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New pup

Adhara

New Member
Hi all, Our pup of 8 weeks is doing fine, but LOVES food... Can anyone tell me approximately how much kibble I can give her per serving? We feed her three times per day.
 
Depends on food, I started mine at 3/4 of a cup a day on blue wilderness and adjusted accordingly. Also watch the calcium/phosphorus ratios in food...

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DennasMom

Well-Known Member
My vet suggested feeding as much as the puppy can eat in 15 minutes as a starting point... so, measure out more than she can eat, and measure what's left. That gives you a starting point - from there, keep an eye on body condition, and keep her Very Lean. You want to easily see (or, in the case of a fuzzy TM, feel) ribs, but have a little cover on the hip bones. Adjust up/down as needed. Each puppy's needs vary with genetics, environment, and daily activity levels.
 

dpenning

Well-Known Member
My vet suggested feeding as much as the puppy can eat in 15 minutes as a starting point... so, measure out more than she can eat, and measure what's left. That gives you a starting point - from there, keep an eye on body condition, and keep her Very Lean. You want to easily see (or, in the case of a fuzzy TM, feel) ribs, but have a little cover on the hip bones. Adjust up/down as needed. Each puppy's needs vary with genetics, environment, and daily activity levels.

This sounds scary to me. My mastiffs have been chow hounds. I'd be afraid they would eat way too much in 15 minutes! Has your vet ever seen a mastiff puppy eat?!

Edit to add I would ask the breeder how much and what they were eating. They should send some home with you. Use that as a starting point and use the guideline on your bag of kibble as a starting point.

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Hiraeth

Well-Known Member
I'd probably start with 4 cups a day. 1 and 1/3 cup at each feeding. Wait three weeks, judge body condition. If she seems ribby (you'll have to judge by feel since her coat is so thick), up her food by 3/4-1 cup (adding 1/4 of a cup every other day to avoid diarrhea). Then wait a few more weeks and judge her body condition again.

Food bags are often wrong, and every puppy has a different metabolism. At 10 weeks old, my puppy was eating 6 cups a day. At 4 months old, he was eating 11 cups a day. That amount of food would make a lot of other puppies really fat, but Titan has a high metabolism and it's what he needed.

Also, I'd recommend against free feeding or feeding an unspecified amount over a time period. Being overweight is a giant breed puppy's biggest health concern. Lean is better for those growing joints and bones.
 

season

Well-Known Member
I simply went by what the bag said and adjusted accordingly based on how his body looked. You are always better off underfeeding than overfeeding. As Hiraeth said, having fat dogs is a big problem, especially with larger breeds. Another thing I will say is don't let your dog determine how much he eats. Like, mine, he loves to eat and if I went by his appetite he would not stop eating. Its up to us to control that for our dogs.
 

Bob Felts

Well-Known Member
My vet suggested feeding as much as the puppy can eat in 15 minutes as a starting point... so, measure out more than she can eat, and measure what's left. That gives you a starting point - from there, keep an eye on body condition, and keep her Very Lean. You want to easily see (or, in the case of a fuzzy TM, feel) ribs, but have a little cover on the hip bones. Adjust up/down as needed. Each puppy's needs vary with genetics, environment, and daily activity levels.
Good Lord! Thane could eat a seriously unhealthy amount in 15 mins. Perhaps 9 - 10 cups? We started with what our breeder recommended, and increased as he grew. Keep him (or her) from eating too much. A sausage shaped Mastiff is not a good thing. Also monitor how many and how much stool material your dog produces. Loose runny stools are an indication of overfeeding. Dry constipated stools an indication of underfeeding. Also, consider picking up the food bowl after dog is done eating. If your dog is a slow eater, then set a reasonable time and collect the food bowl to discourage resource guarding. Good luck! Enjoy your pup!

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