
Bringing your new puppy home is an incredibly exciting time, but you probably have lots of questions — especially when it comes to their diet, which has such a big impact on their health. With so many different diets available, it can be a bit overwhelming. So, let’s break down the subject of nutrition and feeding into simple sections, looking at the most commonly asked questions by new puppy parents.
What Are A Puppy’s Nutritional Requirements?
There are lots of different things to consider when deciding what to feed your puppy — here are some of the most important:
Your Puppy’s Age
Puppies can start experimenting with solid food from three weeks of age, and will be able to cope well with small amounts of wet food by around four weeks.
At four weeks, puppies can also try eating dry food if it’s been mixed well with water and made into a mush.
At seven to eight weeks of age, they should be fully weaned and can tackle small kibbles, no longer requiring their mother’s milk>. Please check the law in your state regarding the earliest that a puppy is legally allowed to be separated from its mother.
By two months old, puppies should be eating complete puppy food that meets their nutritional requirements.
Puppy Nutrition
Puppies need a diet that’s specifically designed to meet their needs. This includes food that is:
High in energy (calories)
High in good-quality protein
Formulated to contain the right balance of essential nutrients, including calcium and phosphorus, which are important for bone development[1]
Designed for puppies to eat easily—their smaller mouths and jaws mean they may struggle with food designed for adult dogs
You must feed your puppy a suitable diet for their age. A 2022 peer-reviewed article explains how ‘puppies and kittens have a tremendously higher caloric requirement than adults and senior pets’ — as such, an adult dog’s diet wouldn’t be appropriate to meet a puppy’s growth and energy needs.
You should also choose a diet that’s appropriate for your pup’s size and breed. This is particularly important for large or giant breeds, because their growth needs to be carefully controlled to prevent skeletal abnormalities occurring[2].
Choosing Your New Puppy’s Diet
With so much choice on offer, it can be hard to know where to begin when selecting a diet for your puppy. The first thing to note is that there isn’t one diet that fits all—different foods suit different dogs based on:
Your dog’s age
Their breed and size
Their activity levels
Any health conditions
Your preference on how to feed (for example wet food, dry food, or fresh food)
Your budget
Pet food labeling is another thing to consider. The WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee have produced some guidelines to help owners select pet food. This advice includes:
Choosing a manufacturer that employs a nutritionist
Choosing a manufacturer that can be easily contacted if you have queries
Reading their nutrition adequacy statement (is the diet a complete one?)[3]
Transitioning To A New Diet
As a new puppy parent, it makes sense to continue to feed your puppy the same diet they were on with the breeder. This allows your pup to adapt to the big changes in their family and environment first. Once they’ve acclimatized, you can then start a gradual introduction to the diet of your choice. This transition should happen over a period of five to seven days:
Day one: 25% new diet and 75% old diet
Day three: 50% new diet and 50% old diet
Day five: 75% new diet and 25% old diet
Day seven: 100% new diet
Transitioning in this way should help reduce the risk of an upset stomach and help your puppy to accept their new food more easily.
Should Puppies Eat Wet Or Dry Food?
One commonly asked question is whether puppies are best being fed wet or dry food. There is no right or wrong answer to this, and it will depend on your preferences as well as your puppy’s. Let’s compare the benefits of wet and dry food:
Advantages Of Dry Food
Less messy and smelly than wet food
Easier to store
Often cheaper and more economical
Easier to weigh accurately
Can be used as treats and in interactive toys or puzzle feeders
Some dry kibbles are shaped to help reduce plaque and prevent tartar buildup (not all dry foods will do this, so look for VOHC-approved products)
Advantages Of Wet Food
Some dogs find it more palatable than dry food
Some dogs prefer the meaty texture of wet food
Easier for dogs that struggle with chewing
The high moisture content helps with hydration
More variety in formulation and appearance (for example chunks in jelly, chunks in gravy, loaf, terrine, and pâté)
Some pet owners choose to feed their dogs both wet and dry food. This can be done by mixing the two together, or by giving different foods at different times of day. It’s important to make sure you’re not accidentally overfeeding your puppy if you choose this option, so always follow the product feeding guidelines carefully, and contact the manufacturer if you need to discuss things further.
How Many Times A Day Should I Feed My Puppy?
Now you’ve decided what to feed your puppy, you need to know how often to feed them.
The instructions on your puppy’s food should tell you how much to feed in a 24-hour period. You’ll then need to divide this amount into several small meals, so your puppy is eating at regular intervals throughout the day.
Puppies have small tummies, which you’ll need to take into account. Young puppies are also at risk of developing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), particularly if they’re a toy or small breed[5], so regular feeding can help prevent this.
As a guide, your puppy should eat as follows:
Two to three months old: four meals a day
Three to six months old: three meals a day
Six months onwards: two meals a day
Many adult dogs will continue to eat twice daily to help with satiety (feeling satisfied), but some dogs may only want to eat once a day.
A 2022 study has suggested that feeding adult dogs once a day is more likely to be associated with better health outcomes[4]. While this is an interesting area of research, there are some limitations to this study that need exploring further, and most veterinarians currently recommend feeding twice a day.
When’s The Best Time To Feed My Puppy?
Establishing set mealtimes will help your puppy get into a routine and good feeding habits. Although there is no ‘best’ time to feed them, it makes sense to evenly space out their meals across the day. Whichever times you choose, keep them the same each day—it can be unsettling for a puppy if they don’t know when to expect their next meal.
The main consideration when deciding on timings is to make sure the last meal of the day is not too late. It’s important to allow your puppy a couple hours to digest their food and go to the toilet before bed.
Here are some more tips to establish good feeding habits:
Offer your puppy their food for 10-20 minutes; if they haven’t eaten it in this time, remove it and offer them their next meal again at the normal time
Feed them in a quiet, undisturbed area of the house, to prevent them from becoming distracted
Wash food bowls and feeding mats regularly
Don’t feed your puppy leftovers — it could lead to dietary imbalances or tummy upsets
Avoid giving your puppy bones (cooked or raw), as these could cause damage to their teeth and put them at risk of a foreign body in their digestive tract
Can I Overfeed My Puppy?
It’s possible to overfeed your puppy, so you should always carefully follow the food manufacturer’s instructions.
If your puppy gains too much weight, it can negatively impact their health into adult life. Conditions such as osteoarthritis, cancer, and diabetes are more common in overweight adult dogs, with studies indicating a shorter lifespan too[7].
If you aren’t sure about your puppy’s weight or body condition, speak to your veterinarian or veterinary nurse for advice.
Should I Give My Puppy Supplements?
If your puppy is on a good-quality complete diet that’s appropriate for their age and size, they shouldn’t need any supplements. Their diet will have been carefully balanced to meet all their nutritional needs.
Probiotics and prebiotics can be helpful for some puppies — particularly those that need extra support for issues such as stress-related diarrhea[6], which can occur around the time of moving to a new home or due to a sudden change in diet.
Your veterinarian might also recommend your puppy takes a supplement for health reasons, so be sure to follow their advice.
When Can Dogs Eat Adult Dog Food?
The age at which your puppy can eat adult dog food depends on their size. Small-breed dogs finish growing at an earlier age than large or giant breeds, who can take many more months to reach their adult size.
Here’s an approximate guide as to when you’ll need to make the transition to an adult diet:
Small dogs: 12 months
Medium dogs: 12-18 months
Large dogs: 18-24 months
Giant dogs: 24 months
If you’re unsure when your dog will reach physical maturity, speak to your veterinarian. Remember to gradually transition to adult food, mixing the diets over five to seven days as explained above, to avoid digestive upset.
Don’t Forget Your Veterinarian Is There To Help
Hopefully our tips have helped you get to grips with puppy feeding, but if you still have any questions about your puppy’s diet or eating habits, speak to your veterinarian or veterinary nurse. They want your pup to be just as happy and healthy as you do!
FAQs
At What Age Can Puppies Take Supplements?
Puppies can take certain probiotic supplements, if required, at a young age. Protexin probiotic can be taken from two weeks to help with tummy troubles (under veterinary supervision). Puppies don’t usually need any other nutritional supplements if they’re on a good-quality complete diet.
Which Supplements Are Good For Puppies?
Many puppies don’t require supplements if they’re healthy and on a complete diet. However, others may need a little help — especially if they have a digestive upset. Probiotics are good for puppies in this instance, but always use a brand recommended by your veterinarian, such as Protexin, to be sure of their quality.
When Should I Give My Puppy Water?
Young puppies start experimenting with water at around three to four weeks of age, becoming more reliant on it as they wean. Water must be available at all times for both puppies and adult dogs, including overnight.
How Many Times A Day Should My Puppy Eat?
How many times a puppy should eat in a day depends on their age. Very young puppies will be drinking their mother’s milk as needed, gradually starting to experiment with food. By around two to three months a puppy should be eating four times a day, at three to six months it should be three times a day, and puppies over six months can eat twice a day.
How Much Can Puppies Eat In A Day?
To work out what amount of food your puppy can have each day, you should always follow the guidelines from the pet food manufacturer. Remember that any treats you give (for example when training your puppy) will be additional calories on top of their recommended daily amount, so take them into account.
Which Food Is Best For My Puppy?
Different foods suit different puppies and different owners! Whether you choose wet, dry, or fresh, you should be looking for a complete puppy food that’s suitable for their size and age. A reputable manufacturer should employ a veterinary nutritionist, giving you confidence in the quality of their diet.
How Do I Make Sure My Puppy Gets All Their Nutrients?
The easiest way is to feed them a good-quality complete diet. This will have been formulated to contain everything your puppy needs. Giving additional scraps or unnecessary supplements on top of this could unbalance their nutrition.
- Veterinary Clinics: Small animal practice ‘Calcium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin D in Dogs and Cats – Beyond the Bones’ Review article, volume 51, issue 3, p623-634, May 2021 https://www.vetsmall.theclinics.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0195-5616%2821%2900013-9
- Larsen J. Feeding large-breed puppies. Compend Contin Educ Vet. 2010 May;32(5): E1-4. PMID: 20949422
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee: Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods (updated on 10 March 2021) https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Selecting-a-pet-food-for-your-pet-updated-2021_WSAVA-Global-Nutrition-Toolkit.pdf
- Bray EE, Zheng Z, Tolbert MK, McCoy BM; Dog Aging Project Consortium; Kaeberlein M, Kerr KF. Once-daily feeding is associated with better health in companion dogs: results from the Dog Aging Project. Geroscience. 2022 Jun;44(3):1779-1790. doi: 10.1007/s11357-022-00575-7. Epub 2022 Apr 28. PMID: 35484470; PMCID: PMC9213604
- Idowu O, Heading K. Hypoglycemia in dogs: Causes, management, and diagnosis. Can Vet J. 2018 Jun;59(6):642-649. PMID: 29910479; PMCID: PMC5949948
- Suchodolski J. Probiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics, and Intestinal Health of Dogs and Cats. 2020 Jun 10 https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/nutrition/probiotics-prebiotics-synbiotics-dogs-cats/
- Salt C, Morris PJ, Wilson D, Lund EM, German AJ. Association between life span and body condition in neutered client-owned dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2019; 33: 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15367
