Chunky puppy
 

We went to the vet today. Paddington loved it! The little weirdo!

Anyway, the vet told me that he is a bit pudgy- which I kind of noticed yesterday. I told him I feed him about 1 cup of dry food a day; about 1/3 C three times. He eats all of what I give him in the morning before I even get out the door for work, and my mom says she feeds him 1/3 C around lunchtime and he eats it up. Then I feed him again about an hour after I get home. Sometimes I feed him kibble for dinner and sometimes I give him other things like a tsp of cottage cheese and a 1/4 of an apple chopped into bits (he likes his apples). I also mix Missing Link with his morning kibble.

The vet said that a whole cup a day is way too much for a dog his size, and he should only get about 1/3 C once a day. He is a little over 4 lbs and three months old. 1/3 C doesn't seem like very much! Especially since he eats that much within the hour of me getting ready for work.

I've started replacing his training treats with cheerios, unless he does something remarkable that really deserves a yummy beefy treat. I don't want a fat dog, but I want to make sure he gets the nutrients he needs! Does 1/3 C sound like it's enough to get the vitamins etc???

-O

The best advice I got about my chubby puppy was to look at the dog, not the amount of food. If the dog appears chunky, and you cannot feel his ribs, then you are feeding too much. A healthy weight is when you can feel the ribs without too much 'padding'.

The correct amount of food to maintain a healthy weight should supply the nutrients he needs. I would cut down portions gradually and monitor his weight.

My Baxter weighed 4 lbs at 12 weeks and was chunky. He is the kind of dog that would eat until he popped! He's two now and weighs 13 lbs which is a good weight for him. But I have to constantly monitor how much I feed him.