How many cups of food should I feed my 80 lb boxer?

Question

I always open fed my 2 boxers because one of them has always been small and pretty thin. But now my younger girl is getting a little chunky so I want to start feeding them on a schedual. I have large container I put the food in for storage and so I threw away the bag with the serving size chart on it. Also how much should my poor little 35 lb girl eat?

She isnt over weight but she is getting there. LOL....... I just want to start controling her food intake so she doesnt become overweight. Boxers have short lifespans and I want them to be healthy.

My small boxer we think is a mix. We got her at the pound 10 years ago and she was skin and bones. She gained weight but has always been thin. She has been checked by several vets who say she is very healthy and not to worry. She is just naturally small.

Answer 1

80lbs for a female Boxers is quite heavy. Even males should be under that. Is she taller than the standard? (24inches at shoulder)

It takes some trial and error but guessing works the best. Myself - I have a Boxer ***** that's difficult to keep weight on. I feed her a full bowl at both meals. It's just the only way to keep her at a good weight. The other Boxer ***** we have is very difficult to keep from gaining weight (which she needs to lose right now). She gets roughly 1 and 1/2 cups a day which is divided into two meals.

I suggest start trying around 2 cups at each meal (if you're doing a two meal schedule) to your 35lbs girl. Watch her weight. If she starts getting too heavy, back it off. If she's not gaining or she's even losing weight, add some more. 1/2 cup increments seem to work best.

For your 80 lbs girl, feed her the amount you've originally given her. Start backing it off. I suggest getting her to 2 cups a day. If she's within the breed standard for height, try to get her anywhere from 70 to 65 lbs. That's still heavy, but probably okay for her. Like with the other one, watch her weight. Back it off if she's gaining weight. Don't let her lose too much too fast.

And you always have to take into consideration - what's their activity level? Height? How much of that weight is muscle, how much is fat? Can you easily feel their ribs? That's why these questions can be hard to answer - we have no idea what those answers are. And when in doubt - ask the vet.

Also, if you don't already, try seperating the dogs when they're eating. Put one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen. Something like that. That insures they are both eating the correct amount.

Answer 2

Don't know what you are feeding but I feed Canidae. If you are feeding a similar quality food, then my bag says 75-100# adult dog needs 3-4 cups a day. A 25-50# adult needs 1-2 cups a day. I'd go with 3 cups for the male and 1.5 for the female, for starters.
Cheaper grocery store brands are going to take larger amounts as they contain empty fillers like corn and wheat. Most manufacturers have a website which tells the ingredients and the amounts recommended; I know Canidae does anyway so you might just try that.
I agree you should quit free-feeding; divide their daily allotment in half and give them half in the morning and half in the evening. This way you KNOW how much is going into each dog, and can adjust acordingly.
You should be able to see a waist both from the top and from the side; alsoyou should be able to see where the rib cage ends but not actually be able to count ribs without running your hands down them.

Answer 3

An 80 lbs dog should get about 1 cup to 1 and 1/4 cup twice a day. 35 lbs for a boxer is VERY low... depending on her age and size, i might bring her to the vet to make sure she doesnt have a thyroid problem or any other health concern. also look at the type of food you are feeding them. you want a wheat, corn, and soy, grain free food. innova evo is one of the best. its a low carb high protein diet, which is what canines would be eating in the wild. you also wont need to feed as much since its packed with protein which fills them up and satisfies their hungry naturally. there are NO fillers. you dont want grocery store bought food. you should see a big difference when switching their food to a good food.

also, with how much you should feed...it really depends on the brand of food you are giving too. feel free to email me if you have any Q's. [e-mail]
im pretty handy when it comes to dog food and brands.

Answer 4

Well for your under weight puppy, I suggest maybe 2 cups once in the morning and once in the evening. You could also add some weight gain formulas for a while. Also try putting cottage cheese, and/or some cooked fish, salmon is great. It'll help her gain weight, and keep her coat and body healthy.
I also suggest that you feed the dogs at the same time, but in separate bowls. This way no one will get jealous, and can cause less injuries.
For you overweight baby, maybe a 1/2 cup twice a day. Or 1 cup in the morning and a light snack in the evening. (so she won't get jealous when your littler one eats) Again, put some cottage cheese in. You don't need the salmon unless she doesn't have a healthy looking coat, or seems to be lacking joint strength. Salmon has good fatty oils, but too much for an obese dog can contribute to weight gain.

Any questions? Just ask. :-)

Answer 5

You should feed your 80 lb boxer aprox. 31/2 to 4 cups of food total for the day- best thing to do is split it into two meals- morning and evening. Your smaller boxer should eat about 2 cups of dry food total for the day. The rule of thumb is an 8oz measuring cup of food for 20lb of body wt. You should feed them for what they are supposed to weigh so if your 80lb dog needs to lose some weight feed her the 3 1/2 cups or maybe a little less- you should be able to judge. Good luck!

Answer 6

It really depends on the brand of dog food because some dog foods have more filler (corn, grain, additives) and some have more fat and protein. Also, take into account your dog's activity and treats/rewards.

We feed our 25 lb beagle 1 cup of Wellness dry food per day, divided into a morning feeding and an evening one. She gets two 30 min walks each day and lots of healthy treats throughout the day (sweet potato, chicken, broccoli), so we don't overdo the kibble... but I think Wellness is one of the higher protein and nutrient foods.

Answer 7

Check with you vet, but my old boxer got one cup in the morning and one cup at dinner time.
You little girl may need a food with a higher fat count than you big dog. She may also need one extra cup before bed.

Answer 8

You should call a vet because if you feed your dog to little then he or she is going to be tinny and if you feed your dog a lot of dog food then your dog with be heavy.i am sorry but i do not what to tell you how much food because i am not a vet. good luck to you boxer.

Answer 9

It really depends on the food. Better quality food requires less to be fed. The best idea is to look of the website for the dog food manufacturer and get the recommended feeding chart. Or you can run to the petstore and look at the back of the bag.

Answer 10

Try going to the web site of the company that makes your dog food. They might have charts there that tell you how much to feed.