How Much To Feed
An entry in the doggie blog I wrote about it.
Basically, if your dog is a healthy adult s/he will eat 4% of his/her body weight per day, in 1 or 2 meals as you decide.
A puppy will eat 6-10% of his/her body weight.
An overweight or old dog eats roughly 2%.
At this point, I am no longer weighing each meal- 1/2 lb to 1 lb is fairly easy to 'eyeball' now after several years of experience. You might want to invest $20 into a digital kitchen scale until you get used to what a portion looks like.
Some meals can be a little more, some a little less as long as the dog is getting around the portion s/he should be on average. And guess what? It's ok to skip a meal or even to fast your dog once in awhile.
It is very easy to overfeed by heaping the bowl instead of a level measure. Resist. Dogs do not equate food with love, and are as happy to get 6 oz as they are to get 10 oz. That 4 oz will make a difference over time, and I see a lot of OBESE Tollers. They gain weight very easily and weight gain is hard on their joints and their hearts, slows them down in life, and is generally unhealthy.
The eating pattern in a stray dog's life is to gorge in case there is no food for awhile. Domesticated dogs are no different- they are hungry for a living, and would eat to discomfort if we let them.
Every cookie, crust of bread, or bit of cheese we give them contains calories. If having a treat-heavy day, account for this in portion control. Your dog will live longer if you do.
FACTOIDS
A stressed dog will not eat, so don't try to feed your dog after surgery, a plane ride, a house full of guests, at a pet store, etc. Eating requires relaxation, and you will know if your dog is relaxed enough to eat.
Dogs can't chew (grind.) Large pieces of fruit or veg, corn, nuts, candy, etc come out the same way they went in.
Dogs' digestion begins in the mouth as their saliva contains enzymes. Their digestive systems are hearty. If something smells a little 'off' to you, THEY CAN STILL EAT IT without digestive upset!