Dogs don't come with instruction manuals that tell you what to feed them and how often. Getting the right portion size and feeding schedule isn't as challenging as you think, once you know the basics.

Should You Feed Canned or Dry Food?

Most dry dog foods are soybean, corn, or rice based. Premium brands often have meat or fish meal as the first ingredient, so while they're higher priced, they're actually a better deal. Your dog gets more nutrition from the food, and eats less of it.

Dry food also has greater caloric density, meaning there's less water per cup of food than per cup of canned food. While this probably isn't a big issue for small breeds, large dogs may not be able to eat enough of the canned variety to fulfill their daily caloric needs (because they also get a lot of water in canned food). If you have a large dog (over 30 pounds), dry or semi-moist food is probably the best choice.

How Much Should You Feed Your Dog?

The best advice is to check the packaging of the dog food you've selected. Most pet food manufacturers print recommendations right on their bags, jugs or cans, and base the feeding amounts on the weight of adult dogs. Keep in mind, though, that manufacturers typically recommend feeding enough food to satisfy a very active dog, so don't be surprised if what the package recommends ends up being too much for your dog.

If your dog consistently leaves food, reduce the amount you're feeding by small amounts until your dog is consuming all of what you feed. Once your dog has reached that point, keep an eye on its weight to be sure your pooch isn't packing on extra pounds. In a dog of normal weight, you should be able to feel the ribs but not see them.

How Often Should You Feed Your Dog?

There are two methods to feed your dog: free choice feeding and meal (or limited-time) feeding.

With free choice feeding, you keep the food bowl full all the time. This allows your dog to "graze" throughout the day, eating whenever it wants. Though this method is certainly easy, it's not the recommended method because there's no way to monitor how much your dog is consuming. And, if you have more than one dog, you'll have no way of knowing if one pet is eating more or less than it should be. However, if you only have one dog, you can try a modified version of free choice feeding. Fill the bowl with the entire day's ration of food once in the morning. Regardless of when the bowl is emptied, no more food is added until the next morning. This method is probably most effective with small dogs who are prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Meal feeding means you divide the total day's ration into two or more meals, depending upon your dog's age and size. For instance, if you have an adult dog, two feedings per day should be plenty. If the recommended daily amount of food for your dog's size is one cup per day, you should feed half a cup in the morning and half a cup at night. After 20 minutes, remove the bowl, whether or not all the food has been eaten. It may take your dog a few days to realize it needs to eat the food when it's offered, or a meal will be missed.

Again, how many small meals your dog gets each day depend on its age and breed. Here are some general guidelines:

• Puppies less than three months old: 4 times per day
• Puppies three to six months old: 3 times per day
• Puppies and dogs six months and older: 2 times per day (3 for small dogs or deep-chested breeds prone to bloat, such as Dobermans and Great Danes)
• Dogs six years and older: 2 to 3 times per day (consult your veterinarian)

Treats and snacks shouldn't account for more than ten percent of your dog's total caloric intake per day.

Making a Routine

Dogs thrive on routines, so choose a feeding pattern early in your pet's life and stick to it. You might consider feeding your dog while your family dines, so your pet is occupied and less prone to begging at your table while you're eating.