Puppy Food Calculator + Vet-Approved Dog Feeding Guide - The Petite Pets (2024)

FAQs

How much food should my puppy eat calculator? ›

Puppies are growing dogs, so they require a larger volume of food than their adult counterparts. Feeding quantities actually reduce as they grow older—the same dog may eat 40 oz. a day as a puppy and 30 oz. in adulthood.

How Often to Feed Your Pup. Puppies should be fed three to four times a day therefore if you are currently feeding ¾ a cup of puppy food twice a day you should consider spacing it out by feeding ½ cup three times a day.

How Much? Puppies need to eat a lot–and not too much. You should be able to feel but not see their ribs, and they should have a visible waist when you look down at them.

Most high-quality dog foods recommend approximately 1-1/2 cups per 10kg of body weight per day for smaller breeds, since they require 15-25% more calories per pound than larger breeds. Large and giant breeds are more often fed 1 cup per 10kg.

Assuming your dog has a typical activity level, toy breeds should have about ¼ cups to 1 cup, small breeds should have about 1 cup to 1 2/5 cup, medium breeds should have about 2 cups to 2 2/3 cups, and large breeds should have about 2 4/5 cups to 3 cups. -Senior dogs should be fed a little less than adult dogs.

Calculation Summary:

(Your pet's weight in pounds) x 16 (ounces in a pound) = Pet's weight in ounces. (Weight in ounces) x % to feed (2% -3% on average) = Ounces to feed per day.

How many cups of food does my dog need a day? ›

Small Breeds (10-20 pounds): 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cups per day. Medium Breeds (30-50 pounds) 1 3/4 to 2 2/3 cups per day. Large Breeds: (60-100 pounds) 3 to 4 1/2 cups per day, plus 1/3 cup for every 10 pounds over 100 pounds.

"While there is no best time, with most dogs that eat twice a day, it is best to feed them in the morning as soon as you get up and then again when you get home from work in the afternoon.," says Dr. Sara Ochoa, veterinary consultant for doglab.com who practices in Texas.

It's long been said that dogs, like some humans, don't know when it's time to stop eating when they're full. They'll continue to eat the food in front of them until it's gone, be it a cup of food or 20 pounds of kibble. In fact, they just might keep on eating until they drop dead.

Your puppy might always be hungry because they need more daily calories. They may also have adopted bad habits caused through eating human food. Some dogs and puppies will naturally be more prone to food obsession. It's imperative to fulfill your puppy's daily needs and stick to a mealtime schedule.

The best time for your puppy's first meal is around 7 a.m., noontime for lunch, and 5 p.m. for dinner. The last meal should always be around 5 p.m. so that he will have ample time to digest his food and eliminate one last time before bedtime.

What is “a Cup” of Dog Food, Exactly? A few of the brands I checked with, including The Honest Kitchen and Orijen (made by Champion Petfoods), actually define their cup as being around 4.0 oz. for the former and 4.2 oz.

How Often Should You Feed Your Puppy? Generally, it is recommended to feed puppies every 6–8 hours (three to four meals a day). Puppies are more active and therefore need more calories.

Unfortunately, overfeeding has consequences beyond weight gain. It can lead to soft stool, diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. It can also cause a more serious, life-threatening condition called gastric dilatation-volvulus or bloat, as well as severe health problems as they get older.

5 Ways to Calculate Portion Size | Healthy Eating | Cooking Light

Once you know how much the entire finished dish weighs, divide the weight by the number of servings, which is usually listed in the recipe ("serves six," or "serves eight," for example). Round the result to an easy-to-remember number to find the average serving size.

How many times a day should a 4 month puppy old eat? ›

For the first few months of a puppy's life, they will need small meals of food throughout the day as they transition from their mother's milk to solid food. Starting around four months, puppies can begin eating about three times a day, and after that, puppies will quickly graduate to twice-a-day feedings.

Between four to six months, your puppy may become overweight if he's fed too much or is not as active as normal. Regularly evaluate your puppy's body condition to make sure he's at his ideal weight. Here's how to do it: Look at him from the top and side. From above, his waist should be clearly visible.

Newborn puppies need to eat every 2 to 3 hours, but as long as they get four to five full-sized meals in the course of the day, nighttime feedings are generally not necessary. A 2 to 4-week-old puppy feeding schedule should consist of feedings every 6 to 8 hours.

Most adult dogs poop once a day on average, although for some dogs, two or three times per day is still considered normal. Puppies, on the other hand, may need to go much more often—sometimes as much as five times a day or more.

Generally speaking, a healthy dog with a short, smooth coat and no skin problems doesn't need to be bathed often. In most cases, dog baths are more for the benefit of their pet parents than for the dogs themselves. Even so, it's a good idea to bathe your pooch at least once every two to three months.

It's not exact, so for those of you that like exact numbers, if you multiply 0.31 pounds by 3 cups, that gives you 0.93 pounds. There's no real need to quibble too much with this – as you can see, 3 cups of dog food equals nearly 1 pound so it's a good guide to follow.

Especially when you realize that they asked trained dogs to locate and retrieve food 30 minutes after they ate a meal. The results showed, without question, that breakfast is the most important meal as far as aiding cognitive performance.

In general, it is better not to give your dog any variety, which could cause havoc with its digestion, and not leave food down (so throw away any uneaten food after 15-20 minutes). However, make sure that water is always available to your dog, so never take its water bowl away.

Morning. Morning walks are recommended for puppies and senior dogs since they need to potty first thing in the morning to prevent accidents. Morning walks also allow dogs to get their energy out early in the day; this often equates to better behavior and more receptivity to training.

How much should a 12 oz puppy eat? ›

Generally puppies need to eat about every two hours during the first week after birth. This means your new puppy needs 12 meals daily, amounting to 1/2 ounce of formula every couple hours for a 12-ounce puppy.

Puppy's Digestive Tract

Five to 30 minutes after the puppy eats, she'll want to defecate. So with a consistent eating schedule, and your attention to the clock, your puppy can maintain regular trips outside.

Give your puppy an alternative item to chew

If they start nibbling at your fingers or toes while you're playing, offer a toy instead. Again, if they continue to nip, stop the play session immediately. If you've been training your puppy to sit, you might also redirect them by asking them to sit and rewarding with a toy.

How often should my puppy eat? Puppies should eat three times a day from weaning through four to six months, if possible. After six months, twice-a-day feedings are fine. But if you're not able to feed your pup three times a day, don't worry.

6–12 weeks: Growing pups should be fed puppy food, a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for normal development. Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients. Four feedings a day are usually adequate to meet nutritional demands.

Most puppies between 8 to 12 weeks of age should eat three times a day, spaced out somewhat evenly. This regularity in mealtime helps prevent blood sugar drops, especially in very small breeds.