How Much to Feed a Puppy: A Puppy Feeding Guide by Age

How much to feed a puppy depends on its age, weight and expected adult size, so the right starting amount is the feeding guide on its complete puppy food, adjusted with your vet as it grows. Most puppies need four small meals a day at 8 weeks, three from around 3 to 4 months and two from around 6 months. Stay on puppy food until your dog is close to adult size, which can be under a year for small breeds and up to two years for large ones.

How much should I feed my puppy?

There is no single amount that suits every puppy, which is why this guide does not give gram figures. Every dog is different: a toy breed pup and a giant breed pup need very different portion sizes at the same age, and feeding amounts also vary between foods. Use these three steps instead.

1. Start with the feeding guidelines on the pack. The manufacturer's feeding table is a starting point, not a fixed rule. Adjust the amount of food for your puppy's age, weight and activity level.
2. Check which weight the table uses. Some feeding guides are based on your puppy's current body weight and some on its expected adult weight. If it is the adult weight, the breeder can tell you how big the parents are.
3. Ask your vet. Your vet is always the best person to suggest a daily quantity for your puppy's size and to check that it is growing at a healthy rate.

Some brands offer an online feeding calculator for their own food. Treat it like the pack: a guide by weight and age that you adjust as your puppy grows.

A practical habit: weigh out the food each day in the morning and split it into the day's meals. Treats and training rewards come out of that same daily allowance, so you always know the true total.

Feeding the correct amount matters. Overfeeding can cause weight gain and upset stomachs, and in larger breeds it can contribute to bone problems.

How often should I feed my puppy? Meals a day by age

Puppies do best on small, frequent meals spread through the day, so feed little and often. UK charities give slightly different ages for each step down, from four meals a day to three meals and then two meals, but the pattern is the same. Use this puppy feeding chart as a guide and follow your vet's advice for your own dog.

A simple puppy feeding schedule

For a puppy of eight weeks on 4 meals, space the meals throughout the day, for example breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon and early evening. Feed your puppy at the same times each day, because a steady feeding routine also helps with toilet training.

• Feed in the same quiet spot each time.
• Pick up uneaten wet food after about half an hour and wash the bowl before the next meal.
• Avoid feeding straight before or after exercise, because of the risk of bloat.
• Leave fresh water out at all times.

What to feed a puppy: choosing a good puppy food

Good puppy nutrition starts with a commercial dog food labelled "complete" for the puppy or growth life stage. "Complete" is a legal definition: the food must contain all the nutrients your puppy needs. A growing puppy needs a diet built for growth, and neither adult dog food nor human food has the correct balance of nutrients for it.

• Wet and dry food. Both are valid choices; neither is better than the other. If you move from wet food to dry dog food, expect your puppy to drink more.
• Breed size matters. Large breed puppy foods are often lower in calcium and phosphorus, while small breed puppy foods usually have higher protein and fat. The best food for your pup is one made for its expected adult size.
• Skip supplements. A complete puppy diet does not need extras. Adding supplements can be risky and may cause growth problems, especially in large and giant breeds.
• Homemade and raw diets. Homemade food is extremely difficult to get right. If you are considering a homemade or raw diet, speak to your vet first.
• Milk. If your puppy prefers its kibble softened, use warm water and avoid adding milk.

What can puppies eat, and what is toxic?

Puppies explore with their mouths, so learn which human foods are dangerous before your puppy finds them. Avoid table scraps altogether and keep these out of reach.

If your puppy eats something on this list, call your vet straight away, even if it seems fine. In the early weeks it is also wise to avoid rich treats and rawhide chews.

Changing your puppy's food safely

When bringing home a new puppy, keep it on the food the breeder was using while it settles in, because moving home is enough change for one small stomach. Our new puppy checklist covers what else to have ready before collection day.

When you do switch, go slowly. Most UK guidance suggests 7 to 10 days; PDSA suggests a gentler two-week plan:

Sudden changes can cause tummy upsets or put a puppy off its food. If your puppy gets loose stools during a switch, slow down, and check our guide to puppy diarrhoea for when it needs a vet.

Treats and training rewards

Treats are fine, and they are one of the best training tools you have. Keep them in proportion:

• Treats should make up no more than 10% of your puppy's daily diet.
• Count every treat as part of the daily allowance, and trim meals slightly to make room.
• Use small treats, or keep back a few pieces of the day's kibble to use as rewards.
• Choose treats low in fat, salt and sugar.

When to move from puppy food to adult dog food

Move your puppy onto adult food once it has stopped growing. UK Pet Food suggests switching at around 90% of expected adult weight, and says most breeds mature at around 12 months. Small dogs finish growing much sooner than larger dog breeds, so the move from puppy to adult food depends on breed size, and sources give slightly different months of age:

Blue Cross advises feeding puppy food until around one year old or as your vet advises, with large and giant breeds sometimes needing it for longer. If you are unsure how big your puppy will get, our breed guides give a rough idea of adult size, and your vet can confirm the right time. Make the change gradually over 7 to 10 days, as with any new food.

Weight checks: are you feeding the right amount?

Weigh your puppy regularly and compare the results with a puppy growth chart from your vet. Between weigh-ins, check body condition with your hands and eyes to make sure your pup stays at a healthy weight:

• Look from above. You should see a waist that tapers in behind the ribs. An oval outline suggests too much food.
• Feel the ribs. You should feel them under a thin layer of fat, without them being highly visible.
• Adjust as you go. Increase portions as your puppy grows, in line with the pack and your vet's advice.
• Take extra care with flat-faced breeds. They face higher risks from obesity-related problems.

When to see a vet about feeding

Call your vet if your puppy:

• refuses food for more than a meal or two, or seems quiet and lethargic
• has a tummy upset that is severe or lasts more than a day or two
• is losing weight, or is not growing in line with its growth chart
• has eaten something toxic or a cooked bone

For anything that looks like an emergency, such as repeated vomiting, a swollen tummy, collapse or known poisoning, contact a vet immediately, out of hours if needed.

Weaning a litter: from milk to solid food

For breeders, weaning is the start of good feeding habits. Weaning usually begins at around 3 to 4 weeks of age and carries on until the puppies are around 7 to 8 weeks old.

1. Start with a puppy "porridge". Soak a food made for puppies in warm water for a few minutes until it has a porridge-like texture. Blending the kibble first can help.
2. Let them lap. Offer small amounts, let the puppies lap, and remove whatever is left after about 10 minutes.
3. Feed little and often. Give regular small meals and increase portions as they grow, following the pack.
4. Thicken gradually. Over the following weeks, move from moist food towards dry food only.
5. Provide water. From a month old, leave fresh water out at all times.
6. Skip cow's milk. If puppies need milk top-ups, use a puppy milk formula, not cow's milk.
7. Weigh every puppy. Daily weighing at the same time helps you spot any puppy that is not keeping up. Contact your vet if one loses weight or is not feeding well.

By around 8 weeks, puppies should be eating solid food, a complete puppy food, comfortably on four to six small meals a day. Our guide on when puppies can leave their mum explains the timing for new homes. If you're selling puppies from your litter, send each one home with a few days of the food it's weaned onto and a written note of meal times and amounts, so new owners can keep things steady.

New owners can then follow the same routine while the puppy settles, and our guide to a new puppy's first few days covers what to expect.

Frequently asked questions

How many times a day should a puppy eat?

Four times a day from 8 to 12 weeks, three times a day from around 3 to 4 months, and twice a day from about 6 months. Some puppies move to two meals a little earlier, at around 5 months.

How much should an 8 week old puppy eat?

It depends on the breed and the food. Use the feeding guide on your puppy's complete food to work out its food each day, split it across four small meals a day, and ask your vet for a daily quantity for your puppy's size.

Can puppies eat adult dog food?

Not as their main diet. Adult dog food does not contain the right balance of nutrients for a growing puppy, so keep to a complete puppy food until your vet says it is time to switch.

How much water should a puppy drink?

The UK charity guidance we used does not give a set amount. Instead, your puppy should have fresh water available at all times, and will usually drink more on dry food than on wet.

Can puppies drink cow's milk?

No. Use water to soften food, and if milk is needed during weaning, use a puppy milk formula rather than cow's milk.

Can I give my puppy human food?

It is best not to. Human food does not have the right balance of nutrients for a growing puppy, and some foods, such as grapes, onions and chocolate, are toxic.

Should I leave food out all day for my puppy?

Set meal times work better than leaving food down. Remove uneaten wet food after about half an hour, but always leave fresh water available.

Is wet or dry food better for a puppy?

Neither is better; both are valid choices. Choose a complete puppy food that suits your puppy's size, and expect it to drink more on dry food.