One of the most important things we do for our pets is care for their health and wellbeing. In this guide to puppy feedings find out how much your puppy should be eating and how frequently.

If it seems like your puppy is growing bigger literally by the day, your mind may not be playing tricks on you. During a puppy’s first few months of life they are constantly growing and changing.

And they need a lot of food to support that growth.

But exactly how much should a puppy eat in a day and how frequently they should eat, are two of the most common questions we get from new puppy parents.

In today’s guide, we’ll tackle some of the most common puppy feeding questions, including:

How do I know if I’m feeding my puppy the right amount?

How do I learn more about puppy nutrition?

One important note before we start answering these questions: If you have concerns your puppy isn’t eating enough to support growth, or your puppy has a sudden loss of appetite, stop reading this and contact your vet!

But good thing we’re here to give you the long answer. 

A puppy’s food and nutritional requirement largely depends on breed, since size and activity level play big roles. Larger, active breeds will require more food than small breeds. 

That’s why many feeding amount recommendations are based on weight first, rather than just age, because it takes size into account.

There’s typically a chart on the back of your dog’s food bag that you can reference. While it’s not going to be 100% spot on for every dog, it’s a great place to start if you’re not sure how much food to offer them. Confirming with your vet is also a good idea.

Also keep in mind that during this time your puppy should be getting multiple daily training sessions with high value treats, so you may need to adjust the amount you feed your dog at mealtime accordingly. 

As a rule of thumb: You want to keep your dog’s treats at about 10% of their daily caloric intake, so finding healthy, low-calorie treats is really important since you will be using them for repetitive rewards. We love these freeze-dried treats. 

Puppies need to eat more frequently than adult dogs to maintain their growth rate. Plus, even though their bellies are wonderfully round and plump, they don’t hold as much food as full-grown stomachs. If you’d like to see a sample training/eating schedule for your puppy, click here. 

As your puppy gets older and closer to their adult body, you’ll be able to adjust their meal frequency. Here’s a sample feeding frequency timeline for your puppy’s first year:

8-12 weeks: Young puppies should be fed about four times per day to support their high caloric needs. They also should be given puppy-specific food to meet nutritional demands, like higher fat and protein needs. 

3-6 months: During this time, dogs should still be given puppy-specific food, but feedings typically decrease to three per day. 

6-12 months: This is the time period with the most adjustment to feeding frequency. Not only will you move to two feedings per day, but during this time you’ll make the switch to adult food too. Work with your veterinarian to know when and how to make the switch, as factors like breed, and spaying/neutering can make nutritional needs differ.

After 1 year: This is typically where most dogs are moved to two even feedings a day, in the morning and evening. 

Remember that this is a general guideline – if for any reason your veterinarian has advised you differently based on your dog’s specific needs, prioritize their guidance over this timeline! 

HOW TO TRANSITION FROM PUPPY TO ADULT FOOD

You will want to transition from puppy to adult food slowly, over the course of a few days. A sudden change can upset your dog’s stomach. Here is a graphic with a basic example of how to make the transition over time.

HOW TO ADJUST THE AMOUNT YOU ARE FEEDING YOUR DOG

When you make the transition from four meals a day to three and then from three meals to two, you want to do so slowly. Slowly give them less and less in the meal you are cutting out and add more to the meals around that one.

If you are going to be changing your dog's mealtimes, start feeding them 10-15 minutes later or earlier each meal until you get to the new feeding time.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M FEEDING MY PUPPY THE RIGHT AMOUNT?

It’s especially common for puppy parents to worry if their pup is eating enough, or too much.. But the good news is – they may tell you! 

They may not be able to say “I’m full” or ask for more food with words, but they will tell you with their behavior. 

*Your dog may also be skipping or picking at their meal out of pickiness. Check out this article on what to do when your dog won’t eat or try adding a meal topper to the top of your dog’s food for an added nutrition boost and flavor.

*Of course, sudden changes in appetite could indicate illness so if there are any drastic changes, call your vet. 

Also, there are foods specifically designed for small breeds, large breeds, dogs with food sensitivities, etc. – make sure you are given the right one to your dog to make sure they are satisfied and have their needs met.

If you’re more of a numbers person or just want a more definitive way to know if your dog is eating enough, you can chart their growth by weighing them daily (or a few times per week). You can weigh yourself, then step back on the scale while holding your puppy – the difference between the two numbers is their weight.

You can get breed-specific weight guidance charts from the internet or your vet to make sure your dog is growing appropriately, therefore eating the right amount! 

HOW DO I LEARN MORE ABOUT PUPPY NUTRITION

If all of this sounds a little complicated, don’t worry. There’s a lot to learn about puppy nutrition, which is why we put together a free Basic Puppy Nutrition Course in the Pupford Academy. 

This course is led by Dr. Greg Sunvold, PhD., and will cover all the basics you need to know about feeding your puppy to optimize their health. 

You’ll get in-depth videos, PDFs, and infographics with unlimited lifetime access. 

How Much Should My Puppy Eat a Day (and How Frequently)? | Pupford