How do I know if I m feeding my puppy enough

Puppy Feeding Guide: Quantity, Schedule & FAQs

It is essential to feed your puppy correctly. Puppies are constantly growing and need different nutrition than an adult dog. Feeding your puppy correctly now can prevent problems later on. For instance, many large and giant dogs will develop hip dysplasia if not fed correctly when their hips are growing and developing.

In this article, well take a look at everything you need to know about feeding your puppy for optimal health. If youre wondering how much to feed your puppy or need help choosing the correct dog food, keep reading.

How Much Food Do You Feed a Puppy?

Important Note: The amount of calories each dog needs for healthy growth and development depends on many factors, including their age, breed, and activity level. These charts are general guidelines for healthy young dogs, but we recommend confirming any changes you make to your dogs diet with your vet.

You should always follow the feeding guidelines on the back of your puppys food. Different foods have different caloric contents. Guidelines proclaiming one-size-fits-all feeding amounts for puppies are not correct.

To feed your puppy properly, you need to keep up with their weight and regularly change their feeding amount based on the guidelines on the back of the bag. Of course, you should also shift the amount if your dog grows too thin or too fat. You should not base their feeding amounts on their hunger levels, as many puppies will simply eat until they are bursting.

It is normal for puppies to still ask for food after theyve already eaten the correct amount. Overfeeding can lead to hip dysplasia and other health issues, so be sure to base your amounts solely on the dogs body condition and weight.

What Is a Good Feeding Schedule for Puppies?

Generally, puppies should be fed more often than adults. How often depends on the size of the puppy. Very small breeds may need to be fed as much as five times a day. This is because their smaller body sizes make them prone to hypoglycemia, which can cause serious health problems. It is important that they are fed regularly to keep their blood sugar at a normal level.

Larger puppies can be fed less often. Giant breed puppies can be fed about three times a day.

As the dog gets older, you can slowly cut back on feedings until they are being fed about two times a day. We do not recommend feeding dogs any less than this, as it can cause health problems like hypoglycemia and bloat. Very small breeds may still need to be fed three times a day as adults. Otherwise, their blood sugar may not stay at a safe level.

How Do I Know If Im Feeding My Puppy Enough?

The easiest way to determine if your puppy is getting enough food is to look at its body condition. You should be able to feel a dogs ribs. However, you should not be able to see any more than the last two ribs. If your dogs ribs are poking through their skin, they likely need more food. If fat is building up over their ribs, they are eating too much.

For most breeds, this provides you with an accurate measure of the dogs current condition. However, for some breeds, it is a bit more complicated than this.

Large breeds may not develop more fat on their ribs. Instead, they may simply start to grow faster. Some owners push their larger dogs to grow bigger and more muscular before they are ready. Growing too fast is the main cause of joint problems like hip dysplasia, however. Your puppy should follow the growth curve that is normal for their breed. If they suddenly start growing too fast, it could be a sign that they are being fed too much.

Some breeds are just skinny as puppies. Greyhounds always appear to be a bit thin, even when they are at a completely healthy weight. If you have a thinner breed, you should aim to keep your puppy on the thinner side.

Also, you can complement this information by using our calculator tool, ensuring your dogs happiness and wellness:

The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. This tool is meant to be used only as a guideline for healthy individuals and does not substitute veterinary advice

Can a Puppy Go All Night Without Eating?

If you just adopted a puppy at 8 to 10 weeks, they likely can go all night without eating. Some smaller breeds need a snack at night, or their blood sugar will tank, causing health problems. If this is the case with your puppy, the breeder should let you know and provide more information about how often your puppy needs to be fed.

Most puppies should be completely fine at this age, however. You should feed your puppy first thing in the morning, though. Try to schedule their meals so that they are going as short between meals as possible.

Of course, very small puppies cannot go all night without eating. Like humans, newborn puppies need to be fed through the night. Most need to be fed about every two hours, but this can differ by breed.

Are Puppies Always Hungry?

Some puppies absolutely act like they are constantly hungry. Some dogs are extremely food-driven and will act as theyve never eaten whenever they smell food. Usually, this calms down as the dogs get older. But, because puppies are quite energetic, they can be very determined.

As long as your dog isnt skinny and is growing appropriately, they are not starving. If youre worried about your dogs behavior, speak to your vet. There are some very rare conditions that may make a dog feel hungrier than they actually are.

Should I Feed My Puppy Until He Is Full?

No, you should not feed your puppy until they seem uninterested in the food. Many puppies are unable to regulate their intake.

They will eat far too much. Often, in puppyhood, they wont actually gain much fat from overeating. Instead, they will simply begin to grow faster. This can cause problems in their joints, which can lead to debilitating hip dysplasia. In fact, most cases of hip dysplasia are caused by puppies being fed too much.

For these reasons, we do not recommend free feeding. Instead, feed your dog a set amount at specific times. Base their feedings on their body condition, not their appetite.

At What Age Do Puppies Have Two Meals a Day?

Usually, puppies can have two meals a day starting six months. Of course, very small breeds may need to consume more meals for longer. Some may never be able to eat two meals a day. This is due to their small body size and tendency towards hypoglycemia. This only affects the smallest dog breeds, though, like Chihuahuas.

When reducing the number of meals a day, it is best to do so gradually. Do not suddenly remove a meal, or your puppy will be very hungry. Instead, lessen the food at the meal youre looking to cut while increasing the other meals. Over the course of two weeks, continue this until there is simply no more food to give at the cut meal.

This will help your dog regulate their appetite so that they arent quite so hungry. Itll also make it less of a headache for you, as you wont be dealing with a hungry dog.

Can You Overfeed a Puppy?

Absolutely. Puppies are designed to grow at a specific rate. If you increase their caloric intake too much, parts of their body will start growing faster, while others will be unaffected. This is most obvious in a dogs hips, where overfeeding can lead to hip dysplasia. In dogs with hip dysplasia, the ball and socket of the hip stop growing at the same rate, causing excess wear.

Once the process starts, there isnt anything you can do to stop it, as wear will have already made the socket and ball not fit together properly. This can cause pain and lameness. While this mostly affects larger dogs, this is mostly because they tend to grow more than smaller dogs, leaving their hips more time to get out of sync.

Conclusion

You should feed your puppy based on the amount suggested by the vet or based on the suggested amount on the back of the bag. Do not allow your puppy to eat as much as they want or base their meals on their hunger levels. A disciplined and well-balanced approach is the best way to promote the happiness and health of your pet.

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Featured Image Credit: Switlana Sonyashna, Shutterstock

Signs Youre Underfeeding Your Puppy

You thought you were feeding your puppy just the right amount of food, but theyre so active that you just arent sure if it suffices. How do you know if your puppy is being underfed or fed just enough?

Here are some signs that youre underfeeding your puppy:

• You can easily feel the dogs ribs
• Their body has a very pronounced slope
• They always want food
• They have skin and/or coat problems
• Theyre smaller than they should be
• They lack energy for their age

In todays informative post, well further examine the signs that your puppy is being underfed. Well also help you discern between a puppy thats truly hungry or just greedy and what happens if your puppy isnt properly fed for long enough, so keep reading!

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5 Signs Your Puppy Is Being Underfed

1. You Can Easily Feel the Dogs Ribs

As we talked about in our post about overfeeding your dog, its not like you have a medical-grade scale available at home like what youd see at your vets office.

That said, your puppys stature will indicate that youre not feeding the dog enough.

Puppies dont pack on a lot of weight yet, but you shouldnt be able to feel their ribs when just casually petting your pup.

If you can see the outline of your dogs ribs, thats an even more serious situation, as your puppy is seriously not eating enough.

2. Their Body Has a Very Pronounced Slope

While the shape of a dogs body does vary by breed, you have a good idea of what body shape your puppy should have based on that breed.

If you notice any exaggerated or pronounced slopes, especially around the dogs midsection or waist, thats a clear sign theyre not getting enough to eat. This slope might not be that distinct in puppyhood but will become more and more noticeable as your dog matures. Eventually, it will be impossible to miss.

A dog is supposed to have a gradual waist slope unless were talking about breeds like Greyhounds with their streamlined shapes.

3. They Always Seem Hungry

Does your dog gobble down whatever food you put in front of them as they might never see a meal again? Do they always pop up during your family mealtimes whining, begging, and wagging their tail?

It doesnt matter if you feed your puppy in the middle of the night, first thing in the morning, or during the afternoon, mealtime to them is anytime.

While on its own, this does not necessarily mean that youre underfeeding your puppy, you have to take it in conjunction with the other signs weve outlined.

4. They Have Skin and/or Coat Problems

A dog thats not eating enough is likely experiencing malnutrition.

Nutritional deficiencies make it hard for a puppy to grow a healthy coat. Theirs might look patchy with bald spots or thin areas.

Your dogs skin wont be as healthy as it can be, either.

5. Theyre Smaller Than They Should Be

Puppies can seemingly sprout up overnight. Theyre like weeds in that regard. Yours though is different. Unlike other dogs youve had, your puppy is an exceptionally slow grower.

Food provides calories, and calories are energy. Your dog needs a lot of calories in its early days to support its growth. If youre underfeeding your puppy, it cant grow to its full potential.

This stunted growth can follow them around for life unless its rectified! Your dog will always look like the runt of the litter.

6. They Lack Energy for Their Age

Puppies are supposed to be full of boundless energy. Youre supposed to wonder when they ever sleep because your puppy is constantly in go mode.

All dogs need to relax from time to time, but if yours is more lethargic than they are animated, thats worth paying attention to.

Again, calories are energy, and your dog is being starved of energy, so it can only expend what little energy it has.

Is Your Puppy Hungry or Greedy?

Then again, perhaps youre not underfeeding your puppy and theyre truly just greedy.

Theyre young enough that you can nip this behavior in the bud before it gets too invasive, so youd like to if you can. How can you tell if your puppy is genuinely hungry or just greedy?

Are you feeding your puppy at least three meals a day? Thats how much a puppy should eat within the first three months if theyre a bigger dog, and possibly up to four meals.

Smaller dogs such as toy puppies need between four and six meals a day. If you arent feeding them that much, then theyre not greedy, theyre hungry!

What if you got your puppys feeding schedule down but theyre still always popping up when food is in the house ready to be eaten?

Its not necessarily that your new four-legged friend is greedy. The dog could just be food-obsessed. Youre right in that now is the ideal time to stop unwanted behavior in your puppy before it becomes ingrained in them.

When your pup begins begging at your family mealtimes, ignore them or firmly tell them no. No matter how much your puppy cries or whines, dont give in. Instruct the rest of your family not to do so either.

If your puppy gets fed table food when you cant take it anymore, then youre teaching them that whining and being annoying work.

Now, your puppy will begin ramping up that behavior, even more, to elicit a strong reaction out of you and get those sweet, sweet table scraps.

My Puppy Eats Less Than The Recommended Amount Now What?

Your puppy doesnt act like its starving all the time, but the dog definitely doesnt eat as much as you think it should. Should you be concerned?

Not necessarily, no. That said, wed still advise you to bring your dog to the vets office just to be on the safe side.

Explain that youre feeding your puppy X amount, but the dog only seems interested in eating so much of their food. Mention that this is consistent, just about every day.

Your vet will test your dog for medical conditions, illness, or signs of injury that might reduce the pups appetite.

If your dog gets a clean bill of health from your vet, then continue to monitor food consumption. Many times, puppy food packages overestimate what you should feed your dog.

Its not necessarily a bad thing for the pup to eat less, especially if its not negatively impacting their weight or any other aspect of their health!

The Long-Term Effects of Underfeeding Your Puppy

Look, if your puppy is going through a picky phase where none of the food you offer pleases them, thats one thing.

However, for your puppy to endure extended stretches without eating is going to negatively impact both short-term and long-term health in the following ways.

Stunted Growth

A starving dog can fail to develop proper skeletal structure and teeth. The dog, as we mentioned before, will also not grow to its full size.

We should note that it takes prolonged, severe starvation for this to occur. If your puppy is eating at least a little bit throughout the day, then theyre mildly starving but probably not enough to stunt its growth.

Malnutrition

Malnourishment or malnutrition prevents a dog from absorbing enough minerals and nutrients. Eating processed food thats nutritionally poor can lead to malnutrition, as can underfeeding your puppy.

According to pet resource Canna-Pet, the symptoms of malnourishment in dogs can be as follows:

• Weakened immunity
• Poor coat health (more on this to come!)
• Consistently bad breath
• Digestive issues when fed
• Skin irritation and redness
• Significant weight loss

Emaciation

Theres a step below even malnourishment in canines, and its emaciation.

You most often see homeless or abandoned animals suffering from emaciation, but a severely underfed puppy could as well.

A 2013 publication in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association states that a canine is emaciated if their overall body weight is 30 percent under what their ideal body weight is for their age.

All the effects of malnutrition are likely to be even more pronounced in an emaciated dog.

Fur Loss

A puppy is still growing into its coat, but its fur should feel soft, luscious, and utterly pettable.

If your puppys coat feels brittle and dry, its due to a lack of minerals and vitamins needed to support a healthy coat.

The amount of fur your dog has can also begin to decrease. Your puppy will shed more and could develop bald patches or thin areas, as we discussed before.

Rickets

If your puppy is underweight enough that theyve developed rickets, then you know they are in the emaciated territory.

Rickets affects young animals such as puppies and is caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphorus.

Although its considered rare, the effects of rickets can be quite pronounced, softening and deforming your puppys bones.

Improving your dogs diet can cure rickets, but the sooner, the better.

Obesity

Wait, what is obesity doing on this list, youre probably wondering?

An underfed puppy that someday gets a better deal in life and is fed a more regular diet is very at-risk of becoming obese. The dog wont know when to stop eating and will go from having a skinny, bony frame to being so overweight that you cant even feel the dogs ribs anymore.

Obesity opens up your dog to a series of potentially fatal health issues, as we wrote about in our post about overfeeding your dog.

What To Do If Youve Been Underfeeding Your Puppy

Many dog owners never mean to underfeed their puppies. They simply dont realize that a young, growing dog needs to eat far more than a mature, adult pup.

Now that you can identify that youre making a mistake, the next step is correction.

Take your puppy to the vet and tell the vet everything. Your vet will recommend what kind of food your puppy needs at this stage in their life to help them put their weight back on.

Youll probably have to come back in a month or two so your vet can gauge if your puppy is gaining enough weight.

Although conditions such as malnutrition and rickets are terrifying and sad, these conditions are also correctable if you fix your dogs diet.

Thats not to say that irreversible damage cant happen from underfeeding a dog, but a lot of times, your puppy can grow up to be a healthy, happy dog someday.

How Do You Know How Much to Feed Your Puppy?

Figuring out how much to feed your puppy neednt be a struggle. Just follow these handy steps.

Step 1 Determine Their Projected Adult Weight

How much is your puppys breed supposed to weigh in adulthood? Thats the first piece of information you need to know.

Step 2 Follow the Puppy Feeding Chart

In our article about overfeeding your dog, we put together a very useful puppy feeding chart that breaks down what your dog should eat by how old they are. The recommended servings are in cups.

Step 3 Confirm with Your Vet

Before you begin feeding your puppy their projected diet, contact your vet just to be doubly sure that youre planning on offering the dog the proper amount of food.

Conclusion

An underfed puppy is at risk of becoming malnourished and even emaciated. It can be hard to tell how much to feed a puppy considering their food needs continually change as they grow, but its necessary for helping your dog grow up healthy and strong.

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