Feeding puppies as they approach adult size - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Nicksy · 01-11-2016, 03:34 AM

Hi Everyone.

On all the feeding guides on the puppy food packages it suggests how much to feed the pups until age 6 months. The next age listed is then 12 months where the amount to feed the puppy is reduced.

My question is at what age do I start to reduce the amount I feed and do I bring the amount down slowly to the recommended feeding volume?

Gizmo's growth in length seemed to stop 2 months ago, but his chest still seems to be expanding. He has a covering of puppy fat but still has a tucked abdomen and slender waist (weighs 3.4 kg or 7 lb 8 oz and is being fed as if aiming for a 3 kg adult). He is the reason I am asking as he often gets full before he has finished his food (he has always stopped eating when full). Is it okay to cut back on the amount we are feeding him at 8 months old? If so should we continue to feed him 3 times a day until he is 12 months?

On the other hand Dexter seemed to stop growing in all directions at 7 months old (he is a teapot weighing more than 5 kg/11 lb) but I don't think he is ready for a reduction in the amount we feed as he always wants more (unlike Gizmo Dexter can eat forever and was a fat baby when we bought him).

Thanks for the help.

LunarBerry · 01-11-2016, 11:29 AM

I find that the guidelines given tend to be more or less that, guides. I was trying to figure if my girl was ready to eat dry food at around 8 weeks cause she snubbed her wet puppy food in favor of the dry the other "big girls" were getting. I knew she wasn't quite ready for actual adult food, but wasn't sure if she was ready for the harder/drier food. Well I tried manually crushing them and she liked that for only a few days before trying to dive into the big bowl again, lol. So I had to switch the food the adults were also eating to what she was eating ^^;; But it was certainly an improvement for them, even though it was for a puppy. The were eating Beneful before I switch them to wellness. Their coats shown lots of improvements after a month on Wellness.
But yea, I'd base the diet on the guidelines, but I would also see how your pup progresses on it. If they seem ready to switch a little more sooner or later (like by a 1 month or so, sooner/later), then I'd just go with it. Some pups progress a little faster or slower than others.

Nicksy · 01-12-2016, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LunarBerry

But yea, I'd base the diet on the guidelines, but I would also see how your pup progresses on it. If they seem ready to switch a little more sooner or later (like by a 1 month or so, sooner/later), then I'd just go with it. Some pups progress a little faster or slower than others.

So since they are 4 months away from the next change in feeding amount I should continue feeding the amount suggested for 6 month pups and accept that sometimes Gizmo will eat a little bit less than is given to him? Thanks.

LunarBerry · 01-12-2016, 06:43 AM

Yeah, some pups will eat lots and some less. As long as there's no health issues like he's lethargic or doesn't seem well, then this is normal. I find most yorkies are good about eating their fill. If he's eating less, he's probably not as active as the other pup. Usually the ones that are more active eat more, as long as he's eating regularly and isn't severely under weight. The puppy formula will give him what he'll need and if it's a higher quality food, then they'd be eating a little less of it anyways because it's much more nutrient dense and higher calories.
Oh yea, pups tend to shrink and expand one week to another before starting to level out, lol My furbaby did that the first month or two, one week being kind of fat and then next week kind of skinny ^^;;

Nicksy · 01-12-2016, 01:51 PM

Yes Dexter fluctuated a lot because we wildly underestimated how big he was going to get and had to keep trialling how much to feed him as with each growth spurt he would go skinny and we would have to up his portions. At least Gizmo is kind of at their expected weight so portions were easy with him.

I'm not at all worried about Gizmo's general health. I think with it having just been the holidays and me doing a few late shifts they have gotten more exercise recently. He definitely has energy as he wants to play fetch with his balls all the time and gets very vocal if you don't throw them.

01-11-2016, 03:34 AM	#1
Nicksy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: GB Posts: 24	Feeding puppies as they approach adult size Hi Everyone. On all the feeding guides on the puppy food packages it suggests how much to feed the pups until age 6 months. The next age listed is then 12 months where the amount to feed the puppy is reduced. My question is at what age do I start to reduce the amount I feed and do I bring the amount down slowly to the recommended feeding volume? Gizmo's growth in length seemed to stop 2 months ago, but his chest still seems to be expanding. He has a covering of puppy fat but still has a tucked abdomen and slender waist (weighs 3.4 kg or 7 lb 8 oz and is being fed as if aiming for a 3 kg adult). He is the reason I am asking as he often gets full before he has finished his food (he has always stopped eating when full). Is it okay to cut back on the amount we are feeding him at 8 months old? If so should we continue to feed him 3 times a day until he is 12 months? On the other hand Dexter seemed to stop growing in all directions at 7 months old (he is a teapot weighing more than 5 kg/11 lb) but I don't think he is ready for a reduction in the amount we feed as he always wants more (unlike Gizmo Dexter can eat forever and was a fat baby when we bought him). Thanks for the help.

01-11-2016, 11:29 AM	#2
LunarBerry YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: GA, USA Posts: 693	I find that the guidelines given tend to be more or less that, guides. I was trying to figure if my girl was ready to eat dry food at around 8 weeks cause she snubbed her wet puppy food in favor of the dry the other "big girls" were getting. I knew she wasn't quite ready for actual adult food, but wasn't sure if she was ready for the harder/drier food. Well I tried manually crushing them and she liked that for only a few days before trying to dive into the big bowl again, lol. So I had to switch the food the adults were also eating to what she was eating ^^;; But it was certainly an improvement for them, even though it was for a puppy. The were eating Beneful before I switch them to wellness. Their coats shown lots of improvements after a month on Wellness. But yea, I'd base the diet on the guidelines, but I would also see how your pup progresses on it. If they seem ready to switch a little more sooner or later (like by a 1 month or so, sooner/later), then I'd just go with it. Some pups progress a little faster or slower than others. __________________ R.I.P. Mick & Mandy (before 2010), Mila - 4/3/15, Chloe - 2/18/16, Kimchi - 6/2/2021

01-12-2016, 06:43 AM	#4
LunarBerry YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: GA, USA Posts: 693	Yeah, some pups will eat lots and some less. As long as there's no health issues like he's lethargic or doesn't seem well, then this is normal. I find most yorkies are good about eating their fill. If he's eating less, he's probably not as active as the other pup. Usually the ones that are more active eat more, as long as he's eating regularly and isn't severely under weight. The puppy formula will give him what he'll need and if it's a higher quality food, then they'd be eating a little less of it anyways because it's much more nutrient dense and higher calories. Oh yea, pups tend to shrink and expand one week to another before starting to level out, lol My furbaby did that the first month or two, one week being kind of fat and then next week kind of skinny ^^;; __________________ R.I.P. Mick & Mandy (before 2010), Mila - 4/3/15, Chloe - 2/18/16, Kimchi - 6/2/2021

01-12-2016, 01:51 PM	#5
Nicksy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: GB Posts: 24	Yes Dexter fluctuated a lot because we wildly underestimated how big he was going to get and had to keep trialling how much to feed him as with each growth spurt he would go skinny and we would have to up his portions. At least Gizmo is kind of at their expected weight so portions were easy with him. I'm not at all worried about Gizmo's general health. I think with it having just been the holidays and me doing a few late shifts they have gotten more exercise recently. He definitely has energy as he wants to play fetch with his balls all the time and gets very vocal if you don't throw them.