Daily intake for senior labrador

Question
Hello I have a female Labrador who is 9 years old and in good health.

She weighs roughly 32kg (slightly overweight) and has always been chubby we feed her dry food twice a day, can you please advise how much in grams would be her daily intake? we use a measuring cup which came with the food.

Thanks in advance.

Bela.  

Answer
Neither I nor anybody else can tell you exactly how much she should be getting.  I can help you learn an easy way to determine it yourself.  I would guess 1200-1500 grams.  A better figure would be slightly less in the cup than you are feeding now.  One great advantage of dry food is the ease of adjusting how much you feed to maintain good body condition.  We have a new puppy every year.  When we bring a 7 week old puppy home, it is eating about 1 1/2 cups of food.  Before long, we have increased it to 3-4 cups, but later when its growth slows, cut back a little.  That is what you need to do.  

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx