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Puppy size and food intake - advice appreciated

bellacherie

bellacherie

Well-known member
Hi all -

I dont think I have posted many pictures of my puppy yet, but will when I get home today.

She is 9 weeks old and I am trying very hard to feed her just the right amount as she grows.

She eats about 3/4 cup Royal Canin junior kibble as well as about 30mls puppy milk per day. She is always ravenous and not at all fussy.

She weighs about 1.8 kilos (3.74 pounds) at last check.

I am trying to find out if I'm giving her the right amount and if I should increase it as she seems really active (only taking very short naps during the day).

Sometimes when I look down at her from above she looks really slim, but other times after she has eaten she seems so full she is bloated.

I was feeding her 4 times a day but have cut down to 3.

Any thoughts?


I might just add - she has 4 decent sized bowel movements per day (on average)
 
She doesn't need puppy milk so I woold discontinue that -- puppies don't need puppy milk anyway unless the parent isn't able to give milk but even then they only need milk up til about 4-5 weeks of age. She is well beyond needing any milk. She also does not need four meals daily. (y)

At her age most puppies would eat about a cup of food divided out over 3 meals daily. It isn't big deal if she doesn't eat this amount.

For more information, read: www.roycroftcavaliers.com/manualfeeding.htm
 
Okay thanks Karlin!

The puppy milk has only continued because the breeder said she had mixed it with their food. She really enjoys drinking it (I usually mix it with water to keep her hydrated in the Aussie summer) so I might just cut back to a sip at bedtime and then wean her off.

I have been thinking of giving her some fruit and veg as treats - how young do you think this could start?
 
she should still be on 4 meals a day at this age( sorry Karlin ) ....till she drops one at around 12-16 weeks

RC is a good food and 4 good meal will give her all she needs

agreed she no longer needs puppy milk
 
Puppy milk has nutrients appropriate to unweaned puppies -- not to weaned puppies that are eating solid food. I'd drop it. Fruit and veg you can give any time. :)

Three or four meals is more a matter of choice I think. Many breeders recommend three by 8 weeks, as well, as per Laura Lang (Roycroft) whose online feeding manual I link to above and regularly recommend. That's just the approach I take as I like Laura's breeding approaches and general care instructions and hence use and recommend her online resources. :) This is what she says at the link above:

FEEDING DIRECTIONS
Whether you decide to feed a high quality kibble or a commercially prepared whole foods diet, the following directions will apply.

Puppies between 8 and 16 weeks of age do quite well on 3 meals a day. They start out with about a large handful of kibble for each meal or about 1/4 cup. At about 4 to 6 months of age you may begin feeding your puppy twice a day, about 1/2 cup or so each time. Somewhere between 10 and 18 months of age you may begin feeding just once a day--with some really good eaters you may need to feed just once a day by 6 or 7 months of age.

Each time you feed your puppy, put the food down for approximately 15 minutes. If the puppy hasn't finished it after 15 minutes, pick it up and put it away until the next feeding time. Do NOT try to feed in between. Refrigerate if you are feeding a commercially prepared whole foods diet. Do not worry if your puppy appears thin. Puppies are just like humans. Some are very thin while growing up and some are not. It is highly unlikely your puppy will starve itself unless it is already ill. A puppy that grows slowly is best--there is no first prize for gaining full size as early as possible! Puppies who grow slowly are more likely to be able to develop muscle and tissue at the correct rate to keep up the the bone development. Of course some puppies are gluttons! Be careful not to overfeed a glutton.
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