

Relying On Multiple Diets To Create Balance

According to Dr. Larsen, multiple diets could cause the same deficiency in clinical studies.

Using Unsafe/Unhealthy Ingredients

In making homemade food for your dog, you should be more careful in choosing its ingredients.

Not Following Recipes

To make the best dog food, owners should follow the specific recipe guidelines in preparing it.

Understating the Impact of Dietary Changes

Monitoring your pet's health would greatly help to change their food into homemade recipes.

FAQs About How Much Homemade Dog Food To Feed My Dog

Is Homemade Dog Food Healthy?

Though feeding your dog homemade food is easy, homemade diets have no scientifically-supported benefits. However, it can be a better diet in the long term.

Commercial foods, such as dry foods, have complete nutrition in them. But your dogs might not be excited about seeing and eating it daily. So, feeding them different kinds of food would make sense.

Aside from your dog would surely enjoy your homemade food for them, they could also get many benefits from it.

What are the benefits of homemade dog food?

Foods benefit every living creature, thus, your beloved pup. So, here are some potential benefits of feeding your dog food made at home.

Regulation of Pet Food Quality
No Filler Ingredients in Homemade Foods
Increased Variety in the Diet
Homemade Diet May Provide Better Nutrition
Homemade Dog Foods Are Fresh, Not Preserved
No More Waste (Or Less of It)
It Can Be Cheaper (Sometimes)

You can also check on our website the other pros and cons of feeding homemade food to dogs.

How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog Chart?

The above chart shows how much food your dog needs to be based on weight. It depends on activity level, age, and size.

For example, an adult active dog that weighs 30 pounds needs about 922 calories of food.

What do dogs need in homemade food?

Knowing how much homemade food to feed your dog depends largely on what you feed him.

Stick to high-quality ingredients, such as high-quality proteins, carbohydrates like vegetables or grains, calcium, essential fatty acids, and fats like meat or oil.

Is Making Homemade Dog Food Better for Your Dog?

No scientific research shows that it is better or worse for your dog to eat homemade food.

The main benefit is that it gives you complete control of your pooch's eats, helping you keep him healthy and happy.

Can I feed my dog only homemade food?

Of course, it's always your choice if you feed them homemade or would you prefer to them process foods over the counter.

The only important thing is that your dog could have balanced and healthy food to maintain its healthy lifestyle.

It depends on the quality and how much homemade dog food serving size in cups you make for them.

Can I Feed My Dog Chicken and Rice Every Day?

You can give your dog chicken and rice every day, but it is much healthier to include other ingredients as well.

You need to ensure that your dog gets enough nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.

How Much Homemade Dog Food to Feed Your Dog: Final Thoughts

You generally want to feed your dog about 2-3 percent of its body weight, assuming it is an adult. This means that if your dog is 50 pounds, you should feed him about 16 ounces.

Knowing how much homemade dog food to feed your dog not only give them full nutrition but also help them grow healthier. And it would help if you also looked at the nutritional information of the recipe you use.

If you are a beginner in adopting dogs, you must know the homemade dog food serving size in cups. However, consulting your vet is also important.

For other homemade dog food recipes, kindly visit our website.

READ NEXT:21Best Homemade Dog Food Books

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