Bringing a tiny lab home is lovely, but one thing always remains of concern-the food. What should you feed your puppy? And what to feed a pup turning into an adult dog? If you are concerned about this, you have landed on the right page.
This blog is going to cover everything about feeding a lab. Many things come into providing a lab with food through Labrador retriever food chart. So, without wasting more time, let’s jump into the detailed information.
Lab feeding guidelines
The type and amount of food you should give your lab depends on size, age and lab food habits. The table below will serve you as a Labrador retriever food guide.
| Weight of Lab | Food quantity |
|---|---|
| 40-45 pound | 205-230 grams per day |
| 50-55 pound | 240-265 grams per day |
| 60-65 pound | 270-300 grams per day |
| 70-75 pound | 300-335 grams per day |
| 80-85 pound | 330-365 grams per day |
| 90-95 pound | 355-395 grams per day |
However, these amounts will keep changing with time and only apply to dry food. If your pet doesn’t eat dry food, you can read more to know what else you can feed them.
How Much to Eat?
Never trust a dog to watch your food
Saint Patrick
You might be familiar with this quote which means as a dog owner, you can keep an eye on your pet’s food but don’t ever let your dog watch over your food.
You know what will happen next if you do so; the food on the plate will go into your Lab’s tummy, which can also be bad for his health. Anyways, coming to how much food you should give to your Lab.
Well, it mostly depends on a dog’s dietary requirements and size such as height and weight. The standard requirement according to the Labrador retriever food chart for feeding a dog is 2 to 3 times a day.
When it comes to the puppy, they need to be provided more frequently than adult dogs since the tummy of puppies is small, so they expand energy quickly and need food more regularly than often.
However, you need to be careful with adult dogs’ food intake. Feed them twice daily and keep a gap of 12 hours between meals.
Overfeeding them will result in diarrhea. In case. If you still don’t understand their eating pattern, you can always count on a veterinarian to help you guide the best.
What If Your Dog Doesn’t Finish the Food?
Some labs don’t have a food obsession. Many dog owners may have been through that situation where their dog leaves the food unfinished.
Under such circumstances, wait for a few minutes and see if your Lab finishes the food or not. If not, remove the bowl and change the eating pattern of the dog.
If you feed them 2 times a day, divide it into 3. This doesn’t mean you will have to increase the food quantity.
You will have to divide the amount of food you serve two times a day into 3. It’s as simple as it is. This way, your adorable Lab won’t leave the food unfinished.
What Food Is Suitable For Labradors?
There’s a long debate on choosing the best dog foods. However, we won’t go into the discussion. Instead, we’ll focus on the foods to go for. It includes;
- Kibble (dry food)
- Raw food (meat and bones)
Some people condemn giving kibble to the dogs, while others prefer avoiding raw food. However, without focusing on such hypothetical statements, let’s find out the good and bad of both foods.
What is Kibble?
Kibble is another name for dry food. It combines various ingredients such as meat, vegetables, fruits and legumes.
Later the makers of kibble turn the mixture of ingredients into different shapes and pack it, making it available on the market. This dry food is easy to serve, creates no mess, and you can keep it for long time.
Pros
- People with busy routines don’t have enough time to prepare food for their pets, so kibble has made their lives easier as it is much more convenient to serve.
- You can store it for a longer time in an airtight container.
- It’s nutritious.
- It’s pocket-friendly.
Cons
- Dogs on kibble sometimes eat up their poop.
- Their poop smells hard to bear.
- You will have to clean the teeth of your dog after having kibble.
- You can’t give water to your pet after giving them kibble as it can make their tummy swell.
Is Raw Food Good For Dogs?
Raw food is homemade food for Labrador and includes meat and bones. Feeding meat and bones to dogs have been in practice for decades. All you need to do is prepare the food properly and feed it.
It is because raw food contains pathogens which can make a dog sick. However, it’s nutritious but still, be careful while preparing it.
Pros
- It’s nutritious.
- The dog doesn’t produce smelly poop.
- It’s free from grains.
- The dog can self-clean the teeth.
Cons
- It contains pathogens.
- It requires large storage space and a refrigerator to freeze.
- If not prepared well, the pet can get diarrhea.
What If Your Lab Is Too Thin Or Over Weight?
The average body weight for female Labrador is 25-32kg, and for males, it is 29-36kg. If you see a sudden drop in their weight, it’s alarming. Without delay, get in touch with the vet to know what’s causing them to thin.
On the other hand, some dogs are lazy, and you may overfeed them. This will make them obese, so keep checking their dietary patterns, and if you feel like eating habit is not the cause of obesity in your pet, you must go to the vet.
Is It Okay to Give Milk to Labrador?
Most dogs are unable to digest the milk compared to the puppies. Puppies are like little kids who rely on mothers to get milk. However, giving it as a treat to your Labrador won’t affect their health. You can give it to them as a reward for something but avoid giving it daily.
Conclusion
Labradors are cute creatures, and what to give them and what not remains a debate. They can eat raw meat and dry food. The adult puppies will eat meals twice daily, while little ones will need food more often.
All you need to do is keep track of their dietary intake through a Labrador retriever food chart, take them for checkups to the vet and prepare food for them under controlled conditions. Last but not least, always read the ingredients on the dog food packaging!