Any advice on how much to feed my growing puppy???

Hello fellow corgsters...

I was wondering if there is some kind of corgi growth chart and feeding guide? Ollie is four months, about 15 pounds with a great coat and energy level, and a good eater. He's not a piggy at all... when he's done eating, he just walks away from the bowl and leaves food in it.. which is good for weight control int he future but odd for me to see in a puppy!

He loves his food (Wellness puppy dry food) and I think the chart on the back advises for too much food b/c when I put in that much, a lot gets left in the bowl. I feed him 1 and 3/4 cups (with some nutrical puppy supplement) instead of the listed 2.5 cups a day, and this way he finishes most and if he wants more I'll put more in the bowl. Is that ok as long as he's growing healthily?

Thanks!!!

Ollie's mom

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Permalink Reply by Edison on August 9, 2010 at 2:50pm

Never, ever, ever believe the charts on the dog food bags. I don't know who writes those things, but they're positively irresponsible- clearly, your Ollie knows better than they do. :) Corgis are smart, but usually not about food- congratulations for picking out a self-regulator! ;) 1 3/4 cups a day is fine for a fast-growing puppy. Eventually, he'll quit growing so quickly and will consume less- Edison ate about 1.5 cups of dry food daily as a puppy and now has 1 cup.

Unfortunately, I don't think there exists a growth chart/feeding guide. The best you can do is periodically check to see that he has a waist (look at him from above, there should be a bit of concavity between the rib cage and the hips) and adjust his food levels accordingly. If it helps at all, I think this is a normal weight for Ollie's age. Good luck with your adorable pup!

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Permalink Reply by Carla on August 9, 2010 at 3:29pm

"Edison" offered you great advice above, I would just add that from my personal experience with my pup, she sort of shifted from a self-regulator to an eating machine as she aged. So while as a puppy she would eat what she felt was good, and then stop, she will now (at 13 months) eat without much consideration of how full her belly is.

I'm just suggesting to be cognizant of the self-regulating behaviour, to make sure you don't have a puppy who shifts to an eating maniac, but you keep feeding him thinking he's still regulating himself and he blows up like a balloon, lol.

Really the best way is to watch their waistlines. If they look like a bullet (or an apple) they're eating too much. You should see waist definition and be able to feel their ribs when you run your hands along their sides. If they're exercising more (or less) then before, then that should be taken into consideration as well.

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Permalink Reply by Ollie & Prie Misra on August 9, 2010 at 4:26pm

thank you both! Ollie's waistline looks/feels great and at his vet visit a couple of weeks ago, our vet gave him an A+ :) I just got nervous about his eating less than advised -- good to hear that you agree with me on the overstating on the food bags! I think that they may be fine for some breeds, while not others.. for example, my friend's golden retriever is Ollie's size/weight but only 8 weeks old.. so he might need that extra food. It's just misleading since dogs run such a large gamut! I also watch his habits closely (probably too closely lol) so I'll take note of any eating changes!

I'm also careful not to give too many treats at once b/c with those, he'll eat himself silly lol

thanks Edison & Carla (& their people!)