How Much Do You Feed a Bulldog?

There is no set amount of food to feed bulldogs; depending on the circumstances, one bulldog can eat twice as much as another. However, understanding the breed's nutritional needs can be useful in determining how much food is required by a specific dog. Taking into consideration activity level and life stage are also necessary to select a quality food that best meets the needs of your dog.

  1. Maintence Conditions

    • Adults and senior bulldogs require a maintenance diet that accounts for moderate to low activity levels. Adult maintenance dog foods are designed for moderate activity levels such as afternoon walks and play time in the park. Senior maintenance foods are lower in fat and designed for lower activity levels. Depending on the density of the nutrients, dogs are fed per pound; each dog food has different nutrient density levels.

    Growing and Reproducing Stages

    • Growing and reproducing stages require more energy and nutrients. Puppies require more energy and nutrient than adult maintenance, but this does not mean they eat more. A high-quality food may only require half the serving size of a lesser-quality food. Breeding and whelping foods are also nutritionally geared toward helping the pregnant female maintain a healthy weight during gestation and lactation stages. While many dog foods advertise for all stages, a veterinarian can suggest brands that are most suitable for these stages.

    Quality Counts

    • The better quality food, the less is necessary to feed, and the less waste produced. Whole foods, raw foods and organic diets are more nutritious than dry and canned commercial dog foods. Quality pet foods are made with real ingredients such as salmon and brown rice, and list meats as a first ingredient rather than corn or wheat. Quality dog foods can be purchased a pet food supply stores, organic pet food retailers and veterinarians.

    Considerations

    • The standard breed profile for bulldogs suggests a healthy weight of 28 lbs. or less. A good quality diet, fed twice a day (morning and evening), with one or two treats throughout the day and a clean supply of water, is all that is needed to keep a healthy weight. Treats such as pet-safe, commercially prepared sweet potato treats are lower in fat and higher in vitamins than animal part treats, which makes them ideal for treats between meals.