How much do I feed my puppy?

[dainerra]

Purina Dog Chow (do NOT feed regular Purina Puppy Chow because it's not designed for larger dogs like a lab anyway) is a horrible food. Literally you are giving her chicken feed.

Find a better food and you'll need a lot less in the long run. For Dog Chow, she's going to need as much as 6-8 cups a day because the food is so horrible.

Kaylee, my 6 month old GSD, is eating 5 cups of Victor hi-pro a day (2 1/2 morning and evening). Of the top 6 ingredients, 4 of them are meat meal. And it's not an expensive food. There are also foods like 4Health, if you have a Tractor Supply in your area. The Kirkland brand if you are a CostCo member. Compare these ingredients to Dog Chow:

Beef Meal, Grain Sorghum, Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Pork Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Whole Grain Millet, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Flax Seed (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acid), Feeding Oat Meal, Yeast Culture, Natural Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Salt, Montmorillonite, Tomato Pomace (source of Lycopene), Dried Carrot, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Taurine, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Lecithin, Fructooligosaccharide, Folic Acid, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Citric Acid, Rosemary Extract

www.dogfoodadvisor.com is a good site to compare foods and give an idea of what you are looking at. A good rule of thumb is that you want a named meat MEAL as your first ingredient. A lot of companies try to fool you by having simply chicken (vs chicken meal) as the first ingredient. But when chicken is prepped for kibble, the water is removed and it must be turned into meal. So in reality it will be at least the second ingredient but in many cases it would drop down to 3+ on the ingredient list.

 

[dainerra]

I don't mean to imply that all dogs of the same weight class should get identical amounts of food. As noted different breeds have different builds, different needs, working dogs obviously require more, etc. I've just never had to feed any dog near as much as the directions on the back of the bags say.

I usually don't have to feed as much as the bag says but Purina Dog Chow is a crappy food. Plus, a 4 month old puppy is going to need a lot of food to fuel their growing body and mind. Activity level and individual metabolism is going to have the biggest impact on amounts/calories needed as well as what foods you are feeding.

 

[dainerra]

To OP: definitely consult with your vet about how much the pup should be getting and how often, as well as getting recommendations on what food would be best for pup.

don't ask vets for food advice unless they have an actual degree in nutrition. otherwise, they don't have any more education on dog food than your average pet owner.

 

[dainerra]

OP,as others have said, you are reading the bag incorrectly. You don't feed based on her weight now but projected adult weight. So the recommended amount for a lab is going to be around 5 cups. But since it's purina, again you need to feed more than that. At the very least, make sure you have Purina Large Breed Puppy food, not regular puppy chow. If you are feeding just puppy chow, that is why the amount is so different. it's designed for more rapid growth (hence why it calls for less) but that is a huge no-no for large dogs.
Plus, since the food is mainly corn, all she is going to get from it is calories with little actual nutrition that doesn't come from the vitamin additives. The majority of what you are feeding every day is going to end up in your backyard waiting to be scooped.

 

[OkieChickenGal]

Thanks everyone! Do you think Iams is a good brand? What brands do you all recommend?

 

[Latestarter]

Iams is another feed that IMHO sucks. Look at the sites that I posted for you. All you have to do is some reading to find the best foods. @dainerra basically told you the same things I did in a slightly different (probably better) way. There ARE good dog foods out there, but you need to educate yourself as to what the bag is actually telling you. READ THE INGREDIENTS! If it doesn't start with meat or meat meal, then you are buying grain (chicken feed). Meat meal is better than just meat because it is already dried and therefore concentrated protein/nutrition. Multiple meat/meal sources are the best. Dogs will eat plants but are primarily carnivores. They NEED meat to achieve their full potential (much like us humans IMHO). You also need to read up on your breed of dog to learn what it needs.

Look, good dog food is expensive, just like good human food. You are what you eat, so is your dog. But you generally get what you pay for. That doesn't mean you have to buy the most expensive brand/bag on the shelf. When you do feed a good food, it takes less as the dog gets what it needs (more quality)with less food (less quantity). In addition, there's less poop to clean up because the dog can process and use more of what it's eating for nutrition rather than passing it through unused as waste.

Read the ingredients....Read the ingredients....Read the ingredients....Read the ingredients.... It's really pretty much that simple. The more active a dog is, the more protein it needs. A very active dog does best with 30%+ protein. Your dog, a lab, could be anywhere from very active (labs ARE bred to be working dogs) to very laid back (they are also bred to be carpet tacks in the family room). Regardless, as a puppy, you should be providing higher protein as they grow. You can slack back after they've become adults and you can adjust for the individual dog based on it's own unique needs.

IMHO, you should be feeding your dog no less than a 27% protein food. When you change over, do so gradually over several days to allow her system to adjust to the new better food. mix them together. Otherwise she may develop diarrhea. Just like if you suddenly switched over from what you're eating to a very "nutrient rich" food.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

This may not work for everyone, but I feed my dogs free choice. I just keep kibble in their dish. They are in good condition, but not overweight. What is the condition of your puppy? Is she skinny? Can you see her ribs? Does she act like she is starving? One cup of food for a thirteen pound puppy doesn't sound like enough food to me. If, like most people, you feed regular meals, give the puppy as much as she will eat and then take the dish away when she is finished. You should probably be feeding her about three times a day.

ditto ALWAYS free choice here and have never ended up with a dog with "eating problems"

 

[Relleoms]

Once you determine which food to feed, check out chewy.com. They have a ton of brands to choose from and will ship to your door, usually for free. I agree that a high quality feed will pay dividends with a longer, healthier life. Good luck!

(Just FYI, my personal favorite brand is Wysong )

 

[Latestarter]

https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dry/5-star/<--- 5 star rated foods
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dry/4-star/<--- 4 star rated foods

The names listed are VERY specific. If you select it, buy only the bag that carries the EXACT same name. Manufacturers are pretty smart in naming "like" items where one is named slightly different, is much lesser quality, and priced the same as the higher quality item.

Can't make it more simple than that... read the lists, pick a couple and see what of those brands are carried where you buy your dog food. If price is an issue, find the cheapest of the listed brands. I would NOT go any lower quality than 4 star. Your dog is already way, way behind and at this point needs the best quality you can afford.

I personally buy 2 brands out of a selection of about 4-5 brands. I mix the foods for my dog. As one bag runs out, I buy one of the new brands of the 5. When the 2nd bag runs out I again buy one of the new brands of the 5. So I rotate through them and am always mixing from two different brands/bags. This is also helpful if the store is out of 1 of the brands I typically buy.

I have to echo what was said regarding asking the vet for food recommendations. Most vets carry a specific (high priced, generally low quality) food brand in their offices hat they sell at a profit. It's about making money, not what's best for the pet. Read the ingredients.

 

[AllenK RGV]

This may not work for everyone, but I feed my dogs free choice. I just keep kibble in their dish. They are in good condition, but not overweight. What is the condition of your puppy? Is she skinny? Can you see her ribs? Does she act like she is starving? One cup of food for a thirteen pound puppy doesn't sound like enough food to me. If, like most people, you feed regular meals, give the puppy as much as she will eat and then take the dish away when she is finished. You should probably be feeding her about three times a day.

Labs are always starving, they are genetically programmed that way! I agree though for a lab 13 at 4 months isn't right and needs to be given the opportunity for free feeding to borderline obesity(If OP's dog can be free choiced that is the best option), then worry about restricted diets.

ditto ALWAYS free choice here and have never ended up with a dog with "eating problems"

We have 3 greedy feeders who will gladly go obese if we free fed them. The Lab is the worst of the bunch as she will raid the trash at night and the compost pile during the day, so now I compost in 55 gallon drums. Edit also she will on occasion get the counter top cat food bowl!