Amount of food to feed puppy, and when to increase

[S & Charlie]

Hi!

My Mini GD Charlie is about 16.5 pounds right now at 15.5 weeks. I feed him 1/2 cup of food in the morning, 1/2 cup at lunch & 1/2 cup for dinner. He usually finishes each meal at meal time within 20 minutes, and sometimes he just seems like he's still hungry. I'll give him more food occasionally, but I don't want to over do it. I don't over do it with the treats, especially since he's very picky with his treats. I'm feeding him taste of the wild right now, and I'm very happy with it. How much do you feed your puppy, and when do you change the amount? Thanks!!

[Wendy and Myla]

Charlie is adorable!  As all foods are different, the best guide as to how much to feed Charlie is to go by the guidelines on the bag of dog food.  There will be a chart showing dog weights and how many cups per day for that weight.  If you feed Charlie three times a day, you just divide the amount by three and feed him that much every feeding. As he gains weight, you adjust accordingly. When you take Charlie to the vet for checkups, they will let you know if he is a good weight and if he's overweight or underweight you can adjust the food accordingly.  There is a lot of great information in the Food Group regarding this and other great information on foods and treats!

[Sam&Bella]

 I agree with Wendy.

Our breeder told us to feed her 1cup in the morning, 1cup at lunch, and then 1 in the evening. So ever since I have had Bella, she has only been eating 3 cups a day. Since he is a Mini\small goldendoodle, and Bella is a Standard, I think, you are feeding him the right amount:) Like Wendy said, your vet will tell you if you are feeding the right amount. Just don't ask them about what food to feed! I tried to ask about her food, but they had no idea. That was before I knew that Colgate educates them for nutrition!(at least that's what I've heard :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Wendy is correct, every formula has a different amount of calories per cup, so you need to follow the guidelines on the bag as a starting point, and then increase up or down according to your individual pup's appetite, growth rate and energy levels. I can't tell if you are feeding the right amount, since you didn't give us the exact TOTW formula you are feeding. 

Feeding 3 times per day is appropriate for young puppies. You typically switch them to 2 feedings per day somewhere between 4 and 6 months of age. Your puppy will usually let you know it's time by showing less interest in the midday or evening meal.

We have a very active group here, The Food Group, where you will find info on these questions and lots more! Please join us. 

[Ginny Nightingale]

I can agree with the advice (although the bag amounts are often way too much) and would say that you are not feeding him enough. When my 8 week old pups leave me to go to their new homes (mine weigh typically 8-10 pounds at that age), they are eating 1/2 cup three times a day--so even though Charlie is a mini, at 16.5 pounds, he should be getting more. My Rio was 20 pounds at 16 weeks and was getting 3/4 of a cup three times a day and then a cup and a quarter twice a day at 6 months until he reached the age of one year. (I also switched to adult food at 6 months.) Now, he gets 3/4 of a cup twice a day and weighs 44 pounds.

Speaking of weight--you double the 16 week weight to get a rough estimate of adult size which pups your Charlie in the 30-35 pound range as an adult. So, not really a mini, but still on the small side. He might do fine with 1/2 cup morning and night when he is fully grown.