# Confused at how much should puppy eat



## Sammy_G (Sep 22, 2016)

There are several opinions at how much meat should puppy eat.
One opinion is feeding 2-3% of expected adult weight, other is feeding a percentage of current weight.

My puppy is 12 weeks old (standard poodle), his current weight is 19 lb, his expected adult weight (per breeder) is close to 45 lb.
Currently he is getting about 3% of adult weight (1.35 lb.), but after each meal looks like he doesn't mind eating some more.
If I'm feeding 8%-10% of his current weight till 4 months (as per perfectlyrawsome.com/dogs/raw-feeding-puppies/ ) it would be 1.5 - 1.9 lb.
He is growing fast so his 8%-10% would increase by a lot.

So which is correct?
How much should I feed him?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I take those numbers as more of a guideline than anything set in stone. Kind of a starting point to work from. 

Is he skinny? Or the right weight? If you think he should be eating more, you can feed him more. Most dogs will act like they're starving so you can't really go by that, but if he's not looking a healthy weight you can certainly add more. If he starts to get fat, you can cut him down some.

But in my opinion the 10% is hard to keep up with since their weight changes every week. I think what you're doing is fine, and you can adjust if you need to.


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## Spy Car (Apr 16, 2015)

Feed by condition. If the pup seems too thin, feed more. Too plump, feed less.

Err on the side of keeping the pup on the lean.

Bill


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I have never fed by percentages. I have always fed puppies like my adults, by body condition. Very young ones, at least three times a day, but still by watching body condition. Like was mentioned above, it really is more of a guide to give you an idea as to where to start. I just haven't ever really followed it.


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## monkey (Oct 21, 2016)

Spy Car said:


> Feed by condition. If the pup seems too thin, feed more. Too plump, feed less.
> 
> Err on the side of keeping the pup on the lean.
> 
> Bill


Same as above, only I would allow my pup to have that appearance of "puppy fat". Very very slight over the lean!


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## Sammy_G (Sep 22, 2016)

Thanks!
I think he is doing well, I don't see his ribs but can feel it with my hand.
He is eating 3 times a day, about 200-210 g each.

Another question I have is how to slow his eating down.
He is a gulper, he consumes his meal very fast, sometimes not even chewing it, and he still has baby teeth.
E.g. he usually swallows chicken necks almost not chewing it, I'm always scared he's gonna choke.
He does chew if he has bigger bone, like wing or drumstick or crushed turkey neck, but not fully.
And he chews his favorite treat, frozen chicken foot, we call it "chicken popsicle" 
Is there anything I can do to slow him down? If he is on kibble then something like slow feed bowl would help.
I don't think it's much help with raw meats unless it's ground meat, and he rarely has it.
Any advice?


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

If he's just swallowing chicken necks whole, then those are too small and I wouldn't feed them. One thing you can do is take the larger cuts like you mentioned, and feed them frozen or half frozen. That encourages slower eating with more chewing. Also, dogs don't chew in the same way we do. They just chomp chomp a time or two enough to swallow and that's it. So as long as there is some chewing, you should be fine. Like, a time or two even may be enough.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I have a dachshund who is a gulper. I cut up his boneless and scatter it and his piece of bony meat all over the yard and make him hunt it down piece by piece. He won't gulp his bony meat down when he's alone with space between him and the other dogs or me, but if we're close to him or start approaching he gets a little frenzied about gobbling it all up as fast as possible. So I just give him all the space he needs, and he tracks everything down a piece at a time and can't stuff it all into his mouth at once. I've also found that items with odder edges - like feet and chicken or ducks heads - give him a lot more work than a chicken or duck neck. 

Honestly, I've had so many dogs swallow chicken necks whole or maybe with 1-2 chews I don't even worry about it any more. However, I do keep a pair of kitchen tongs handy and have had to use them once. This was on the advice of magicre and it was a turkey neck, not a chicken neck, that made me very grateful I had them.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

as he gets older and his teeth get stronger, chicken necks won't be something you'll feed.....even now, at nineteen pounds, most likely duck or turkey necks could be tried.

i have a havana silk......he weighs eight pounds.......he eats chicken necks.......i swear he slides them down his throat.......it's okay because it's a cylindrical shape and will still digest.

your dog.......try different types of bones....i like necks because they slide after the chomp chomp swallow.


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## sport_dog18 (Oct 25, 2016)

i'm going through what you are right now and I can tell you i'm not feeding anywhere near what the scales say i should. He is a 3 month old german shepherd and gets 2lbs a day and i had to up from a pound and half and i can tell he's putting weight on a little too fast and always acts like he's hungry. I did purchase a slow feeder bowl because he would eat 1/2 lb of tripe in under 10 seconds and it works great for minces and you can even cut up your boneless meats and squish them into the slow feeder.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

sport_dog18 said:


> i'm going through what you are right now and I can tell you i'm not feeding anywhere near what the scales say i should. He is a 3 month old german shepherd and gets 2lbs a day and i had to up from a pound and half and i can tell he's putting weight on a little too fast and always acts like he's hungry. I did purchase a slow feeder bowl because he would eat 1/2 lb of tripe in under 10 seconds and it works great for minces and you can even cut up your boneless meats and squish them into the slow feeder.


don't worry about the percentages of what you should feed.....you've just answered your own question......
if you feed over one pound and a half and he's gaining weight fast, you're overfeeding. growing too fast puts a lot of stress on growing bones....

so do what xellil does. measure out a little over a pound 8 ounces and do training....make him sit and when he does, give him part of his meal as his treat.

feeding him minces won't slow him down. eventually, pieces of mince get caught between the teeth......and cause tooth decay, the very thing you're trying to avoid

hand the beast a pork butt.....time him, and then trade him for a treat......that's one way.....

throw a cornish hen at him......let him chomp that...most of them weigh about 22 ounces.....which is enough for a meal....

a half of a chicken 

a chunk of beef.......not cut up. not minced...

chicken quarters

lamb ribs - 3-5 in a row.

make that beastie work for his food


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