How much food should I feed my 3.5-month Lab puppy with a big belly?

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like this is a repeat question, but in case you didn't see the previous answer, I'll re-post it here: At Maverick's young age, it's best to do 3-4 smaller feedings a day rather than one or two big meals. Every dog will be a little bit different in terms of nutritional demands, based on their metabolism and activity level, and every food is a little different in its calorie content. So, start with what the bag recommends for his size, and adjust it as needed according to what his body shape is doing. You want to be able to easily feel his ribs without seeing them. I would anticipate with Maverick's age and size he should be getting somewhere around 1.5 cups daily total, divided into 3-4 small meals (so, about 3 meals of 1/2 cup each could be a good starting point - but make sure this sounds consistent with the feeding instructions on that bag, since as discussed every food is a little different). Maverick should be getting his puppy vaccines every 3-4 weeks now until hes 16 weeks old, so your vet can help you evaluate his feeding amount next time they see him. It is normal for many dogs (especially labs!) to be very enthusiastic about food and to scarf it down very quickly. Left to their own devices, many dogs will eat themselves to sickness, so you cannot take is enthusiasm for eating as a sign that he needs more. Rather, adjust his food based on how his body shape is responding to his current feeding regimen. Make sure you're feeding him a high quality puppy food (it should be labeled for puppies, not "all life stages" or adults). Hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My first comment is that if Mocca has not been dewormed yet, I would do so because worms can cause a bloated abdomen and abdominal discomfort. If that’s already been taken care of, then yes, I agree she looks a bit full. Some puppies will eat everything you give them, even if it’s more than they really need. Beagles are a breed that are known for this. As such, I’d say just decrease your amount. Aim for the middle of that recommendation- about 145gm per day or about 45-50 gm per feeding. If that is still too much for her, drop to about 35 Gm per feeding. If she is not gaining weight or is looking too thin on these smaller amounts, your vet will likely just recommend feeding the small amount 4 times daily instead of 3 times daily. I hope this helps and best wishes to you and Mocca!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 3/8 of a cup twice daily for a growing labrador sounds a little under the calories he should be getting daily. He should be consuming closer to 2 cups of the royal canin maxi food daily. Chicken stew and rice are not good sources of nutrients for a growing dog and should not replace eating his regular puppy food and should be discontinued. Just feeding more of his puppy food will help him grow and put on healthy weight. Thanks again for posting!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As long as he is acting normally - good energy level, still good appetite - the one episode of vomiting is not overly concerning. You did a good thing by slowly changing the diet. I'm not sure if the "pedigree puppy veg" food is a vegetarian food, but if it is, I would absolutely not feed Goofy a vegetarian diet! These can be extremely dangerous to dogs, and are linked to heart disease, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) especially in labradors, golden retrievers and dobermans. Please make sure the diet is not vegetarian or grain free. Whatever diet you choose should be formulated for puppies, or "growth", should contain grains, and should say on the side of the bag how much kibble you should be feeding based on Goofy's weight. If the diet you have is not vegetarian, that's great! And he should likely be fed 1.5 to 2.5 cups total per day. I hope this is helpful!

I would feeding him according to the instructions on the label (each food has a different daily allotment). Divide the daily recommendation into three equal portions to feed him three times a day (morning, noon, evening). Once he is six months old, he can be fed twice a day (morning and evening).

Start by looking at the bag of food. There is usually a feeding recommendation on the back based on current puppy weight or on expected adult weight. If you find this information and need help calculating an amount, take a picture and post a new question! It will also help us if you have a current weight on the puppy.

We really don't worry about puppies getting fat, as their calories should not be restricted during this important time of growth. It could be that Jarvis's belly is due to intestinal worms, which are common in puppies. Please give him a deworming treatment. As for diet, he needs a puppy formulated food. I recommend giving him Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. There is a daily recommended allotment of food listed on each bag, and I would divide it into three equal portions to be fed once in the morning, once at noon, and once in the evening. Best of luck.