Is my 8-week Shih Tzu puppy's 3x daily feeding schedule okay?

Congrats on your new puppy. I would first reference your puppy food, since every food has a different kcal/kibble ratio that will change how much you should feed her. However, on average you will feed a puppy 3 times a day and for a small breed dog it will be around 1/8-1/4 cup each feeding. Adjust your amount based on her specific needs and also the guidelines on the bag. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=5985068 Once she is 6-8 months of age you can reduce her feedings to twice daily instead of 3 times daily due to reduced calorie requirements as she matures into an adolescent. Best wishes with your new puppy and don't forget to go ahead and get her started on her puppy vaccines as well. 8 weeks is when we start the series in all breeds. Take care!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While changing the routine is not likely going to upset her belly, it is really not necessary. Feeding a puppy twice daily is perfectly appropriate as long as the total amount of food per day is right. Good luck and have a great day!

As a young Shih Tzu puppy, I'm assuming that Luna is under 3 pounds. Based upon that estimated body weight and her age, the chart recommends feeding 1/4-3/4 cups per day, divided into smaller meals. Small breed puppies really need to eat 3-4 times per day, if possible, because they can easily develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if they do not eat frequently, which can lead to extreme weakness and seizures in severe cases. Try to feed Luna in the morning, when you get home from work, and again at bedtime, giving her about 1/8 cup per meal. If possible, try to look for a dog walker, pet sitter, or neighbor to feed her and let her outside midday. I hope that all goes well!

It depends on the puppies. Tiny breeds like Shih Tzus are prone to hypoglycemia, so make sure that they have food available or that you come home every 4 hours to give them a snack. 8 week old puppies shouldn't be expected to "hold it" longer than 3 or 4 hours, so they will need potty breaks if you do not want them urinating in the house. You should also consider crate training before you go back to work, so they have a safe place to stay while you are gone and won't be able to chew up things that could cause them harm.

Barbi is too young to be separated from her mother at three weeks of age, and if she is and orphan or was rejected by her mother, she should still be feed with puppy formula. I recommend feeding her KMR via a bottle four times a days. Each day, she will need at least 25-35 milliliters of formula for every 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of body weight. Divide this number by four to get the amount she should be eating at each feeding. When she is four weeks old, she can start to be weaned onto a puppy mush. I would soak a high quality puppy formulated dry food in water water until soft. Then mix that with puppy formula such as KMR to make a mush the consistency of oatmeal. Over the next two weeks, gradually increase the amount of dry puppy food and decrease the amount of water and KMR you use until she is eating the dry puppy food only.

A puppy’s meal schedule must include three measured meals a day, preferably at the same time every day. The best time for your puppy’s first meal is around 7 a.m., noontime for lunch, and 5 p.m. for dinner. The last meal should always be around 5 p.m. so that he will have ample time to digest his food and eliminate one last time before bedtime. Stick to this basic puppy feeding schedule until the puppy reaches 14 to 18 weeks old, at which point the meal schedule should change to two meals a day (unless your veterinarian suggests otherwise). That is an example of a feeding schedule: 6:30 a.m. wake up, quick exercise 7:00 a.m. morning meal, outdoor walking, playtime then back to crate 10:00 a.m. outdoor walking, bonding time with owner then back to crate 12:00 (noon) midday meal 1:00 p.m. outdoor walking, playtime then back to crate 5:00 p.m. evening meal, outdoor walking, playtime 7:00 p.m. short outdoor walk, playtime, then back to crate 9:00 p.m. bedtime (in his crate or in your bedroom)

Hello. At this age, a puppy should be fed 3 times a day with limited treats. You can transition him to twice a day feedings somewhere between 16 - 20 weeks of age. As long as the food you choose is a well-balanced puppy food, such as Science Diet, Royal Canin or Purina, you can continue to feed Roman the canned, or a combination of canned & dry. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.