Make your food go further

Making sure to read the feeding guide on the back of the bag or on the brand’s website will help to ensure you are feeding your dog the correct amount based on their ideal weight, not actual weight.

With pet obesity on the rise, this is not only healthier for your dog but will ensure the bag of food lasts longer if you have been feeding your four-legged friend a few too many kibbles. If you suspect your dog might be eating too much, you may need to slowly reduce the amount over the course of a week or so. 

Many owners estimate how much food is going in the bowl rather than accurately measure it. A recent study found some owners overestimated how much food was needed by over 150%*. That’s a lot of extra food!

The most accurate way to measure your dog’s portion is using weighing scales, but if weighing it daily doesn’t seem appealing you can use a measuring cup. The best way to do this is to measure the correct portion on the weighing scales, then mark a line around the cup so you know where to fill it to in the future.

* Jason B Coe, Alexandra Rankovic, Tara R Edwards, Jacqueline M Parr. Dog owner’s accuracy in measuring different volumes of dry dog food using three different measuring devices.

Veterinary Record, 2019

Although it can be tempting to buy the cheapest brand, feeding a higher quality food may save you money. When a food is good quality, you feed less of it per day to get the same amount of nutrition so the bag of food lasts longer. Healthier foods produce less waste so you should save money on poo bags too.

Many minor ailments such as tear stains, ear infections and skin or coat problems can be caused by a poor-quality diet, so you could also save money on vet bills.

All About Dog Food is an independent dog food review website that rates most UK brands out of 100, whilst giving an idea of cost per day based on RRP. This allows for easy comparison between brands based on their quality and cost per day.

Check out our article below explaining why quality and cost per day are so important. 

When you look at cost per kg, bigger bags are often better value. Our staff will be happy to help load your car if needed, or why not try delivery from our website so your food arrives directly at your door? If you struggle for storage space, perhaps you could share a bag with a friend so you both benefit.

Your dog can enjoy many fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet. Has your toddler left their broccoli? Have you cooked too much rice? As long as the food is pet safe, adding these extras to your dog’s dish will help them feel fuller. Their core diet should still be a nutritionally complete and balanced dog food.

Be aware that introducing new foods could upset your dog’s tummy so it’s best to do so gradually.

If your dog has perfected the puppy eyes and you just can’t bear not to give them treats, take a look around the kitchen. Carrot peelings, leftover meat, ham that’s on its use by date, a giant pot of natural yoghurt that you’ll never get through – these all make tasty treats for your canine companion.

Treats should account for no more than 10% of your dog’s daily food intake.