How Much Food Should A Puppy Eat
Table of Contents
Are you worried about how much food should a puppy eat and what type of food is best for him? If you are, then your tension is truly vindicated. The decisions puppy owners make about their puppy’s food and nutrition have an immense impact on his overall health, growth, and development. It is compulsory to provide him the right amount of superior quality puppy food that will help him stay fit and healthy for a lifetime.
But, the real question is how much food should a puppy eat? A 5-pound puppy can eat ½ cup to 5/8 cup and a 40-pound puppy should be fed about 2 ½ to 3 cups. However, an 80-pound pooch should eat 3 2/3 to 5 cups and a 100-pound dog should be given 4 ¼ to 6 cups.
Remember, your canine will need a different amount of food depending on his age, breed, activity level, and weight. Some doggies need a small amount of food, while others need a lot of food to help them grow into powerful and handsome adult canines. To assist you to make the correct verdicts for your mutt’s nutritional needs, here is our comprehensive guide on how, what, and when you should feed him. So, continue reading.
How Much Food Should A Puppy Eat Based On His Age?
6 To 13 Weeks Old Puppy
At this age, they are growing and developing fast. So, you should make sure that you are providing them an exclusively designed and highly nutritious diet to meet all their dietary requirements. If you give him adult dog food during this period, it may lack important nutrients that he requires to grow healthy.
To fulfill his nutritional needs, you can feed him 4 times a day. Besides, if your pup belongs to a large breed, feed him unmoistened dry kibble when they approach the age of 9 or 10 weeks. However, if he belongs to the small breed, it is better to feed him dry kibble at the age of 12 to 13 weeks.
3 To 6 Months Old Puppy
When he turns 3 months old, you can give him puppy food three times a day. The reduction is done to ensure he loses his chubbiness by 12 weeks. If he still has his pudginess and potbelly by 3 to 6 months, we would recommend you to provide him puppy-sized portions until he reaches a mature age.
6 To 12 Months Old Dog
During the 6 to 12 months timeframe, it is better to give them food two times a day. At this period, they are sterilized, so their caloric needs decrease to a great extent. Therefore, after this procedure, you can shift him from puppy to adult dog food. If he belongs to a small breed, then you can transition him from puppy to dog food at the age of 7 to 9 months. However, large breed dogs should be switched from puppy to dog food at the age of 12 to 13 months.
After 12 Months
After the age of 12 months, you can provide him dog food two half portions in a day.
Puppy Feeding Chart Based On Weight
- You should feed a puppy of 5 pounds ½ to 5/8 cup.
- A 10 pounds pup should be given ¾ to 1 cup a day.
- If his weight is 20 pounds, it is recommended to feed him at least 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ cups every day.
- 2 ¼ to 3 cups are enough for a puppy of 40 pounds.
- Furthermore, if his weight is around 60 LB, you can give him 3 to 4 cups a day.
- An 80 pounds dog needs to eat 2 2/3 to 5 cups every day.
- If he is 100 pounds, you can provide him 4 ¼ to 6 cups of wet or dry food a day.
Other Essential Factors To Consider While Determining The Right Amount Of Puppy Food For Your Dog
These are the other crucial factors that you need to consider while determining the correct quantity of food for your canine.
Well-Balanced Diet
You should feed your furry friend specifically designed puppy food that contains multiple nutrients to meet their dietary needs. As newborns, they must consume a well-balanced diet, so they can acquire the proper nutrition they need to grow healthy.
Foods that contain a high amount of protein are ideal for them as they can help support their developing muscles and bones. They also need the right amount of carbohydrates to receive energy to stay fit and playful. Calcium, on the other hand, promotes the healthy growth of teeth and bones. Additionally, these formulas contain DHA that is essential for their brain and vision health.
Type Of Food
Dry food is very popular among dog owners. But, there are many other types of foods available, so if you are a first-time puppy owner, it can be difficult for you to decide which food you should feed to your puppy. Well, there is no need to feel overwhelmed.
Both wet and dry foods are comprehensive and loaded with all vital nutrients, so you can feed them to him without any reluctance. If you want, you can feed them a mixture of both. However, just make sure, the mixed portions don’t surpass their daily nutritional requirement. We would not recommend you to overfeed him because it could lead him to obesity.
Consider His Lifestyle
While determining how much food he should eat, you should not forget to take into account his lifestyle. For instance, if he is an inactive 80-pound dog, you can feed him a little less food than the recommended amount. But, if he is an active 80-pound dog, you can feed him the suggested amount of food.
Breed Type
A large breed puppy should be fed food that is specifically made for large breed dogs. Nonetheless, the small breed pooches should eat food exclusively designed for small breed dogs. No matter what type of breed he belongs to, you should provide well-balanced food to growing canines. Both small and large breed dogs have different nutritional needs; therefore, you can’t feed them the same formula.
Bigger mutts could develop joint-related problems because of their size, so large breed dog food will provide them the extra nutrients to make their joints stronger. Besides, small breed doggies can consume dry kibble because it is easier to chomp and also provides them all vital nutrients. Since they have a higher metabolic rate, so you should offer them high-energy and nutritious food.
Conclusion
The puppy diet plan can be very accommodating for dog parents, but it is not applicable to all pooches. Therefore, you must consider their age, weight, breed type, and the type of food you want to feed them. All these factors will help you determine how much food should a puppy eat. If you are still unsure about how much food you should feed him, talk to your vet.
Refrances:
https://www.nomnomnow.com/learn/article/puppy-feeding-guide#puppy-feeding-chart
http://www.renfrewanimal.ca/uploads/files/Document1.pdf
https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2019/04/accuracy-of-feeding-directions/
