Amount of Food to Feed

[Gayle & Hunter]

I was curious what all of your thoughts are regarding how much to feed (home cooked meals) for an almost seven month old puppy. Hunter is 15 inches 23lbs 6 oz, now his mom weighed 22 lbs 16 inches and daddy weighs 25 lbs 15 inches. Hunter loves the different meatloafs I make him and I have settled on 12 oz for the day so I feed him in the morning 6 oz and evening 6 oz yes he would love more but I definitely don't want him fat. Any advice would be appreciated oh yeah he also gets treats during the day. I just want to make sure he is getting enough being a puppy and all. I also put lots of supplements in his food when I cook for him. Thank you all.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Puppies need a lot more calories per lb of body weight than adult dogs do. There are calculators online that can help you figure out how many calories Hunter needs per day.

But then you must calculate the calories in his homemade food. 

Are you following a recipe approved by your vet, or one from a cookbook for dogs? It is very important that he be getting not only enough calories, but also that he is getting all of the vitamins and minerals he needs and in the correct proportions. 

[Gayle & Hunter]

Yes I have been adding all the vitamins and supplements out of Dr. Pitcairn's Book it is called Natural Health For Dogs And Cats. Hunter is really healthy and looks terrific, I have been feeding him this way since we brought him home at 8 weeks old. In the past we have had Labradors they always had ear infections bad skin always at the vet, before I started feeding Hunter this way I did do lots of research. Thanks for the advice.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm just a little concerned about his getting all the calories he needs. 12 ounces of homemade food doesn't contain many calories. A cup of homemade food only contains about 200 calories on average, and Hunter should be getting at least 650 per day. But if your vet feels he is a good weight, that's the main thing. 

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Woody gets 48 oz of food a day, and is 65lbs.  He is also very active…but older..almost 4 yrs old (where does the time go?!)

[Gayle & Hunter]

I just figured out the recipe I am giving him and I am going to increase his intake....after I figured it out 12 ounces is about 490 calories and he needs 600 if I want him to maintain a weight of 24 lbs, I have been told by my groomer that Hunter is a little pudgy...lol. I don't know if anybody has heard of JustFoodForDogs they are in California that is basically how I got started feeding Hunter this way. What they did was gave the recipe with the supplements but I was not happy because they said you get 30 lbs of food (estimate) but I was only getting about 21 lbs and when I brought that too their attention their answer was it is just an estimate....so needless to say I went researching and found this great book by Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health For Dog's and Cat's he guides you through how much supplements to give your puppy and I feel Hunter is getting all he needs and I just really feel good feeding him this way.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think increasing the amount is a good idea. 

Home cooked diets are great; best way to feed your dog, IMO. But the Pitcairn book is very old and a little bit outdated. There are some very good, more updated books on home made food for your dog on the market. 

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

That is great that you like to cook for your dog! Is this something you have been doing since the beginning? I also cook for our one dogs, but our diet was made by a vet nutritionist..specifically for Woody's weight and dietary/medical restrictions (he had a history of pancreatitis).

I did see your other post on the turkey meatloaf.  It does look great, but you need to make sure you are giving all the supplements..vitamins, fish oil, sodium, calcium, etc.. I know you did say you put them in…but what exactly are you putting supplementing in his food?  

To be 100%, I would consult with a vet. nutritionist, that way you will get a diet made up for him for his weight/medical needs. 

Good luck, and good for you for cooking!

[Deborah Brown]

I would also suggest you figure out how many calories are in your homemade food.  Ground turkey, for example, can vary greatly based on how lean it is.  A lot of grocery stores sell 95% lean turkey but you should be feeding Hunter turkey with a higher fat percentage.  I created an Excel spreadsheet where I calculate the calories, protein, carb and fat percentages for all my recipes.  I'd be happy to share it if you like.

My doodles are adults in the 60 pound range and eat 1300-1500 calories per day.  I think you'd have to do a little research to determine what is right for your pup.

[Gayle & Hunter]

Deborah that would be great if you could send that to me I would be very grateful....my email address is [e-mail] thank you so much. Hunter needs between 600 and 650 to maintain a weight of about 24 to 25 lbs.

[Deborah Brown]

I will send it later today.  I'm glad I can help.

[simon]

We've always cooked for our Bella, she gets a bowl of homecooked with a handfull of quality kibble, one in the morning one in the evening. She weighs in today at a steady 27lb...

[simon]

27kg