A no-fluff guide for every pet parents.
The 2-Minutes Answer.
Look at the back of your pet food bag. Find the “Feeding Guide” chart. Match your pet’s weight to the cups/grams per day. Split that into 2-3 meals. Adjust based on body shape every 2 weeks. Done. But if you want to get it right and avoid fat pets or hungry pets, keep reading.
Why “Just Fill The Bowl ” Doesn’t work.
1. Every food is different: 1 cup of Royal Canin Giant Puppy has more calories than 1 cup of Royal Canin Mini Puppy. Same “cup,” different energy.
2. Every pet is different: A 20kg guard dog in Sangotedo running around all day needs way more than a 20kg French Bulldog sleeping under AC in Ikoyi.
3. Overfeeding = vet bills: 56% of dogs and 60% of cats are overweight. That means arthritis, diabetes, and shorter lives. In Lagos heat, fat pets suffer more.
The 4-Step Method To Use:
Step 1: Get your pet’s weight.
Hop on a scale holding your pet. Check number. Hop on alone. Subtract.
No scale? Use last vet visit. Or estimate: Adult cat 3-5kg, Beagle 10-12kg, GSD 30-40kg.
Step 2: Decode your food bank.
Find “Daily Feeding Recommendation.” It’s usually a table.
Sample For Adult Dog Dry Food.
Dog Weight: Daily Amount
5kg: 90g = 3/4 cup
10kg: 160g = 1 1/3 cups
25kg: 320g = 2 3/4 cups
40kg: 460g = 4 cups
Sample for Adult Cat Dry Food:
4kg cat = 55g/day = about 1/2 cup
Key Rules.
- “Cup” = 240ml standard measuring cup. Not a Peak Milk cup.
- “Per day” means total for 24hrs. Split it up.
- Wet food? 1 pouch ≈ 70-85g. Often 3-4 pouches replace 1 cup of dry.
Step 3: Split into Meals.
- Adult dogs*: 2 meals/day. 25kg dog eating 320g/day → 160g morning + 160g night.
- Adult cats*: 2-3 meals/day, or graze if they self-regulate.
- Puppies <6mo*: 3-4 meals/day. They need 2-3x the adult amount until 80% grown.
- Kittens <6mo*: 3-4 meals/day. Free-feed dry if weight is good.
Step 4: Adjust using the “Rib Test”
Every 2 weeks, feel your pet’s ribs.
- Too thin: Ribs, spine, hip bones stick out = feed 10% more.
- Perfect: Ribs feel like your knuckles under a thin t-shirt = keep same.
- Too fat: Can’t feel ribs, no waist = cut food by 10% + more walks.
Your pet’s waist from above should tuck in like an hourglass. No tuck = overweight.
Treats must be ≤10% of daily calories.
Real math: 20kg dog eating 300g/day → treats max 30g. That’s about 4-5 small biscuits.
Your “small” piece of chicken from dinner? Can equal 25% of a cat’s daily calories.
Solution: If you give treats, remove the same amount of kibble. Fill a treat pouch in the morning from their daily food. When it’s empty, treats are done.
Wet Food vs Dry Food vs Mixed
- Dry only: Use chart as-is.
- Wet only: 3kg cat needs ∼ 3 pouches/day. 10kg dog needs ∼ 3-4 cans/day. Expensive.
- Mixed: Replace 50g dry with 1 wet pouch/can. Rule: 1 cup dry = 1 can wet = 3 pouches.
Five Mistakes We See Every Week In Lagos
1. Free-feeding large breeds: Labs, Rottweilers will eat till they vomit. Measure.
2. One bowl for 2 dogs: The fast eater gets fat, the slow one gets skinny. Feed separately.
3. “He’s still hungry”: Dogs are scavengers. They act hungry 24/7. Trust the ribs, not the eyes.
4. Changing food overnight: New food = diarrhea. Mix 25% new + 75% old for 2 days, then 50/50, then 75/25, then 100%.
5. No water: Dry food needs water. Rule: 50ml water per 1kg body weight daily. 10kg dog = 500ml = 1 sachet water.
When It Is Not About Food Amount
Stop calculating and call a vet if:
1. Your pet refuses food 48+ hours.
2. Sudden weight loss.
3. Vomiting/diarrhea + not eating
4. Eats but still skinny, or drinks gallons of water
5. Bloated stomach, especially deep-chested dogs
These are medical, not measurement problems.
Your 30 Seconds Action Plan
1. Go weigh your pet right now.
2. Find your food bag and snap the feeding chart.
3. Calculate daily amount → divide by meals.
4. Do the rib test this weekend.
5. Write the grams per meal on your food container with marker.
Remember: The goal isn’t a full bowl. It’s a healthy pet that’ll be with you 10-15 years.
