Did you know that an estimated 59% of all pets in the US are overweight? The amount of food your Boston Terrier consumes will impact its growth and behavior. While following the Boston Terrier feeding chart, how much food is the correct amount to feed my Boston Terrier?
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Boston Terrier Feeding Chart
Adult Boston Terriers weighing 10-25 pounds should consume ½ to 2 cups of dog food each day, depending on their weight, age, and activity. Different Bull Terriers have different recommended daily food servings and feeding habits.
The amount of food you should give your Boston Bull varies depending on several factors, for example, weight, calorie needs of the dog, and activity.
Age and Weight to Food Serving Ratio
You don’t guess the amount of food to give your dog. Having a feeding chart for your Boston is vital to having a healthy feeding schedule. The Boston Terrier Feeding Chart is based on the weight and age of your dog.
Maintaining the proper health of your Boston requires you to frequently measure your dog’s weight to estimate the amount of food to give your dog. An easy procedure to measure your dog’s weight, especially if you have a weight scale at home, is
- Hold the dog in your arms and measure both your weight and the dog
- Place the dog down and measure your weight against the scale
- If your dog has a collar with a substantial weight, place it on the scale and measure its weight
- Finally, subtract your weight and the collar’s weight from the total weight of your dog, you, and the collar.
- You will have acquired the accurate weight of your dog
- You can alternatively visit your veterinarian for a weigh-in.
Different feeding charts depend on your dog’s food type, weight, age, and pregnancy status, as you will learn below.
Boston Terrier Puppy Feeding Chart
Boston Terrier puppies begin eating at the age of two months. At this young age, the puppies should only be given formula until two years, when they can start transitioning from puppy formula to adult food. A typical puppy feeding chart is as below:
| Puppy Age | Weight In Pounds | Food Quantity In Cups Per Day | Feeding Frequency Per Day |
| 2-3 Months | 4.40 – 6.61 | 0.5 – 0.625 | 5 Times |
| 4-5 Months | 8.81 – 12.12 | 0.6 – 1.25 | 4 Times |
| 6-11 Months | 14.33 – 22.05 | 1.25 – 1.75 | 3 Times |
| 1-2 Years | 23.14 | 1.3 – 1.75 | 2 Times |
Remember that for the feeding frequency, you’ll have to divide the required daily amount by the times you’ll be feeding your Boston. At puppy age, attention to your dog’s weight is essential to ensure that he is of a healthy weight as he rapidly grows.
Adult Boston Terrier Feeding Chart
At two years old, your Boston is officially an adult and should have attained its ideal body weight of 15 – 25 pounds. Strict adherence to the feeding chart should be observed to avoid your dog getting overweight.
| Age | Weight In Pounds | Food Quantity In Cups | Feeding Frequency |
| 2 – 6 Years Old | 15 – 25 | Minimum of 1.25 for Bostons weighing 10 pounds maximum of 2 cups for Terriers weighing around 25 Pounds | Twice daily, preferably morning and evening |
The activity of your dog, as mentioned before, plays a factor in the adult Boston’s feeding chart. If you have a very active dog, provide plenty of snacks, treats, and water to replenish the energy exhausted. However, if your Boston Bull is inactive, monitor their weight and gradually reduce their daily food serving if they are becoming overweight.
Senior Boston Terrier Feeding Chart
At seven years old, your Boston Bull enters the senior stage. Your dog is fully developed at this age, and no more growth will occur. 7-year-old Bostons tend to start portraying low levels of physical activity. Feeding them the exact quantities as active youthful terriers may pose health risks to your dog.
| Age | Weight In Pounds | Daily Food Quantity In Cups | Frequency |
| 7 Years and above | 15 -25 | 1.25 – 1.5 | Twice a day; however, as they grow even older, you may reduce this to once a day. |
It’s essential to reduce the amount of food for senior dogs compared to youthful dogs because too much protein in senior dogs could overwhelm their renal structures and harm their kidney filters. Old dogs also require extra vitamins to strengthen their now weaker immune system.
Feeding Plan For Pregnant and Nursing Boston Terriers
Contrary to what you might think, expectant Boston Terriers should not be fed to a full stomach because it can cause discomfort, especially as they near delivery. Instead, they require particular types of food that will provide them with balanced nutrition for the puppies growing in their womb.
Once they give birth, it is vital to provide nursing Bostons with a calcium-filled diet to strengthen the nursing pups’ bones. It would be wise to check with your veterinarian and ensure that your Boston gets all the essential nutrients at this stage of life.
Feeding Plan for an Overweight Boston Terrier
Unless your Boston Terrier is bred with a large-sized parent breed, weighing over 25 pounds means that your dog is getting overweight. If a veterinarian confirms that your dog is overweight, you’ll need to decide how much less food to feed it so it can regain a healthy weight. Gradually reduce the quantity of food you give it while maintaining the quality of the food.
Another great way to tackle the overweight issue is to reduce treats or substitute them with organic weight-friendly treats. Apples and raspberries are an example of healthier treats that you could consider for your overweight dog.
Food to Avoid Feeding Your Boston Terrier
Just like I know, you can’t feed chocolate to dogs. Other foods can be toxic to Boston Bulls. These harmful foods include:
- Coffee
- Grapes
- Rhubarb
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Corn
Coffee and chocolate can negatively impact the nervous and cardiovascular systems of dogs. Tomatoes can harm the digestive and urinary tracts of terriers. If your dog accidentally consumes any of these foods, closely monitor them and visit your veterinarian for further advice as soon as you can.
Best Dog Food for Boston Terriers
Raw food is the best option for your Boston Terrier’s diet. However, if you have to go for dry or wet food instead, choose dry food. Many dogs can be reluctant to get used to kibble; however, it tends to be the most affordable and contains all the nutrients your dog needs.
One advantage of Kibble over wet food is that it cleans the teeth and mouth of the dog as it chews, preventing tartar and bad dog breath. Although it is more nutritious and delicious, wet food tends to bring bad dog breath.
Boston Terrier Feeding Chart for Raw Food
Store-bought processed food is the most common option for pet owners. However, did you know that a dog’s stomach is not anatomically designed to digest and ferment carbohydrates in these feeds? Processed dog food is usually loaded with additives, synthetics, and chemicals that can upset the ecosystem of bacteria in the gut.
Raw dog food such as raw meat, big bones, vegetables, and crushed bones are packed with appropriate proteins, healthy fats, essential vitamins, and minerals. Raw food promotes optimum gut health and performance. After all, even for humans, processed food is not as healthy as healthy natural foods.
When buying frozen packed raw food, check the package for the proper ratio of muscle meat to organ meat to bone. An example of an excellent ratio is:
| Diet Composition | Muscle Meat | Organ Meat | Bone |
| Ratio | 10 | 8 | 8 |
This ratio does not accommodate fruits and vegetables. Since Boston Terriers aren’t obligate carnivores like cats, feel free to incorporate these two foods and other healthy treats for your dog.
Factors Affecting the Calorie Needs of Boston Bulls
Boston Terriers are active breeds that may eat a lot of food for their energy needs. If you lavishly give them lots of treats, snacks, and food, they will happily eat and ask for more, even after exceeding their correct daily serving portion. Next thing you know, your dog is overweight or sick.
Their Activity Level
Just like in human beings, the amount of food Bostons requires directly correlates to how active they are. If your dog is highly active, you should feed it a larger serving size to cater to the extra calories burnt during playtime. However, if your Terrier is inactive and stays indoors, a smaller serving helps keep them at a healthy weight.
If They Are Spayed or Neutered
Neutering/spaying your dog affects the hormones in its body. Neutering and spaying increase the risk of your dog becoming overweight. Sexually intact dogs have a lesser chance of becoming overweight than neutered dogs.
The Type of Food They Consume
Most dog foods have a daily recommended serving at the back of the bag. Most recommend 1 to 1½ cups daily for the Boston weight range. This recommended amount can differ from bag to bag depending on the composition of nutrients in the dog food.
Conclusion
Feeding your Boston Terrier the best food and planning the ideal feeding schedules are necessary throughout your dog’s life. This dog can be a fussy eater or, occasionally, a greedy eater. Hence, it is crucial to understand their feeding habits and provide them with the right kind and amount of food based on their age, size, and nutritional needs.
