# How much per day should I be feeding my new puppy?



## M_Michelle (Apr 30, 2008)

We just got our new puppy yesterday and I'm wondering exactly how much he should be eating per day. We bought Nutro Ultra and the lady who sold him to us had been feeding him 2 cups (they were feeding purina puppy chow) in the morning and 2 cups in the evening. Does that sound about right? I gave him 2 cups this morning and he gobbled it down, then sat and cried in front of the pantry door for more . Also, is Nutro Ultra a pretty good food to feed him? Thanks!


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## ShadowsParents (Feb 27, 2007)

From what I hear, Nutro is a decent food - not the best, but certainly not the worst. 4 cups a day sounds about right, pups eat a lot. The bag should give you serving suggestions based on weight and maybe even age. Also, many people recommend breaking down the daily food intake into 3 meals a day for a pup that age if youre home and able to accomodate that schedule.


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

The poor thing is going to explode. You dont need to feed a brand new puppy 4 cups a day...Our 17 month old eats a little less then 3 cups a day lol. It only needs 1 cup over the course of one day !


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Yikes! It's been a while since I've had a puppy, but I think (and I'm not sure) they need more than one cup a day. I wish I could remember.


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## arcane (Sep 18, 2007)

3.5-4 sounds about right...Demi is now eating 2x per day and gets 2 c per meal. She is 6 mos. I did feed the 3 amigo's 3x's -per day up to 4 mos of age...then eliminated the noon feed and increased the amt's x2 accordingly.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Congrats on your new pup. They always vary on amounts. Its depends on the activity level, food quality and your pups individual system. I start puppies out on 3/4 of a cup 3 times a day. Depending on how hungry they are or any body changes (slimming or chunking) adjust from there. Really depends on the puppy. Also, with a new food you will have to do some playing with the amounts as Nutro is a better quality then puppy chow (whatever that might be) LOL.


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## arcane (Sep 18, 2007)

Kimm said:


> Yikes! It's been a while since I've had a puppy, but I think (and I'm not sure) they need more than one cup a day. I wish I could remember.


for sure they need more than 1 cup per day!!!! this pup above is 11 wks of [email protected] 1c they would be starving.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

arcane said:


> for sure they need more than 1 cup per day!!!! this pup above is 11 wks of [email protected] 1c they would be starving.


That's what I thought, but I haven't had a pup in 5 years. Info gets stuck in my head, but not all the details. :doh: I came home with info from the breeder.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Ash said:


> Congrats on your new pup. They always vary on amounts. Its depends on the activity level, food quality and your pups individual system. I start puppies out on 3/4 of a cup 3 times a day. Depending on how hungry they are or any body changes (slimming or chunking) adjust from there. Really depends on the puppy. Also, with a new food you will have to do some playing with the amounts as Nutro is a better quality then puppy chow (whatever that might be) LOL.


I pretty much follow Ash's recommendations, adjusting them based on the size and individual activity level of each puppy.

As for the whining for more-better get used to it  Goldens are always ready for more food! One of my girls ended up getting fed 3 times once just for breakfast when staying with friends, because each thought she had surely not had breakfast yet because she acted so hungry. And she gobbled each breakfast down like it was the first :doh:


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## allux00 (Mar 2, 2008)

Sorry to hijack, but 1 cup isn't enough? Rusty is 18 weeks and he gets a little more than a cup 2x a day. We give him 2 hardboiled eggs at around 12 though to hold him over. I guess it makes sense to start increasing it..


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

I just went to Purina Puppy Chow's website and it said for a puppy that is 1 1/2 months-3 months it needs 1/2 a cup to 1 cup. (obvisoly this can very slightly) But there is no way in the world that a puppy should be eating anywhere near 4 cups of food in a day. We cant get Katie to eat 3 cups a day and she is almost a year and a half old. I remember for the first month we had Katie she was only eating 1/3 - 3 times a day which equaled 1 cup. Remember they are sleeping more then half of the time at 2-3 months of age.


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

allux00 said:


> Sorry to hijack, but 1 cup isn't enough? Rusty is 18 weeks and he gets a little more than a cup 2x a day. We give him 2 hardboiled eggs at around 12 though to hold him over. I guess it makes sense to start increasing it..


at 18 weeks that sounds about right but we are talking about a 11 week old puppy....big differance.


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## Softpaws (Apr 8, 2008)

I checked the Nutura website for Innova puppy food and they recommend 4.5 cups for a 9-11 week, 20 lbs puppy. Here is the link

http://www.naturapet.com/tools/feeding.asp

I have 3 different books on puppies and they all recommend feeding 3 to 4 times a day. They say to set up a schedule and stick to it. Combine feeding with potty training. 

So the schedule looks like this:
1) first thing in the morning out for potty
2) play time and then breakfast. 15 to 20 minutes later out for a potty.
3) every 4 hour feed and potty again. Play and crate as needed.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Tahnee GR said:


> As for the whining for more-better get used to it  Goldens are always ready for more food! One of my girls ended up getting fed 3 times once just for breakfast when staying with friends, because each thought she had surely not had breakfast yet because she acted so hungry. And she gobbled each breakfast down like it was the first :doh:


Ain't that the truth . Bet your girl was totally ready to back for another visit LOLOL


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

Softpaws said:


> I checked the Nutura website for Innova puppy food and they recommend 4.5 cups for a 9-11 week, 20 lbs puppy. Here is the link
> 
> http://www.naturapet.com/tools/feeding.asp
> 
> ...


A puppy that is 11 weeks old should probably not weigh - 20 lbs lol. We did the Feeding Caculator for a 3-4 month old puppy for 10 lbs, should only be eating 2.6 cups daily it says.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Katiesmommy said:


> A puppy that is 11 weeks old should probably not weigh - 20 lbs lol. We did the Feeding Caculator for a 3-4 month old puppy for 10 lbs, should only be eating 2.6 cups daily it says.


LOL funny you should say that. My not so little girl Party (in my av) was 19 lbs at nine weeks


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

A puppy always eats more than an adult.They are not comparable!.One is growing and the other one isn't.I would feed 3 meals to a pup up to 6 or 7 mths.I used to feed a cup per meal.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I went to the Purina Puppy Chow website, and for a puppy 1 1/2 to 3 months of age, with weight at maturity from 51-100 pounds, the recommendation was 1 3/4 to 4 1/4 cups per day. Pretty broad recommendation  

Each puppy is going to vary wildly depending on activity level and body type. My youngest two were eating 6 cups a day of Canidae each by the time they were 5 months old-and they were not fat! It was all I could do to keep weight on them, but they were extremely fit and active, playing in the yard with each other for hours every day 

Now, at 15 months and almost 3 years respectively, they eat a more normal (and affordable!) 2-3 cups per day. Creed still requires more than either of the two girls, but all three are fairly muscular.


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## Softpaws (Apr 8, 2008)

Just guessing on the weight of an 11 week old puppy:doh:. Our last golden puppy was 20 years ago. However, I will let you know. We are getting an new puppy in June. Check my picture of the newborns in the New member forum, they are large


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Ash said:


> Ain't that the truth . Bet your girl was totally ready to back for another visit LOLOL


Better believe it! She was very disappointed that I didn't fall for her little game


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

http://www.***********************....nder=1&agemonths=ignore&ageyears=&option=list

According to that site a male 11 week old Golden retriever puppy averages 18 pounds.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Hmm the link doesn't show up. But if you google: "golden retriever weight chart survey" it will come up.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Rhonda Hovan has an excellent article, weights included, on slow growth for Goldens. My puppies are often heavier than hers, but my last litter was pretty much right on:

http://www.jrsgoldenangels.com/slowgrow.html


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

Each food has a different calorie count too which further muddies the water on your question. My 7 month old has eaten 3 cups a day of his Innova Large Breed Puppy since I brought him home. Just in the last week I stopped feeding 3 meals and now split it into two.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Celeigh said:


> Each food has a different calorie count too which further muddies the water on your question. My 7 month old has eaten 3 cups a day of his Innova Large Breed Puppy since I brought him home. Just in the last week I stopped feeding 3 meals and now split it into two.


Another very good point-I am always comparing calories when looking at foods. When Marie the Pug was so sick and the vet was trying all sorts of different foods, I had to keep looking at calories so that she was getting the right number of calories every day.

Digestibility is also very important-6 cups a day of a food that goes right through the dog is not going to be enough


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I actually free fed Shadow as a pup, so I don't know how much he ate. They are all different in their caloric needs though. I have to adult GR's, 2 months difference in age, one eats 730 calories a day and the other eats about 1600! They are both a good weight.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

Kimm said:


> I actually free fed Shadow as a pup, so I don't know how much he ate. They are all different in their caloric needs though. I have to adult GR's, 2 months difference in age, one eats 730 calories a day and the other eats about 1600! They are both a good weight.


Wow, I don't even know how many calories Charlie gets a day. He eats 3 cups + about a half can of EVO and he still only weighs 60 lbs.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Charlie06 said:


> Wow, I don't even know how many calories Charlie gets a day. He eats 3 cups + about a half can of EVO and he still only weighs 60 lbs.


I only pay attention because Tucker had weight issues. I learned to count all the calories he took in, including suppliments! I can give allow him a few more calories now and then, but I can easily see when he begins to gain some weight back.


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## sifuyono (May 8, 2008)

M_Michelle said:


> We just got our new puppy yesterday and I'm wondering exactly how much he should be eating per day. We bought Nutro Ultra and the lady who sold him to us had been feeding him 2 cups (they were feeding purina puppy chow) in the morning and 2 cups in the evening. Does that sound about right? I gave him 2 cups this morning and he gobbled it down, then sat and cried in front of the pantry door for more . Also, is Nutro Ultra a pretty good food to feed him? Thanks!


i dont know how old your puppy is, i assume it between 2-3 month old, i suggest 2-1/4 up to 2-1/2 cup per day


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