Puppy Feeding Guide: What, How Much and How Often Should You Feed a Puppy?

Updated September 2026

Feeding a puppy should be fairly straightforward.

In reality, new owners are quickly faced with questions about brands, portion sizes, wet food, dry food, raw feeding, supplements, treats and how many meals a puppy actually needs.

The important starting point is much simpler.

Your puppy needs a nutritionally complete food designed for growth, fed in an appropriate amount while you monitor how they are actually developing.

For most puppies, I would avoid making lots of changes during their first few days at home. They are already adjusting to a new family, new surroundings, different smells and a completely different routine.

Start with the food they already know, establish a calm feeding routine and make changes gradually when there is a good reason to do so.

For broader feeding information, start with my Dog Food & Nutrition Guide.

For everything else involved in those early weeks, see Bringing a Puppy Home: First Days, First Weeks and First Year.

What should I feed my puppy?

For most healthy puppies, I would start with a commercially prepared food that is labelled:

• complete
• suitable for dogs
• suitable for puppies, growth or the appropriate life stage
• appropriate for the puppy’s expected adult size where relevant

The word “complete” matters.

A complete puppy food is formulated to provide the nutrients needed for growth when fed as directed.

A complementary product is designed to be fed alongside something else and should not quietly become the puppy’s main diet.

The British Veterinary Association’s guidance on choosing dog food recommends choosing a complete diet appropriate to the dog’s life stage and feeding an appropriate measured quantity.

Likewise, PDSA’s puppy feeding guidance recommends a complete commercial puppy food rather than adult food because growing puppies have different nutritional requirements.

Expensive does not automatically mean better.

Neither do words such as:

“natural”

“premium”

“fresh”

“human grade”

“high meat”

Those descriptions may tell you something about how a product is made or marketed, but they do not replace nutritional completeness.

Keep your puppy’s original food at first

When your puppy first arrives home, ask the breeder, rescue or previous carer exactly what they have been eating.

Find out:

• the food brand and variety
• whether it is wet, dry or a mixture
• how much they receive each day
• how many meals they receive
• approximately what times they are fed
• whether food is weighed
• what treats they have been receiving

It is worth getting enough of the existing food to cover the first few days.

Your puppy is already going through a major change.

Changing their home, family, sleeping arrangements, water, routine and diet simultaneously can make digestive problems much more likely.

The PDSA recommends initially keeping puppies on the food they received from their breeder before making any gradual change.

My Bringing a Puppy Home guide covers the wider first-day and first-week routine.

How often should I feed my puppy?

Young puppies have relatively small stomachs and need their daily food divided into several smaller meals.

For a typical puppy coming home at around eight weeks, a useful starting schedule is:

Puppy age	Typical number of meals
8 to 16 weeks	Four meals a day
16 weeks to 6 months	Three meals a day
Around 6 months onwards	Two meals a day

This is the schedule used in PDSA’s puppy feeding guidance.

It is a guide, not a reason to ignore the puppy in front of you.

Your puppy’s food manufacturer or veterinary team may recommend something slightly different based on age, size, health, or individual needs.

What might four puppy meals look like?

The exact times matter less than having a manageable routine.

For example, four meals could be spread through:

morning

late morning or lunchtime

mid-afternoon

early evening

I would avoid turning puppy feeding into a military timetable.

A meal does not need to arrive at precisely 07:03 every morning.

A predictable pattern is useful, particularly because eating is often followed by a need to toilet.

That makes feeding part of your wider puppy routine rather than an isolated event.

How much should I feed my puppy?

There is no universal number of grams that every puppy of a particular age should eat.

The appropriate amount depends on:

• the food
• calorie density
• current age
• expected adult size
• growth rate
• body condition
• breed
• activity
• treats
• chews
• food used during training
• health

Start with the manufacturer’s feeding guide.

Puppy feeding charts often use the puppy’s age together with their expected adult weight.

That means knowing approximately how large your puppy is expected to become can be important.

If you are unsure, ask your vet.

Weigh puppy food rather than guessing

One of the simplest things you can do is use digital kitchen scales.

Weigh the day’s allowance in grams.

You can then divide it between meals and put some aside for training or enrichment.

This is more accurate than using:

• a mug
• a scoop
• a cup
• a handful
• what looks about right

A surprisingly small measuring error repeated several times a day can make quite a difference to a puppy’s total intake.

The feeding guide is still only the starting point.

You then need to monitor the puppy.

Do not try to make a puppy grow faster

Puppies need to grow.

They do not need to grow as quickly as possible.

Giving more food does not create a better adult dog.

Excess energy can encourage excessive weight gain and unnecessarily rapid growth.

This is particularly important with larger dogs.

The BSAVA puppy guidance explains that feeding to encourage rapid growth can increase the risk of skeletal problems and does not change the dog’s eventual adult size.

Steady development is the aim.

Large and giant breed puppies need particular care

Nutrition is especially important for puppies expected to become large or giant adults.

These puppies need appropriate energy and mineral levels while their skeleton develops.

More calcium is not automatically better.

In fact, adding extra calcium to an already complete growth diet can be harmful.

The UK Pet Food puppy nutrition guidance explains that accelerated growth and excess weight can place additional stress on the developing skeleton of large-breed puppies.

Large-breed puppy foods are formulated with this development in mind.

If you have a large- or giant-breed puppy, I would discuss feeding and growth with your veterinary practice rather than trying to improve a complete diet with additional supplements.

How do I know whether my puppy is getting enough food?

Do not judge this from appetite alone.

Some puppies would happily eat several dinners.

Others are much less food-focused.

Instead, monitor:

• weight
• growth
• body condition
• muscle development
• stools
• energy
• appetite
• coat and general condition

Regular weighing is particularly useful while puppies are growing.

Your veterinary practice can also help assess your puppy’s body condition and whether their development appears appropriate.

My puppy always seems hungry

Some puppies appear to be permanently hungry.

That does not necessarily mean they need a bigger meal.

Check whether:

• everybody in the household knows who has fed the puppy
• the day’s ration has been measured properly
• your puppy is receiving lots of treats
• they are stealing food
• the manufacturer’s portion is being interpreted correctly
• they are maintaining an appropriate body condition

If your puppy appears excessively hungry while losing weight, has diarrhoea or vomiting, is drinking unusually large amounts, has a swollen abdomen or otherwise seems unwell, speak to your vet.

What if my puppy leaves food?

Occasionally leaving part of a meal does not automatically mean there is a problem.

However, young puppies can become unwell more quickly than healthy adult dogs, so a significant change in appetite deserves attention.

Consider whether:

• you have changed the food
• the puppy has received lots of treats
• they have had an unusually exciting or stressful day
• they dislike the feeding location
• another pet is disturbing them
• chewing appears uncomfortable
• they have vomiting or diarrhoea
• their behaviour has changed

Contact your vet promptly if a young puppy stops eating, particularly if they also appear lethargic, painful, weak, vomit, develop diarrhoea or behave unusually.

Should puppies have wet or dry food?

A puppy can eat wet, dry, fresh, or another appropriate commercial format, provided the food is complete and formulated for growth.

The format by itself does not tell you whether the diet is suitable.

Dry food can be useful because it is:

• easy to weigh
• convenient to store
• useful for training
• suitable for some food enrichment activities

Wet food contains much more moisture and some puppies prefer its softer texture.

Some owners use a combination.

The total amount still matters.

Do not feed the full recommended amount of dry food and then add the full recommended amount of wet food on top.

For a fuller comparison, read Wet, Dry, Fresh or Raw Dog Food? A Practical UK Guide once that new nutrition guide is published.

Should I give my puppy milk?

A puppy coming home at the normal rehoming age should generally already be weaned.

They do not need cow’s milk.

Cow’s milk can cause digestive problems in some dogs and is not a substitute for a nutritionally complete puppy food.

If you are caring for an orphaned or very young puppy who is not properly weaned, that is a different situation and needs appropriate puppy milk replacement and veterinary guidance.

The PDSA’s hand-rearing guidance recommends specialist puppy formula for puppies who genuinely need milk feeding.

Does my puppy need supplements?

Not usually if you are feeding a properly formulated complete puppy diet.

I would be particularly cautious about:

• calcium
• vitamin D
• multivitamins
• mineral powders
• bone meal
• supplements added because somebody online recommends them

The UK Pet Food guidance on puppy nutrition warns that supplementing a complete puppy diet can create nutritional imbalances and growth abnormalities, particularly in large and giant breeds.

If your vet identifies a reason for supplementation, follow that advice.

Otherwise, do not assume that adding more nutrients makes a complete food even more complete.

How many treats can my puppy have?

Treats count as food.

So do:

• training rewards
• chews
• food toys
• lick mats
• scraps
• toppers
• pieces given by other members of the household

For puppies, I particularly like using part of the normal measured food allowance for straightforward training.

You might use a few pieces for:

• responding to their name
• following you
• recall practice
• toilet training
• settling
• checking in with you
• getting used to a harness
• simple handling exercises

This helps prevent every training session becoming additional food on top of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For more about using rewards well, see my Training Rewards guide.

You do not always need a high-value treat

Normal puppy food can be valuable in easy situations.

If your puppy will happily work for their kibble at home, there is little reason to turn every simple exercise into chicken, cheese or another rich treat.

Save higher-value rewards for situations where they are genuinely useful.

Rewards also do not always have to involve food.

Depending on the puppy, being allowed to sniff, explore, play or continue moving can also reinforce behaviour.

Food can become simple puppy enrichment

You can use part of a puppy’s normal meal for calm enrichment.

For example:

• a small scatter on a clean floor
• a simple snuffle mat
• a very easy food search
• a suitable stuffed food toy
• a lick mat where appropriate
• two minutes of reward-based training

My Ditch the Bowl at Mealtimes guide has more enrichment-feeding ideas.

But I would keep puppy enrichment simple.

A young puppy does not need every meal turned into an advanced puzzle.

If they become frantic, frustrated, start chewing the feeder or cannot work out how to reach their food, make it easier.

A normal bowl is perfectly acceptable.

The point of enrichment is to give the puppy an enjoyable activity, not to make them earn the right to eat.

Changing your puppy’s food

Don’t change food suddenly just because you found a brand you prefer.

Introduce the new food progressively unless your vet gives different instructions.

Different veterinary and nutrition sources suggest slightly different transition periods, commonly around a week to two weeks.

A simple approach is to gradually increase the new food while reducing the old food.

For example:

Start with mostly the familiar food and a small quantity of the new food.

Over the following days, gradually increase the proportion of the new diet.

Slow down if stools become noticeably softer or your puppy appears uncomfortable.

The PDSA advises changing puppy food gradually over roughly a couple of weeks, while UK Pet Food recommends a gradual transition rather than a sudden switch.

Individual puppies vary.

Should I change food if my puppy has diarrhoea?

Not automatically.

Diarrhoea can have many causes.

These include:

• sudden food changes
• eating unfamiliar foods
• too many treats
• stress
• parasites
• infection
• scavenging
• illness

Constantly changing foods in response can sometimes make the situation harder to understand.

Young puppies can become dehydrated more quickly than adult dogs.

If diarrhoea is repeated, severe, accompanied by vomiting or blood, or your puppy is lethargic, painful, weak or otherwise unwell, contact your vet promptly.

For wider emergency preparation, see my Dog Health & First Aid Guide.

Should I feed a raw diet to my puppy?

This needs more care than simply asking whether raw food is natural.

A commercially prepared raw food may be labelled as complete and suitable for growth.

However, uncooked animal ingredients introduce additional microbiological risks.

The British Veterinary Association’s raw-feeding guidance explains the risk from bacteria such as Salmonella and recommends that owners understand the additional hygiene implications.

The WSAVA guidance on raw-meat-based diets also warns that nutritionally unbalanced diets are particularly concerning for growing puppies because deficiencies or excesses can affect skeletal development.

If you decide to feed raw, I would discuss your puppy’s diet with your veterinary team and make sure the food is actually complete for growth.

I would not improvise a puppy diet from meat, offal and bones because somebody has provided a recipe on social media.

What about homemade puppy food?

This is another area where appearing wholesome is not the same as being nutritionally complete.

A puppy has particular requirements for energy, protein, vitamins and minerals while they grow.

Simply combining:

meat

vegetables

rice

eggs

yoghurt

oils

supplements

does not guarantee the correct nutritional balance.

That matters particularly for puppies.

I would not use an ordinary internet recipe as a growing puppy’s main diet.

Can I add toppers to my puppy’s food?

You can add suitable extras in modest amounts, but they should not gradually displace a substantial proportion of a properly balanced puppy diet.

This can happen surprisingly easily.

A little:

• chicken
• yoghurt
• vegetables
• treats
• wet food
• training rewards
• enrichment filling

may each appear insignificant.

Together, they may make up a sizeable part of the day’s food.

If your puppy already eats their complete diet happily, you do not need to turn every meal into a more exciting one.

When should I move my puppy onto adult food?

There is no universal first birthday rule.

Different dogs mature at different rates.

The UK Pet Food puppy nutrition guidance suggests moving towards adult maintenance food once the dog is approaching its expected adult size.

Small breeds may be physically mature at roughly 9 to 12 months.

Larger dogs may continue growing for considerably longer.

Some large and giant breeds may not finish growing until closer to 18 months or even two years.

Ask your vet or follow the appropriate manufacturer’s guidance when you are unsure.

Then change gradually rather than switching from puppy food to adult food overnight.

Should I feed puppy food after neutering?

Neutering does not automatically mean your dog must immediately move onto adult food.

Your puppy may still be growing.

However, energy requirements can change.

That makes portion control and monitoring body condition particularly important.

Talk to your vet about the appropriate diet and quantity for your individual puppy rather than simply reducing food by an arbitrary percentage.

Should food be available all day?

For most puppies, measured meals are usually more useful than continually topping up a bowl.

Scheduled meals make it easier to:

• know how much your puppy ate
• monitor appetite
• control total intake
• predict toilet opportunities
• use some food for training
• notice changes quickly

Leaving unlimited food available also makes it much harder to know whether several people in the household are accidentally overfeeding the puppy.

There may be individual circumstances where your veterinary team recommends something different.

Always provide fresh drinking water

Your puppy should have access to clean, fresh water.

Do not restrict water simply because you are worried about toilet accidents.

Toilet training is about giving the puppy suitable opportunities to go outside, not preventing them from drinking.

Clean water bowls regularly rather than topping them up indefinitely.

Feeding and toilet training work together

Food helps make a young puppy’s day more predictable.

Many puppies will need a toilet opportunity shortly after eating.

That means your basic routine might look something like:

meal

quiet activity

toilet opportunity

a short period awake

sleep

When your puppy wakes, another toilet opportunity will usually be needed.

My Bringing a Puppy Home guide covers building the wider routine around sleep, toileting, training and settling.

Do not forget sleep

Feeding is only one part of puppy development.

A puppy who is fed perfectly but is continually overtired is not getting an ideal routine.

Puppies need substantial opportunities to sleep, recover and process what they have experienced.

If your puppy becomes increasingly:

• bitey
• frantic
• unable to listen
• zoomy
• grabby
• restless

do not automatically assume they need more exercise.

Sometimes they need a quieter environment and a chance to sleep.

My Dog Walking and Everyday Exercise guide explains why more physical activity is not automatically better, particularly for growing dogs.

Feeding when someone else looks after your puppy

If a dog walker, pet sitter, family member or friend will feed your puppy, leave clear instructions.

Include:

• food brand
• exact amount
• meal time
• where the food is kept
• whether it needs refrigeration
• treats that are allowed
• foods that must not be given
• medication instructions where applicable
• anything unusual about the puppy’s appetite
• veterinary contact details

This prevents one of the simplest pet-care mistakes.

The puppy gets breakfast from you.

Then somebody else arrives and gives them another breakfast because nobody realised they had already eaten.

How I handle puppy feeding during visits

When I care for somebody else’s puppy, I follow the feeding routine agreed with the owner.

I do not decide that the puppy would be better on another food.

A puppy visit may include:

• their agreed meal
• fresh water
• a toilet opportunity
• calm company
• simple enrichment
• food used for agreed reward-based training
• cleaning up a small accident where supplies have been left
• an update to the owner

If part of their meal is being used for training or enrichment, I would rather take it from their normal measured allowance than keep adding unnecessary extras.

Because your puppy-support service currently exists across more than one live URL, insert the final service CTA here only after the duplicate puppy-service URLs have been reviewed under the Blueprint’s consolidation rule.

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When should I speak to my vet about puppy feeding?

Ask your veterinary practice for advice if:

• you are unsure which puppy food is appropriate
• your puppy is underweight or overweight
• growth appears unusually fast or slow
• you have a large or giant breed puppy and are unsure about feeding
• your puppy repeatedly refuses food
• they have persistent vomiting or diarrhoea
• they appear constantly hungry despite appropriate feeding
• they lose weight
• they struggle to chew or swallow
• you want to feed a homemade diet
• you want to make a significant dietary change
• your puppy has a diagnosed medical condition
• your puppy requires supplements
• your puppy is not developing as expected

Your vet can consider the whole puppy rather than simply looking at the ingredient list on a packet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best food for an eight-week-old puppy?

For most puppies, start with the complete puppy food they were already eating with the breeder or rescue.

Once they have settled, you can consider a gradual change if there is a good reason to do so.

How many times a day should I feed an eight-week-old puppy?

A common starting point is four small meals per day.

PDSA recommends four meals daily from approximately 8 to 16 weeks.

How many times should a six-month-old puppy eat?

Many puppies can move towards two measured meals a day from around six months.

Individual needs vary.

Should I leave puppy food down all day?

Measured meals are usually more useful because they allow you to monitor exactly what your puppy is eating and support a predictable toilet routine.

Should puppies eat adult dog food?

A growing puppy should normally eat a complete diet formulated for puppies or growth rather than an ordinary adult-maintenance diet.

Can puppies eat wet and dry food together?

Yes, provided both foods are suitable for your puppy and you adjust the quantities so the total intake remains appropriate.

Should I soak puppy kibble?

Most normally weaned puppies do not require their kibble to be soaked.

Some puppies may prefer softened food or have an individual reason for needing it.

Follow the food manufacturer’s instructions or ask your vet when unsure.

Can I use my puppy’s normal food for training?

Yes.

This is one of the simplest ways to reward a puppy without accidentally adding large numbers of additional calories.

Does my puppy need calcium?

Do not add calcium to a complete puppy diet unless your vet specifically advises it.

Incorrect mineral balance during growth can cause problems rather than prevent them.

Is raw food suitable for puppies?

Commercial raw food can be formulated as complete for growth, but raw feeding carries additional hygiene risks and nutritional imbalance is particularly concerning in growing puppies.

Discuss it with your veterinary team rather than improvising a diet.

Can I cook my puppy’s food myself?

A properly formulated home-prepared diet is possible, but balancing one for a growing puppy is complex.

Seek advice from an appropriately qualified veterinary nutrition professional.

When should my puppy stop eating puppy food?

When your dog approaches physical maturity.

For smaller dogs that may be around 9 to 12 months. Larger and giant breeds can take considerably longer.

The individual dog matters more than their first birthday.

Related guides

Continue with:

Dog Food & Nutrition Guide

Bringing a Puppy Home: First Days, First Weeks and First Year

Wet, Dry, Fresh or Raw Dog Food? A Practical UK Guide [ADD LINK WHEN PUBLISHED]

Training Rewards [ADD VERIFIED LIVE LINK]

Ditch the Bowl at Mealtimes

Dog Walking and Everyday Exercise

Tips for Walking Your New Puppy

Dog Health & First Aid Guide

Final thoughts

Puppy feeding does not need to become a competition over brands or feeding philosophies.

Start with a complete food formulated for growth.

Keep your puppy’s familiar food while they settle.

Measure what you feed.

Split the day’s allowance into age-appropriate meals.

Count treats and training rewards.

Monitor your puppy’s actual growth and body condition rather than assuming the packet quantity will be perfect.

Be particularly careful with supplements, homemade diets and large or giant breed puppies.

And remember that feeding is only one part of development.

Your puppy also needs sleep, toilet opportunities, gentle training, suitable enrichment, safe social experiences and time to grow at their own pace.

This guide provides general information about feeding normally weaned puppies and does not replace individual veterinary or veterinary nutrition advice. Speak to your veterinary practice if you are worried about your puppy’s growth, weight, appetite, digestion or development, or before feeding a homemade diet or adding nutritional supplements. Seek veterinary advice promptly if a young puppy stops eating or develops significant vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, weakness, pain or another sudden change in health.

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