Puppies are basically baby dogs who require proper care and food for adequate and healthy growth. The food requirement varies according to the age and growth of the puppies. For a 10-month old puppy, 1-3 cups of food and two meals are enough daily.
But the nutritional demand must be met appropriately.
How much to feed:
The food required for a puppy depends on its age and weight. With age, the food requirement increases as well. A 10-year-old puppy of medium weight usually requires 1-3 cups of food daily. Giving at least two meals a day is mandatory to maintain the nutritional demand and digestion process.
Table of Contents
Puppies, or infant dogs, need the right care and nutrition to grow properly and healthily. Puppy food is specifically created for the nutritional needs of young and growing dogs, with double the daily nutritional requirements of a mature dog.
Puppies require varying nutrition in their varying ages and weights. It means you can not provide the same amount of food to puppies of all ages and weights. You need to make a diet chart for your puppies for proper distribution of nutrients.
There are also differences in different nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbs, and minerals. You should provide nutrients as per your puppy’s requirements. For example, for a strong puppy, you need to give more protein.
But if your puppy is strong enough, you have to reduce the protein content.
On the other hand, fats are provided for gaining energy. But less energy is required for puppies of 10-12 months. So, you should not provide more fats to them. Vitamins and minerals are given for healthy growth. A well-grown puppy does not require many vitamins.
However, a 10-year-old puppy generally weighs between 3- 100+ lbs. Their food requirements vary accordingly. Puppies with poor weight require only 1-2 cups of food daily which can be distributed in two meals.
On the other hand, a medium-weight puppy can have 2-3 cups of meal daily. Such an amount is sufficient for a 10-month-old puppy. Puppies with heavy weights require more food. 4-7+ cups of food are mandatory for them for proper growth and health benefits.
How to determine and calculate how much to feed:
Food requirements for puppies basically depend on their age and weight.
Determine the age:
The first and foremost identification is the age of the puppy to determine the required food and meals a day. Smaller puppies require less food compared to older ones.
Measure the weight:
After the age, you need to know the weight of your puppy, weight along with age will help you to determine the amount of food required for your puppy. Food amount varies with the same age but different weights.
Inspect the growth:
There may be some adjustments in the food based on the growth of your puppy. If your puppy is strong enough, you may reduce the protein amount in the food.
Nutrition requirement:
Growing up puppies require extra attention and take care of. It ensures healthy growth and wellbeing. Malnutrition may lead to a lack of physical health to become a healthy dog.
Overall a healthy puppy requires food that contains all types of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Balanced food will eliminate any diseases due to malnutrition. Also, in this way, puppies tend to require more nutritious foods because their body is building in this phase
If you wish to pet an animal, you must know what is their nutrition requirement. For puppies, you must prioritize feeding foods with protein and carbohydrates. These not only give them energy but also make growth more sustainable.
And like any other animal, there is a subtle need for water. Water keeps puppies cool and calm, thus, an adequate amount of water will lead to a healthy liver. So, you must balance diets and treats for puppies.
How much to feed a 10-month-old puppy by weight:
The weight of puppies varies with the age differences. The weight increases as they grow older as they grow gradually. Their food requirements also vary along with their weight and age.
A chart has been given below regarding the amount of food required based on the weight for a day.
| 10-month-old dog weight (KG) | 10-month-old dog weight (lbs.) | The recommended amount of food |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 KG | 3-12 lbs. | Adult portion |
| 6-9 KG | 13-20 lbs. | 1-1.5 cups |
| 9-22 KG | 21-50 lbs. | 2-3 cups |
| 23-34 KG | 51-75 lbs. | 2.5-4.75 cups |
| 34-45 KG | 76-100 lbs. | 3.75-7 |
| 45+ KG | 101+ lbs. | 7 cups + 1/3 cup for every 10 lbs over 100 |
How often to feed a 10-month-old puppy?
A diet schedule for puppies helps them learn when to expect food. So, preparing a diet routine is crucial for them. A 10-month-old puppy should be fed at least two times a day so that its nutritional requirements are adequately met.
Young puppies require three or four meals a day, according to the feeding guide. But their meal requirement reduces when they are older, about 3-12 months. Giving two meals a day is considered appropriate for their energy.
Small puppies are typically fed at 7 am, noon and 5 pm. You can change your timetable for puppy eating times as per your requirement if you decide to conduct more or less than three feedings.
But you need to make sure to finish your last feeding at 5 pm. This allows your pet enough time to digest the food and excrete it one last time before night.
However, two times a day will be a suitable feeding routine for a 10-month-old puppy. You can provide morning meals between 8–10 am and evening meals between 4–5 pm. As a result, there will be no issue of being hungry and proper digestion of foods.
What food is best for a 10-month-old puppy?
A well-balanced puppy diet contains the nutrients that a puppy requires. Puppy chow offers around 30% protein, as well as the vitamins and minerals that a puppy requires to be healthy. Puppy food is also heavy in fat, which provides energy.
Puppy food is divided into three types: moist, semi-moist, and dry kibble. Among the three, the dry type of puppy food is better than the others for a 10-month-old puppy. Because-
Protein content:
Meat protein is more abundant in dry food. It is also more practical, cost-efficient, effective in keeping teeth clean, and simple to digest.
Moist puppy chow is similarly easier to digest, but it is more expensive and degrades faster if not properly stored.
Less water content:
Dry food has less water but is high in other nutrients. Water can also be obtained from other sources. On the contrary, because moist meals are typically made of 75% water, they contain fewer nutrients.
Another issue with moist puppy food is how it affects the teeth.
Feeding your puppy a combination of dry kibble and moist dog food is usually the best option. You can combine them or distribute them from meal to meal.
Feeding schedule and best times to feed a 10-month-old puppy
A schedule for meals helps puppies learn about food timing. As a result, they get used to the time when to accept food. This is very important for the puppies. According to the feeding guide, a 10-month-old puppy should be fed at least two times throughout the day.
Usually, puppies are fed between 7 am and 5 pm. Small puppies are fed three times, so they require a meal at noon. As a 10-month-old puppy eats two meals, their morning meals can be given between 8–10 am and evening meals between 4–5 pm.
However, certain adjustments can be made as per requirement. The following are some considerations for setting the feeding schedule of a 10-month-old puppy.
Less scope for getting hungry:
You should make a schedule considering the food gap of puppies. You must ensure that they don’t get hungry much and get enough nutrition from time to time. This will help to grow well.
Time to digest the food:
The puppies should also get enough time to digest food and release it before bed. Thus, they will be relaxed and have a sound sleep.
What foods to avoid:
Sometimes, overeating may lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, some food is dangerous for dogs. You should never feed these foods to your dogs.
Such foods are alcohol, avocados, bread dough, caffeinated drinks, chocolate, garlic and onions, grapes or raisins, and xylitol (a sweetener).
Final thoughts
Puppy foods consist of nutritional ingredients two times more than matured dogs. The food requirements are different for puppies of varying ages and weight ranges. It also depends on the growth. However, a 10-month-old puppy of medium weight requires 1-3 cups of food daily divided into two meals.