Which end of the 2% to 4% daily body weight range do smaller dogs tend to fall on?
Answer
The higher end, closer to 2.5% to 3%
The Percentage Rule provides a general framework suggesting dogs require between 2% and 4% of their body weight consumed as food daily. However, this range is not applied uniformly across all sizes; it correlates inversely with metabolic efficiency relative to size. Smaller dogs, which generally possess inherently higher metabolic rates when measured per pound of body mass, typically require a proportionally larger percentage of their body weight in food. Consequently, they trend toward the upper boundary of this guideline, often needing amounts closer to 2.5% or 3% of their body weight daily to meet their energy requirements.
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