Weigh or level-measure every meal, pre-portion the day's food and count treats inside it. Your vet sets the daily amount, and weight questions are a vet call.
In this guide
Weigh or level-measure every meal, and count treats in
The bowl creeps up one heaped scoop at a time, and the treats creep right behind it. The fix is boring and it works. Get the daily amount from your vet and measure it the same way every time. Put the day's food in one container and take the treats out of it.
The bowl creeps up one heaped scoop at a time, and the treats creep right behind it.
This guide is about the measuring. Your vet decides how much your dog eats and what a healthy weight looks like. The whole plan, from weigh-ins to exercise, is in our dog weight loss guide.
The daily amount from your vet. The feeding chart on the bag is a starting point to bring to that conversation.
A kitchen scale, or a real measuring cup. A coffee mug or the free scoop from the bag is not a measuring cup.
A lidded container or zip bag for the day's food.
A notebook or phone note for weigh-ins.
Step 1: Get the number from your vet
Ask for the daily amount of food and how many treats fit inside it. Write both down. Weight changes and a dog that's always begging are vet topics, not guesses.
Step 2: Pick one measuring method and stick with it
Scale: weigh the food in grams. It's the most exact, and it takes a moment.
Measuring cup: fill it level and sweep the top flat with a knife. No heaping.
Use the same tool every time and everyone in the house uses it too.
Step 3: Portion the day each morning
Measure the full day's food into your container and split it into meals from there. Whatever is left in the container is what's left to give. Treats come out of the same container, so a handful at the door means a smaller bowl at dinner.
Measure the full day's food into your container and split it into meals from there.
Step 4: Add a pumpkin topper (vet's OK first)
Want a bowl topper that adds nothing but pumpkin? With your vet's OK, Native Pet Organic Pumpkin is our pick: one ingredient, organic pumpkin powder, no additives, preservatives or fillers. Sprinkle it on the measured food. The catch: the powder is messy, so add a splash of water and mix it over the bowl.
Step 5: Treat smart
Break treats into smaller pieces. The dog doesn't count the size.
Count every treat that comes from family members, too.
For training sessions, use a small treat and count it in. Fruitables Healthy Weight Pumpkin & Blueberry Dog Treats are made for training, so break them smaller and take them out of the day's food.
Step 6: Weigh in weekly
Same scale, same time of day, and write it down. Share the log at your next vet visit. If the numbers don't move, recheck the measuring before you change anything else.
Mistakes that keep the bowl creeping
Skip these
Eyeballing the scoop. Heaped scoops add up.
Free-feeding. A full bowl all day makes counting impossible.
Treats on top of the meal. Treats are part of the day's food.
Table scraps. They don't show up in the measuring cup.
FAQ
How much should my dog eat?
Your vet sets the number. The bag chart is where the conversation starts, and a level measure keeps the number honest.
Cups or a scale?
A scale is the most exact. A level measuring cup works if you use the same one every time.
How many treats are okay?
Your vet names the number. Whatever it is, it comes out of the day's food, not on top of it.
