Differences in Recommended Feeding Guidelines...
 

Okay, after reading some information on the Wellness website, I think I may have figured out why some dog foods require a greater amount (cups) per day--something about weight (although, the adult recommended amounts for the same dog are all pretty close, so maybe it doesn't make much sense...)

Anyway, my question is this....I'm currently switching my Bella over from PurinaOne Puppy to Wellness, but the feeding guidelines right now say to feed a 3-4 mo. old (she turned 4 mo. old yesterday) who is 3 lbs. 1 1/4 c.!!!! With the PurinaOne (which I realize NOW wasn't a good choice) I only gave her 1/4 c. (and was getting ready to up it to 1/3 c.) And she could barely eat all of that! I feed her meals, but had started just leaving it, because she would eat a little for breakfast, maybe nothing at all for lunch, and then pick a tiny bit at dinnertime, but then close to an hour or less before bedtime was when she'd eat most if not all of what was left if I left it out. I was afraid to feed meals when she wasn't eating at mealtimes. Today we're starting mealtimes again, so we'll see how that goes. And she does seem to like the Wellness, but she liked the PurinaOne a lot in the beginning too (the breeder had her on Eukanuba) and would eat all of it then, and in meals too!

Even with mixing 1/2 PurinaOne and 1/2 Wellness, she doesn't eat all of what I give her over the whole day (which I'm giving 1/4 c. P.O. and 1/4 c. Wellness because I have no idea how you gradually mix food with unequal feeding guidelines??) There was about 1/4 c. left yesterday when we went to bed, so she only ate about 1/4 c. I don't think she'll ever eat 1 1/4 c. of food like the Wellness bag suggests! (Related question: How is a baby Yorkie supposed to eat 1 1/4 c. of food a day but the same adult Yorkie only about 1/2 c. a day?? That doesn't make sense to me at all!)

Thanks in advance for any input!!

You can't go by what it says on the bag. My vet says what is on the bag is 3-4 times the amount most animals need (it is a ploy to get you to overfeed and buy more food), especially if they tend to be on the heavy side. It is best to go by weight and appetite. Check with your vet on the proper amount to feed YOUR baby.

Your baby's appetite, appearance (coat, size, etc), and energy level should be your guide as to how much to feed. The bag is only a guideline, but you will see how much *your* baby actually needs to keep her full. As long as she isn't undereating and doesn't start losing weight, let her decide how much she eats.
Good luck!!

Another thing you need to consider is that Wellness puppy is a puppy food for all types of dogs and the needs of different breeds are all different. At Buddys biggest growth spurt he ate about 2/3 of a cup of wellness in a days time. Which was when he was about 5-6 months old. The reason the eat less as an adult even though they weigh more is because they are no longer growing and don't need the same requirements. We do not have set meal times at our house, I just give a measured amount twice a day to control portion but also allow them to eat when they are ready too. Buddy and Bella both tend to eat 3-4 small meals a day at about the same time everyday when left to decide for themselves.