Higher quality ingredients with better sourcing and specialized diet formulas lead to overall better health for our puppies. And every bit as important as what to feed your puppy is having an understanding of his special nutritional needs.

All puppies are different, so if you have any concerns or questions about your puppy’s food, feeding schedule, or nutritional health, consult your local Pet Wants, breeder, or veterinarian—that’s what they’re there for.

Feeding Your Puppy: A First-Year Timeline

Many puppy owners wonder, “How long should I feed puppy food?” Here is a general timeline for what your puppy needs at each stage of his first year of life.

• 6–12 weeks: Growing pups should be fed puppy food, a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for normal development. Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients. Four feedings a day are usually adequate to meet nutritional demands. Large breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by 9 or 10 weeks; small dogs by 12 or 13 weeks.
• 3–6 months: Sometime during this period, decrease feedings from four to three a day. A pup should be losing her potbelly and pudginess by 12 weeks. If she is still roly-poly at this age, continue to feed puppy-size portions until body type matures.
• 6–12 months: Begin feeding twice daily. Spaying or neutering lowers energy requirements slightly; after the procedure, switch from nutrient-rich puppy food to adult maintenance food. Small breeds can make the switch at 7 to 9 months; bigger breeds at 12, 13, even 14 months.
• After age 1: Most owners feed adult dogs two half-portions a day.

Pet Wants Puppy Food

Our puppy food has higher nutritional density, so you can feed your dog less to achieve the same results. We invest heavily in product development and research, constantly upgrading formulas to keep up with our competitors. This means that feeding Pet Wants food puts you on the cutting edge of canine nutrition.

Chart Your Puppy’s Weight and Growth

• Weigh the puppy weekly and record his progress, comparing him to breed-appropriate weight charts. Adjust his food intake to achieve an average rate of growth.
• Don’t worry about an ounce or two either way; no two dogs, even within breeds, are built exactly alike.
• A young dog carrying too much weight has an increased risk of orthopedic problems, due to stress on immature joints. Obesity can also lead to diabetes, diseases of the heart and other organs, and general lethargy.
• When switching from puppy food to adult food, do so gradually over a period of a few days. A sudden diet change may cause stomach upset. Ask us about the best adult dog food for your growing best friend.

Puppy Feeding Faux-Paws

• Feeding your puppy table scraps. Don’t be fooled: Begging is not an emotional crisis or a test of your love. Allowing your dog to guilt you into overfeeding him or serving him a steady diet of table scraps in a misguided show of affection, can upset their stomach, and have harmful or even fatal results. One little piece of people food will invariably lead to another, and another. Before long, you may have an obese dog.
• Feeding your puppy the moment you get home. This may encourage puppy separation anxiety. Play or grooming is a more positive way to say hello.