It's the question we get asked most on the phone, and the short answer is: it depends on the dog and the dry food. But there's a rule of thumb that works for almost everyone.
The quick sum
A healthy adult dog eats a day around 2% of its weight a day of dry food. For a 30 to 35 kilo German shepherd that works out at around 500 grams a day. A mastiff goes over a kilo; a 28-kilo labrador stays close to 450 grams.
With that you can work out how long a full hopper lasts. Ours holds 40 litres, around 15 kilos of dry food:
- A large dog, 500 g a day: nearly a month without touching it.
- Two large dogs with the double version: around two weeks.
- A mastiff the real kind: a good two weeks.
What changes the sum
- The dry food. The fattier ones provide more per gram, so you need less of it. Always check the table on the sack before any general rule.
- Living outdoors. A dog that spends the winter outdoors uses quite a bit more energy keeping warm.
- Age. A puppy eats more in proportion to its weight than an adult, and an older dog less.
The number that really matters
When choosing a feeder, the daily amount matters less than it seems. What matters is how many times a day you give it. An adult usually eats in two feeds, and a puppy in three or four. Splitting the serving is what stops the dog gorging itself in one go, and in large, deep-chested breeds it's a long-standing vet recommendation.
Our timer allows up to 17 feeds a day, so that's not a problem. And the outlet is wide and the kibble falls by its own weight, with no augers, so it takes any kibble no matter how large it is.
If you're not sure about your situation, tell us: how many dogs, how much they weigh and where the feeder is going. With that we'll tell you which version suits you.