Am I underfeeding my husky
Siberian Husky Food Calculator, Feeding Guide, and Chart
Quick Links: Table of Contents
Introduction to Feeding the Siberian Husky
Most dog owners do not know how to properly feed their dogs.
Also, most dog owners overfeed their dogs.
That explains why 59 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, according to research.
Overfeeding your Siberian Husky will make your Siberian Husky overweight and obese. Obesity leads to worse health problems for your Siberian Husky.
Fortunately, the Siberian Husky is a dog breed that does not become overweight very easily.
Nevertheless, you still need to pay careful attention to what you feed your Siberian Husky and how much food you feed your Siberian Husky.
Furthermore, when you overfeed your Siberian Husky, you waste dog food. Wasting dog food is the same as wasting money. Dog food is a recurring expenditure that adds up to a lot of money over the lifespan of your Siberian Husky.
The average lifespan of the Siberian Husky is 12.5 years.
When you feed your Siberian Husky the right type of food and the right amount of food, your Siberian Husky will be of the right body weight and the right body condition (not overweight or underweight).
Similarly, underfeeding your Siberian Husky is as bad of a problem as overfeeding your Siberian Husky.
When you underfeed your Siberian Husky or feed your Siberian Husky an incomplete or unbalanced diet, you reduce your Siberian Husky`s quality of life.
The right amount of food that your Siberian Husky needs depends on six important factors.
You need to take all these factors into account when developing a meal plan for your Siberian Husky. These six factors are:
- The life stage of your Siberian Husky (puppy, adult, or senior)
- The current weight of your Siberian Husky
- The body condition of your Siberian Husky (normal weight, overweight, underweight)
- How active your Siberian Husky is (inactive/obese prone, or active/athletic)
- If your Siberian Husky has been spayed/neutered
- The type of dog food that you feed your Siberian Husky
This article will provide you with a detailed guide on how to properly feed your Siberian Husky based on the above factors as recommended by veterinarians.
This article also includes the Siberian Husky food calculator that you can use to estimate how much food to feed your Siberian Husky based on the six factors we have just mentioned.
Our Siberian Husky food calculator uses the dog food formula and feeding guidelines developed by the veterinarians from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center and by veterinarians from the Mark Morris Institute.
Moreover, our calculator knows the calorie content per cup in over 800 popular dog foods (data from the Frankin Animal Clinic). Thus, the calculator can automatically calculate the right amount of each popular dog food that your Siberian Husky needs daily.
Importantly, since the nutrient requirements of the Siberian Husky puppy are different from the nutrient requirements of the adult Siberian Husky, this article contains recommendations on the best food to feed the Siberian Husky at different ages.
Siberian Husky Food Calculator
The Siberian Husky Food Calculator above lets you estimate how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
Similarly, to calculate how much water your Siberian Husky needs, check out our Siberian Husky water calculator
.
Our dog water calculator lets you estimate how much water your Siberian Husky needs to drink in a day.
How to Use our Siberian Husky Food Calculator
To use the
dog food calculator:
Select the name of the dog food that you feed your Siberian Husky from the list.
If the name of the dog food that your feed your Siberian Husky is not on the list, then find the bag or can of your dog food, the bag should have written on it how many kcals per cup is in the dog food. Enter this value in the calculator in the place of the dog food name.
Enter the current weight of your Siberian Husky.
Select your Siberian Husky`s age range, activity level, and neuter status.
If your Siberian Husky is overweight or underweight, and you want your Siberian Husky to lose or gain weight, enter the ideal weight of your Siberian Husky for its current age in the `How much you wish your dog currently weighs` box. Leave this box blank if your Siberian Husky is of normal weight.
To know how much Siberian Huskys typically weigh at different ages, check out our article and calculators on Siberian Husky weight and growth.
CONSULT A LICENSED VETERINARIAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR DOG ON A WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN DIET.
How the Siberian Husky Food Calculator Works
First, the calculator estimates what is known as the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) of your Siberian Husky.
The RER is the amount of energy that your Siberian Husky needs when it is `resting`, that is when doing nothing. The calculator uses the current weight of your Siberian Husky to calculate your Siberian Husky`s resting energy.
Next, the calculator scales up the resting energy by a factor that corresponds to your Siberian Husky`s life stage (puppy or adult) and lifestyle (activity level, spayed/neutered, etc). This scaled up energy value (called the maintenance energy) is the energy that your Siberian Husky needs to maintain its life when not resting.
Finally, the Siberian Husky food calculator divides the maintenance energy by the amount of energy in one cup of dog food to calculate how many cups of dog food your Siberian Husky needs.
Monitoring Your Siberian Husky`s Growth
The answer from the Siberian Husky food calculator is a starting point number on how much food you need to feed your Siberian Husky.
Start by feeding your Siberian Husky the amount of food recommended by the Siberian Husky food calculator every day.
While feeding your Siberian Husky this daily amount of food, weigh your Siberian Husky at least once a week to ensure that your Siberian Husky is not on its way to becoming overweight or underweight.
If your Siberian Husky is becoming overweight, reduce the amount of food your feed it by 10 to 15 percent, if underweight increase its food by 10 to 15 percent.
You can use our dog weight tracking tool to keep records of your Siberian Husky`s weight. This tool will let you know if the feeding plan is making your Siberian Husky grow normally or abnormally.
You can also check your Siberian Husky body condition score to find out if it is overweight or underweight. Learn how to check your Siberian Husky body condition score here.
Siberian Husky Feeding Chart
Below is the typical feed chart for the Siberian Husky. This chart provides you a rough guide on how much dry dog food (kibble) to feed your Siberian Husky.
If you want a more accurate estimate of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky, use this Siberian Husky food calculator.
| Age | Typical Weight | How Much Food |
|---|---|---|
| 13 weeks | 20.2 lbs (9.1 kg) | 2.8 cups per day |
| 14 weeks | 21.8 lbs (9.9 kg) | 3.0 cups per day |
| 16 weeks | 25.0 lbs (11.3 kg) | 3.3 cups per day |
| 18 weeks | 27.8 lbs (12.6 kg) | 2.4 cups per day |
| 5 months | 30.3 lbs (13.8 kg) | 2.6 cups per day |
| 6 months | 34.7 lbs (15.7 kg) | 2.8 cups per day |
| 7 months | 38.1 lbs (17.3 kg) | 3.0 cups per day |
| 8 months | 40.7 lbs (18.5 kg) | 3.2 cups per day |
| 9 months | 42.8 lbs (19.4 kg) | 3.3 cups per day |
| 10 months | 44.3 lbs (20.1 kg) | 3.4 cups per day |
| 11 months | 45.4 lbs (20.6 kg) | 3.5 cups per day |
| 12 months | 46.2 lbs (21.0 kg) | 3.5 cups per day |
| 1 years | 46.7 lbs (21.2 kg) | 3.6 cups per day |
| 2 years | 47.5 lbs (21.5 kg) | 2.9 cups per day |
| 4 years | 47.5 lbs (21.5 kg) | 2.9 cups per day |
How to Measure the Right Amount of Dog Food for Your Siberian Husky
Research has shown that most owners over-measure a cup of dog food. As a result, most dogs owners overfeed their dogs. This is because dog owners do not level off the cup when measuring out the food they give to their dogs.
See how and how not to measure ONE cup of dry dog food in the picture below:
Note that one cup of dog food equals 8 oz of dog food or ~237 milliliters of dog food.
You can buy standard dog food measuring cups here on Amazon.
Best Food for Siberian Husky. Siberian Husky Feeding Guide
The Siberian Husky has different nutrient needs at different life stages. Therefore, the dog food that you feed your Siberian Husky at different ages should be the type that is appropriate for its age.
For example, during its puppy stage, your Siberian Husky needs the type of dog food that has been designed to help boost a puppy`s weak immune system.
On the other hand, the adult Siberian Husky should have already developed a good immune system. So, during the adult stage, you should feed your Siberian Husky the type of dog food that has been designed to prolong the life of a dog.
Nevertheless, some dogs still do well eating the same food at every stage of their lives.
However, feeding your Siberian Husky dog food that has been optimized for its age will ensure that your Siberian Husky grows well, lives well, and lives long.
Feeding Guide for the Siberian Husky Puppy: 12 weeks to one year
The dog food that you feed your puppy should have the nutrients that will boost a puppy`s immune system since puppies easily get infected with the disease at this age.
Also, a good puppy food should have the nutrients that support brain development and good vision.
Finally, a good dog food for the Siberian Husky puppy should be the type that will not make your Siberian Husky fat. The puppy food should also help increase the health of your puppy`s bones.
See our list of the best dry dog food and the best wet dog food for the Siberian Husky puppy below.
These dog foods have all the right amount of nutrients that the Siberian Husky puppy needs to grow well during its puppy years.
Feeding Guide for the Young Adult Siberian Husky: Ages 1 year to 6 years
The dog food that you feed a young adult Siberian Husky should have the nutrients that will make a dog live longer.
A good dog food for the young adult Siberian Husky should also have the nutrients that will minimize the chances of your Siberian Husky getting infected with common dog diseases.
Also, a good dry dog food for the young adult Siberian Husky should help clean your dog`s teeth as your dog chews on the food.
Below is our best dog food recommendations for the young adult Siberian Husky
Feeding Guide for Mature Adult Siberian Huskys: 6 years and older
You should feed the mature adult Siberian Husky food that has been formulated to improve their quality of life, increase their life expectancy, and increase their overall health.
Older dogs are prone to age-related health problems. A good diet is essential to minimize the possibility of becoming frail with age.
See our recommendation on the best food for the mature adult Siberian Husky below:
Feeding Guide for Senior Dogs
One way to slow down the effects of aging in dogs is to reduce the amount of food you feed old dogs by 20 to 30% of normal while meeting essential nutrient needs.
Reducing a senior Siberian Husky`s food slows the aging process and reduces the risk for cancer, kidney diseases, arthritis, and immune-related diseases.
AAFCO-Certified Dog Food for the Siberian Husky
No matter which commercial food that you feed your Siberian Husky, make sure that the food is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
AAFCO is an expert body that rigorously tests dog food to make sure that the dog food is safe.
Also, AAFCO ensures that a dog food has all the nutrients (not just calories) that a dog needs to grow well before AAFCO approves the dog food.
Unlike homemade dog food, most commercial dog foods are AAFCO-approved. Double-check the label of your dog food to make sure it has been certified by AAFCO before feeding it to your Siberian Husky.
How Much Food to Feed the Siberian Husky
How Much Food to Feed a 15-Week-Old Siberian Husky Puppy
You should feed your 15-week-old Siberian Husky puppy 3.2 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Siberian Husky puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 15-week-old Siberian Husky puppy assumes that the weight of your Siberian Husky is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 15-week-old Siberian Husky puppy is 23.4 lbs (10.6 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Siberian Husky, and other factors, use our Siberian Husky food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 18-Week-Old Siberian Husky Puppy
You should feed your 18-week-old Siberian Husky puppy 2.4 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Siberian Husky puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 18-week-old Siberian Husky puppy assumes that the weight of your Siberian Husky is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 18-week-old Siberian Husky puppy is 27.8 lbs (12.6 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Siberian Husky, and other factors, use our Siberian Husky food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 11-Month-Old Siberian Husky Puppy
You should feed your 11-month-old Siberian Husky puppy 3.5 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Siberian Husky puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 11-month-old Siberian Husky puppy assumes that the weight of your Siberian Husky is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 11-month-old Siberian Husky puppy is 45.4 lbs (20.6 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
How Much Food to Feed a 12-Month-Old Siberian Husky Puppy
You should feed your 12-month-old Siberian Husky puppy 3.5 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Siberian Husky puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 12-month-old Siberian Husky puppy assumes that the weight of your Siberian Husky is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 12-month-old Siberian Husky puppy is 46.2 lbs (21.0 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
How Much Food to Feed a 5-Year-Old Siberian Husky
You should feed your 5-year-old Siberian Husky 2.9 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Siberian Husky over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 5-year-old Siberian Husky assumes that the weight of your Siberian Husky is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 5-year-old Siberian Husky puppy is 47.5 lbs (21.5 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
How Much Food to Feed a 12-Year-Old Siberian Husky
You should feed your 12-year-old Siberian Husky 2.9 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Siberian Husky over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 12-year-old Siberian Husky assumes that the weight of your Siberian Husky is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 12-year-old Siberian Husky puppy is 47.5 lbs (21.5 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
How Much Food to Feed a 22-Pound Siberian Husky
You should feed your 22-Pound Siberian Husky 1.8 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Siberian Husky over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Siberian Husky is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Siberian Husky is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
How Much Food to Feed a 24-Pound Siberian Husky
You should feed your 24-Pound Siberian Husky 2.0 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Siberian Husky over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Siberian Husky also assumes that you feed your Siberian Husky a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Siberian Husky is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Siberian Husky is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Siberian Husky.
How Many Times to Feed the Siberian Husky a Day
When it comes to how many times to feed a dog, there are three different ways to feed the Siberian Husky
One way is to make food available to the Siberian Husky at all times (free-choice feeding).
Another way is to feed the Siberian Husky two or three times a day (food-restricted feeding). This is the feeding method that works the best for most Siberian Huskys.
The third way is to make food available to your Siberian Husky for a short time (about 10 minutes) once or twice a day (time-restricted feeding).
Each of these feeding methods has its advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed next.
Free-Choice Feeding
This is a feeding method when you make food available to your Siberian Husky all the time.
Food-Restricted Meal Feeding
Food-limited feeding requires feeding a measured amount of food based on the Siberian Huskys daily energy requirements divided into two or three meals per day.
This is the method of choice for feeding puppies that are at risk of developing bone diseases due to rapid growth. Restricting the food of a rapidly growing dog will ensure that the dog grows normally.
Time-Limited Feeding
This is a dog feeding method in which dogs are allowed access to food for a short period, usually 10 to 15 minutes, once or twice daily (three times per day for the first month after weaning, then twice per day).
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Free-choice feeding |
|
|
| Food-restricted feeding |
| |
| Time-restricted feeding |
|
|
Effect of Neutering/Spaying on How Much Food your Siberian Husky eats
Neutered/spayed dogs tend to get fat twice as easily as intact dogs.
Studies have shown that neutering/spaying may increase your Siberian Husky`s appetite for more food. Also, your Siberian Husky`s physical activity decreases after neutering/spaying. These factors lead to weight gain.
Neutering may lead to more weight gain in male Siberian Huskys because neutered dogs roam less (which means less exercise).
Therefore, the amount of food that you give to a neutered Siberian Husky should be reduced after you neuter your Siberian Husky to prevent weight gain.
Use our Siberian Husky food calculator to calculate how much food to feed a neutered/spayed Siberian Husky.
Effect of Weather on How Much Food Your Siberian Husky Needs
Siberian Huskys that live in cold environments need more food (especially, food high in fat) than Siberian Huskys that live in hot environments.
Hot weather, on the other hand, does not increase the amount of food your Siberian Husky needs. Hot weather only makes your Siberian Husky need more water.
Since most Siberian Huskys live in a temperature-controlled environment as their owners. Therefore, owners do not need to increase or decrease the amount of food they give to their Siberian Huskys based on the outside weather.
Important Note on Treats and Table Food
Because meeting a dog`s nutrient requirements is not the primary goal of dog treats, most commercial dog treats do not contain the essential nutrients that your Siberian Husky needs.
However, a few treats are complete and balanced and are approved by AAFCO, or some other credible dog food regulatory agency. Check the label on your dog treat to know if the dog treat has a complete and balanced nutrient profile.
Nevertheless, dog treats, either balanced or unbalanced in nutrients, are valid sources of calories for your dog. Therefore, if you give your dog lots of treats, you should reduce the amount of the regular dog food that you give your dog accordingly to account for the treats. That way, you will not overfeed your dog.
Also, human table foods do not contain the important nutrients that your Siberian Husky needs for healthy growth.
Also, human table foods may contain very high levels of fat or sodium and other minerals that are harmful to your Siberian Husky.
Moreover, know that when you feed your Siberian Husky table food, you fill your Siberian Husky`s stomach with dog `junk food`. This will suppress your Siberian Husky`s appetite and thereby make your Siberian Husky unable to eat its normal dog food that contains the essential nutrients for your Siberian Husky`s growth.
We do not recommend giving your Siberian Husky table food.
Conclusion
Most commercial dog food labels contain recommendations on how much of the food to feed a dog. However, their recommendations are very general.
Therefore, in this article, we have provided your specific advice on how to properly feed your Siberian Husky.
