# how much food to let a puppy eat at 1x



## Debbie Dibble (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm puppy sitting my daughter's puppy, he is about 7 to 8 weeks old, he is a italian masstiff. He is on a quaility brand of dry puppy food. It has been a long time since I've had this young of puppy in the house. I was wondering how much to feed him. The package reads 1-1/4 cups a day, I have been feeding him a 1/2 of cup 3xs a day, he doesnt seem satisfied, at times his belly looks just right, not buldging out nor too skinney. Then at times he looks like he is too thin. Wondered if I could get some opinions. Thanks


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

Puppies are always hungry. Someone posted a pic of their puppy pasted out in the food bin, belly bloated. I'd go with what the directions say. If your keeping him for very long monitor his weight. I skinny puppy is better off than a fat one.

A satisfied puppy??? Not likely!


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## Debbie Dibble (Jan 12, 2010)

Edward Egan said:


> Puppies are always hungry. Someone posted a pic of their puppy pasted out in the food bin, belly bloated. I'd go with what the directions say. If your keeping him for very long monitor his weight. I skinny puppy is better off than a fat one.
> 
> A satisfied puppy??? Not likely!


 I got him probably for another week, I think the same thing you do, it kinda worries me to see that big fat belly on a baby puppy.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Debbie, 

What do the directions say? 

When I fed kibble I followed that loosely, if my pup was too thin I would up it and if he was too fat, I would back off. 

That is really a general rule for any pup or dog. 

I would say watch the pups wieght, especially with a large breed like that.....being overweight in any dog can cause all kinds of health issues.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Debbie, as mentioned already the food bag should offer a reasonable guideline to work with. But if you are worried about it here is a generic feeding guideline taken off the Black Watch Great Dane website. It should give you a ball park idea where you are at with the puppy in terms of feeding a giant breed puppy.

GIANT BREEDS - Dogs maturing over 100 lbs or more.

This chart is base the assumption that a dog may be crated or less active during the day while the owner is at work. Use this guideline to help prevent growth diseases in puppies. The most sensitive time for growth problems is from 2.5 months - 6 months of age. Giants (Danes, Newfies, Pyers, Irish Wolfhounds etc.), start with the low end amounts (females) and mid-range amounts (males). They should not be at the high amount until they are in the at least 1/2 way through to being another month older.

GIANT PUPPIES

GIANTS - start with the low end amounts (females) and mid-range amounts (males). They should not be at the high amount until they are in the at least 1/2 way through to being another month older.

Example: a 17 week old female Dane should be eating approximately 4 cups a day divided into two meals - maximum 5 cups a day divided. A Dane male at 17 weeks should be eating 5 cups a day divided, maximum 6 cups a day divided.

2 months 2-4 cups per day - (divided into 3 meals daily)
3 months 3-5 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 
4 months 4-6 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily)
5 months 5-7 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily 
6 months 6-8 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily)
7 months..... 6-9 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily)
8 months..... 6-9 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily) 
9 months..... 7-10 cups per day- (divided into 2 meals daily)
10 - 12 months....7-10 cups per day - (divided into 2 meals daily)


12 -18 months (males).... 8-14 cups a day (divided into 2 meals daily)
12 -18 month (females)... 6-9 cups a day (divided into w meals daily


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I don't really measure with a puppy. I just add or subtract based on what I see and feel on their weight.
The instructions on the bag are nothing more then a general suggestion but a good starting point if you've not had puppies before.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

And...for an ideal body weight of 120 (just a guess....for that breed) it would be 38.4 daily ounces of raw.....broke down I have

35% muscle meat=13.44oz
60% RMB=23.04oz
10% organ=1.92oz

Of course, you can change the percentages as you wish....and add in veggies or tripe.........the raw food spreadsheet I use is a good guideline....I never get it perfect. 

I know you don't feed raw, and that it is not your puppy....but my eyes bugged out at a puppy eating 6cups of food a day.....wow.....my hound, which I keep right around 90lbs eats just over 1 1/2 lbs a day......28.8 oz to be exact....LOL


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Always a good reason why folks put information on a bag!


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Always a good reason why folks put information on a bag!


How would you answer the question Howard?


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Carol Boche said:


> How would you answer the question Howard?


It's one the bag...if the puppy is x number of weeks old and it says to feed x cups x times a day???? :-(
Two other issies...worms and poor quality food. Puppies always eat, they will eat even when they don't want more...
Again, follow the bag and if the puppy is a freak in size bump up to the next level.


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## Dan Long (Jan 10, 2008)

Carol Boche said:


> And...for an ideal body weight of 120 (just a guess....for that breed) it would be 38.4 daily ounces of raw.....broke down I have
> 
> 35% muscle meat=13.44oz
> 60% RMB=23.04oz
> ...


My GSD gets between 1.5 and 2lbs a day, he's right at 90lbs. My Dane gets 3.5-4lbs. She's about 140lbs. If I give her less she gets too "ribby" after a couple weeks.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Dan Long said:


> My GSD gets between 1.5 and 2lbs a day, he's right at 90lbs. My Dane gets 3.5-4lbs. She's about 140lbs. If I give her less she gets too "ribby" after a couple weeks.


 From the T bone steaks Dan, what percentage do YOU get?!!! :-k


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Dan Long said:


> My GSD gets between 1.5 and 2lbs a day, he's right at 90lbs. My Dane gets 3.5-4lbs. She's about 140lbs. If I give her less she gets too "ribby" after a couple weeks.


Yeah, the 120lb dog would be right around the 2 to 2.5 range that I posted.....AND, knowing your dog and altering food as needed is the way to go. 

See A LOT of fat to obese pets from people following the directions on the bag of kibble, and I have seen some fat dogs from people who feed raw too since they don't think it "looks" like enough so they add more or even feed three times a day.....yikes.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Carol Boche said:


> Yeah, the 120lb dog would be right around the 2 to 2.5 range that I posted.....AND, knowing your dog and altering food as needed is the way to go.
> 
> See A LOT of fat to obese pets from people following the directions on the bag of kibble, and I have seen some fat dogs from people who feed raw too since they don't think it "looks" like enough so they add more or even feed three times a day.....yikes.


Carol, just like people, individual dogs differ up to 50%+ in each direction for what their caloric requirements (AKA metabolic energy requirements) just on weight alone. You can use the bag recommendations, but they're really just guidelines, just like you said. I think that's the best way to do it. This is kind of a fun little calculator that shows the differences:

http://www.mycockerspaniel.com/mer.htm


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## Dan Long (Jan 10, 2008)

Howard Gaines III said:


> From the T bone steaks Dan, what percentage do YOU get?!!! :-k


If I splurge and give myself a 1lb T bone, that is about .35% of my bodyweight- far less than a dog needs at around 2-3%! More importantly, it's far too much for me, talk about your food coma...

Gunnar got a nice sirloin steak for his 5th birthday a couple weeks ago, it was about a pound and a half, and he thoroughly enjoyed it.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Carol, just like people, individual dogs differ up to 50%+ in each direction for what their caloric requirements (AKA metabolic energy requirements) just on weight alone. You can use the bag recommendations, but they're really just guidelines, just like you said. I think that's the best way to do it. This is kind of a fun little calculator that shows the differences:
> 
> http://www.mycockerspaniel.com/mer.htm



That is cool Maren....Thank You for sharing that one....:mrgreen::mrgreen:


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