The Irish wolfhound is a very large dog and many owners are going to feel that they need a lot more food than the average large breed dog. They do need to be fed a sufficient amount, but not that much more than the average large breed dog.

It is important to give your Irish wolfhound the right kind of dog food for their lifestyle. Unless they are a working dog doing a lot of work, they should not be on a high protein/high energy type of food. The inactive Irish wolfhound can get along fine with a dog food with a protein of 18 % or less. Divide his daily portion into two feedings a day rather than just one. If your Irish wolfhound is a puppy, they need to be on a good quality puppy food while they are growing. It is important you not over feed them or their bodies will get too big before their joints have a chance to catch up, which can be harmful to the dog's development.

As with all dogs, it's important to know what you are feeding your Irish wolfhound. There are many dog foods on the market today. Each one will state they are better than the one before, or vet recommended or some other advertising ploy. The best thing you can do for your dog is read the ingredients on the bag. The top ingredients should be meat or meat meal. Stay away from dog foods that have corn, wheat, soy or other fillers. They may fill your dog up, but he may still be lacking important nutrients. Corn in particular is known to cause food allergies, yeast infections and ear infections in many dogs.

As your Irish wolfhound gets older, he will need less food as well or he may become overweight, which contributes to heart disease and arthritis. Your vet may be able to recommend a good food for the older Irish wolfhound. With the senior dog, you may also want to divide his portions into several small meals per day to avoid unnecessary stress on his digestive system, which doesn't work as it did when he was young. Another reason to avoid over feeding the Irish wolfhound at any age is the threat of bloat, which is common in this dog. Bloat is a life-threatening disease to the dog. Years ago, owners mistakenly believed that a fat dog was a happy dog. However, a fat dog is more prone to developing diseases and will have a harder time being treated as well as a slower recovery.

Because of the height of the Irish wolfhound, it is a good idea to have their food dish on a stool so they don't have to bend down so far and strain their neck. They are a very tall breed of dog. If you don't do this for them, don't be alarmed if you see them lying down while they eat their meals.