How much food should I give my puppy?
There’s a saying in canine feeding: Watch the dog, not the dish. Body condition, not the amount eaten or left in the bowl, should determine portion sizes. Portion sizes depend on individual metabolism and body type, and nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog. If your puppy occasionally skips a meal or picks at food, don’t worry. It could mean she is ready to eliminate a feeding or that you have given her too much, in which case simply reduce the quantity served.
Also, if you are doing treat-based training with your pup, adjust the amount you feed at mealtime accordingly. Whenever training with treats, keep the treat as small as possible.
How often should I feed my puppy?
Like human babies, puppies start out needing many small meals a day, of a food formulated for their special nutritional requirements. Most, but not all, dogs finish meals quickly. To discourage picky habits, feed at regular times in regular amounts and don’t leave food down for more than 10 to 20 minutes.
Your breeder will be an excellent source of guidance for both of these questions, as will your vet.
Best overall dry food for small-breed puppies
First ingredients are brewers rice, chicken by product meal, and chicken fat | Small breed | Dry food
Three of the vets we consulted recommend Royal Canin puppy foods. Zacharias raised six of her own dogs on Royal Canin, and Dr. Sara Ochoa, a Texas-based veterinarian and a veterinary consultant for doglab.com, likes the brand because it is specifically formulated not only for a dog’s size but also for certain breeds, such as Chihuahuas or French bulldogs. If your small dog’s breed is a bit of a mystery, Royal Canin also makes food for small, medium, and large puppies that isn’t specific to their breeds.
HOW TO FEED A PUPPY Everything you need to know!
While it’s always important to feed your dogs well, it’s especially important to know how much to feed a puppy, so they can get the best start in life with the proper nutrition.
Your puppy’s growing bones, muscles, brain cells and tissues require specific nutrients: Too few or too many calories, over supplementing or nutrient deficiencies—all of these can be harmful to your pup in the long run, making it vital to know how much to feed a puppy. And, no, feeding a standard dog food is not the solution as most will not fulfill these needs.
If you have found yourself to be the caregiver of a puppy (or puppies—lucky you!), take a look through our guide below to learn how much to feed a puppy. It will help you understand what your puppy needs nutritionally through every stage of their young life so you can help them thrive.
