feeding a miniature pinscher

Question
DEAR MS. ABSHIER, I HAVE A MINIATURE PINCHER 7 YEARS OLD.I FEED HER 1/2 CUP A DAY OF GOOD DRY DOG FOOD.IS THIS ENOUGH? THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION.

Answer
Every dog is individual, and what may be enough for one dog may be too much or too little for another dog of the same size. The best judgement of how much to feed is based on your dog's body condition. A dog that is a healthy weight should have a definite waistline, but should not have ribs visible. If the ribs are showing, I would increase the amount you feed. On the other hand, a dog that has no waistline or a waistline that is wider than the hips should be fed less food or placed on a lower calorie diet. It is also good to reference the feeding guidelines on the dog food bag. Although they may or may not be correct for your dog, these feeding guidelines will provide a general idea of how much a dog similar in size to yours should eat to maintain a healthy body weight. If your dog is an ideal body weight but still seems hungry after eating, you can always feed some greenbeans or sliced carrots (frozen veggies work great) as a low calorie treat. It may also be helpful to get your vet's opinion at your dog's next checkup to see if they recommend a change in feeding. Hope that helps. :)