# How much to feed the puppy?



## Dalston (Jan 22, 2014)

Hey everyone.
I have a question regarding meal sizes, I always thought it's best to make sure puppies aren't growing too fast and they shouldn't be chubby but lean...

Dalston is very hungry and loves his food. I think he would happily eat much more than the portions we feed him, which he finishes really quickly and then really wants more. As we are training him, he gets healthy treats and a bit of his food for training throughout the day.
I read in different sources it's best to keep them a little hungry rather than overfeeding them.
He gets 3 meals a day. We are trying to stick to the feeding recommendations of the food.

He is 14weeks old and weighs 2.3kg=5pounds
His proportions seem fine and he is definitely not chubby, the Vet doesn't seem to think he is too skinny.

Now I read in one thread in this forum ,related to size and growth that you should not limit the food for your puppy as they need to grow and feed as much as they are happy to eat. Is that true? 
Just a bit confused about this comment.

What are your thoughts? Do you limit your puppies food or feed them as much as they want to eat?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dalston said:


> Hey everyone.
> I have a question regarding meal sizes, I always thought it's best to make sure puppies aren't growing too fast and they shouldn't be chubby but lean...
> 
> Dalston is very hungry and loves his food. I think he would happily eat much more than the portions we feed him, which he finishes really quickly and then really wants more. As we are training him, he gets healthy treats and a bit of his food for training throughout the day.
> ...


Did you ask your breeder? I started with my breeder's recommendations. Eventually, Kodi ended up on a rounded 1/4C of kibble twice a day as an adult. But now I feed semi-home-cooked, which is a wet food, and of course, since it contains water, it is less nutrient-dense than kibble. So he gets about a rounded 1/3C of that.


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## Dalston (Jan 22, 2014)

krandall said:


> Did you ask your breeder? I started with my breeder's recommendations. Eventually, Kodi ended up on a rounded 1/4C of kibble twice a day as an adult. But now I feed semi-home-cooked, which is a wet food, and of course, since it contains water, it is less nutrient-dense than kibble. So he gets about a rounded 1/3C of that.


Yes, thanks! We are following the breeders recommendations. 
But also feeding more fresh/raw now rather than kibble.
So it's a good point that it contains more water.
I might just slightly increase his portions!


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## Dalston (Jan 22, 2014)

Do you personally think though it's right to leave a puppy rather slightly hungry or measure the portions on how much he would eat?


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## Colbie (Feb 9, 2013)

Puppies (dogs) are always hungry. I wouldn't increase their portion size to match their appetite. There are all kinds of feeding calculators out there but they are really only useful as a general guideline. 

As a data point, Colbie eats 3x a day, 1/4 cup of Orijen 6 fish which would be about 350 calories/day plus she gets snacks, treats etc. Probably a total of about 400 calories. She is 6 months old and isn't fat, ribs are well defined, plenty of energy.

That said, she is always looking for more food.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dalston said:


> Do you personally think though it's right to leave a puppy rather slightly hungry or measure the portions on how much he would eat?


I agree. Many dogs will eat themselves into obesity if you let them decide how much to eat. Feed them based on their weight, not their appetite. Just do keep in mind that a puppy who is still growing will require more calories than a full grown dog of the same size.


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## jcbpaisley (Mar 6, 2013)

Diva gets 1/3 of a cup of kibble twice a day. She went through about a month of a "hungry" stage as a pup and we did feed her as much as she wanted because her breeder had said she'd like to see Diva gain some weight. Then we had a problem where she became a fussy eater and we could hardly get her to eat anything. Now she 1 and is back to 1/3 of a cup twice a day. It seems to be the perfect amount for her. She eats it immediately with no fuss, but we have tried increasing the portion size and it doesn't work- she stops finishing her meals and ends up eating less than she is now. She is a great weight, not chubby not skinny.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Dalston (Jan 22, 2014)

krandall said:


> I agree. Many dogs will eat themselves into obesity if you let them decide how much to eat. Feed them based on their weight, not their appetite. Just do keep in mind that a puppy who is still growing will require more calories than a full grown dog of the same size.


Thanks so much everyone! That just confirms what we have been doing and feeling was right...
Sometimes it's just confusing when you read something different.


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