Feeding my puppy too much?

[Shianne Mack]

Hi, I am currently feeding my puppy wellness complete health puppy food and based on his age and weight it says to feed him 3 1/2 cups a day. I feel like that is a lot, but I mean, that's what it says and my puppy eats everything. Am I fine with that amount each day? I have attached below a picture of the feeding guidelines.

[Shianne Mack]

Oh, and my puppy is almost 4 months and weighs 30 lbs

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The feeding guidelines on any food are just that, guidelines. Any individual dog may need more or less than the amount shown. The guidelines are based on how many calories a dog needs, which is in turn based on the dog's age, weight, energy levels, and in the case of puppies, their expected adult size. 

Since every food has a different calorie content, three and a half cups doesn't tell us anything. In order to know whether three and a half cups is an appropriate amount for your puppy, we need to know how many calories per cup the food contains. If a food contains 500 calories per cup, that would be 1750 calories. If a food contains 350 calories per cup, that amount would 1225 calories. That's a big difference.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Okay, I just looked it up. The food contains 450 calories per cup. Assuming that your puppy is very active, he needs about 1500 calories per day. 3.5 cups of food @ 450 calories/cup is 1575, which is a little bit too much, especially if he gets treats or anything else to eat besides his kibble. I'd cut back the amount a tiny little bit. 

[Shianne Mack]

Okay, perfect! Thank you so much!! :)