Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

How much dry dog food should my 5-month-old puppy eat for his weight?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 5 months and 3 days old

I've started feeding my 5 month old puppy hills dry dog food and I'm unsure of how much to give him, he weighs 8.7 kilos and I think this means he should be getting around 200g of food but this seems like a lot I was just wondering if you could help

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian

Published on July 25th, 2017

I usually use the rule of thumb of 1 cup per 20 pounds (~9kg). But with puppies, if they are really active and thin then they may need more. Some puppies are nibblers and don't want to eat that much and that is ok as long as he is eating, growing properly, and not too thin. I hope this helps!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
You can follow the recommendations on the back of the bag. Monitor weight gain and body condition and adjust the amount accordingly. If Ziggy finishes his meals and still seems hungry, increase the amount offered. Use caution though because puppies will tend to overeat. If he isn't finishing his food, decrease the amount.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM
Veterinarian
Hello, your puppy should be getting around 810kcal per day of food. The label in your food should indicate how many kcal it contains per serving and its serving size. Make sure you are feeding you pup, puppy food or food formulated of growth. Hope this helps.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Food & Nutrition

How much dog food should I feed my 4-month-old puppy twice daily?

I think it is perfectly fine to feed him twice a day. I would feed him about 1.5 to 2 cups twice a day depending on how active he is. If you want to give him some of the human food supplements, that is fine but I would not make it his main diet as that doesn't have all the vitamins and minerals that he needs. i hope this helps.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Is 700g of kibble too much for my 2-month-old puppy gaining weight?

Yes that is a lot of food. I suggest you feed a good brand complete puppy food for medium to large breeds (depending on how big your dog will be) and feed your puppy according to the label on the food. It should give you a daily ration and you should then feed this over three to four feeds divided. This then would be the proper amount to feed.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My puppy eats off the floor, not her bowl. Is she eating enough?

This is completely normal. A lot of dogs like to pick their food up and put it on the floor then eat it. This is okay if this is how she wants to eat it. I think she is eating plenty. My rule of thumb is 1 cup per 20 pounds and you adjust depending on how skinny or fat they are. If she is at a healthy weight meaning she has a waist and you can’t easily see her ribs then I would just let her continue to eat 1 cup. As she gets larger she will probably increase the amount she eats on her own. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

How much dry food should I feed my tiny 10-week-old puppy daily?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Hiro. What a cutie! First, make sure that you are feeding him puppy food. Then I would start with what your dog food recommends for his weight. Each food varies in the amount of calories per cup so the feeding amounts will vary. He will roughly need about 1/4-1/2 cup per day. Because he is so small, it is important to have food available to him at all times. Very small puppies can have difficulty regulating their blood sugar levels. Their blood sugar can drop too low if they go too long without food. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

How much food should my puppy eat daily for optimal health and growth?

If you are using Royal canin the amount you need to give your puppy is written on the food label, if you are using a different food you cannot use this measuring cup as each brand has different recommended amounts of food but here again it is written on the food label of every food.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

How much food should my 9-month-old small breed puppy eat each day?

Hello, this somewhat depends on what you are feeding Lucy. Most manufacturers will have recommendations on the bag, but in general, a puppy like this should eat about 1 cup of kibble per day or approximately 1, 13 ounce can of wet food per day. Depending on how fast she eats, or how much she leaves behind will determine if you need to make any adjustments. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

How much wet and dry food for 7-week-old underweight pit bull puppies?

Hello. There is no hard set rules for this, but I would imagine you want to feed at least 1/4 - 1/2 cup of dry plus about a tablespoon of canned 3 times a day. Adjust as the puppies grow, but you really cannot overfeed a fast growing puppy. They will eat what they want, so if they leave any behind, cut back temporarily until their stomachs catch up. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share