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How Much To Feed Your Dog and Other Nutrition Questions Answered
written by Ellie Walker
If your pet is ready to say goodbye to kibble, you may have some questions about how much to feed a dog or cat who is making the switch to Freshpet. To help make this transition to fresh, healthy dog food easier, we’ve put together a handy guide covering how much to feed your pet and other top nutritional questions.
How much Freshpet to feed a dog or cat
Each Freshpet recipe features a feeding chart on the side of the packaging. Within this chart, you will see a column on the left for your pet’s weight and a column on the right for the recommended amount of food (in grams) served each day.
On our feeding guidelines page, we also have a calculator that can help you determine how much to feed a dog or cat. To use the calculator, simply follow these steps:
- Step 1: Tell us whether you’re the pet parent of a dog or a cat
- Step 2: Pick the brand of Freshpet recipes you usually serve
- Step 3: Choose the specific recipe you usually serve
- Step 4: Enter your pet’s weight
After you enter your pet’s weight, you will be shown a range of many grams you should be serving your pet per day.
Other things that could impact how much to feed a dog or cat
While our feeding guidelines should give you a good idea of how much to feed a dog or cat, there are still other things to take into consideration that could require you to adjust the amount you feed them. These could include:
- Age: The age of your pet plays a big role in how much they should be fed. For instance, puppies and kittens have higher caloric requirements as they need extra energy while they grow. Similarly, senior pets may need extra food to keep on weight as they age.
- Activity level: Just like your pet’s age plays a role in how much food they require, the amount of exercise they get each day does as well. Working animals – or animals that get extensive exercise during the day – may require more food to give them the energy they need. Conversely, if your pet is more of the couch potato variety, you may need to limit the amount of food they get throughout the day to avoid weight gain.
- Pregnancy or recently given birth: If your pet is pregnant or has recently given birth, they will require around 10% more food during pregnancy and up to 25% or more while nursing.
These are just some of the things to take into consideration when determining how much to feed your dog or cat, which is why we always recommend speaking with your veterinarian. They will be able to help you calculate exactly how much Freshpet to feed your dog or cat each day.
How to serve Freshpet rolls
Once you know how much to feed a dog or cat, you can choose how to divide this throughout the day. While some pets are happy just having one big meal, others prefer two or more smaller meals spread throughout the day. When serving your pet their Freshpet, you can follow these three steps:
- Step 1: Review the feeding guidelines on the package and then cut at the corresponding mark.
- Step 2: Once you’ve cut the correct amount, you can slice it into cubes or, depending on your pet's preference, dice smaller or mash.
- Step 3: While we don't recommend microwaving, feel free to bring it to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
If you decide to divide your pet’s meals into smaller servings, it can be helpful to measure and cut the full amount for the day then keep the leftovers in an airtight container until your pet is ready to eat.
How to store Freshpet recipes after opening
All of our bagged meals feature a re-sealable zipper so they stay completely airtight after opening, without needing to put them in another container.
For rolls, or any other recipe that does not have resealable packaging, all you need to do to maintain optimal freshness is to place the uneaten food in an airtight container before storing back in the fridge. We recommend storing in a US standard fridge temp of 35º-40º F for optimal freshness.
Just like human food, Freshpet should not be out for more than an hour. If your pet doesn’t finish all of their food within that time, simply put it back in the fridge and offer it again later. Further, on each Freshpet recipe you’ll see a tailored use-by date which indicates how long after opening it needs to be used:
- Rolls: 7 days
- Patties: 5 days
- Spring & Sprout and Homestyle Creations Bagged Meals: 5 days
- Freshpet Select, Deli Fresh, and Vital Bagged Meals: 7 days
- Single Serve: 2 days
We hope that you now have a better understanding of how much to feed a dog or cat switching to Freshpet. If you still have more questions, we recommend scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian – they will be happy to discuss your pet’s nutritional needs and what the best dog food option would be for you!
