Are you the lucky pet parent of a Boston Terrier? If you have welcomed one of these delightful pooches into your life, you’ll being considering all the fundamentals necessary to keeping your pooch healthy and happy. Diet is vital to your pup’s health.
Selecting a dog food may be challenging but mainly because of the wealth of quality dog foods available on the market.
From prescription kibble to fresh home-cooked meals delivered to your doorstep, choosing the right dog food will be a chore. Both your breeder and veterinarian can provide invaluable advice.
But once you have chosen your food, how much exactly should you feed your pet. Initially this may appear tricky. It’s important to know proper portioning for every stage of your Boston Terrier’s life.
How Much Does My Boston Terrier Need to Eat to Be Healthy?
While each dog is an individual, and there will be variables, a general guide is ¾ to 1 cup daily if your Boston Terrier weighs approximately 10 pounds. If you pup weighs double that or 20 pounds, plan on providing 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ cups every day.
| Boston Terrier Food Servings Guide | |
| Dog’s Weight | Daily Food Serving |
| 5 to 10 lbs. | 0.50 to 0.625 cup |
| 10 to 15 lbs. | 0.75 to 1 cup |
| 15 to 25 lbs. | 1.25 to 1.75 cups |
Your dog’s weight will significantly impact how much food they should eat and what their calorie intake needs to be.
A Canine Calorie Calculator
To get a true idea of exactly how much you should feed your Boston Terrier in terms of calories, use this convenient Canine Calorie Calculator offered by Pet Nutrition Alliance.
Once the canine calorie calculator has formulated exactly how many calories a day your pup should be eating, check the label on the dog food you are serving. This will allow you to measure a perfect daily portion to serve your furry friend.
Other Factors Influencing Calorie Intake
Other factors that should be considered when deciding how much to feed include
1.) Your Boston terrier’s activity level.
2.) The kind of food you are feeding (and treats!).
3.) Whether you have spayed or neutered your pup.
Is Your Boston Terrier Active?
How active your pup is and how much exercise he or she gets daily will have a big impact on how many calories are necessary. Just like us, the more active your dog is, the more calories intake he or she will require.
If you have a smaller Boston terrier that is extremely active, you may want to serve a slightly larger portion to compensate for the extra energy they will be burning.
If instead you have a heavier dog that basically is inactive, you’ll want to reduce the portion size that you are serving.
Dog Food
Each type of dog food as well as manufacturer will generally offer recommended servings on the product labels. If you check a bag of kibble, the manufacturer states how many calories are in a cup and what is the recommended daily serving.
It is quite common for a dog food manufacturer to recommend 1.5 cups per day or a bit less for dogs that have similar weights to Boston Terriers.
But again, this may depend on the individual dog.
Why Does Spaying or Neutering My Boston Terrier Matter?
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has stated in published research that the spaying or neutering canines puts them at risk for becoming overweight whereas sexually intact and active dogs do not. After sexual sterilization, hormone production is modified most often resulting in weight gain.
If your Boston terrier has been spayed, do be aware of this risk and act accordingly. If you are planning on spaying or neutering, consult your veterinarian about this risk. Weight gain is usually more prevalent in the first two years after neutering.
Should your Boston Terrier gain weight, or already be overweight. Reduce food portions to aid in weight management.
How Do I Choose My Boston Terrier’s Dog Food?
When selecting dog food for your favorite pooch, choose a reputable brand with high quality ingredients. Avoid ingredients that contribute nothing to your pup’s health, as well as processed foods.
Look for real protein sources in dog food lists of ingredients and not merely “byproducts”. It is a good idea to consult your veterinarian if your pooch has food allergies. Common allergies and intolerances include both grain and chicken.
Because many dog food brands include both of these in formulas, read ingredient list thoroughly before purchase. Most manufacturer will also include grain-free formulas as well as limited ingredient formulas for dogs with allergies.
What Brands Are Well Known for Quality?
There are many dog food manufacturers out there. It is always a good idea to do research about a company in terms of problems, legal issues, and recalls. Also, read other Boston terrier owners’ comments if possible. Finally read the ingredient list thoroughly.
Some well-known reputable dog food brands include
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- Blue Buffalo
- Hill’s Science Diet
- Iams
- Instinct
- Nom Nom
- Purina
- Royal Canin
- Taste of the Wild
- Wellness CORE
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and there are many, many more.
What Type of Dog Food Should I Serve My Boston Terrier?
Some pet parents only consider dry kibble as a preferred dog food, but there are several kinds of quality dog foods available, that you may want to consider.
Pet Supply Stores and online pet sites offer hundreds of options. It won’t only be about brand but about the kind of food.
Here are various types of dog food that are available now on the market:
1.) Dehydrated Food
This is dry raw food. The moisture has been removed, hence you will need to rehydrate it before serving. This food type will not use artificial preservatives. It generally will be more expensive.
2.) Dry Food
Usually called “kibble”, dry food is produced in bite-size pieces for a specific size of canine. Quality will vary greatly depending on the preparation method and of course, the ingredients.
Dry food has a longer shelf-life and is available in a wide range of prices from the expensive to the budget-friendly option. Chewing kibble does aid in dental care, keeping teeth plaque and tartar-free.
3.) Freeze-Dried Food
Freeze-dried foods are frozen and can be either cooked or raw. The moisture content is removed. This kind of dog food also requires rehydration serving. It will not contain artificial preservatives.
4.) Fresh or Frozen Food
New pet food companies are offering fresh or frozen canne food that can be raw or cooked. These foods usually meet a very high-quality nutrition standard. They do not need to use preservatives.
5.) Human-grade Food
This kind of food will use only human-grade ingredients like what we would eat. They are usually prepared in a food production facility that meets all the necessary requirements of human food preparation. This quality of food can, in theory, be eaten by humans.
6.) Prescription Food
If your dog to has health issues it is common for veterinarians to prescribe a prescription dog food. These foods are specifically formulated for a precise health condition. They do cost more. Many will require a veterinary prescription for purchase.
7.) Wet Food
Sold in plastic pouches or cans, wet food guarantees a superior moisture content. These foods generally contain higher protein and fat quantities that improve the palatability. It will feature a higher calorie count.
When selecting, check for flavor and color additives as well as preservatives. Once you have opened a portion or can of wet food, it needs to be consumed with a couple of days and should be refrigerated.
See also: Why Is My Boston Terrier Doing So Much Shedding?
What Should I Do if My Boston Terrier Gains or Loses Weight?
For weight gain, reduce the portions that you are serving. For an underweight Boston terrier, increase the portions to a bit above what is recommended.
Is There a Difference When Feeding a Puppy or Adult?
Boston Terrier puppies will be smaller than Boston terrier adults. Puppies are also considerably more active. It would be wise when searching for a dog food to select a diet specifically formulated for puppies.
Puppies should also be fed at least 3 if not 4 times per day, whereas adults should not be fed more than twice daily.
Your Boston terrier will be considered a puppy up to approximately one year of age. Begin reducing puppy portions at about six months of age, as adult dogs will eat smaller meals. If you select a puppy dog food formula, begin your Terrier’s transition when he or she reaches nine months.
