How much to feed my 1.9kg pup?

[Zudecke1]

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Hi,

We arrived home with our new Bichon / Toy Poodle pup yesterday and were told that our puppy was on a diet of chicken and yoghurt.

We're in the process of transitioning their food to one of the major "fresh food" brands, but not sure how much to feed our pup.

We've see different calculations and guides, typically differing based on whether said guide is belonging to a dry food vs wet food vs fresh food vs raw food purveyor.

Assuming we're going with a fresh food diet, could anyone recommend the daily intake recommended (in grams & cals preferably) for this type of dog?

Thanks!

 

[JudyN]

How old is your pup, and which fresh food are you trying? Water content will be an important factor in how much you feed, and this will vary between brands.

 

[Zudecke1]

How old is your pup, and which fresh food are you trying? Water content will be an important factor in how much you feed, and this will vary between brands.

Hi Judy

Sorry, I can't believe I missed out her age.

She's 2 months old - DOB 22/12/22

Am I allowed to say the brand of food products? I don't want to come across as promoting them, nor would I want (for starters I - my dog - hasn't even tried it yet).

If it's permissible to mention brands, then I'll do.

 

[JoanneF]

It's fine to mention brands. But regardless, as a growing pup (who hasn't had the best of diet so far: not your fault but I think I mentioned on your other thread) I'd let her eat whatever amount she wants - within reason - for the next couple of weeks.

 

[Zudecke1]

It's fine to mention brands. But regardless, as a growing pup (who hasn't had the best of diet so far: not your fault but I think I mentioned on your other thread) I'd let her eat whatever amount she wants - within reason - for the next couple of weeks.

Hi Joanna - yes, I recall your advice indeed.

She doesn't seem malnourished in the slightest - in fact, she's a healthy weight, as is her coat, according to the breeder's vet, as well as our own.

I assume the breeder was feeding her other things than just chicken & yoghurt. Ideally, we would have benefitted from the exact diet, but that is history now.

Short of letting her eat whatever she wants, whenever she wants, we are to construct some sort of plan and rigour around her diet, especially given then murky weaning diet.

Although your advice is noted indeed!

 

[JudyN]

Yep, as JoanneF says, it's fine to mention the brand here

I'm slightly wary of the suggestion that you should let them eat as much as they want, as in the past I've had a pair of kittens who ended up complete roly-polys, and a dog who would have eaten far more than was good for him given half the chance. But it does seem to work for a lot of (most?) dogs.

 

[Zudecke1]

Yep, as JoanneF says, it's fine to mention the brand here

I'm slightly wary of the suggestion that you should let them eat as much as they want, as in the past I've had a pair of kittens who ended up complete roly-polys, and a dog who would have eaten far more than was good for him given half the chance. But it does seem to work for a lot of (most?) dogs.

The brand is Butternut Box.. I hand several "packets" of 300g.

The bee and themselves recommend 125g of their food, based on her age and weight
However, other brands of other food (è.g. Dry food) suggest a significantly different number..

 

[JoanneF]

I assume the breeder was feeding her other things than just chicken & yoghurt.

That's good. Going back to your question, it's hard to answer. Some foods are more nutritional than others, so you can feed less to get the same benefit. I wouldn't generally worry too much about overfeeding a puppy though. They are growing and need a good amount, and it's easy enough to adjust later when you have a better measure of their body condition.

What I would say thought is that feeding guidelines on dog food is often generous, for obvious reasons ...

 

[Zudecke1]

That's good. Going back to your question, it's hard to answer. Some foods are more nutritional than others, so you can feed less to get the same benefit. I wouldn't generally worry too much about overfeeding a puppy though. They are growing and need a good amount, and it's easy enough to adjust later when you have a better measure of their body condition.

What I would say thought is that feeding guidelines on dog food is often generous, for obvious reasons ...

Haha, I wondered the same!

But roughly, this seems like a reasonable amount? We're in the right ballpark with that amount?

 

[JoanneF]

Okay, because of the differing levels of nutrition from different foods, I think it's fine to go with what Butternut Box suggests as a starting point. If your pup leaves some, or seems ravenous, adjust. Like people, they have different metabolisms.

Above all, don't fret. As long as you aren't starving her - and I know you won't - you will find her level.

 

[Zudecke1]

Okay, because of the differing levels of nutrition from different foods, I think it's fine to go with what Butternut Box suggests as a starting point. If your pup leaves some, or seems ravenous, adjust. Like people, they have different metabolisms.

Above all, don't fret. As long as you aren't starving her - and I know you won't - you will find her level.

Thanks for assurance and confidence all

I've learned that this is really a valuable support network and indirectly will lift people's mental health as a result. Maintaining living creatures is not easy!

 

[JudyN]

You would always need to feed less dry food, because it doesn't contain water - if you soaked dry food in water, it would have the same nutritional content but weigh more.

IMO forums like this are just as much about support and reassurance as factual advice - and both are important

 

[JoanneF]

I've learned that this is really a valuable support network and indirectly will lift people's mental health as a result.

What a lovely compliment. Thank you.

I am tempted to say you will see our true colours sooner or later, but seriously, we try. Please do hang around. We are quite a friendly bunch, especially when you share puppy pictures (hint).

 

[CoCo2014]

My dogs are feed raw food, my puppies get approximately 6% of their body weight over 2 meals. Butternut Box(I think)give you the amount per day which at your pups age needs to be that least 4 meals a day.

 

[yabeshphotography]

Hi,

We arrived home with our new Bichon / Toy Poodle pup yesterday and were told that our puppy was on a diet of chicken and yoghurt.

We're in the process of transitioning their food to one of the major "fresh food" brands, but not sure how much to feed our pup.

We've see different calculations and guides, typically differing based on whether said guide is belonging to a dry food vs wet food vs fresh food vs raw food purveyor.

Assuming we're going with a fresh food diet, could anyone recommend the daily intake recommended (in grams & cals preferably) for this type of dog?

Thanks!

Congratulations on your new puppy! It's great that you're taking the time to research and plan their diet.

When it comes to feeding your puppy, it's important to consider their age, weight, and activity level, as well as the nutrient composition of the food you're feeding them.

As a general rule of thumb, puppies require more calories and nutrients per pound of body weight than adult dogs. They also need to eat more frequently throughout the day, typically 3-4 meals per day until they're around 6 months old.

For a Bichon / Toy Poodle mix, you'll want to aim for a calorie intake of around 400-600 calories per day, depending on your puppy's weight and activity level. This can be split up into several small meals throughout the day.

As for the amount of food to feed your puppy, this will depend on the calorie density of the food you're feeding them. Fresh food diets can vary widely in their calorie content, so it's important to read the feeding guidelines on the packaging and adjust based on your puppy's individual needs.

A good starting point is to feed around 2-3% of your puppy's body weight per day, split into multiple meals. For example, if your puppy weighs 5 pounds, you would aim to feed them around 2.5-3 ounces of food per day, divided into 3-4 meals.

I hope this helps! It's always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian to ensure you're providing your puppy with a balanced and healthy diet.

 

[Ross J]

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