# Amount of food for puppy



## Rohan D. (Nov 18, 2013)

Hi,
I have a 5-month havanese puppy that weighs in at about 12 pounds. I feed him small breed wellness puppy food. Does anyone have an idea of how much food to feed him?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Rohan D. said:


> Hi,
> I have a 5-month havanese puppy that weighs in at about 12 pounds. I feed him small breed wellness puppy food. Does anyone have an idea of how much food to feed him?


That's a HUGE Havanese puppy. He's going to need more food than the average Hav puppy of the same age. What is he eating now? Is he too thin? To chubby? adjust from there!


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## Rohan D. (Nov 18, 2013)

Thank you for your reply,
He is chubby, and we give him 1 cup per day. Even though we give him 1 cup a day, he is always searching around the house for scraps. Is that normal dog behavior? 
Or is he overweight because we give him too much food?


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## kicker0927 (Oct 15, 2013)

Wellness' feeding chart:
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=dog&pid=92&dm=smallbreed#feeding-guidelines


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## RitaandRiley (Feb 27, 2012)

Dogs will always look for food. That doesn't mean they're hungry.


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

I too feed Wellness Just For Puppy. I just looked on the back of the bag, and for a 5 mo 12 lb dog he should be getting 1 cup a day. Do you break it up into different meals? You could try 1/2 cup in the am and 1/2 cup at night, or 1/3 cup breakfast/lunch/dinner (this is what I do for the 5 month old pup I have here). Hope this helps! You could always use a few bits of kibble as training treats throughout the day as a snack~


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Most pet food companies overstate the amount of food you should feed to maintain most pet's optimal weight. Each animal's metabolism and activity level will be individual. Therefore, you should feed an amount that helps your pet reach and maintain an appropriate body size. Your puppy should have a clearly defined waist, easily felt but not visible ribs, hip and shoulder bones. If by this standard your puppy needs to slim down, back off the amount you are feeding per day by a bit (maybe try 3/4 cup per day) split into 2 meals. You must remember to include snacks in your pup's daily ration calculation. Leo did the same thing around that age and it took me a little while to work out a food and an amount that helps him maintain an optimal body size. At 9 months he weighs 11.2 lbs and eats 2.5 ounces (about 2/3 cup) of Ziwipeak Air-Dried food per day. Ziwipeak is a very rich food so the amount is probably a bit smaller than some foods. You will want to choose as high a quality food as you can because the volume consumed that will keep your pup at an optimal weight will be small and you will want to meet his nutritional needs.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I think you could be feeding too much....You should be able to feel his ribs without trying too hard. He should also have a waist. My boys would eat a ton if I let them. They are 15 and 16 lbs and get about 325 calories a day in food. They also get a few small treats a day and a bone a couple times a week. They get walked 30-60 min per day. Please don't let your pup be overweight. It is so unhealthy. Good luck! Feeding the correct amount can be challenging.


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## Thebean28 (Jan 4, 2013)

One of my puppies is also a bit over 5 months and weighs close to 12 pounds. He's already a few pounds bigger than my 8 month old hav..lol. I feed them both Taste of the Wild. I recently switched to adult and he eats 1 cup a day. He'd eat more if I let him. The smaller one eats between 1/2 to 1 cup a day. They do get a TON of exercise chasing one another though - so take that into consideration. I can feel the ribs easily on both of them and the vet says they're healthy weights.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

The Wellness recommended feeding portion for a 12 lb dog that is 5-12 mos old is *3/4 cup* a day of Small Breed Complete Health Puppy.

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/produ...ing-guidelines


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Rohan D. said:


> Thank you for your reply,
> He is chubby, and we give him 1 cup per day. Even though we give him 1 cup a day, he is always searching around the house for scraps. Is that normal dog behavior?
> Or is he overweight because we give him too much food?


If a dog is over weight, it is almost always because they are getting too much food. Dogs are scavengers by nature, always looking for food.<g> It's our job to limit it to what is good for them. A cup a day sounds like a lot. Try cutting him back to 3/4C separated into 2 meals.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

kicker0927 said:


> Wellness' feeding chart:
> http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=dog&pid=92&dm=smallbreed#feeding-guidelines


Just remember that the "feeding guidelines" on commercial dogwood is ALWAYS on the high side&#8230; after all, they ARE in the business of selling dog food. If they can get you to feed more, you'll buy more!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

RitaandRiley said:


> Dogs will always look for food. That doesn't mean they're hungry.


Well, it MIGHT meant that they are hungry, but it doesn't mean that they need it! ound:


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