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How Much to Feed 4 Month Old Puppy? (Read This First!)

In order to keep your dog healthy, you will need to make the right meal plan for them. Overfeeding them is just as unhealthy as underfeeding your puppies.

In this article, we will help you determine how much you should feed your 4-month-old puppy. Read ahead to learn more about it.

How much to feed:

Starting around 4 months, you should start serving your puppy about three meals a day. At this age, they should be served small meals more frequently rather than a few large meals a day. You should feed them between ½ cup to 2 ⅓ cups, depending on their weight at that age.

In order to determine how much and how often you should feed your 4-month-old puppy, you will need to consider its weight, health condition, breed, how active it is, and other such factors.

Thus, in order to answer how much to feed your puppy, we will need to thoroughly consider the physique and health conditions of your puppy. But generally speaking, you should serve your 4-month-old puppy between half a cup to 2 cups of food daily.

Around 4 months of age, you should start serving your puppy three meals per day. This is when they need small meals more frequently as their bodies develop more rapidly during this age.

So in order to ensure proper growth for them, you should provide them with small meals frequently. Three servings will be an ideal amount. The size of the serving will depend on the weight and rate of activity of the puppy.

If you are taking care of a small puppy, whose weight ranges between 3 to 12 lbs, then you should serve them with ⅔ a cup to 1 ⅓ cups a day. This will be an ideal amount for their growth. Make sure to plan the meal in such a way that they get all the necessary nutrition throughout the day.

And if you are taking care of a mid-sized puppy, perhaps weighing between 13 to 20 pounds, then you should feed them about 1 ⅛ cups to 2 cups a day. And in the case of larger puppies, say the ones ranging between 21 to 50 lbs, you should feed them about 1 and a half to 2 and a quarter cups of food every day.

How to determine and calculate how much to feed:

Since puppies grow at a pretty fast rate, it is often difficult to determine how much you should feed them. In order to keep them well-nourished, it is important to keep them well-fed. Let’s take a look at how you can determine and calculate how much to feed your puppy:

Consider their weight:

Firstly, you will need to consider the weight of your puppy. Make sure to consider the breed as well. Some breeds of puppies grow faster than others. Take note of whether your puppy is growing at the rate that it is supposed to.

If not then it is a clear indication that your puppy is not getting as much food as it needs in order to grow properly.

Breed of the puppy:

You should also factor in the breed of the puppy. If you are taking care of a puppy of a smaller breed, such as a pomeranian, then they will naturally require much less food than the others of the same age.

On the other hand, if you are taking care of a golden retriever then you will notice that the puppy is growing at a much faster rate. In that case, you will need to feed them more than the other puppies of the same age.

Nutrition requirement:

You will need to pay close attention to the nutrition requirement of a puppy, especially when they are around 4 months old. This is particularly important because puppies are of growing age at that time, and proper servings of nutrition are important in order to ensure a healthy life for them.

Puppies should be served at least three meals a day until they are six months old. After that, they are almost fully grown and the meal servings can be reduced to two times a day. This will ensure healthy growth for your puppies.

The recommended protein requirement for a puppy of that age is 22 to 25 percent of their daily meal. In addition, make sure to provide them with a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, fat, vitamin, and minerals. This will ensure their healthy development. Also, allow them easy access to water at all times.

How much to feed a 4 month old puppy by weight:

There are many factors that will play a role in determining the right amount of food for a 4-month old puppy. Let’s take a look at their weight and the recommended amount of food to serve them considering the weight.

4 month old dog weight (KG)4 month old dog weight (lbs)Recommended amount of food
1.5-5 kg3-12 lbs⅔ to 1 ⅓ cups
5.5 to 9 kg13-20 lbs1 ½ cups to 2 ¾ cups
9.5 to 22 kg21 to 50 lbs1 ½ cups to 2 ¾ cups
23 to 34 kg51 to 75 lbs1 ½ to 4 cups

How often to feed a 4 month old puppy:

It is ideal to feed a 4 month old puppy at least 3 times a day. Since this is their developing age, they need food more frequently. Until they are at least six months old, you should feed your puppies several times a day.

Then you can slowly reduce the number of times you feed them. Make sure to feed them at least three times a day until they are six months old. Then you can bring the number down to two meals a day.

If you feed you puppies three times a day, albeit, in small portions, it will keep them fulfilled and energized. Since puppies at this age cannot eat much in one seating, this will be an ideal feeding strategy for them.

What food is best for a 4 month old puppy:

Wondering what you should feed your puppy? Read ahead to find out about the foods that are best for a 4 month old puppy.

Meat:

You can feed meat to your puppies. But there are certain things that you will need to keep in mind. Note that there are many meat products marketed as puppy food. But they generally contain sulphite preservatives, which has proven to be harmful to dogs. It can even be fatal for them.

So you should provide your 4 month old puppies with human grade meat. You can even opt for human-grade sausages, kebabs, and so on.

Carbohydrates:

Dogs need an occasional dosage of carbohydrates as well. Make sure that you are providing your dog with some rice or pasta every once in a while. This will keep them perfectly energized.

Vegetables:

Provide your 4 month old puppies with some vegetables as well. This will serve them well every once in a while. Make sure to serve them cooked vegetables. You may opt for carrots, pumpkins, and so on.

Feeding schedule and best times to feed a 4 month old puppy:

Let’s take a look at the feeding schedule and the best times to feed your 4 month old puppies. It is ideal to serve them three meals a day, preferably at the same time every day. This schedule will help discipline your puppies as well.

Breakfast:

The first meal of the day should be served as early as you wake up. Since they will not have eaten since night, your puppy will be hungry. It is also important to ensure a well-nourished meal for them during breakfast.

The ideal time to serve them breakfast will be between 7 am to 9 am.

Lunch:

Serve them lunch at noon, ideally between 1 pm to 3 pm. Make sure to provide them with a protein-rich meal during this time.

Dinner:

Dinner should be served between 6 pm to 8 pm. Serve them a fulfilling meal at dinner, as they are not going to be eating a proper meal for a long time afterward.

Offer them occasional treats in between meals. This will ensure that your 4 month old puppy does not go hungry between meals.

What foods to avoid:

There are some foods that you must refrain from serving your dogs. The food to avoid includes chocolate, coffee, bones, raw meat, avocado, citrus, and so on.

You should also avoid feeding onions and garlic to your dogs. Do not feed them curries as well.

Final thoughts

You should feed your 4 month old puppy with half to two and a half cups of meal every day. This is their growing age, so you will need to ensure nutrition-rich meals for them. Plan the meals thoroughly. Serve them at least three meals a day during this time.