As a veterinarian, I get a lot of questions about how to feed small Nordic breeds, and the Norwegian Lundehund is one of the trickiest of the bunch. This is a small, agile spitz that historically scaled cliffs to hunt puffins, so it carries lean muscle and a surprising appetite for its size. Getting the portion right matters, because both overfeeding and underfeeding cause real problems in this breed.
What makes the Lundehund different from most small dogs is its well known digestive vulnerability. Many individuals struggle to absorb protein properly, so feeding is not just about counting calories, it is about choosing a diet the gut can actually handle. In this guide I will walk you through portion sizes by age, how to adjust them, and the warning signs that tell you it is time to call your vet.
What You Will Need
Before you settle on a feeding routine, gather the basics so you are measuring accurately and tracking your dog over time. Eyeballing portions is the single most common reason small dogs gain weight.
- A complete and balanced dog food appropriate for your dog’s life stage (check the label for an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement)
- An actual measuring cup or, better, a small kitchen scale that weighs in grams
- The calorie content of your food (the kcal per cup or per kilogram is printed on the bag)
- Your dog’s current weight, ideally from a recent vet visit
- Two clean bowls and access to fresh water at all times
- A simple notebook or phone note to log weight and stool quality weekly
Step by Step: How to Feed a Norwegian Lundehund the Right Amount
Here is the practical sequence I use with owners in the clinic. Numbers below assume a typical adult Lundehund of about 13 to 20 pounds. Use them as a starting point, then adjust based on body condition.
Weigh your dog and confirm life stage
Establish whether your dog is a puppy, an adult, or a senior, and get an accurate current weight. Everything else flows from these two numbers.
Read the calorie content on the bag
Find the kcal per cup. Two foods can look the same but differ by 100 or more calories per cup, which is significant for a small breed.
Use the feeding chart as a starting point
Adult Lundehunds typically need around half a cup to one cup of dry food per day total. Puppies need more calories per pound to grow, divided across more meals.
Split the daily amount into the right number of meals
Puppies under six months get three to four meals, older puppies and adults get two. Never feed one large meal a day to this breed.
Reassess every two weeks and adjust
Check body condition and weight. If your dog is gaining, trim the portion by ten percent. If ribs are too prominent, increase gradually and rule out a digestive cause with your vet.
Here is a quick age based reference. Treat these as general daily ranges for total food, not exact rules, since calorie density varies between brands.
| Age / Stage | Meals Per Day | Approx Daily Food |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy 8 to 16 weeks | 4 | Free-grow, vet guided |
| Puppy 4 to 6 months | 3 | About 1/2 to 3/4 cup |
| Adult 1 to 7 years | 2 | About 1/2 to 1 cup |
| Senior 8 years and up | 2 | Often slightly less, vet guided |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few feeding errors come up again and again with this breed, and most are easy to prevent once you know about them.
Free feeding by leaving a full bowl down all day makes it impossible to track intake and is a fast route to weight gain in a small spitz. Switching foods abruptly is another big one, since this breed’s sensitive gut reacts poorly to sudden change. And do not assume every Lundehund can eat a high protein diet, because some individuals cannot absorb protein well and need a low fat or specialized formula instead.
Treats are the silent calorie source that derails good feeding plans. Keep all treats and table scraps under ten percent of total daily calories, and subtract those calories from the meal portion. Human foods like fatty trimmings can also trigger a flare in a dog prone to digestive disease.
Tips for Success
Feed on a consistent schedule at the same times each day, since predictable meals support a settled digestive system. Use a measuring scale rather than a scoop for accuracy. Introduce any new diet over seven to ten days by mixing increasing amounts of the new food into the old. Most importantly, learn to assess body condition by feel: ribs easy to find, a visible waist from above, and a tucked belly from the side is the target.
If your dog tends to gulp food, a slow feeder bowl or a puzzle feeder helps pace eating and adds enrichment. This breed is bright and historically worked for its food, so a little foraging at mealtime is good for the mind as well as the gut.
When to Get Professional Help
The Norwegian Lundehund deserves closer veterinary attention around diet than most breeds, because of its inherited risk of gastrointestinal disease. Feeding adjustments at home are appropriate for minor weight tuning, but certain signs mean it is time to involve your vet rather than guessing.
Call your veterinarian if your dog has ongoing loose or watery stool, is losing weight even while eating normally, has a swollen belly, vomits repeatedly, or seems low in energy. These can point to protein losing conditions that need diagnosis and a prescription diet, not just a portion change. Your vet can run bloodwork, assign a body condition score, and calculate an exact daily calorie target for your individual dog. For any urgent toxic exposure rather than a feeding question, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center can be reached at 888-426-4435.
Safety note: Because Norwegian Lundehunds are prone to a serious protein losing digestive disorder, any persistent weight loss, chronic diarrhea, or swollen abdomen warrants a veterinary exam rather than a do it yourself diet change.