Hi all we just brought our new puppy home and she is settling in really well. She seems bright, interested and confident. I have just weighed out her first feed at home. She is on Royal Canin dry puppy food. For a 25kg adult the dry food weight for a 2 month old is 70g per feed (based on 3 meals a day) it seems a lot of food for such a little tummy. My gut says its way too much per feed but thats what the packet says. Can I get some advice. Does this sound right for an average labrador puppy?
My latest puppy came home on Royal Canin Maxi Junior. She was getting 2oz (ounces, I know, right; what is this, 1950?!) four times a day. So, in the same ball park, but a little less than the packet recommendations. Puppies grow quickly and need lots of food!
All foods suggest different amounts, can't remember what weight of kibble my pup was on then but she's on 80-100g twice a day now, at one year. She looks slim enough so I figure it's about right for now. The general opinion seems to be that manufacturers of the kibble suggest far too much per feed. If I followed the manufacturer's guidelines my pup could be having more than twice as much as advised but I also feed her training treats, a chew now and then, some sardines or veg with her kibble, a bit of fruit sometimes, so I keep the kibble low. You could give her less to see how she goes on it but you could also wait for someone with better knowledge than me to come along and advise.
I would say, keep her on what she's been used to for a few days. If your breeder had her on that much, stay with that much. My breeder advised that I increase the allowance by 2oz every week (IIRC). I didn't do that; she just got extra training treats. I went by body shape and never actually looked at the packet amounts - I still don't. I'm probably in the minority who doesn't actually measure my dogs' food, either. Their activity levels change day to day, as does the amount they get in treats etc. I know what a "normal" amount looks like in their bowls, and if Shadow gets a bit skinny, or the girls get a bit porky, I just adjust that. Except for Luna, who gets 15 biscuits morning and evening, unless she gets an extra kong, in which case, we skip dinner completely A lot comes from experience, don't worry about it too much, just keep an eye on her and, if she gets a bit rotund, rein it in.
All Guide Dog pups are on Royal Canin Maxi junior. They begin on four meals a day until 14 weeks, then three and then two from six months old. Mollie (Black Lab) was on 4 meals of 60g each meal at 8 weeks old. She weighed 5kg. I always put warm water on their meals, just enough to cover the bottom of the bowl - but I don't soak it, I put the water on just before feeding. Keir (GR x FC) - 16 weeks old - is on 4 meals of 100g each, but he is a HUGE pup! I'm slowly moving him on to 3 meals by making the middle two closer together each day.
Was the breeder feeding Royal Canin? If so give them a ring to check how much food she was on. Many breeders include this sort of information in their puppy packs that you leave with. At 2 months most of us are still feeding 4 meals a day giving smaller meals more often for little tummies
