how much should a puppy eat?

[miss fortune]

we got a puppy last week and I've been trying to figure out how much I should feed him. He's 3 months old and already around 30 lbs and I'm pretty convinced that, if left to his own devices, he'd eat an entire bag of dog food every day and end up looking like something from the Macy's parade. Figuring out how much to feed a dog is not easy though... I've seen tips like "let them eat until they are full (that would take FOREVER) or to give them a cup of food a day, broken into 3 different feeding sessions (I tried that and he acted like he was starving to death).

Any suggestions as to how much to feed a large breed puppy?

 

[Winds of Thor]

I'd just feed him a cup morning, noon and night, check to look if he's getting fat every so often and adjust accordingly.

 

[Ivy]

We went by the "free access to food for 10 minutes, 2-3x/day" rule, I think.

 

[Amargith]

Check the bag of food. Normally it should state on the bag how much you need to feed a puppy of his size and weight. It is different for every puppy. Even between large breeds, a golden retriever and a gentle giant are going to have different needs. Google the breed, or call the vet where you are going to take him for his shots and ask him for a weight chart to measure his weight as he progresses through his developmental stages. For that matter, most vets do an introductory session for a new puppy, where they will do a routine check and walk the owner through the various needs the puppy will have, from socialization to food to medical attention (de-worming for instance takes place every two weeks at first), to advice and information on how to properly potty train your puppy.

Leaving a dog to his own devices food-wise is rarely a good thing as they have a pack instinct. That means first come, first serve, so you better grab what you can if you want to eat today. Though not all dogs respond this way, most do, and puppies are even more susceptible to this behavior due to the recent sibling rivalry for a nipple. On top of that, puppy food is enriched for growing animals, so it is going to be quite fattening (useful for fattening up an adult dog, for instance).

Enjoy your new rascal