How much food should I be feeding my puppy?

Hey folks! This is Frank from Sit Happens Dog Training.

Welcome to another Q&A session where I answer questions from y'all on the internet.

Today's question is:

"How much food should I be feeding my puppy?"

Answer

So, how much food should I be feeding my puppy? Um, that is um the main thing you need to do is work with your vet. Number one, okay, the vets usually have, you know, some recommendations, but in general, if you're just feeding your puppy straight kibble, which most owners do, a lot of times they will have um the right quantities on the back of the bag based on weight of your dog. Um what I'm a big believer in is schedule feeding. So for a puppy, you should be feeding at least three times a day, uh not less than three times a day. So morning, afternoon, and nighttime. Um, and that way number the main reason for schedule feeding is now you you get them on a better poop schedule. You're going to know when they're going to have to go poop after eating as well. I'm not a big fan of free feeding because if you let them graze all day, they're going to poop all day, too. So, so again, biggest tips are when they're still real young, like 10 weeks old, three times a day minimum. And then as they get older, around five, six months, you can maybe drop it down to twice a day. Um, and whatever the bag says, it'll give you like a daily amount. You just split that daily amount up in those three servings a day or two servings

Summary

Frank Silva stressed that owners should consult their veterinarian for specific recommendations on food quantity, though kibble bags often provide guidance based on the dog's weight. They are a strong proponent of scheduled feeding, recommending a minimum of three feedings a day—morning, afternoon, and nighttime—for young puppies, as this helps establish a better poop schedule. They advised against free feeding, noting that if puppies graze all day, they will "poop all day, too," and suggested reducing feedings to twice a day when puppies reach about five or six months old.