How much wet food to feed a 4 month old puppy

How Much To Feed A Puppy By Weight And Puppy Feeding Chart

There are many elements to keeping your dog healthy. These include giving your dog enough exercise, playtime, and, of course, food. But do you know how much to feed a puppy? Are you wondering, How much food should I feed my puppy?

Lets discuss what a puppys diet should consist of, how much a puppy should eat, and how often a puppy should be fed. We hope our puppy feeding guide will help you provide the proper diet for your pup.

Puppy Feeding Chart: How Much To Feed A Puppy By Weight

Curious to know, How much should I feed my puppy? How much food to feed a puppy depends on age and weight. Most dog and puppy food packages have a feeding chart on the label, similar to our chart below. Be sure to check your puppys specific food bag for the label so you know how much to feed him. While this chart is a good baseline, we recommend double-checking with your vet, as all dogs dietary needs are unique.

How Much Food Should I Feed My Puppy?

These amounts are for every 24 hours.

How Often To Feed A Puppy

So now that you know how much to feed your puppy, you might be wondering, How many times a day should a puppy eat? Setting a routine for your puppys feeding schedule is critical so he can learn when to expect his food.

• 4-12 Weeks: Young puppies need three or more feedings per day to adequately meet their nutritional needs. So, according to the feeding guide that comes with their food or the chart above, divide that by three or more and give the food to them throughout the day.
• 3-12 Months: As your puppygets older, you can reduce the number of feedings to twice daily. Their energy level should be reduced; thus, they dont need as much food throughout the day.
• 12+ Months: Most adult dogs eat two meals per day. Youll want to divide their food requirement by two.

Puppy Feeding Schedule

A typical feeding schedule for puppies is 7 am, noon, and 5 pm. If you decide to do more than three feedings, you can adjust your schedule for puppy eating times as needed. Make sure to keep that last feeding around the 5 oclock mark. That way, your pup has ample time to digest the food and eliminate it one last time before bedtime.

Keep To The Feeding Schedule To Avoid Overeating

We know that it can be tempting to leave food out all day for your puppy to munch on, especially if you have a busy schedule. However, free-choice feeding encourages overeating, which can cause your pup to gain too much weight. Portion control is key to making sure your puppy eats the proper amount for his size and age. Learning how much to feed a puppy and choosing the best food and nutrition helps avoid overeating, which leads to obesity and ensures proper development.

Dog Feeding Schedule By Age

Heres a quick timeline of a puppys nutrition in the first few months of his life. You will find more details just below our how much to feed a puppy chart.

• 0-3 Weeks: Puppies should be with their mother and nurse as they please. The mothers milk has the nutrients necessary to provide proper nutrition and protect puppies from diseases. During this time, you dont need to worry about how much to feed puppies because their mother providesthem with nutrition.
• 3-4 Weeks: Puppies will begin developing teeth and will begin weaning off their mothers milk.The puppy caregiver can blend a 50:50 portion of canned wet puppy food with a milk replacer in a flat saucer, gradually reducing the amount of milk replacer until youre only giving them puppy food. One should not be concerned if the puppies dont like the new food right away. It may take a few days to adjust to the new formula. Rubbing fingers in the mixture and then gently on the puppys nose and mouth can make the transition smoother.
• 4-6 Weeks: By this time, puppies should be fully transitioned to puppy food.
• 6 Weeks-6 Months: Puppy food based on their size and breed.
• 6-12 Months: Gradually begin to switch your puppy to adult food. Small breeds can switch between 7-9 months, and larger breeds can switch around the 12-month mark. It doesnt hurt to keep him on puppy food longer than needed to make sure hes getting all the nutrients he needs as a developing dog but since puppy food has higher calories, be sure to watch for unnecessary weight gain. A balanced diet that also maintains a healthy body weight is important for an adult dog.

What Can Puppies Eat?

A dogs food needs differ as they age, and you uncover different dietary needs. Here is a guide to our top recommended items for several different canines.

Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food?

Puppies and adult dogs have different nutrient needs. To help puppies grow into adult dogs, they require more protein, micronutrients, and carbs. Protein provides them with amino acids and energy. Puppies need more fat as they use a significant amount of energy, and fats help them absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Puppy formulas always have more fat than adult foods.

Calcium is vital to developing healthy bones and teeth. Puppies need more calcium than adults. However, larger breeds need than smaller breeds due to their rapid rate of growth. It is healthier to feed your puppy food that is formulated for their specific breed size to ensure they get the right amounts of essential nutrients like calcium.

DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, is vital to puppy growth and is very important to brain and vision development. t is found in their mothers milk but is added to puppy food in the form of fish protein or fish oils.

Puppies also require a high amount of calories to help them grow, so its essential to purchase a high-quality food brand for your puppy. You want them to have a balanced diet to ensure healthy growth and development, and adult dog food will not meet their needs.

A puppys mouth is smaller than an adult dogs mouth, which helps explain why their food is not as big as adult kibble. Feeding puppies adult dog food can be dangerous because the kibble is larger, and the texture is harder to chew. Giving a puppy adult dog food can cause damage to their teeth, jaws, and overall health.

The same can be said for puppy treats. Treats made for adult dogs are often larger and harder to chew. Puppy treats ingredients also tend to be more suitable for them than those made for adult dogs. If you can, stick to treats that specifically say they are safe for puppies.

If youre looking for high-quality food for your little friend, perhaps you could try The Farmers Dog, one of our top picks for fresh dog food. Its a healthy solution for dogs of all ages. Learn more in our The Farmers Dog review.

How Long Do Puppies Eat Puppy Food?

For many breeds, puppies will need to eat a puppy-specific recipe until they reach a year or 12 months old. Smaller breeds may make the transition between 7 and 9 months old. Larger breeds, like the Great Dane, stay on puppy formulas for longer, some even until 18 months old.

How long your pup needs to stay on puppy food will depend on breed, health, and size. It is always better to stay on puppy food a little too long than to switch too early. Switching too soon can deprive them of vital nutrients needed to reach full development and can lead to health issues later in life. Discuss this change with your vet before making the switch.

Dont overlook the importance of planning and allowing for a transitional process when changing dog food. Imagine eating the same meals every day. Then, suddenly, you switch to something completely different. Youll probably experience a tummy ache orother gastrointestinal problems.

The same thing goes for your puppy. Remember that its a process that should take a minimum of six days and sometimes longer (up to several weeks).Do not try out too many different new foods at a time, as this can lead to digestive upset and stomach pain. It can also lead to body weight issues if your pup isnt eating enough. You want to keep your dog on a consistent feeding schedule and feed the appropriate amount for their age.

Puppyhood Is The Best Time To Consider Pet Insurance

As a puppy, your dog has probably not shown any significant health concerns at a young age. Since pet insurance companies dont cover pre-existing conditions, the younger your dog is when you sign up, the better coverage you will likely receive throughout his lifetime.

Pet insurance can help support you financially during the unpredictable puppy years when dogs are more likely to chew on things they shouldnt and run into dangerous situations. Check out our pet insurance guide to learn more and to determine whether pet insurance is worth it for your puppy. You can also use our free tool below to get instant pet insurance quotes.

Your Best Puppy And Dog Food Options (And Other Tips)

Remember, having a dog who has his dietary needs met will be happier and healthier as a result. Not eating enough can lead to malnutrition, and overeating makes your pup obese (read our tips to help your dog lose weight). You do not want your puppy to become a picky eater, or develop a sensitive stomach, so stick to puppy formulas. If you have any concerns about how much to feed a puppy, are worried your puppy is not eating enough, or need help ensuring they are on the right diet, reach out to your vet. This is a perfect topic to bring up at a puppy checkup.

Are you looking for more dog food articles? Weve got plenty of resources on various dog diets and nutrition, including our recommended foods for any age, diet type, and health concern, the best dog food delivery services for puppies and adult dogs, and homemade dog food recipes.

How Much to Feed 4 Month Old Puppy? (Read This First!)

In order to keep your dog healthy, you will need to make the right meal plan for them. Overfeeding them is just as unhealthy as underfeeding your puppies.

In this article, we will help you determine how much you should feed your 4-month-old puppy. Read ahead to learn more about it.

How much to feed:

Starting around 4 months, you should start serving your puppy about three meals a day. At this age, they should be served small meals more frequently rather than a few large meals a day. You should feed them between cup to 2 cups, depending on their weight at that age.

In order to determine how much and how often you should feed your 4-month-old puppy, you will need to consider its weight, health condition, breed, how active it is, and other such factors.

Thus, in order to answer how much to feed your puppy, we will need to thoroughly consider the physique and health conditions of your puppy. But generally speaking, you should serve your 4-month-old puppy between half a cup to 2 cups of food daily.

Around 4 months of age, you should start serving your puppy three meals per day. This is when they need small meals more frequently as their bodies develop more rapidly during this age.

So in order to ensure proper growth for them, you should provide them with small meals frequently. Three servings will be an ideal amount. The size of the serving will depend on the weight and rate of activity of the puppy.

If you are taking care of a small puppy, whose weight ranges between 3 to 12 lbs, then you should serve them with a cup to 1 cups a day. This will be an ideal amount for their growth. Make sure to plan the meal in such a way that they get all the necessary nutrition throughout the day.

And if you are taking care of a mid-sized puppy, perhaps weighing between 13 to 20 pounds, then you should feed them about 1 cups to 2 cups a day. And in the case of larger puppies, say the ones ranging between 21 to 50 lbs, you should feed them about 1 and a half to 2 and a quarter cups of food every day.

How to determine and calculate how much to feed:

Since puppies grow at a pretty fast rate, it is often difficult to determine how much you should feed them. In order to keep them well-nourished, it is important to keep them well-fed. Lets take a look at how you can determine and calculate how much to feed your puppy:

Consider their weight:

Firstly, you will need to consider the weight of your puppy. Make sure to consider the breed as well. Some breeds of puppies grow faster than others. Take note of whether your puppy is growing at the rate that it is supposed to.

If not then it is a clear indication that your puppy is not getting as much food as it needs in order to grow properly.

Breed of the puppy:

You should also factor in the breed of the puppy. If you are taking care of a puppy of a smaller breed, such as a pomeranian, then they will naturally require much less food than the others of the same age.

On the other hand, if you are taking care of a golden retriever then you will notice that the puppy is growing at a much faster rate. In that case, you will need to feed them more than the other puppies of the same age.

Nutrition requirement:

You will need to pay close attention to the nutrition requirement of a puppy, especially when they are around 4 months old. This is particularly important because puppies are of growing age at that time, and proper servings of nutrition are important in order to ensure a healthy life for them.

Puppies should be served at least three meals a day until they are six months old. After that, they are almost fully grown and the meal servings can be reduced to two times a day. This will ensure healthy growth for your puppies.

The recommended protein requirement for a puppy of that age is 22 to 25 percent of their daily meal. In addition, make sure to provide them with a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, fat, vitamin, and minerals. This will ensure their healthy development. Also, allow them easy access to water at all times.

How much to feed a 4 month old puppy by weight:

There are many factors that will play a role in determining the right amount of food for a 4-month old puppy. Lets take a look at their weight and the recommended amount of food to serve them considering the weight.

How often to feed a 4 month old puppy:

It is ideal to feed a 4 month old puppy at least 3 times a day. Since this is their developing age, they need food more frequently. Until they are at least six months old, you should feed your puppies several times a day.

Then you can slowly reduce the number of times you feed them. Make sure to feed them at least three times a day until they are six months old. Then you can bring the number down to two meals a day.

If you feed you puppies three times a day, albeit, in small portions, it will keep them fulfilled and energized. Since puppies at this age cannot eat much in one seating, this will be an ideal feeding strategy for them.

What food is best for a 4 month old puppy:

Wondering what you should feed your puppy? Read ahead to find out about the foods that are best for a 4 month old puppy.

Meat:

You can feed meat to your puppies. But there are certain things that you will need to keep in mind. Note that there are many meat products marketed as puppy food. But they generally contain sulphite preservatives, which has proven to be harmful to dogs. It can even be fatal for them.

So you should provide your 4 month old puppies with human grade meat. You can even opt for human-grade sausages, kebabs, and so on.

Carbohydrates:

Dogs need an occasional dosage of carbohydrates as well. Make sure that you are providing your dog with some rice or pasta every once in a while. This will keep them perfectly energized.

Vegetables:

Provide your 4 month old puppies with some vegetables as well. This will serve them well every once in a while. Make sure to serve them cooked vegetables. You may opt for carrots, pumpkins, and so on.

Feeding schedule and best times to feed a 4 month old puppy:

Lets take a look at the feeding schedule and the best times to feed your 4 month old puppies. It is ideal to serve them three meals a day, preferably at the same time every day. This schedule will help discipline your puppies as well.

Breakfast:

The first meal of the day should be served as early as you wake up. Since they will not have eaten since night, your puppy will be hungry. It is also important to ensure a well-nourished meal for them during breakfast.

The ideal time to serve them breakfast will be between 7 am to 9 am.

Lunch:

Serve them lunch at noon, ideally between 1 pm to 3 pm. Make sure to provide them with a protein-rich meal during this time.

Dinner:

Dinner should be served between 6 pm to 8 pm. Serve them a fulfilling meal at dinner, as they are not going to be eating a proper meal for a long time afterward.

Offer them occasional treats in between meals. This will ensure that your 4 month old puppy does not go hungry between meals.

What foods to avoid:

There are some foods that you must refrain from serving your dogs. The food to avoid includes chocolate, coffee, bones, raw meat, avocado, citrus, and so on.

You should also avoid feeding onions and garlic to your dogs. Do not feed them curries as well.

Final thoughts

You should feed your 4 month old puppy with half to two and a half cups of meal every day. This is their growing age, so you will need to ensure nutrition-rich meals for them. Plan the meals thoroughly. Serve them at least three meals a day during this time.