Beagle feeding guide: how much and how often

Most Beagles will eat anything, at any hour, in any quantity, and very few stop on their own. An adult of about 10 kg (22 lb) with moderate exercise usually needs somewhere near 150 to 200 g of a typical dry food a day, roughly 1.5 to 2 cups, but the right amount is whatever keeps a visible waist and ribs you can feel under a thin layer of fat. Weigh the food rather than scooping it, because an extra handful each day can add a kilo within a few months on a dog this size.

Two measured meals work far better than free feeding, which almost always ends badly with this breed. Beagles gulp, so a slow feeder or a scatter feed on a clean patio can stretch a 30-second meal into five minutes and give the nose some work at the same time. A standard floor-height bowl suits their build; choose one that is heavy or has a rubber base, since a keen eater will shove a light bowl across the kitchen.

Treats need to come out of the daily total, and everyone in the house has to agree on the rules. Plenty of overweight Beagles are fed correctly at mealtimes and then quietly topped up by children, guests and whatever they find on the pavement. Lidded bins and closed food storage are part of feeding this breed, not an optional extra.