Feeding your dog a nutritious diet in the right portions is important for its overall health and Whippet owners have to be extra careful to maintain their dog’s slender figure. So, how much should Whippets eat?
An adult Whippet typically needs to eat between 1 to 1.5 cups of food per day to get all the nutrients needed. Since these dogs are slender, it’s important not to give them too many treats and to avoid table scraps. Whippets don’t need to eat a lot to stay healthy.
If you’ve made the decision to adopt a Whippet dog, then you need to know about its diet requirement. This is crucial for ensuring your dog lives longer and has good quality of life. On this page, we’re going to talk about how much you should feed a Whippet. Keep reading to learn more about the diet requirements of this dog breed.
How Much Should Whippets Eat?
How much should Whippets eat? A full-grown Whippet dog only needs to consume 1 to 1.5 cups of food per day. This sounds easy enough, but it’s very important that owners divvy up this food into separate portions or else their Whippet will get hungry between portions. Most Whippets are fine with 2 feedings per day, but some do better when it’s split into 3 portions.
A rule of thumb to figure out how many portions of food per day is best for your Whippet is to observe how they act during feeding times. If your Whippet consumes the food in a normal manner then it is satisfied with 2 portions per day. However, if you notice your dog eats too quickly when you put the food down, then it is getting too hungry between feedings.
When your dog shows signs of being too hungry, you don’t have to increase the amount of food you are giving it. Instead, give it more frequently but smaller portions to keep it satisfied. It’s important that you take note of this because if a Whippet eats too quickly, it will swallow air when it chews. This will end up giving them a case of flatulence, which is never pretty.
Do All Whippets Eat the Same Amount?
Keep in mind, every Whippet should be judged on an individual basis. If you have multiple Whippets, you may notice that they vary in size. An average weight range for Whippets is between 26 and 34 lbs and an average height is between 18 and 22 inches. If your dog is on the smaller end of the size scale, it will likely only need a cup.
However, if you have a larger-sized Whippet, it may be better off being fed 1.5 cups in a day. Now, this is just a basic guideline based on the Whippet’s size. Similar to humans, each individual dog needs a certain amount of food based on its size, health requirements, and activity levels.
If you have one Whippet who is always eager to play and romp around, while the other Whippet is a couch potato, they won’t require the same amount of food to stay healthy. The active dog will require more calories to keep up with its energy levels, while the lazy dog shouldn’t eat as much or else it could gain weight.
What Type of Food Should Whippets Eat?
When it comes to feeding your Whippet, the food you give them is just as important as how much and often you feed it. It is strongly recommended to feed the dog grain-free dog food. It’s a good idea to speak with your dog’s vet about the best choices of brands for foods.
Whippets do have sensitive skin because their coats comes in a variety of colors and markings are so short. If you feed the Whippet poor quality food, it may develop skin issues and other health problems. This is something that dog owners typically don’t have to worry about if they feed their Whippet high-quality foods. Try to choose a food with lean protein and no corn or wheat products. Some of the best food for Whippets includes:
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
- Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach, Salmon and Rice Formula
- American Journey Stews- premium canned dog food
- Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Adult HP Dog Food
- The Honest Kitchen Meal Booster Wet Food Topper (99% Beef)
- Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Filets in Gravy (Lamb and Green Beans Entree) Wet Food Trays
How Much Should Whippet Puppies Eat?
Whippet puppies are much smaller than a full-grown Whippet, but since they are growing they actually need to consume more food than a full-grown Whippet. To get a better idea of how much a Whippet puppy needs to eat vs what a full-grown Whippet eats, let’s look at calories.
An adult Whippet will typically consume around 894 calories in a day, whereas a Whippet puppy will need an increased calorie intake of approximately 990. There is a very specific reason why Whippet puppies need to eat more. They are still growing and need the extra energy for strength. Its body is developing as the muscles and bones continue to grow.
However, once the dog is fully grown, you will need to cut back on its calorie intake. It’s important that you don’t overfeed an adult Whippet. A Whippet dog has a very slender frame and it doesn’t hold extra weight very well. If a Whippet gains too much weight, it could have mobility issues among other health problems.
Will the Right Diet Keep a Whippet Healthy?
It’s important to feed your Whippet the right amount of nutritious food each day to keep it healthy. When a Whippet eats good quality food it will receive all the nutrients it needs and stay full longer between feedings. Poor quality food doesn’t have as many nutrients so it isn’t as filling. It can also lead to health problems quicker.
While diet plays a crucial role in a Whippet’s health, it’s not the only thing that dog owners need to focus on. Whippets need to exercise daily in order to stay healthy too. Whippets are low energy, so this breed will spend a good portion of the day relaxing. However, that leaves them feeling rejuvenated so they have the energy they need to release.
Whippets need at least 1 hour of physical activity each day, but they are usually happy to take more. When Whippets get exercise, they get tired quickly. For this reason, they won’t need 1 hour of playtime at once. It should be broken down into segments. Whippets don’t hold extra weight well so it’s important that they get exercise every day to prevent obesity.
Is My Whippet Eating Enough Food?
For people who are used to caring for larger dogs, it may seem like 1 to 1.5 cups of food per day isn’t a lot. Even if you are following the right steps as far as diet and exercise, it may appear that your Whippet is too skinny. This may have you thinking that the dog is malnourished and not being fed enough nutrients to stay healthy.
With a lot of animals, it’s alarming to see their ribcage. This can give the impression that they are not being cared for properly. However, when you see some of a Whippet’s ribcage it means that it is at the ideal weight for its health. By nature, a Whippet has very little body fat. There isn’t much meat on a Whippet’s bones because it should be slim and muscular.
People who are not familiar with this breed often may snide comments that suggest the owner isn’t doing their part in caring for the dog. Comments like that just show the person’s ignorance because a skinny Whippet is usually a healthy and well taken care of Whippet. This doesn’t mean you need to increase the Whippet’s calorie intake.
Every Whippet will have different eating habits. Some Whippets will clear their dishes in one sitting, while others will nibble at bits throughout the day. Similar to humans, Whippets will develop an eating habit that is comfortable to them. If it seems like your Whippet is hungry for more after feeding, you may want to try a different brand of food that’s more filling.
Final Thoughts
How much should Whippets eat? Whippets are thin dogs that don’t handle extra weight very well. For this reason, you will want to follow a strict feeding routine. A full-grown Whippet requires 1 to 1.5 cups of food daily. It’s important that you feed the Whippet high-quality food. While grain-free food is ideal, brands that use brown rice or oats are also a good choice.
To make sure your Whippet doesn’t get too hungry, you should feed it food split into portions. Depending on your dog’s appetite 2 or 3 portions per day is best. Whippets do enjoy a tasty treat, but you need to keep treats to a minimum. This breed can’t eat as many treats per day as other dog breeds to keep a healthy figure.