Feeding your dog correctly is important not only to their physical health, but to their mental and developmental health as well. Though every individual dog differs, there are some basic guidelines for how often a dog should be fed. Consult your veterinarian to make sure the diet plan you set for your pup is good to go.

For the pup’s first eight weeks, time with its mother is especially important. They should drink their mother’s milk for about the first four weeks of their lives, slowly adjusting to more solid food. After the first four weeks, try mixing three parts food with one part water of puppy replacement milk. This step will help make the food easier for your puppy to digest.

Once the pup becomes adjusted to solid food, you should feed him 3-4 times a day, usually from the time they are around 6 weeks to around 8 weeks. They need a lot of protein and calcium in this stage of their lives, making their diet very different from that of adult dogs. Check dog food labels and ask your vet what your dog should be eating. A good rule of thumb is that meat should be the first ingredient on the food’s label.

After 8 weeks, you can begin to feed your dog twice a day.

When your dog is about 3-6 months old, he will begin teething. This may make him a finicky eater. Continue to feed him twice a day and take him to the vet if there is vomiting or if your dog won’t eat. This can be one of the most problematic times in a dog’s life, so take extra care of your pup and be tentative to his needs. Keep feeding the dog twice a day.

At the one year mark, your dog is considered an adult. Your vet should tell you when you can switch him to adult food, but this is usually the time. Depending on the size of your dog, times may differ.

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