Portion Control with Dom Woof

Dom the Frenchie fell into a food coma last week. Reason?

Bad portion control.

Dom loves food like we humans do, but he has a little problem with self-control. Is your dog the same? Here’s what we can do to keep our dogs’ health on track.

1. Exercise them.

Assess how much exercise your dog needs. For example, Dom weighs 15 pounds. As a Frenchie, his exercise needs are low, but his risk of weight gain is high, so he needs to walk or exercise an equivalent of 1.5 miles per day.

2. Control treats.

Dom loves treats just as much as any other dog, but too many treats is a slippery slope to a chubby dog.

So what’s the remedy? Treat bags! 

Prepare treat bags filled with a set number of healthy treats, such as blueberries and sweet potato strips. Allow your dog only one of these treat bags per day.

Treat bags can be a preventive measure against accidental overindulgence, especially if you have family, friends, or children who would want to feed your dog.

3. Think before the table scraps.

Before you set your dog loose on the table scraps, be sure to assess how many treats you had fed your dog that day. If you fed Fido the entire bag of treats, maybe you shouldn’t let him eat table scraps today. It’s a constant game of give and take.

4. Control portion sizes.

Trying not to underfeed or overfeed your pet can be a bit challenging if you don’t know your dog’s recommended serving size.

Suggested measures of pet portion sizes are everywhere on the internet, but this is where the Petnet SmartFeeder can come in. The SmartFeeder calculates the adequate portion size from your dog’s age, weight, and activity level.

Take Dom, for example: he’s four months old, 15 pounds, and pretty lazy. For him, the SmartFeeder recommends a serving size of 1/2 cup.

Input your dog’s information into the SmartFeeder app, and voilà! Your dog’s all set for a healthy road to happiness. (Well, Dom’s not too happy about his serving size, though… but it’s all for the best.)

The SmartFeeder doesn’t just stop at portion sizes, though. You can schedule feeding times on the app, so your dog can have consistent meals. All the while, you won’t have to stress out about feeding your dog on time all the time. It’s a win-win!