Can someone clarify how much I should be feeding a 2 year old Staff in terms of % of his body weight please?

If feeding homecooked/raw it should be around 2-3% of his bodyweight.

Thanks for the swift response. Hes on Naturediet. Does that change things?

I dont think the 2-3% goes for commercial foods. How much does he weigh,and if you can figure it out(i'm really bad at percentages and math in general :o ) whats 3% of his weight?Feeding amounts vary greatly to what the pack says depending on activity level,metabolism,overweight/under etc

He weighs aroung 15.5k and hes not a large framed Staffie. Hes currently on 2 packs on ND per day (390g each), one morning and one evening and has been for ages. Im not particularly concerned, I was really just curious. He is, IMO, perfect (to look at), quite lean but not ribby with the most fantastic coat and and bright eyes and needless to say bursting with energy. 2 vigorous runs per day of anything between 20 and 40 minutes each(I take his lead on when he's had enough but more often than not its 40 minutes :) )

Hes never been food orientated until recently when he has actually gone back to his bowl and asked for more. As hes never bothered before now I have taken it that hes genuinely hungry and given another half a pack. I have never gone on recommended amounts of food before and have just fed based on how he looks/feels and adjusted accordingly. Im just wondering if now hes a little older and playing is less of a distraction than it once was, whether I should take more notice of the guideline amounts and feed a little closer to it (assuming that I have been feeding less) while still keeping an eye on his physical appearance. He could stand to put on a smidge of weight without him appearing overweight. What I dont want to do is keep feeding him if hes just being a greedy guts.

Thanks again

Oh and I think the % works out to about 470g which, if im right, is definately not enough for him. Considering hes not been a foody (until now) perhaps the 3% 'rule' doesnt carry in commercial foods.

If he's going back to his bowl asking for more food i would give it to him and keep a close eye on his weight.He may genuinely still be hungry...

I wouldnt be able to tell you exactly how much food in measurements my dogs get,i go by eye measurement ;) If they've had an energetic day,i add more.I'm lucky in that my guys are mostly self regulators.

There are so many different factors to consider that there is no easy answer to your question.

Apart from weight, breed, temperament, sex, time of year and activity levels, commercial foods have differing calorific density/values so 400gm of one product will not necessarily equate 400gm of another;

Feed by hand and eye, that is the best way, after all most of us do not weigh our food or that of our children!

Hi

Thanks for your replies. Like I say, im not overly bothered I was just curious really and I guess I just wondered what the general guidelines were in case his feed was way off the mark. I completely agree with your suggestions that I should carry on feeding whilst keeping a careful eye on his weight.

Thanks for your comments  :)

i usually feed mine more if looking for more, but if the poop starts to go on the softer side than the firmer, I know I have over fed so just reduce back to a smaller amount. Poos usually give you a good estimate aswell as them looking good. I very rarely read a packet or weigh foods, and my doggies look fab

The feeding guide on the naturediest website recommends 669g (1.6 packs) per day for an adult dog weighing 45kg.

However, I also think you should feed 'to eye and feel' as you know your dog best :)