Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large breed of dog who tend to grow pretty rapidly. So you will need to ensure that they are well-fed throughout the day in order to allow them a healthy lifestyle. Since their body demands a handsome amount of food, you should make sure to offer them food at a regular interval.
We have designed this article to help you understand how much your Rhodesian Ridgeback should eat and at what frequency. We have also offered you a thorough insight into how to understand when you are overfeeding or underfeeding them. Read ahead to learn more about it.
How much should a Rhodesian Ridgeback eat?
Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs are pretty large in general and remain active for the most part of their life. So you will need to be rather careful of how much food you are offering them as it is quite easy to underfeed them. An adult dog should eat at least two and a half cup per day on average.
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A rhodesian ridgeback are large and independent breeds, who tend to remain active throughout most of their lives. On average, an adult Rhodesian Ridgeback grows to be 24 to 27 inches tall, weighing between 70 to 90 pounds. The males weigh more than the female Rhodesian Ridgeback.
When you are measuring how much food you should offer your dog, make sure to factor in their body size, weight, height, gender, and of course, age. A puppy will eat less food than an adult. However, you will have to offer food to puppies more frequently.
A young puppy will need five to six meals a day, whereas an adult dog will be able to make do with only two meals a day. This is because the younger dogs cannot eat in large portions, so you will have to offer them smaller portions. However in order to encourage a healthy growth, make suer that the portions are rich in vitamins and mineral.
On the other hand, since the adult dogs have grown enough and can indulge in larger portions of food, you can offer them fewer yet larger meals everyday. This will keep them adequately nourished without any trouble.
2 to 3 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A Rhodesian Ridgeback who is only 2 to 3 weeks old will need about a quarter to half a cup of meals everyday. But you will have to divide this into much smaller portions and offer them food after every couple of hours.
Overall, you should feed them about five to six times a day. This will make sure that your dog is adequately fed and content.
4 to 5 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 4 to 5 week old dog will need about a quarter to half a cup of food everyday. Their daily calorie requirement is about 185 calories. But note that they can only eat small portions of meal at one go, so you should offer them food after two to three hours.
6 to 7 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 6 to 7 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback will need to five to six times a day. You should offer them half a cup of everyday in order to nurture their growth properly.
Since they are still at their developing age, you should provide them food in smaller portions, but quite frequently. They cannot eat large portions of meal yet, so they will get quite hungry after every couple of hours. In order to meet their daily calorie requirement, you will have to offer them food after every two to three hours.
8 to 9 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
When your dog becomes 8 to 9 weeks old, you will need to increase their food portions. In order to meet their daily calorie intake, you will need to provide them about one cup of food everyday. Make sure that each of their meals is rich in protein and nutrients.
Your dog during this age will need to eat a quarter of a cup to one cup of meal everyday, ideally divided into four meals.
10 to 11 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
Your dog during this age will need to eat at least one cup of meal everyday. This is essential in order to meet their daily calorie intake. Otherwise your dog will not be able to remain healthy and active throughout the day.
These dogs are generally quite playful and active during this age. But if you cannot provide them with enough food, it will be difficult for them to sustain their natural lifestyle. They will appear sluggish and lazy if you do not provide enough food.
3 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
when your dog is 3 months old, you will need to provide them with about one and a quarter cup of meal everyday. This will ensure that your dog is eating enough. However, if you are taking care of a dog who is pretty active for their age, then you may serve them about one and a half cup of food.
4 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
If you are taking care of a dog who is 4 months old, you will need to serve them about one and a half cup to one and three-quarters cup of meal everyday. Make sure to divide this into four meals a day in order to offer them a balanced meal plan.
Since your puppy is still growing at this age, it is important to allow them food in smaller portions. Otherwise, they will not be able to eat it all and cannot meet their calorie requirements.
5 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 5 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback will need about one and a half cup to two cups of meal everyday. Make sure to divide this into four meals a day in order to keep them well-fed and nourished.
6 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 6 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback will need to eat about two cups of meal everyday. Spread this into three meals a day. This will keep the dogs healthy and active as well as meet their daily calorie intake.
7 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 7 month old Rhodesian Rdigeback will need to eat at least two cups of food everyday. In order to ensure that they are receiving an ideal portion of food, make sure that these dogs are eating at least two to three times a day.
8 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
Your 8 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback should eat about two and a quarter of a cup everyday. Make sure to divide this into two to three meals a day.
9 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 9 month old dog of the same breed should eat between two and a quarter of a cup to two and a half cup of meals everyday, divided into at least two meals a day.
10 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback:
A 10 month old Ridgeback should eat at least two and a half cups of meal everyday. This will make sure that your dog is being adequately fed. Offer them at least two to three meals everyday to meet their calorie requirement.
Rhodesian Ridgeback feeding chart:
| Age | Expected dog Weight (pounds) | Recommended amount of food per day (cups) | Daily calorie intake | Feeding frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 week | 2-5 | ¼-½ cup | 180 | 5-6 times |
| 3 week | 2-5 | ¼ – ½ cup | 185 | 5-6 times |
| 4 week | 4-8 | ¼ – ½ cup | 190 | 5-6 times |
| 5 week | 5-10 | ½ -¾ cup | 195 | 5 times |
| 6 week | 8-15 | ½ – ¾ cup | 250 | 5 times |
| 7 week | 10-15 | ½ – ¾ cup | 300 | 5 times |
| 8 week or 2 month | 16-18 | ¾ – 1 cup | 400 | 5 times |
| 9 week | 18-20 | ¾ – 1 cup | 500 | 4-5 times |
| 10 week | 22-24 | 1 cup | 560 | 4-5 times |
| 11 week | 24-26 | 1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups | 600 | 4-5 times |
| 12 week or 3 month | 27-30 | 1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups | 650 | 4-5 times |
| 4 month | 35-39 | 1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups | 750 | 4 times |
| 5 month | 44-49 | 1 ½ – 2 cups | 800 | 4 times |
| 6 month | 49-55 | 2 cups | 1000 | 3 times |
| 7 month | 52-61 | 2 cups | 1100 | 3 times |
| 8 month | 58-66 | 2 ¼ cups | 1150 | 2-3 times |
| 9 month | 60-69 | 2 ¼ – 2 ½ | 1200 | 2-3 times |
| 10 month | 61-71 | 2 ½ | 1250 | 2-3 times |
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Are you overfeeding your Rhodesian Ridgeback or not feeding enough?
It is very important to pay attention to whether you are overfeeding or not feeding your Rhodesian Ridgeback enough. The general rule of thumb in order to understand whether you are overfeeding your dog is to pay attention to their bowel movement.
If you Rhodesian Ridgeback is having a lose motion at night or evening, then it is a clear indication that you are overfeeding them. On the other hand, if they are having difficulty going to the bathroom, or seem to be constipated, then it indicates that you are not feeding them enough.
How frequently to feed your Rhodesian Ridgeback?
The frequency at which you should feed your Rhodesian Ridgeback mostly depends on the age and gender of the dog. In order to understand how much you should feed them, firstly make a note of how old they are and what their body size is.
Smaller dogs, during their growing age, will need food more frequently. On the other hand, larger dogs will not need food as frequently as they can eat larger portions more easily. Therefore, in order to understand how much food you should provide your dog, age is one of the most important factors to consider.
Recommended feeding time:
The recommended feeding time for your dog mostly depends on the frequency at which you are planning to feed them. For younger dogs, you will need to feed them more frequently than the older ones. In that case, it would be ideal to offer them food after every couple of hours.
On the other hand, older dogs will not need food as frequently. So when you are planning meals for an adult Rhodesian Ridgeback, you can align their feeding time with your meal times, ideally around breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Final thoughts
You should feed an adult Rhodesian Ridgeback at least two and a half cup of food everyday, that is rich with nutrients and minerals. Again, younger dogs should eat about half to one cup each day, divided into several small meals. Consider their age and gender when deciding how much to feed them.