Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Irish Wolfhound Food Calculator
- Irish Wolfhound Feeding Chart
- Best Food for Irish Wolfhound. Irish Wolfhound Feeding Guide
- How Much Food to Feed the Irish Wolfhound
- How Many Times to Feed the Irish Wolfhound a Day
- Conclusion
Introduction to Feeding the Irish Wolfhound
Most dog owners do not know how to properly feed their dogs.
Also, most dog owners overfeed their dogs.
That explains why 59 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, according to research.
Overfeeding your Irish Wolfhound will make your Irish Wolfhound overweight and obese. Obesity leads to worse health problems for your Irish Wolfhound.
Unfortunately, the Irish Wolfhound is a dog breed that can become overweight very easily.
Therefore, you need to pay careful attention to what you feed your Irish Wolfhound and how much food you feed your Irish Wolfhound.
Furthermore, when you overfeed your Irish Wolfhound, you waste dog food. Wasting dog food is the same as wasting money. Dog food is a recurring expenditure that adds up to a lot of money over the lifespan of your Irish Wolfhound.
The average lifespan of the Irish Wolfhound is 7.04 years.
When you feed your Irish Wolfhound the right type of food and the right amount of food, your Irish Wolfhound will be of the right body weight and the right body condition (not overweight or underweight).
Similarly, underfeeding your Irish Wolfhound is as bad of a problem as overfeeding your Irish Wolfhound.
When you underfeed your Irish Wolfhound or feed your Irish Wolfhound an incomplete or unbalanced diet, you reduce your Irish Wolfhound`s quality of life.
The right amount of food that your Irish Wolfhound needs depends on six important factors.
You need to take all these factors into account when developing a meal plan for your Irish Wolfhound. These six factors are:- The life stage of your Irish Wolfhound (puppy, adult, or senior)
- The current weight of your Irish Wolfhound
- The body condition of your Irish Wolfhound (normal weight, overweight, underweight)
- How active your Irish Wolfhound is (inactive/obese prone, or active/athletic)
- If your Irish Wolfhound has been spayed/neutered
- The type of dog food that you feed your Irish Wolfhound
This article will provide you with a detailed guide on how to properly feed your Irish Wolfhound based on the above factors as recommended by veterinarians.
This article also includes the Irish Wolfhound food calculator that you can use to estimate how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound based on the six factors we have just mentioned.
Our Irish Wolfhound food calculator uses the dog food formula and feeding guidelines developed by the veterinarians from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center and by veterinarians from the Mark Morris Institute.
Moreover, our calculator knows the calorie content per cup in over 800 popular dog foods (data from the Frankin Animal Clinic). Thus, the calculator can automatically calculate the right amount of each popular dog food that your Irish Wolfhound needs daily.
Importantly, since the nutrient requirements of the Irish Wolfhound puppy are different from the nutrient requirements of the adult Irish Wolfhound, this article contains recommendations on the best food to feed the Irish Wolfhound at different ages.
Irish Wolfhound Food Calculator
The Irish Wolfhound Food Calculator above lets you estimate how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
Similarly, to calculate how much water your Irish Wolfhound needs, check out our Irish Wolfhound water calculator
.Our dog water calculator lets you estimate how much water your Irish Wolfhound needs to drink in a day.
How to Use our Irish Wolfhound Food Calculator
To use the dog food calculator:✔ Select the name of the dog food that you feed your Irish Wolfhound from the list.
✔ If the name of the dog food that your feed your Irish Wolfhound is not on the list, then find the bag or can of your dog food, the bag should have written on it how many kcals per cup is in the dog food. Enter this value in the calculator in the place of the dog food name.
✔ Enter the current weight of your Irish Wolfhound.
✔ Select your Irish Wolfhound`s age range, activity level, and neuter status.
✔ If your Irish Wolfhound is overweight or underweight, and you want your Irish Wolfhound to lose or gain weight, enter the ideal weight of your Irish Wolfhound for its current age in the `How much you wish your dog currently weighs` box. Leave this box blank if your Irish Wolfhound is of normal weight.
To know how much Irish Wolfhounds typically weigh at different ages, check out our article and calculators on Irish Wolfhound weight and growth.
CONSULT A LICENSED VETERINARIAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR DOG ON A WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN DIET.
How the Irish Wolfhound Food Calculator Works
First, the calculator estimates what is known as the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) of your Irish Wolfhound.
The RER is the amount of energy that your Irish Wolfhound needs when it is `resting`, that is when doing nothing. The calculator uses the current weight of your Irish Wolfhound to calculate your Irish Wolfhound`s resting energy.
Next, the calculator scales up the resting energy by a factor that corresponds to your Irish Wolfhound`s life stage (puppy or adult) and lifestyle (activity level, spayed/neutered, etc). This scaled up energy value (called the maintenance energy) is the energy that your Irish Wolfhound needs to maintain its life when not resting.
Finally, the Irish Wolfhound food calculator divides the maintenance energy by the amount of energy in one cup of dog food to calculate how many cups of dog food your Irish Wolfhound needs.
Monitoring Your Irish Wolfhound`s Growth
The answer from the Irish Wolfhound food calculator is a starting point number on how much food you need to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
Start by feeding your Irish Wolfhound the amount of food recommended by the Irish Wolfhound food calculator every day.
While feeding your Irish Wolfhound this daily amount of food, weigh your Irish Wolfhound at least once a week to ensure that your Irish Wolfhound is not on its way to becoming overweight or underweight.
If your Irish Wolfhound is becoming overweight, reduce the amount of food your feed it by 10 to 15 percent, if underweight increase its food by 10 to 15 percent.
You can use our dog weight tracking tool to keep records of your Irish Wolfhound`s weight. This tool will let you know if the feeding plan is making your Irish Wolfhound grow normally or abnormally.
You can also check your Irish Wolfhound body condition score to find out if it is overweight or underweight. Learn how to check your Irish Wolfhound body condition score here.
Irish Wolfhound Feeding Chart
Below is the typical feed chart for the Irish Wolfhound. This chart provides you a rough guide on how much dry dog food (kibble) to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
If you want a more accurate estimate of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound, use this Irish Wolfhound food calculator.
| Age | Typical Weight | How Much Food |
|---|---|---|
| 13 weeks | 38.9 lbs (17.6 kg) | 4.6 cups per day |
| 14 weeks | 41.9 lbs (19.0 kg) | 4.9 cups per day |
| 15 weeks | 44.9 lbs (20.4 kg) | 5.2 cups per day |
| 16 weeks | 47.8 lbs (21.7 kg) | 5.4 cups per day |
| 5 months | 58.3 lbs (26.4 kg) | 4.2 cups per day |
| 6 months | 67.3 lbs (30.5 kg) | 4.7 cups per day |
| 7 months | 75.1 lbs (34.0 kg) | 5.1 cups per day |
| 8 months | 81.6 lbs (37.0 kg) | 5.4 cups per day |
| 9 months | 87.0 lbs (39.5 kg) | 5.7 cups per day |
| 10 months | 91.4 lbs (41.5 kg) | 5.9 cups per day |
| 11 months | 95.0 lbs (43.1 kg) | 6.1 cups per day |
| 12 months | 97.7 lbs (44.3 kg) | 6.2 cups per day |
| 1 years | 99.8 lbs (45.3 kg) | 6.3 cups per day |
| 4 years | 105.6 lbs (47.9 kg) | 5.2 cups per day |
| 5 years | 105.6 lbs (47.9 kg) | 5.2 cups per day |
How to Measure the Right Amount of Dog Food for Your Irish Wolfhound
Research has shown that most owners over-measure a cup of dog food. As a result, most dogs owners overfeed their dogs. This is because dog owners do not level off the cup when measuring out the food they give to their dogs.
See how and how not to measure ONE cup of dry dog food in the picture below:
Note that one cup of dog food equals 8 oz of dog food or ~237 milliliters of dog food.
You can buy standard dog food measuring cups here on Amazon.
Best Food for Irish Wolfhound. Irish Wolfhound Feeding Guide
The Irish Wolfhound has different nutrient needs at different life stages. Therefore, the dog food that you feed your Irish Wolfhound at different ages should be the type that is appropriate for its age.
For example, during its puppy stage, your Irish Wolfhound needs the type of dog food that has been designed to help boost a puppy`s weak immune system.
On the other hand, the adult Irish Wolfhound should have already developed a good immune system. So, during the adult stage, you should feed your Irish Wolfhound the type of dog food that has been designed to prolong the life of a dog.
Nevertheless, some dogs still do well eating the same food at every stage of their lives.
However, feeding your Irish Wolfhound dog food that has been optimized for its age will ensure that your Irish Wolfhound grows well, lives well, and lives long.
Feeding Guide for the Irish Wolfhound Puppy: 12 weeks to one year
The dog food that you feed your puppy should have the nutrients that will boost a puppy`s immune system since puppies easily get infected with the disease at this age.
Also, a good puppy food should have the nutrients that support brain development and good vision.
Finally, a good dog food for the Irish Wolfhound puppy should be the type that will not make your Irish Wolfhound fat. The puppy food should also help increase the health of your puppy`s bones.
See our list of the best dry dog food and the best wet dog food for the Irish Wolfhound puppy below.
These dog foods have all the right amount of nutrients that the Irish Wolfhound puppy needs to grow well during its puppy years.
Best Dry Food For Irish Wolfhound Puppy: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Puppy, Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
Best Wet Food For Irish Wolfhound Puppy: Purina Pro Plan High Protein Wet Puppy Food
Feeding Guide for the Young Adult Irish Wolfhound: Ages 1 year to 6 years
The dog food that you feed a young adult Irish Wolfhound should have the nutrients that will make a dog live longer.
A good dog food for the young adult Irish Wolfhound should also have the nutrients that will minimize the chances of your Irish Wolfhound getting infected with common dog diseases.
Also, a good dry dog food for the young adult Irish Wolfhound should help clean your dog`s teeth as your dog chews on the food.
Below is our best dog food recommendations for the young adult Irish Wolfhound
Best Dry Food For Young Adult Irish Wolfhound: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult Oral Care for Dental Health Dog Food, Chicken Rice & Barley Recipe
Best Wet Food For Young Adult Irish Wolfhound: Hill`s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Chicken & Barley
Feeding Guide for Mature Adult Irish Wolfhounds: 6 years and older
You should feed the mature adult Irish Wolfhound food that has been formulated to improve their quality of life, increase their life expectancy, and increase their overall health.
Older dogs are prone to age-related health problems. A good diet is essential to minimize the possibility of becoming frail with age.
See our recommendation on the best food for the mature adult Irish Wolfhound below:
Best Dry Food For Mature Adult Irish Wolfhound: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Dogs, Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Recipe
Best Wet Food For Mature Adult Irish Wolfhound: Hill`s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Dogs, Beef & Barley Recipe
Feeding Guide for Senior Dogs
One way to slow down the effects of aging in dogs is to reduce the amount of food you feed old dogs by 20 to 30% of normal while meeting essential nutrient needs.
Reducing a senior Irish Wolfhound`s food slows the aging process and reduces the risk for cancer, kidney diseases, arthritis, and immune-related diseases.
AAFCO-Certified Dog Food for the Irish Wolfhound
No matter which commercial food that you feed your Irish Wolfhound, make sure that the food is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
AAFCO is an expert body that rigorously tests dog food to make sure that the dog food is safe.
Also, AAFCO ensures that a dog food has all the nutrients (not just calories) that a dog needs to grow well before AAFCO approves the dog food.
Unlike homemade dog food, most commercial dog foods are AAFCO-approved. Double-check the label of your dog food to make sure it has been certified by AAFCO before feeding it to your Irish Wolfhound.
How Much Food to Feed the Irish Wolfhound
How Much Food to Feed a 16-Week-Old Irish Wolfhound Puppy
You should feed your 16-week-old Irish Wolfhound puppy 5.4 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Irish Wolfhound puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 16-week-old Irish Wolfhound puppy assumes that the weight of your Irish Wolfhound is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 16-week-old Irish Wolfhound puppy is 47.8 lbs (21.7 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Irish Wolfhound, and other factors, use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 17-Week-Old Irish Wolfhound Puppy
You should feed your 17-week-old Irish Wolfhound puppy 3.8 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Irish Wolfhound puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 17-week-old Irish Wolfhound puppy assumes that the weight of your Irish Wolfhound is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 17-week-old Irish Wolfhound puppy is 50.5 lbs (22.9 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Irish Wolfhound, and other factors, use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 8-Month-Old Irish Wolfhound Puppy
You should feed your 8-month-old Irish Wolfhound puppy 5.4 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Irish Wolfhound puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 8-month-old Irish Wolfhound puppy assumes that the weight of your Irish Wolfhound is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 8-month-old Irish Wolfhound puppy is 81.6 lbs (37.0 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
How Much Food to Feed a 9-Month-Old Irish Wolfhound Puppy
You should feed your 9-month-old Irish Wolfhound puppy 5.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Irish Wolfhound puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 9-month-old Irish Wolfhound puppy assumes that the weight of your Irish Wolfhound is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 9-month-old Irish Wolfhound puppy is 87.0 lbs (39.5 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
How Much Food to Feed a 6-Year-Old Irish Wolfhound
You should feed your 6-year-old Irish Wolfhound 5.2 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Irish Wolfhound over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 6-year-old Irish Wolfhound assumes that the weight of your Irish Wolfhound is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 6-year-old Irish Wolfhound puppy is 105.6 lbs (47.9 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
How Much Food to Feed a 9-Year-Old Irish Wolfhound
You should feed your 9-year-old Irish Wolfhound 5.2 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Irish Wolfhound over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 9-year-old Irish Wolfhound assumes that the weight of your Irish Wolfhound is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 9-year-old Irish Wolfhound puppy is 105.6 lbs (47.9 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
How Much Food to Feed a 53-Pound Irish Wolfhound
You should feed your 53-Pound Irish Wolfhound 3.5 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Irish Wolfhound over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Irish Wolfhound is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Irish Wolfhound is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
How Much Food to Feed a 84-Pound Irish Wolfhound
You should feed your 84-Pound Irish Wolfhound 5.0 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Irish Wolfhound over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound also assumes that you feed your Irish Wolfhound a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Irish Wolfhound is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Irish Wolfhound is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Irish Wolfhound.
How Many Times to Feed the Irish Wolfhound a Day
When it comes to how many times to feed a dog, there are three different ways to feed the Irish Wolfhound
One way is to make food available to the Irish Wolfhound at all times (free-choice feeding).
Another way is to feed the Irish Wolfhound two or three times a day (food-restricted feeding). This is the feeding method that works the best for most Irish Wolfhounds.
The third way is to make food available to your Irish Wolfhound for a short time (about 10 minutes) once or twice a day (time-restricted feeding).
Each of these feeding methods has its advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed next.
Free-Choice Feeding
This is a feeding method when you make food available to your Irish Wolfhound all the time.
Note that free-choice feeding is not recommended for large- and giant-breed puppies like the Irish Wolfhound puppies until these puppies have reached 12 months of age.
Food-Restricted Meal Feeding
Food-limited feeding requires feeding a measured amount of food based on the Irish Wolfhound’s daily energy requirements divided into two or three meals per day.
This is the method of choice for feeding puppies that are at risk of developing bone diseases due to rapid growth. Restricting the food of a rapidly growing dog will ensure that the dog grows normally.
Time-Limited Feeding
This is a dog feeding method in which dogs are allowed access to food for a short period, usually 10 to 15 minutes, once or twice daily (three times per day for the first month after weaning, then twice per day).
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Free-choice feeding |
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| Food-restricted feeding |
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| Time-restricted feeding |
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Effect of Neutering/Spaying on How Much Food your Irish Wolfhound eats
Neutered/spayed dogs tend to get fat twice as easily as intact dogs.
Studies have shown that neutering/spaying may increase your Irish Wolfhound`s appetite for more food. Also, your Irish Wolfhound`s physical activity decreases after neutering/spaying. These factors lead to weight gain.
Neutering may lead to more weight gain in male Irish Wolfhounds because neutered dogs roam less (which means less exercise).
Therefore, the amount of food that you give to a neutered Irish Wolfhound should be reduced after you neuter your Irish Wolfhound to prevent weight gain.
Use our Irish Wolfhound food calculator to calculate how much food to feed a neutered/spayed Irish Wolfhound.
Effect of Weather on How Much Food Your Irish Wolfhound Needs
Irish Wolfhounds that live in cold environments need more food (especially, food high in fat) than Irish Wolfhounds that live in hot environments.
Hot weather, on the other hand, does not increase the amount of food your Irish Wolfhound needs. Hot weather only makes your Irish Wolfhound need more water.
Since most Irish Wolfhounds live in a temperature-controlled environment as their owners. Therefore, owners do not need to increase or decrease the amount of food they give to their Irish Wolfhounds based on the outside weather.
Important Note on Treats and Table Food
Because meeting a dog`s nutrient requirements is not the primary goal of dog treats, most commercial dog treats do not contain the essential nutrients that your Irish Wolfhound needs.
However, a few treats are complete and balanced and are approved by AAFCO, or some other credible dog food regulatory agency. Check the label on your dog treat to know if the dog treat has a complete and balanced nutrient profile.
Nevertheless, dog treats, either balanced or unbalanced in nutrients, are valid sources of calories for your dog. Therefore, if you give your dog lots of treats, you should reduce the amount of the regular dog food that you give your dog accordingly to account for the treats. That way, you will not overfeed your dog.
Also, human table foods do not contain the important nutrients that your Irish Wolfhound needs for healthy growth.
Also, human table foods may contain very high levels of fat or sodium and other minerals that are harmful to your Irish Wolfhound.
Moreover, know that when you feed your Irish Wolfhound table food, you fill your Irish Wolfhound`s stomach with dog `junk food`. This will suppress your Irish Wolfhound`s appetite and thereby make your Irish Wolfhound unable to eat its normal dog food that contains the essential nutrients for your Irish Wolfhound`s growth.
We do not recommend giving your Irish Wolfhound table food.
Conclusion
Most commercial dog food labels contain recommendations on how much of the food to feed a dog. However, their recommendations are very general.
Therefore, in this article, we have provided your specific advice on how to properly feed your Irish Wolfhound.