How Much Should a Puppy Eat? Feeding Chart From 8 Weeks to 1 Year
A puppy needs much more food per pound than an adult dog, because it is building bone and muscle as well as running its body. How much depends on three things: how much it weighs now, how big it will be as an adult, and how many calories are in its food. The puppy food calculator works it out from those numbers.
The puppy feeding formula
The National Research Council (NRC, 2006) gives this equation for weaned puppies:
kcal a day = 130 × (weight in kg)^0.75 × 3.2 × (e^(−0.87 × p) − 0.1)
where p = weight now ÷ expected adult weight. Early on, p is small and the growth part is large. As the puppy nears adult size, p rises and the calories per pound fall. Divide the calories by the kcal per cup on the bag to get cups.
How to use the formula with your own puppy
- Weigh your puppy (a kitchen scale for small puppies; for bigger ones, weigh yourself holding the puppy, then yourself alone, and subtract).
- Estimate its adult weight. For a pedigree puppy, the breed standard and the parents’ weights are a good guide; for a mixed breed, the puppy weight calculator gives an estimate.
- Work out p = weight now ÷ expected adult weight, and put both numbers into the formula (or the calculator).
- Find the kcal per cup in the calorie statement on your puppy food bag, and divide the day’s calories by it.
As p rises toward 1, the growth part of the formula shrinks, so the calories per pound fall even though the puppy keeps getting heavier. That is why you should recalculate every week or two.
How many meals a day by age
The American Kennel Club’s puppy feeding guide says most puppies eat four meals a day between 6 and 12 weeks, three meals a day between 3 and 6 months, and two meals a day after 6 months:
| Age | Meals a day (AKC) |
|---|---|
| 6 to 12 weeks | 4 |
| 3 to 6 months | 3 |
| 6 months to 1 year | 2 |
Divide the daily amount evenly between the meals.
How much should a puppy eat at 8 weeks?
There is no single amount, because it depends on the puppy’s weight now, its expected adult size and the calories in its food. Put its weight and expected adult weight into the NRC formula above (or the puppy food calculator), divide the result by the kcal per cup on your bag, and split it into 4 meals, as the AKC suggests for puppies under 12 weeks.
How much should a puppy eat at 3 months?
Use the same steps with its weight today, and split the day’s amount into 3 meals (AKC, 3 to 6 months). A small-breed puppy and a giant-breed puppy of the same age need very different amounts, so don’t go by age alone.
How much should I feed my puppy per meal?
Take the daily amount and divide it by the number of meals for its age. Weigh the food or use a proper level measuring cup, because a heaped cup can hold much more than a level one.
Growing big puppies slowly
Large and giant breed puppies should grow at a steady pace, not as fast as possible. Feed a food made for large-breed puppies and avoid overfeeding. If you are not sure how big your puppy will get, estimate it with the puppy weight calculator.
When to switch to adult food
Switch when your puppy is close to its adult size. WALTHAM says small breeds (under 9 kg) are full grown in about a year, a 30–40 kg dog in about 18 months, and some giant breeds take almost two years. Change foods gradually over about a week, and ask your vet when to switch a large or giant breed.
Signs you are feeding the right amount
A healthy puppy grows steadily and has a good shape: you can feel the ribs easily, and you can see a waist from above. Weigh your puppy every week or two and recalculate, because the right amount changes as it grows. Your vet can check its body condition at vaccination visits.
Work out your own puppy’s daily amount and meals with the puppy food calculator.
Sources: NRC (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (puppy growth energy equation); American Kennel Club, Puppy Feeding Fundamentals (meals per day); WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, Puppy Growth Charts. General information, not veterinary advice.