As a veterinarian who works with a lot of active northern breeds, I have a soft spot for the Norwegian Elkhound. This is a sturdy, hardy spitz dog built to work long days in cold Scandinavian terrain, and that history matters at the food bowl. They are efficient eaters with a real talent for gaining weight, so getting portions right is one of the most important things an owner can do for this breed.
The hardest part for most owners is not choosing a food, it is choosing an amount. Elkhounds are medium sized but densely built, and their thick double coat can hide a creeping weight problem until it becomes a real health concern. In this guide I will walk you through how much to feed at each life stage, how to read your dog’s body rather than the bowl, and the simple routines that keep an Elkhound lean and energetic for years.
What You Will Need
Feeding an Elkhound well is less about fancy gear and more about consistency and measurement. The single biggest mistake I see is owners scooping food by eye, which almost always drifts toward overfeeding over time. A few basic tools make portion control accurate and repeatable.
- A complete and balanced dog food labeled for your dog’s life stage (puppy, adult, or senior)
- An actual measuring cup or, better still, a kitchen gram scale for precise portions
- Two clean bowls, one for food and one for fresh water available at all times
- The feeding guide printed on your food bag as a starting reference
- A simple way to track treats so they stay within about ten percent of daily calories
- A monthly weigh-in routine and a body condition check you can do at home
Step by Step: How to feed a Norwegian Elkhound the right amount
Use this approach as a method, not a fixed rule. Every dog burns calories differently, so the numbers below are starting points you refine using body condition. A working Elkhound that hikes daily will need more than a couch companion of the same weight.
Start with the bag, not a guess
Find your dog’s weight on the feeding guide printed on the food bag. This gives a calorie-appropriate daily total for that specific formula, which is your honest starting point.
Match the amount to life stage and weight
Puppies need more calories per pound for growth, adults need maintenance, and seniors usually need less. A typical adult Elkhound lands around 1.5 to 2.5 cups of dry food daily depending on size and activity.
Split the daily total into two meals
Divide the full day’s portion into a morning and evening meal. Twice-daily feeding suits this breed, supports steady energy, and makes it easier to spot any drop in appetite.
Account for treats and chews
Subtract treat calories from the daily food total. Training treats, dental chews, and table scraps all add up quickly in a food-motivated breed, so they count toward the daily allowance.
Reassess every few weeks using the body
Weigh your dog and run a hands check over the ribs and waist. If the dog is gaining, trim portions by about ten percent. If ribs feel sharp and energy dips, add a little back.
Here is a practical age-based reference to anchor those starting amounts. Treat these as approximate daily totals for an average Elkhound and adjust to your own dog.
| Life Stage | Meals Per Day | Approx. Daily Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy (8 to 16 weeks) | 3 to 4 | Follow puppy food chart, fed little and often |
| Puppy (4 to 12 months) | 3 | About 1.5 to 2.5 cups, rising with growth |
| Adult (1 to 7 years) | 2 | About 1.5 to 2.5 cups, set by activity |
| Senior (7 years and up) | 2 | Often reduced, watch for weight gain |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A food-loving breed like this one punishes small feeding errors over time. The mistakes below are the ones I correct most often in the exam room, and almost all of them lead to the same place, which is a heavier dog than the owner realizes.
Free feeding, where food sits out all day, makes portion control nearly impossible and is a common path to obesity in this breed. Scooping by eye instead of measuring tends to creep upward over months. Forgetting that treats, chews, and scraps are calories too can quietly add a meal’s worth of food each day. And feeding to the maximum end of the bag chart, regardless of activity, frequently overshoots what a typical pet Elkhound actually needs.
Tips for Success
The owners whose Elkhounds stay lean and bouncy into their senior years tend to share a few simple habits. None of them are complicated, but together they make a real difference to long-term health and joint comfort.
Measure every meal with the same cup or a gram scale so portions never drift. Feed on a consistent twice-daily schedule rather than leaving food out. Use part of the daily kibble as training rewards so treats do not add extra calories. Do a hands-over-the-ribs body check every couple of weeks since the thick coat hides weight gain. And when in doubt, choose a complete and balanced commercial diet matched to your dog’s life stage rather than improvising.
When to Get Professional Help
Feeding charts are a starting point, but some situations call for a veterinary conversation rather than a guess. Your vet can calculate a precise calorie target for your individual dog and help you choose the right diet for any special needs.
Reach out to your veterinarian if your Elkhound is gaining or losing weight despite steady portions, refuses meals for more than a day, vomits repeatedly, or shows a sudden change in appetite or thirst. Puppies that are not growing as expected, seniors who are slowing down, and any dog with a diagnosed health condition such as a sensitive gut, allergies, or a joint problem all benefit from a tailored feeding plan. If you ever suspect your dog ate something toxic, you can also contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. A short visit to set the right portion is far easier than reversing years of slow weight gain.
Safety note: Always transition to a new food gradually over about a week and check portions with your veterinarian, since the right amount depends on your individual dog’s weight, age, and activity level.