Puppy feeding chart
Cups of dry puppy food a day, by today's weight. Weigh your puppy every 1 to 2 weeks and look again. The amount grows with the puppy.
| Puppy's weight | Under 4 months | 4 to 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 2 lb | ½ | ¼ |
| 5 lb | 1 | ¾ |
| 10 lb | 1¾ | 1 |
| 15 lb | 2¼ | 1½ |
| 20 lb | 2¾ | 1¾ |
| 30 lb | 3¾ | 2½ |
| 40 lb | 4½ | 3 |
| 50 lb | 5½ | 3¾ |
| 60 lb | 6¼ | 4¼ |
| 80 lb | 7¾ | 5¼ |
Typical puppy food: about 400 calories in a level 8 oz cup. Your food can be quite different, so check the bag.
How often to feed a puppy
A puppy's stomach is small, so the day's food goes into several meals. Fewer, bigger meals come as the puppy grows.
- 2–3 months: 4 meals a day
- 4–5 months: 3 meals a day
- 6–12 months: 2 meals a day
Keep the times the same each day. A fixed schedule also helps with house training: most puppies need to go out soon after a meal. Give the last meal a few hours before bed.
How the calculator works
Vets start with the energy a dog needs at rest. A growing puppy needs about 3 times that until 4 months old, and about 2 times that from 4 months until it is grown. These are the factors in the Merck Veterinary Manual and the AAHA guidelines.
Resting energy = 70 × (weight in kg)0.75
The calculator turns that into cups of puppy food. Puppy food has more calories per cup than adult food, so use the number on your own bag if you can.
Is the amount right?
Look and feel, every week. You should feel the ribs easily under a thin layer, and see a waist from above. If the puppy gets round, feed a little less. If you can see the ribs and hips, feed a little more. A lean puppy grows into a healthier dog.
Large and giant breeds, such as Labs, Shepherds and Danes, should grow slowly. Too much food and calcium can harm their joints. Use a large-breed puppy food, and do not feed extra to make them grow faster.
When to switch to adult food
Small breeds are grown at about 9 to 12 months. Medium breeds at about 12 months. Large and giant breeds at 12 to 18 months. Switch over about a week, with a little more adult food each day. Then use the dog food calculator.
Questions
My puppy always seems hungry. Should I feed more?
Most puppies act hungry after every meal. Go by the ribs and the waist, not the begging. See why dogs act hungry.
Should I leave food out all day?
No. Free feeding makes it hard to know how much the puppy eats, and it makes house training harder. Give set meals and take the bowl away after about 15 minutes.
Do treats count?
Yes. Training treats add up fast. Use tiny pieces, or use some of the day's food as treats. Keep treats under 10% of the day.
Wet food or raw food?
The calculator gives cups of dry food. For raw food, use the raw dog food calculator. For wet food, check the calories per can on the label.
When should I see a vet?
If your puppy skips meals, vomits, has diarrhea for more than a day, or seems tired. Small puppies can get low blood sugar fast if they do not eat.