Do you know the answer to: How much should English bulldogs eat? It’s definitely something that you’ll need to know before you get yourself one of these chonkers, because bulldogs will eat everything and anything you give them, providing they like the taste, and they won’t stop until you stop.
That’s usually how it goes, anyway – and I’m speaking from personal English bulldog pet parenthood.
It’s super easy for those chonky boys to get too chonky, which leads to health issues that have the potential to shorten their already shortened life expectancy!
Let’s find out how much your pampered pooches should really eat. (And what to do if you’re overfeeding them.)
- So, How Much Should English Bulldogs Eat, Really?
- Puppies vs. Adult Bulldogs: How Much Should They Eat?
- How Often Should I Feed My Bulldog?
- Is It Normal for English Bulldogs to Eat All the Time?
- What Should I Do if My Bulldog Is Eating Too Much?
- Bulldog Feeding FAQ
- Summary: How Much Should Bulldogs Eat?
- Conclusion: How Much Should Bulldogs Eat?
So, How Much Should English Bulldogs Eat, Really?
Dog (and cat) food is usually measured by your pet’s weight. If you take a peek at the packaging of your doggo’s food, or any kind of pet food in the supermarket, you’ll see a recommended feeding amount.
These are great starting points – but they’re very generic, not tailored to your pet, and don’t consider things like treats, human leftovers, and the like.
“Complete” dog food contains all of the nutrients that your bulldog needs to stay healthy. They don’t need any other food sources; the “complete” food will cover the lot. So, when looking for food for your doggo, always make sure that the word “complete” is on the packaging somewhere.
If the food isn’t complete (doesn’t contain all of the essential nutrients,) it’s not allowed to have that term anywhere on the packaging.
Royal Canin Bulldog Adult recommends:
259 grams dried kibble daily for a 22kg dog with normal exercise/activity.
This would work out to 130 grams (approx.) in the morning, then another 130 grams in the evening, if you feed your doggo twice daily.
If you’re planning on feeding your greedy doggo three times per day – morning, noon, and night – you will need to separate 259 grams into three. Each meal should then be no more than 87 grams.
Find more information on the Royal Canine Bulldog line of dog food right here.
AVA Bulldog Breed Health recommends:
250 to 295 grams daily for dogs that weigh 20 to 25 kg.
If you’re giving your English bulldog treats and human food throughout the day, technically, you should work out the calorie, protein, etc. content, then deduct it from their daily recommended food intake.
You shouldn’t really feed your bulldog human food AT ALL. It’s not designed for their sensitive digestive systems. That kind of pampering will also lead to long-term health issues, such as gastrointestinal problems, obesity, and/or diabetes, all of which significantly reduce life expectancy – and even quality of life – for your pup.
Puppies vs. Adult Bulldogs: How Much Should They Eat?
Puppies are still growing, so they need more food. This helps them to grow, plus it also considers how much more, smaller, younger bulldogs move over their older, more weary counterparts.
James Wellbeloved has a handy chart on how much dogs (generically, bot breed specific) should eat, based on size and weight. A 22kg adult bulldog should eat, as per the chart, 395 grams of food per day if they’re getting high activity, 345 grams for medium activity, or 300 grams for low activity pups.
More information and purchasing can be found for James Wellbeloved dog food right here.
A two-month-old bulldog puppy, aged 3 months, should consume 370 grams of food per day – separated into the three or four meals, of course.
Now, it’s important to remember that these amounts are based on James Wellbeloved food, which is complete dog food – but generic dog food. It’s not specifically designed for bulldogs, unlike the Royal Canin example given above.
How Often Should I Feed My Bulldog?
An adult bulldog should, ideally, feed twice per day – once in the morning, then again in the afternoon/evening.
Puppies, on the other hand, need more frequent feeds than that. If they are under the age of twelve weeks, they should eat four times per day.
Once they reach the twelve-week-old stage, it’s time to move to three meals per day instead of four.
At around six months of age, it’s time for your bully puppy to switch from three smaller meals per day, to two larger ones.
Treats for your pup should make up no more than 10% of their daily allowance of food for the day, regardless of pup or adult.
Is It Normal for English Bulldogs to Eat All the Time?
Yep, that’s totally normal, I’m afraid – and it’ll cost you a small fortune if you continue to indulge them, and in more ways than one.
Extra food adds more costs to your already mounting outcomes, and too much food (or the wrong food) will also lead to more vet visits – and more costly ones!
YOU are in charge of how much your pup eats; not them.
If you continue to feed your bully too much food, leading to them becoming overweight, their obesity is your fault. Knowing how much to feed your pet… and when to stop feeding them, is just one vital part of pet parenthood.
What Should I Do if My Bulldog Is Eating Too Much?
It isn’t a good idea to make big changes to your bulldog’s diet, like reducing the amount of food you’re serving them, without first getting them checked out by a vet. You must first determine whether or not your pooch is healthy enough for significant dietary changes, plus your vet can give you advice on how to bring their weight down safely and healthily.
Exercise and enrichment is just as important as diet when it comes down to helping your bulldog lose weight, too. Bulldogs need approximately one hour of physical exercise per day, but this does heavily depend on things like how old your bully is, what stage of life they’re at, and also the weather. It’s dangerous for bulldogs to partake in excessive exercise on hot summer days because they’re not great at regulating and managing their own internal body temperature.
Bulldog Feeding FAQ
Can I leave food out for my bulldog?
It’s not a good idea to leave a large amount of food out for your bulldog to eat throughout the day. To start with, they probably won’t eat it throughout the day; they’ll probably eat it all in one go, as soon as the bowl is put down in front of them. Dry food can be left for a little longer than wet food, which should be taken away and disposed of within a couple of hours, but your bulldog should eat like you do: plate put down, food eaten, plate taken away and then washed up.
How can I make sure I’m feeding my bulldog the right amount?
The very best way to make sure that you’re feeding your bulldog properly, the right amounts, the right type of food, and at the right times, is to have a chat with your vet. No-one else knows your bully’s health better than you and your vet, right? They’re great resources for more than just doggy illnesses! They will measure your bully’s height, weight, and activity level, using those numbers to then determine the right amount of food, plus which type of food.
Summary: How Much Should Bulldogs Eat?
Puppies should have either three or four meals per day.
Daily, bulldog puppies should eat around 280-300 grams of food (according to James Wellbeloved) per day at two months old. Once they reach three months, bulldog pups should eat around 370 grams. At four months old, it’s 395 grams. At five months of age, you should serve up a daily total of 400 grams, and then, at six months, your bulldog pup will reduce in food, to 395 grams. Puppies need more food per weight than adults do, to account for all the extra zoomies!
Adult bulldogs need two or three meals per day, but vets and experts recommend twice daily.
On average, pet food experts recommend feeding adults between 250 and 300 grams of dry food per day, which works out to between 125 and 150 grams of food in each of the two bowls.
Conclusion: How Much Should Bulldogs Eat?
Always prioritise high-quality, breed-appropriate dog food and monitor their weight regularly to avoid obesity – a common issue among Bulldogs. Don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian for personalised feeding guidelines or if you notice changes in your dog’s eating habits. With proper care and attention to their diet, your bulldog can thrive, staying healthy and energetic for years to come.
Feeding is more than just a routine; it’s a key part of showing your bulldog the love they deserve.
Thank you so much for taking a peek at Planet Bulldog today! We hope you’ve found the information useful, but while you’re here why not take a peek at these, too:
