how much food do you feed your puppy

[ECudmore]

I have a male puppy 18-weeks, loves to eat. I feed him 1/4 cup of wet and dry food three times a day. He eats 1 strip of chicken jerky during the day while being trained and for going potty. I also give him a nylabone twice a week.
He is always looking for more food. I can feel his ribs. He weighs 10 1/2 pounds .Thanks for your comments.

[Julie]

That is a big havanese!10 1/2 pounds at 18 weeks?!There should be a guide on the side of the bag giving suggested amounts as per weight/age of dog.This should give you something to go by....I would measure out that amount,and divide it into 2 or 3 servings.

That weight is just incredible.....my dog weighs that and he is almost 14 months.

[Jan D]

Havee is 5 months today, weighs in at 8lbs and he gets almost 1/2 cup of dry kibble, 2x's a day.

[Sunnygirl]

My pup is 9.5 weeks old and was 3.5 lbs. when weighed last weekend. We give him 1/4 cup of dry kibble 3 times a day, although he doesn't always finish it. He also gets half an egg yolk daily, and a tiny bit of Kong puppy paste in his Kong toy - that's the only "treat" we've found that he likes so far.

[LuvMyHavanese]

I got 'yelled' :rant: at by my breeder who saw Tripp this weekend at a Hav show. She said he was to fat & needs to lose weight:redface: . He would eat all the time if i let him. And he acts like he's starving! I have cut back on his treats and he scours the floors looking for anything!
Its so hard because he gives you these 'head tilt' looks....also he will start doing the things like we practice in training sessions on his own, to see if he will get treats! But i have to quit giving it to him for his own good.
(Dreamer is perfect-not too heavy).
So i know how you feel!

[Laurief]

Shannon, dont feel too bad, Lily is overweight too but she is always hungry!! Mine dont get treats normally, but get fed 2x a day but she sits by the door where the food it, and moans for 2 hours before feeding time. It is so pathetic :( I know how you feel. I have tried cutting back on the food to have her lose weight, but she was Miserbable & ALWAYS hungry. We just figure she wants to be a "big girl" like her Mommy.
Laurie

[LuvMyHavanese]

I really didnt think i was feeding him all that much but i guess i was wrong. And here i was thinking Dreamer was too thin when all along Tripp was just to fat!!

[Doggie Nut]

Is there an appropriate amount to feed? Valentino is 18 mos.

[radar_jones]

Our little Radar just weighed in at 4.4 lbs at the Vets when he was just over 12 Weeks and he's pretty solid. He's not very big but is gaining weight pretty steadily. He's a bit of a pig when it comes to eating. We give him a few extra peices of kibble if he wants it sometimes but not too often. He gets 1/3 cup a day split three times for now and then he'll get 1/2 three times a day when he gets bigger, I believe that's the proper amount. He gets treats but really only when he gets trained. I don't want him to get plump on dog treats so we give them to him sparingly.

Derek

[Brady's mom]

I always thought Brady was chunky until he was cut short. My husband and I were shocked by how small he really is (all 17 pounds of him). My breeder had thought that he was getting too big, but the last time he went to stay with her, she increased his food:pound:. She said he ate it all and she didn't want him to be hungry. She told me if I wanted to starve him at home, that was up to me, but she wanted him to be happy when he was with her:doh:. I guess I can't win. Really though, he isn't fat. Just a big hav.

[susaneckert]

I feed yoda about 1.2 cup 2 x a day Ecudmore feel his ribs you should feel them a little but not to much Where do you leave at Im san marcos maybe we can meet some where. What are you feeding your puppy?

[ama0722]

I free feed and Dora is actually now 11lbs. I would estimate she eats about 3/4th cup a day but I add some supplement and she gets treats for training quite often. But if you feel her sides you can feel her ribs too. I think you want to be able to feel some rib bones though. I mean Dora is in excellent shape, she goes for long walks and does agility and obedience several times a week. She isn't nearly as thin as my maltese but that isn't her structure. I do think you want to feel some rib bones though.

Amanda

[The Fussy Puppy Gang]

Pepper's about a year old and weighs 12 lbs. He gets two servings of Solid Gold "Just Wee Bits" for a total of 3/4 to 1 cup every day. We also give him treats for training daily, plus he chews on bully sticks several times a week.

When we first got him he weighed 9 lbs, so he's definitely put on weight. But I think he looks healthy where he is right now.

Look at the recommended feeding amounts for the product you're using. In your pup's case, you might want to feed the amount that's right for what he should weigh and not what he does weigh. 10 lbs sounds heavy for an 18-week old pup. You probably want to keep excessive weight off those developing bones.

What does his breeder say about his weight and feeding?

Wanda :)

[Cosmosmom]

I was told by my vet that if you can feel their ribs the dog is too thin .. and needs to be fed more I fed my dogs twice a day and they both eat well .. I found my Dr Harveys dehydrated food again so I mix it with the home cooked as it adds a little more bulk . If they eat just home cooked they seem to be hungry even thought they eat a healthy portion ..
They do get a lot of exercise - walking and playing on the grass .
Auntie Lois says they are just right - I guess meaning when they are soaped they look fine for their size .. No big tummies !!
They do not get a lot of treats but they get a few of the homemade liver treats and they do enjoy a flossie now and again . The liver treats are all natural and it seems to help their coat ..

[radar_jones]

I have a correction to my last reply. Radar actually gets 1/2 cup over the day and eventually he'll get a full cup probably split three ways so he gets an even amount through the day. He likes to eat eggs as well. We put some down for him today and I couldn't get the bowl away from him he went at it so vigourously we thought he was going to eat the bowl as well...:biggrin1: Cheese is a big Fav of his as well. The shredded stuff is great becasue he gets little peices of it at a time. Makes training better.

Derek.

[Melissa Miller]

Every dog is different. I feed 1/3 cup max ( maybe a tad less) twice a day. But I also put those Natures Variety sprinkles and cheddar cheese on it. Stogie could eat all day and he will be the same size. I can always see his ribs and feel them. But he ALWAYS eats. Golde could live on 1/4 cup a day. If she eats all of her food twice a day she starts getting fat.

Her legs get shorter and she loses her neck hehe. I call her faty. So it just depends on the dog. I have seen Joan feed Wave, Stogies mom and that dog can eat ANYTHING. She is thin and she eats more than any dog in that house.

[dotndani]

Duncan is our little eating machine.I swear that he can outeat my 5 year old,:)
He gets Merrick Dry food and he gets 1/4 cup 3 times a day and he is still looking for more.I went out today and got those Mother Hubbard peanut butter treats which at first he looked at kind of funny,but then gobbled up and I also got Wellness "cookies" a variety pack of different flavors.
He loves to eat and my vet isn't concerned.Plus,he eats his meal in about 10 seconds flat,and that's no joke.It's amazing the appetite he has!!