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How Much Should a Miniature Schnauzer Eat? (Feeding Chart)

Pets are an integral part of our lives because they provide us with a feeling of companionship.

Therefore, it is important to take great care of them and make sure their diet is well observed. This article discusses how much a Miniature Schnauzer should eat and what amount it should eat.

How much should a Miniature Schnauzer eat?

The amount your Miniature Schnauzer should eat depends on many factors such as its size, daily calorie usage due to activity as well as age. Miniature Schnauzers need to be fed more during their growth phases but within 1/3-4 cups – otherwise they may have issues such as obesity and bloat.

Feeding your miniature schnauzer is not as easy as it sounds because with age, weight and activity – its demand for calories changes drastically.

You should use an 8 oz. measuring cup to provide food to your schnauzer daily according to the chart that has been given below.

Also, make sure you measure the weight of your schnauzer every week to adjust your feeding portions – too much or too little food is dangerous for your dog since it can give rise to many health issues.

Typically, miniature schnauzers that are weighed between 12 to 20 pounds are older and do not need high calorie intake, dogs that are between 6 to 8 pounds need to have between 150 to 480 calories each day.

Depending on the activity of your mini schnauzer, you need to increase the number of calories provided as high as 1000 to 2000 calories.

Even so, you need to keep a close eye on the health and behavior of your schnauzers, overfeeding may make them susceptible to diseases like obesity, diabetes and pancreatitis – thus keep the feeding portions moderate and controlled.

Miniature Schnauzers have some basic nutritional needs such as protein, fibers, carbohydrate and fats as well as dairy supplements like vitamin D and calcium.

Protein is an essential component of your dog’s diet since they are the building blocks of cells and promote faster growth. They can be found from eggs, meat as well as fish – which are safe and edible for schnauzers.

On the other hand, fibers and carbohydrates make sure that your dogs have enough energy and proper digestion to play and run around with full of energy – but make sure to keep the portion of carbohydrates limited since they may promote obesity.

Fats and dairy supplements help your schnauzer to keep a healthy skin and sleek fur while the vitamin D and calcium promotes strong bone development.

Below listed are the feeding specifications for your Miniature Schnauzer along with their age, weight and other necessary details:

2–3-week-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer puppies that are 2 to 3 weeks old need to have between 3 to 4 meals per day, each meal consisting of 1/3 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 3 – 6 pounds and minimum 335 calorie intake daily.

4–5-week-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer puppies that are 4 to 5 weeks old need to have between 3 to 4 meals per day, each meal consisting of ½ to ¾ cups of dog food should be sufficient.

6–7-week-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer puppies that are 6 to 7 weeks old need to have between 3 to 4 meals per day, each meal consisting of 1 to 1.25 cups of dog food should be sufficient.

They should have a weight between 13 – 15 pounds and minimum 370 – 465 calorie intake daily.

8–9-week-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 8 to 9 weeks old need to have between 4 to 6 meals per day, each meal consisting of 1.3 to 1.5 cups of dog food should be sufficient.

They should have a weight between 20 to 25 pounds and minimum 575 to 650 calorie intake daily.

10–11-week-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 10 to 11 weeks old need to have between 3 to 4 meals per day, each meal consisting of 1.75 to 2.25 cups of dog food should be sufficient.

They should have a weight between 25 to 30 pounds and minimum 650 to 780 calorie intake daily.

3-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 3 months old need to have 3 meals per day, each meal consisting of 2.6 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 45 to 50 pounds and minimum 1145 calorie intake daily.

4-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 4 months old need to have 3 meals per day, each meal consisting of 3 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 50 – 60 pounds and minimum 1315 calorie intake daily.

5-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 5 months old need to have 3 meals per day, each meal consisting of 3 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 60 to 65 pounds and minimum 1400 calorie intake daily.

6-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 6 months old need to have 2 to 3 meals per day, each meal consisting of 3 to 3.5 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 70 to 75 pounds and minimum 1475 calorie intake daily.

7-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 7 months old need to have 2 to 3 meals per day, each meal consisting of 3.5 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 75 to 80 pounds and minimum 1525 calorie intake daily.

8-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 8 months old need to have 2 to 3 meals per day, each meal consisting of 3.75 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 80 to 90 pounds and minimum 1630 calorie intake daily.

9-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 9 months old need to have 2 meals per day, each meal consisting of 4.25 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 90 to 100 pounds and minimum 1780 calorie intake daily.

10-month-old Miniature Schnauzer:

Miniature Schnauzer dogs that are 10 months old need to have 2 meals per day, each meal consisting of 4.5 cups of dog food should be sufficient. They should have a weight between 90 to 100 pounds and minimum 1975 calorie intake daily.

Miniature Schnauzer feeding chart:

AgeExpected dog Weight (pounds)Recommended amount of food per day (cups)Daily calorie intakeFeeding frequency
2 week31/31403 – 4
3 week6½3353 – 4
4 week6½3353 – 4
5 week10¾3453 – 4
6 week1313703 – 4
7 week151 1/44653 – 4
8 week or 2 month201 1/35753 – 4
9 week251 ½6503 – 4
10 week301 ¾7803 – 4
11 week402 ¼9703 – 4
12 week or 3 month502 2/311453
4 month60313153
5 month65314003
6 month703 ½14752 – 3 
7 month753 ½15252 – 3 
8 month803 3/416302 – 3 
9 month904 ¼17802 – 3 
10 month1004 ½19752

Are you overfeeding your Miniature Schnauzer or not feeding enough?

Overfeeding your miniature schnauzer is not a good idea since they are prone to several health issues and if their calorie intake is left unchecked, they will face bad consequences.

Excessive weight gain is a common sign of overfeeding and that can be understood by the fat gain observed in their body.

If you press against the body of your schnauzer but cannot feel the bones – it is most likely due to the thick fat layer. Obesity is a serious health concern and can cause heart disease, breathing problem and back pain in your schnauzers.

Another common digestive disorder is the pancreatitis which is due to the inflammation of the pancreas as a result of over-eating.

High calorie intake will force the digestive system to cause the pancreas to produce more insulin and thus show symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.

Eating too much too fast can give rise to another life-threatening health issue which is bloat. Bloats are caused when large amount of air is gulped along with the food and the stomach reached its maximum volume but with air.

This creates complications to the food in the stomach from reaching the small intestine and results in blockages.

How frequently to feed your Miniature Schnauzer?

The feeding frequency of miniature schnauzers depend on various factors and are subject to change in case of growing schnauzers.

Adult schnauzers, however, have a constant feeding frequency and is less likely to change because their calorie demand is limited and are no longer in the growth phase.

Younger miniature schnauzers tend to be more active and calorie consuming than their adult counterparts which makes them highly calorie demanding.

And besides that, they also need an ample supply of protein, carbohydrate, fats, fibers and other vitamins to keep up with their growth. You need to check their weight every week and adjust their feeding frequency accordingly.

In case of schnauzers aged between 3 to 6 weeks need to fed 3 to 4 times a day with feeding portion of ½ to 1 cup of dog food with all the necessary nutrients.

For schnauzers aged 7 to 12 weeks, they need to be fed 3 to 4 times a day with a feeding portion of 1 to 2 cups of dog food along with the necessary nutrients.

Afterwards, the number of times you feed them everyday should decrease from 3 times a day to 2 times a day as their age reaches the 1-year mark – however, their feeding portion should be increased to 4 cups in each meal

Recommended feeding time:

You should at least feed your schnauzers twice a day – once in the morning and another in the evening. Afternoon meals should be adjusted according to the activity and calorie usage of your dog.

Make sure that you schnauzer does not remain hungry for more than 7 hours, otherwise it may cause health concerns.

Final thoughts

The number of calories your Miniature Schnauzer should consume each day will vary depending on its size, level of activity, and age. Miniature Schnauzers should be fed often with 1/3-4 cups, but in moderation during their growing stages in order to avoid problems like obesity and bloat.