How much should I feed my puppy?

It’s pretty impossible to feed a puppy an exact amount because there are so many variables between the number of calories in a product fed, your puppies’ metabolism, treats you’re giving and beyond. Here are some helpful tips on how to properly determine how much to feed:

  • Determine about how much your puppy will weigh when he/she is full grown. Use the guideline below** to figure out how many calories you will max out at when your puppy is an adult and never go over that amount.
  • At 2 months to 5 months old feed them 1/3 - ½ of their adult volume of the food you’ve chosen.
  • At 6 months to 8 months feed ½ - ¾ of their adult volume of the food you’ve chosen.
  • At 9 months to 12 months feed as much as 100% of their adult weight calories
  • If your puppy develops diarrhea, decrease the amount of food fed. You’ve probably overfed.  If you decrease the food and diarrhea continues, consider seeing a vet. Your puppy may have giardia or another issue.
  • Remember that just like children your puppy will go through growth spurts. Some days your puppy will be hungry all day – when this occurs it’s ok to feed more as long as it doesn’t result in diarrhea.  Some days your puppy will barely be hungry – it’s ok to feed less as long as this doesn’t coincide with lethargy or other symptoms of distress and does not last longer than 3 days.
  • Overfeeding can also cause weight loss. The body burns more calories than it can keep in trying to purge the excess. If you’re feeding more than 1/3rd more food than typically recommended for your dogs’ size and they are not maintaining weight we recommend decreasing to the proper calories per day, adding 1tsp of soaked chia seeds per meal, and increase absorption using cultured or fermented foods (ask us for help)

 

Breeds up to 50lbs:

Feed 200kcals per 10lbs of body weight per day

 

Breeds from 51-100lbs:

Feed 100-150kcals per 10lbs of body weight per day (metabolism varies more widely on large breed dogs. Most require closer to 100kcals per 10lbs of body weight per day but you may need to increase the amount if your dog doesn’t tolerate this lower amount.  

 

Breeds from 100+ and up:

Feed 100kcals per 10lbs of body weight per day

 

If your dog is over or underweight and is in alignment with these caloric amounts, or if your pet is eating far more or less than these recommended amounts and is not maintaining weight, we suggest you have your pet’s thyroid tested.

 

** The calories should be listed on the product you have purchased.  If they are not, please email Hero@HerosPets.com with a picture of the guaranteed analysis and we will calculate it for you.

 

IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT DIARRHEA OR CONSTIPATION PLEASE ASK US FOR HELP!

Back to blog