What to feed a puppy: month-by-month schedule, amounts and common mistakes

A puppy eats very differently from an adult dog — a lot, often, and geared to their age. The most common owner mistakes: overfeeding (especially large breeds — it stresses the joints), switching to adult food too early, or changing the diet abruptly.

Short answer: under 2 months — mother's milk or a milk replacer. 2–4 months — puppy food, 4–5 times a day. 4–6 months — 3–4 times. 6–12 months — 2–3 times. Over a year — adult food, twice a day. Large breeds stay on puppy food until 12–18 months.

What to feed: commercial food or homemade?

For most owners the most sensible option is a complete puppy food (dry or wet). The bag always says "for puppies" and lists an age range. Advantages:

• Balanced for the demands of growth: more protein, calcium and phosphorus in the right ratio.
• No need to count vitamins — it's all already inside.
• The amount on the bag is a starting point (though it still needs adjusting).

A homemade diet for a puppy is a science of its own. If you want to feed homemade, do it together with a veterinary nutritionist — otherwise the puppy falls short on calcium, phosphorus and vitamins during a critical period of growth.

What not to mix: don't feed a puppy commercial food and homemade food at the same time "for variety." It throws off the balance and often causes an upset stomach.

Breed size sets the schedule

Puppies of large and giant breeds grow for longer, and they need a different food in the first year.

For large breeds, look for the "Large Breed Puppy" label on the bag — that food has fewer calories per 100 g and a carefully controlled calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. Growing too fast is a risk factor for joint dysplasia in large-breed puppies.

How many times a day to feed

The key rule: fresh water available at all times. Not "on a schedule."

How many grams a puppy needs per day

Roughly speaking, a puppy eats 1.5–2 times more calories per kilogram of body weight than an adult dog.

A simple formula (for a rough estimate):

RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75
Puppy requirement (kcal/day) = RER × multiplier
  - 0–4 mo: × 3.0
  - 4–12 mo: × 2.0

Grams per day = requirement (kcal) ÷ food calorie density (kcal/100 g) × 100.

Example — a 5 kg Labrador puppy, 3 months old, food at 400 kcal/100 g:

• RER = 70 × 5^0.75 ≈ 234 kcal
• Requirement = 234 × 3 = 702 kcal/day
• Grams = 702 ÷ 400 × 100 ≈ 175 g per day, split across 4–5 meals.

How to switch to a new food

If diarrhea shows up at any stage, hold the current ratio for a couple of days and then continue more slowly.

What puppies should never eat

On top of the general list of foods dogs can't have (chocolate, grapes, onion, xylitol), puppies have their own "never" list:

• Cow's milk — most puppies are lactose intolerant. If you're hand-rearing orphans, use a bitch milk replacer.
• Bones, especially cooked ones — they splinter into sharp shards.
• Raw meat and fish — high salmonella risk; the immune system isn't mature yet.
• Fatty trimmings — they can trigger pancreatitis.
• Sweets, baked goods, fast food — excess sugar and fat, plus possible xylitol.

Vitamins and supplements

If a puppy is eating a quality complete food for its age, extra vitamins aren't needed and can do harm. Too much calcium in large-breed puppies worsens joint development. Vitamins and joint supplements should be added only on a vet's recommendation.

Common mistakes

• Overfeeding "to help them grow." Excess weight in a puppy overloads the joints and sets up lifelong problems.
• Handing out "just a little from the table." The puppy quickly turns into a beggar and misses out on what it needs from its diet.
• Not adjusting the amount as they grow. It's handy to check every 2 weeks.
• Sudden food changes.
• "Once a day is enough." A puppy's stomach is small.