About Siberian Husky
The Chukchi people of Siberia, Russia, bred Siberian Huskies around 3000 years ago. This breed is a working dog because the purpose behind their breeding was to help the people of Siberia move goods and people from one place to another in the huge coldness of Siberia, as it was difficult for them to do in the snow.
How Much Should a Siberian Husky Eat?
As Siberian Huskies are a working breed of dogs, they need a diet that provides them with the necessary nutrients and proteins to keep up their energy levels. Working dogs require proper nutrition and food but because this breed is from old times and there was no proper source of food at that time, they were adjusted to whatever little food was given to them.
Lucky for us, Huskies are independent dogs and self-aware of how much food they need to consume to get the necessary nutrition that will keep them active. It may be surprising for some Husky owners and they can be worried thinking their Huskies are not eating enough.
Guidelines For How Much Should a Siberian Husky Eat?
The question of how much should a Siberian Husky eat depends on different factors such as the size and gender of the dog. Most of the dog foods have food guides on the back of their bag according to the age and size of the dog. Here are some guidelines that may help you in feeding your dog:
From Two to Three Months
Mostly people adopt a dog when he is at the age of two months old or eight weeks old. In this period of time, Huskies are about fifteen to twenty pounds, assuming this you should feed your puppy about ¾ cup or 2 cups of dry food and make sure to not give this amount of food at the same time, divide this amount into two or three meals.
From Three to Four Months
When Huskies are three to four months old, this is the time when their body starts to grow and they need proper dietary food at that time. Assuming their weight is about twenty to thirty-five pounds, you need to feed them from 2 cups to 3 ½ cups a day divided into three small meals.
From Four to Six Months
This is the growth period of your Siberian Husky and you need to take special care of what you feed your dog. Around this time, the weight of your Husky is between thirty-five to fifty pounds, and the amount of food you should feed your dog should be between 3 ½ cups to 4 cups per day.
From Six to Twelve Months
In this period of time, your Siberian Husky is almost fully grown and the growth rate gets slower. At this age, the Huskies are about fifty to sixty pounds, and the amount of food that you should give them is about 3 to 4 cups a day divided into three different meals.
From Twelve+ Months
When your Husky turns one year old, he basically becomes a young adult and his growth reaches its peak. At this age, the size of your male Husky should be between 45 to 60 pounds and your female Husky should be between 35 to 50 pounds. Now you need to switch your dog’s food from puppy diet to adult and give him 2 to 4 cups a day.
Male vs. Female Diet
As we know, male and female Huskies are different from each other, so you don’t need to give them the same amount of food. Male Husky will be 45 to 60 pounds heavy while female Husky will be around 35 to 50 pounds, so if they don’t have the same weight they don’t need to consume the same amount of calories.
However, if the female Husky is pregnant or lactating, she needs more calories. If she is about to give birth, her food should be increased by about 15% to 25%. Give her 3 to 4 small meals per day so it will be easy for her to eat.
Food Requirements for Senior Huskies
When a Husky turns seven years old, he is considered a senior Husky. His dietary requirements are different as he is not as active as other young Huskies and you may note some decrease in their appetite.
Free Feeding vs. Structured Feeding
Free feeding is when you feed your Husky without properly measuring and has no fixed time. In this, you may not notice small changes in the appetite of your dog as you are free-feeding him. In structured feeding, you feed your dog at a specified time and by properly measuring it. This helps you find out if your dog is eating normally or if there is something wrong with him.
In the end, How Much Should a Siberian Husky Eat?
The answer to this question depends on the size, age, weight, and gender of your dog, and what type of dog food are you feeding your dog. As Huskies have a habit of eating less, you need to focus on how much food your dog normally eats and when he is eating less.
