Feeding your dog: FAQ
As with people, dogs need a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise to stay in shape and live a long and healthy life.
What type of food should I feed my dog?
There are many different types of food available in pet shops, supermarkets and from your vet. Whatever type of food you decide to buy, it should be a complete dog food. This means it contains the nutrients and minerals your dog needs for a balanced diet.
Complete dog food comes in many forms, including dry and wet, so you can experiment until you find a food that your dog enjoys.
Complete dry foods come in many types. Some brands have a variety of life stage options, from puppies through to old age. Most are balanced diets and should not be mixed with anything else, so they are an easy and convenient way of meeting all your dog’s nutritional needs.
Wet food is normally in tins, foil trays or pouches. It is usually palatable but smells stronger than dry food, and open packages will attract flies in warm weather unless covered and refrigerated, so it may not be suitable if you're travelling.
Some wet foods are complete and do not need anything added, but others are complementary and need to be combined with a mixer biscuit or meal. Read the package carefully to determine which type you have.
Some people like to feed homemade diets prepared from foods such as raw or cooked butchers’ meat, fish, bread, rice and added vitamins and minerals – this is the most complicated way of feeding dogs and is unlikely to provide a balanced diet, so it is best avoided unless you have specific instructions from a veterinary nutritionist.
Please be aware that raw pet food can contain harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and E coli, that may cause illness in pets and people.
Extra caution should be taken and raw pet food or treats shouldn't be handled if anyone is under five, elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised.
In addition, the Food Standards Agency notes that risk isn’t only from the food itself - bacteria can spread via contact with your pet and around the home.
There are extra steps that you can take to reduce spreading bacteria, such as:
- washing your hands with soap and hot water after handling
- using dedicated utensils/containers for preparing and serving
- disinfecting bowls, chopping boards, utensils and all surfaces after preparation
- storing raw food in a sealed container away from human food and keeping it on the lowest fridge shelf
- if defrosting, use a sealed container away from human food
- discarding uneaten food promptly and cleaning areas the food may have touched
Some dogs require special diets for their health conditions, such as diabetes, allergies or to support their joints. Some of these special foods can be found in pet shops, but others need a prescription from your vet. Speak to your vet if you think your dog may need a special diet.
Important
Whatever your choice of food for your dog, all dogs must have constant access to clean drinking water.
How much should I feed my dog?
How much you should feed your dog depends on their breed, age and size. The guidance on the packet should tell you how much to feed your dog based on this information. It may be useful to weigh out your dog's food to make sure you are not feeding too much or too little.
If your dog is overweight or underweight, you may need to adjust their portion. Use the guidance as a starting point, and feed them for their target weight, not their current weight.
How much should I feed my puppy?
Puppies need special puppy food that contains extra calories and lots of important nutrients for growth. Many companies produce complete puppy or growth diets. Puppies’ stomachs are relatively small, so they need several small meals each day.
- Six to 12 weeks, four meals daily
- 12 to 20 weeks, three meals daily
- 20 weeks onwards, two meals daily
The quantity you need to feed depends on the size and age of your puppy. Use the feeding guide on the food package and start by feeding the smallest recommended quantity for the age and size of your puppy. Increase this only if your puppy starts to look thin. Puppy fat is not a good thing, as a fat puppy is likely to become a fat adult with serious health implications in later life.
Larger breeds require growth diets for longer than toy and small breeds, so you may need to continue to feed a growth diet until your dog is as much as 18 months old. If you are unsure, your vet will be able to advise.
Important
Never feed puppies milk or other dairy products as they cannot digest them properly and so are likely to cause diarrhoea. Puppies have no need for milk once they have left their mother.
How much should I feed my senior dog?
As dogs get older, their nutritional needs change. If your dog is less active as they get older, they may need fewer calories. You may also need to adjust their diet if they are starting to develop any illness associated with ageing (such as kidney or heart disease).
As your dog gets older, they may be more prone to conditions that worsen by being overweight (such as arthritis). It's important to keep them slim, so monitor their weight carefully and adjust their diet if they're gaining weight.
Your vet will be able to advise you on special diets for senior dogs.
How do I change my dog's diet?
If you have to change your dog’s diet, do so over a few days, gradually introducing the new food and reducing the old – this will minimise the risk of a stomach upset. Use our guidance when changing your dog's diet:
- Day one to two: 25% new food, 75% old food
- Day three to four: 50% new food, 50% old food
- Day five to six: 75% new, 25% old
- Day seven: 100% new food
What treats can I give to my dog?
All dogs enjoy treats, but all treats contain calories. This means you need to think about how many, and what type of treats you give when deciding how much to feed your dog.
If your dog has more treats than normal one day, reduce the amount of food given that day to compensate. Low calorie treats are available, which are useful for dogs who are prone to weight gain or may be on a diet.
You can also make your dog work a little harder for treats by using a treat ball, or giving treats only as part of a play or training exercise.
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Reviewed
• 18 November 2025
Next review
• 17 November 2028
