The food you give your Labrador puppy, together with choosing the right portions and schedules, will help ensure their optimum growth, development and health. Puppy kibble, raw food, wet canned meals and homemade Labrador diets all have different benefits.
The amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals vary even between brands of the same type of puppy food. Your small puppy needs to eat regular small nutritious meals. Feed your Lab puppy four times a day, to begin with, evenly spread out over daytime hours. Our Labrador feeding chart by age will help you adjust as your puppy grows up.
Contents
- How much to feed a Lab puppy
- Labrador feeding chart by age
- Best puppy food for your Lab
- Feeding your puppy on kibble
- Raw diets
- How often and what time to feed
I will show you the best puppy foods, whether dry, wet, or raw, and look at food safety, together with schedules, quantities and even a handy puppy diet chart. Finally, I’ll include some reviews of the various brands, and will help you cope with the all-important transition to feeding an adult dog.
Ways of Feeding Your Labrador Puppy
The main Labrador puppy food types are:
- Puppy kibble dried food
- BARF or raw feed
- Wet food in cans or pouches
- Home cooked puppy food
Experts Disagree on Puppy Feeding
Experts disagree on the best way to feed your puppy. People often feel very strongly that one way of feeding is better than another, and you can always find evidence to support your view. Dog breeders, veterinarians and even nutritionists have their own strong views. The dire consequences they list for not listening to them can have puppy owners very worried.
The truth is that there is no good quality evidence showing that kibble is better for the long term health of your dog, or that raw feeding is better. There are risks and benefits to both, and the main thing is to ensure that your dog has good quality food to eat.
Choosing The Best Puppy Food For Labs
Different puppy feeding suit different families. Puppy kibble suits some better, and raw puppy food is better for others.
If like most people, you’ll be feeding your Labrador puppy on commercial dry puppy food, you should not feel that you are letting him down in any way.
Puppy Kibble for your Labrador
Good puppy kibble will contain all the nutrients your Labrador puppy needs in order to grow and remain healthy. Puppy kibble stores well provided that you don’t get the food become damp. An airtight plastic container or tin will do the job, although you should make sure it is food grade quality.
Most breeders start their puppies off on kibble and your veterinarian is most likely to support this method of feeding.
What Other Food Should You Feed With Puppy Kibble?
Labrador puppy kibble only needs to be fed next to water. Puppy kibble from a reputable manufacturer is intended to be a complete and balanced food. But some owners like to mix in canned dog food or even scraps of raw food with kibble.
Whether you decide to feed only with kibble or you want to mix it up, pick a good dried food manufacturer and stick with them.
What About Feeding Puppies On Raw Food?
Feeding your Labrador puppy raw food has its benefits and drawbacks. One of the downsides is that there is a lot to learn.
Do Plenty of Research
Puppy nutrition research is a huge area you’ll need to dive into to make sure they have a balanced diet during rapid growth. Here is a link to the articles you need to help you decide whether or not raw feeding is for you:
Although I like the raw diet for my dogs, most puppies fed kibble go on to have long and healthy lives. Whatever puppy food you choose, the most important thing is portion control.
How Much to Feed your Labrador Puppy?
People often tell me how much their puppy weighs, and ask how much puppy food they should give him. In fact, one of the most common questions we hear is “how much should I feed my Labrador puppy?”
Labrador puppy food quantities can be measured in weight, but you can also do it by eye. Your puppy’s physical shape is a big giveaway.
Risks Of Overfeeding Your Puppy
Rapid growth doesn’t just put weight on your puppy, but leads to larger but less dense bones and associated skeletal abnormalities. Your Labrador is particularly at risk if they grow too quickly.
The following diet chart is for kibble fed puppies and does not apply to raw fed pups. It gives you an idea of how much to feed your Labrador puppy
Lab Puppy Feeding Chart
The Lab puppy feeding chart below is only a very rough guide. The quantity of food you need for your puppy will vary depending on your puppy and on the brand of food you are feeding him.
Choosing Best Brand of Puppy Food
The best brands of dog food will provide all your puppy’s nutrients and keep him healthy without costing you a small mortgage each week.
It’s important to give your little one food specifically designed for your puppy, because they have different nutritional needs.
Labrador puppy food must be aimed at medium to large breed dogs. Check the pack carefully and look at the dietary charts. Ideally, you want the optimal protein content and the lowest amount of additives.
Part of this always comes down to the cost. The healthiest puppy food is usually the most expensive and may not be affordable for some families.
The Cost Of Puppy Food
Some puppy food brands are more concentrated than and contain a higher proportion of proteins, essential oils, and other nutrients. The cheaper brands may contain more ‘fillers’ in the form of extra carbohydrates, usually made from grain. The absence of these fillers means that you can often feed lower quantities of more costly food, making them less expensive than they first seem.
You might also find that cheaper brands make your puppy poop more due to those extra fillers going straight through him. While some brands are beyond the budget of many families, it is usually good to buy a premium brand.
High Quality Brands of Puppy Food
Some brands of puppy food have developed a reputation for producing a high quality product and have many devoted supporters, including breeders that have fed them to generations of puppies.
(paid link)We’ve selected some good quality brands in our Amazon puppy picks:
One of our favourites is Orijen Large Breed Puppy Formula.*(paid link)
We also like Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy Food*(paid link).
Orijen and Nature’s Variety (and some of the other more expensive brands), rely on legumes like lentils and chickpeas as a source of carbs.
These are much gentler on your dog’s stomach than grain, which can cause bowel irritation.
Puppy Food Availability
The big brands are widely available in many parts of the world, and they have a valuable reputation to maintain. So, the chances are, your puppy will be eating a good quality product if you choose one of these.
Your puppy food should give you the manufacturers quantity guidelines for that brand on the packet.
Again, this is a rough guide only, and you should not follow the advice slavishly. Your overfed puppy will be prone to diarrhea, obesity, and too-rapid growth.
Following Puppy Feeding Quantity Guidelines
Just to complicate things, not every puppy in each age group will fall within the weights displayed on the chart above. Some owners may worry that there is something wrong with their puppy. However, don’t worry, because our cuddly Labrador pups vary so much.
Quite simply, puppies of the same age vary in weight and size, so that means the amount of food you need to feed them will be different. Use the guidelines on the packet as a guide, then observe and feel your puppy to check how he is doing. You can always chat to your vet if you have any concerns.
Keeping Your Puppy At The Right Weight
It is important that your dog does not get too fat or too thin. However, you have some leeway, and you should increase or decrease his rations accordingly as he grows.
The most common problem is puppies that get too fat. Although we all love cuddly Labrador puppies, they should not be rotund!
By three months or so, they should have definite waist just like older dogs. Check out this page for more information.
Of course, the other side of the weight issue is puppies that look too thin. That can be another important issue.
What If Your Puppy Is Too Thin?
If you are worried about your puppy’s growth rate it is a good idea to take him along to your vet for check up. Sometimes, it is just a matter of increasing the amount of food or changing the brand to a more nutritious option with fewer fillers.
How Often Should you Feed Your Labrador Puppy?
Like most baby animals, your puppy needs feeding more often than adult dogs. Right now, your puppy’s growth is the fastest it will ever be in his life. He needs plenty of calories to fuel that growth, as well as the right nutrients.
If you feed his entire day’s ration in one go, his digestive system will be overwhelmed and he’ll end up with diarrhea. So, you need to make sure that your puppy’s daily ration of food is broken up into several small meals, fed three to four hours apart.
General Guidelines
As a rule of thumb puppies fed on kibble require
- Four meals a day from eight weeks to three months
- Three meals a day from three months to six months
- Two meals a day thereafter
This is all part of getting your puppy used to the feeding routine. Puppies tend to like predictability and feeding at set times.
Mealtimes and Schedules: Or When to Feed Your Puppy
Your puppy’s feeding schedule can fit in with your preferences up to a point. But don’t try and cram all his meals into the evening. If you have to work during the day, you’ll need to make sure someone comes in to feed him.
You can’t just leave your puppy’s food ration for the day down, because he’ll eat it all at once and this may upset his tummy.
First Meal of the Day
Puppies love food, and crave the attention that comes with feeding time. If you’re feeding your Labrador puppy at 6am, because he has woken you and was hungry, the chances are he’ll wake you at 5:45 the following day!
Remember, feeding is a powerful reinforcer of behavior. If you don’t want to encourage your puppy to wake you up earlier each morning, don’t feed him as soon as you get up. Have a coffee and wake up before filling the bowl.
Have a set time for breakfast and don’t feed her before then, even if she has been awake for two hours. She won’t starve in that short period of time, although she might make you feel like she is! Be firm and resist the temptation.
Last Meal Before Bed
Try to space your puppy’s meals out fairly evenly throughout the day. Most importantly, don’t feed your puppy just before you put her to bed for the night.
I like to leave at least a four-hour gap between the puppy’s last meal and her bedtime. This helps to reduce the risk that she will want to use the bathroom at 2 am.
Example Puppy Feeding Schedule
Just to help you on the way, here is an example puppy feeding schedule. Of course, you can adapt this to suit your own routine as long as you pay attention to the above advice.
Feeding schedule for an 8 week old Labrador puppy
My puppy feeding times for 8-week-old puppies tend to be something like this:
- 7am
- 11am
- 3pm
- 7pm
You don’t need to be a slave to the clock, but this is just to give you an idea. A few minutes or even half an hour earlier or later won’t cause problems.
12 Weeks Old
Feeding schedule for a 12 week old Labrador puppy:>
- 8am
- 1pm
- 6pm
If you want to make an early start with training your puppy, you can use all or part of his daily rations during training sessions. Again, spread these out throughout the day, and don’t feed too close to bedtime
What If My Puppy Is Still Hungry?
One of the things people most often ask is, “what if my puppy is still hungry?” They have followed the guidelines on the packet, but the food doesn’t seem to be enough to satisfy the puppy.
If your puppy clears up his food in a few seconds and begs for more, don’t panic. This is perfectly common and perfectly normal.
Your puppy doesn’t know for sure when his next meal will be along, so it makes sense to him to eat as much as he possibly can right now!
(paid link)And, your puppy will be very good at using every trick in the book to win you round.
Stand firm!
What if My Puppy Won’t Eat?
As most experienced Labrador owners know, not all puppies are greedy. And studies have shown that puppies in general eat more when they are fed in a group with other puppies
Your puppy might go off their food for the first few days they spend at home. They eat a few bits of kibble then refuse any more. The puppy may eat from your hand but not their bowl. If your puppy won’t eat at all for more than four hours, then call your vet for advice. Call sooner if the pup is listless or showing any signs of being unwell.
Otherwise, a somewhat reduced appetite, to begin with, is probably nothing to worry about. Just mention it to your vet when you take the pup for his first check up, or in the next day or two.
Changing From Puppy To Adult Food
Puppy kibble manufacturers often recommend feeding your Labrador puppy kibble for puppies up to 12 months of age, before changing to adult kibble.
Some breeders and experienced dog owners do switch their lab puppies on to adult food before this, but not usually before they reach six months of age.
The Labrador Site Founder
Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.
She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training ProgramÂ
Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website
Hello Sir,
i just got a Lab as a gift from my friend and he is just 2 months old, can you please tell me when should i take him for Vaccination, and what food i should i give?
and one more thing i like to share is that, he bites a lot,. what is the reason for biting?
Hi, I just got a Labrador-Dachsund breed puppy at age 7 months +\-. What food does she need?
I have a 6 months lab and he has got an very bad habit of pouncing on our leg and catch hold it.
Plz tell me the solution for it
Hey i have a 2 months old lab! What should i feed it? Thank you !
Hi pippa,i hv got a choc female lebra,its 1 and half months old.its very active,plays alot.but it bites everything…..my hand , my mumma’s gown,my legs, everthing.its new teeth are coming.whenever we cuddle it,it bites us.what to do to stop this habbit?
hi ,I have one month old lab male,out of excitement my hubby bought it home ,someone suggested that we feed him on baby food(ceralac wheat ) five times with four hours gap and add a little of yoghurt to his diet,first day he was OK but later he’s having loose stool and drinking less water
please suggest me with an alternative
Hi, sadly, your puppy is far too young to leave his mum – check out this article
Dear sir, I have Eric named baby lab of one n half month. His hemoglobin is only 3 as he should have 12. He is not having dog food royal cannin even if it is served. He is only having milk twice a day. What kind of food I should serve to him. Please guide me
Hi there, I have a 4 month old lab. He is growing fast and seems quite lively. He is fed puppy kibble (beta). I am worried though because he seems to drink a lot (3 bowls of water a day) he is always licking the walls, floors, stones outside and finally… he eats his poop unless we can get out and stop him in time. Are these normal behaviours as our other lab didn’t do any of them?!!
Hello Pippa,
Thank you very much for the information in this website. I got a 12 week old lab yesterday and have been using this website as a guide for every action I take and it has been very helpful. However, my lab eats the mulch and everything else it can find in the yard or anywhere else. How can I control this behavior?
I was told by my breeder labs will eat anything.and it turned out to be completely true. Mine eats everything from mulch to poo. Can’t do much about it. Heard mulch
is not harmful. I prevent outdoor nibbles
as much as possible.
Plzz suggest me sum extra care fr my puppy coz it is vry young n away frm his mother
Due to some ugrnt reason I hv to gt it on dat day plzz suggest sum care to b taken as it is too young
Thank u pippa… but due to some reson we hv to buy it soon..
Hi i have a 7 month old lab i was wondering if i can feed him regular rice. Mu dad fed his dogs this but idk i fee him 2 times a day but he always seems hungry
Hi pippa,
M getting a 34 days old lab home on 14th july and as my family bing a vegetarian we would feed da puppy with veg food. Wld dis b problematic fr da puppys health??
Plzz rply soon will b w8ing for ur rply
Yes it will be problematic. Dogs are carnivores. If you don’t want to handle meat, you’ll need to purchase a complete pelleted dog food to give your puppy. Also, 34 days is too young to take a puppy from his mother. You need to wait until he is 8 weeks old. Pippa
We lost or 7 year old yellow lab appeared healthy autospy showed right side heart failure.we have a new puppy 7 1/2wk old.took her for ck.OK someone came to vet while I was there petted my puppy then told me there dog was in the car so I asked what was their seeing vet. She tells me Parvo after she peted my puppy what chance of my puppy getting sick from her petting her I don’t want to lose another lab broke our hearts when we lost Casey our7 yr old
hi Pippa,
My labrador is over 6 months old and we feed her royal canin as per instructions twice a day but am not sure about the interval between the two meals. I feed her one meal at around 8 in the morning and the second one at around 7 in the evening. is it the right gap to maintain?????Please reply am worried.
Hi Dolly, that sounds fine 🙂
Hi Pippa, we have a 10wk old choc lab and are having troubles with runny poos we were feeding him twice a day as that’s what the breeder said she was doing but his poos are runny and smelly no blood and not watery just not formed After reading your post we have now started feeding him his food over 4 even meals 4hrly like suggested my question is how long should it take for him to start having firmer bowl movements?? Thanks in advanced
Sorry should of said he is on a holistic premium dog kibble
Unfortunately, ignorance is not bliss. I hope owners heed your advice Pippa, and I just have to say you are doing a wonderful job.
Anyhow, I was wondering, what is the difference between waiting 12 months to switch from kibble to adult food and making the change sooner at 6 months?
ma lab pup is 1 and half month old… yesterday only we have bought him home but 1 once he had his food (kiddle) but after that he omitted everything..and he is not having anything. he is quite sleepy , continously lying down and not at all active. shopkeeper gave us royal canin maxi for mothers and baby dogs. 26-44 kg. is it ok to give these food to our pup or i should change his food
HI Pippa,
I have a labrador pup in my home. She is fawn in colour.She is one and half month old. She likes to eat ice cream very much. Can i feed her? Are their any side effects? I give her kiible four times a day. Is it good?
Hi Reshma, please don’t give your puppy ice cream. Follow the guidelines in this article . Pippa
I have 9 mnths girl labrador i have no idea what kind of food labrador like…any suggestions Please Pippa
Check out the article above Lana 🙂
I leave waterdownfor my 11 week old puppy all day however my step father is saying that he should only have water at food times and after play!!!! To me thats just cruel.
He’s a puppy he’s bound to have accidents, however tonight he keeps dropping urine EVERYWHERE! On the sofa, inside and out? Is it territorial?
Hi Pippa,
I have an 8 month old English lab. I’ve been feeding him Inukshuk, which is what my breeder had fed him; the problem is, I can only buy it from her and she’s 40 mins. away. It’s made in Canada and can only be bought in 1/2 pallets or more. I would like to switch him to another brand, but there are so many to choose from! I’ve been researching and find many “reputable” brands with numerous recalls i.e. Iams, Blue Diamond, Eukanuba. I’d like to find the best brand for him and stick with it. Do you have any recommendations?
Thanks,
Michele
Sorry Michele, I don’t recommend brands. But you could ask in the forum, people are usually happy to share what they are feeding and whether or not they are pleased with it.
Hi pippa ,
what did i feed my puppy 1 month old
Hi, a 1 month old puppy is too young to leave its mother, Pippa
Hi Pippa, firstly this site and the articles from you are very useful. We got a 6-7 weeks old lab puppy (he is called BoZo) on 1 Feb. We are feeding him Royal Canine puppy starter food and upon checking, the vet found his weight fine. Bozo eats proper and fine -4 times a day, a handful ( touch wood). My questions are:
Do I need to restrict his water intake?
Do pellets need to be soaked prior in wam water?
Also, can I give my puppy treats? If yes, are those available in the supermarket safe for his age?
Thanks in anticipation.
Cheers, Tupur
Hi Tupur, your puppy should have unrestricted access to water during the day. You do not need to soak his kibble. Puppy kibble is designed to be eaten dry.
Be careful with treats. If you buy them from a shop, make sure they do not contain sugar and are specifically made for puppies. I can’t comment on what is available in your supermarket I’m afraid, you’ll need to read the packet carefully.
If you give your puppy too many treats, it will unbalance his diet. So I suggest you forget commercially made treats, at this point and use your puppy’s own food rations for training rewards. When you need more powerful rewards, tiny pieces of cheese or cooked meat are fine. Pippa
Hi Pippa again, My 6 month old puppy has had loose stools for a month now on and off. He is fine all other way, it is ok to give them probiotic natural yogurt? Will this help.
Lots of people give their dogs probiotics, whether or not it will help would probably depend on the cause of the loose stools. Best to have him checked over by the vet. Pippa
Hello Pippa
We have just got bruno home , Hes 9 weeks old , The breeder used to feed him minced chicken rice and some kibble mixed with water and grind to be fine , We did that a few times and now are grinding kibble and mixing with water and feeding him 4 times a day , He poo seems alrite , Please advise if i am doing the right thing.
Cheers
Vish
Hi Pippa, My 5 month old puppy is on Hills Science and has had cake mix style poo for just over a week. We feed him 450 gms (3 cups) of food 3 times a day. He is correct weight and is happy in himself. Shall we start and feed him same amount twice a day? Do you think that will help firm up his stools?
Please help.
Ps I have your book and love it.
I have a 67days old puppy what food should I give her
Hi Pippa
I have a two female lab (Rosie and Rusty ) they are almost 2- 3 years mid of this age.I would like to know how many times meal to be given and what?As these breed likes to eat a lot .In the morning i give them rice and chicken at 8am or 9am and directly i give them food at 9am or 8pm .So is it ok ? Kindly suggest .
Thanking you for your co-operation.
Good Day!
Hello Shivani, As you have rightly mentioned, these breads love eating to the core. When i had brought Mckie he was 30 days, as i am working and no at home, there was no one to feed him thru the day. The maid appointed was not regular. i started feeding him with boiled veggies for breakfast like potatoes which is full of carbohydrates, and them very small feeds of Royal Cannin in the evening at intervals of 4 as he is very active at nights. I see no problems with Mckie. Only point to note is not to put false habits in her by giving her anything to eat out off its feeding cycle. To put your answer in a nut shell, i do not see any reason in feeding them only twice a day. It looks perfect as long as adequate nutrients are made available
Hi I have a 8 week old lab we have had him 2 weeks now how do I get him to sleep right through the night also what is the best time for the last feed thank you
Hey Carol, i do not see any point in wasting your efforts in putting your efforts in putting him off to sleep at nights. They wont. Over a period of time they would get accustomed to your habits. Give them that time. I had bought Mckie when he was 30 days of age. He slept through out the day and at night he was very active. Now he is almost 4 months, he know when i sleep and when i wake up. My nights are very peaceful now.
Hi Manoj
I read your post and I am still struggling at nights because he wakes up and makes noise, almost every 3-4 hours. I take him to wee, and he poos also, is this normal or should I let him inside his create until he doesn´t wake up? He is 12 weeks old.
hi my puppy is 3 month year old what foods should i give to him please help
Hi Pippa
Have a wonderful 16 week lab puppy. He has never been too keen on kibble so imadded a few pieces of cooked chicken on the top (literally one chicken thigh over the whole day) because when he had to have chicken and rice for upset tummy he wS so much more interested in his food. The vet says at 17.5 kg he is overweight. Should I stop adding the chicken? He’s not interested when I try that or should I change his food to another make? He has 2/3 walks a day and lots of exercise in the garden
Hi Deanna, If you want to feed your puppy on kibble (and there is nothing wrong with this) I recommend you don’t add anything to your puppy’s kibble. Puppy’s love chicken so he is bound to prefer it.
Just offer him his kibble, and take it away after a few minutes if he does not eat it.
If he is overweight, you need to give him less food. It is that simple really. You hold all the cards. 🙂
Pippa
My 2 month Labrador puppy losing his hair so much, and he bit everyone in family, pillow so what can I do major problem is he losing his hair very badly in last 3 days pls tell me about medicine to give my lab.
Thank you
Pls tell me today is possible.
Hi Shivaji, please check out this article. It talks about puppies losing hair. You will find lots of information on biting, in the puppies section. Best wishes, Pippa
Hi Pippa, I have your book and it is brill. We have an 11 week old fox red lab puppy and when he feeds its like he is on fast forward!! I tried putting a ball and mini kong in the bowl to slow him down but it doesn’t. Is this normal – is he just a little pigglet dogglet? He is healthy and putting on weight at a steady pace, he is 7kg but still looks the correct shape.
Hi Lesley, glad you like the book 🙂 Rapid eating is very common in Labrador puppies. Views differ as to whether it does any harm. You can buy ‘slow feed’ bowls, which will reduce the speed of eating. There is a link to one in this article Good luck with your puppy. Best wishes Pippa
We put a large rock in our puppies bowl, he had to fight around it which slowed him down so instead of 10 seconds it took him about 1 minute. This helped with his digestion ( eating so fast he threw up right after ) and stool. We did this for 2 weeks and he is a little slower but still a fast eater and does not vomit anymore.
Hi Pippa:),
My place lacks good vets..my doggy ,kukku,5yr old lab died recently..she had vomiting and fever like symptoms including cough…v tried a lot to get her back..:-(.eventhough we R in despair..planning to get a new puppy…and I’d like to know of what all things to take care of to get a long life?givin chicken and fish bones is dangerous?
Hi Rincee, giving cooked bones may well be dangerous. Giving raw bones as a part of a balanced raw diet is a different matter. There are pros and cons. Here is an article about raw feeding. Taking care of your puppy is a big topic, so you will need to read up on it using the articles available in the puppy section. Good luck with your new puppy
Pippa
I should have added that the vet had this little Pup on intraven. for 2 days & we don’t know just how long she was in this box . She was found by the Campsite Owner cleaning up after the Weekend. Still wondering if many small meals will help her catch up. Also we have 5 other Dogs here & 2 Cats all, but one spoiled one, like her a lot and play & clean her . Hope you have some helpful thiughts as there is too much info on the Web to grasp sometimes. Thanks
Hi There – We have had the Joy of adding a Baby to our lot . We have always taken in 10 yr old> that have been displaced due to death, illness or ,mostly, people going to Old age Homes & family won’t care for the old dog. They have given us ,& still do, great pleasure. Now however, we have a yellow lab found in a box on the July 1st weekend & around 4-5 weeks at that time. We are feeding a Vets canned puppy food every 4 hours ( loose 1/4 of cup ) & are introducing 15 nuggets or so every couple of hours . Couldn’t do the nuggets earlier as she woofs them down & then throws them up ,as is, 15 minutes later. We make sure she chews each one now & that they are not the “main menue” item . Mostly snacks . She’s hungry all he time but are most pups like that ? I don’t want to starve her but don’t want to make her sick either. The vet said all dogs are different ??? There is also nothing on the can – just to contact the vet .She was 2 lbs on Juy 2nd & is now 5+ lbs & approx. 2 mths old. Anything extra I should know. Old dogs are easier to feed 🙂 Thanks for any help
Guess who ate breakfast! YAY!
We just brought home our 8.5 week old pup and he is happy, playing, sleeping and healthy but he hardly seems to eat to me. He has only been here one day and I assume it is because he is adjusting. Any other advice or suggestions? Don’t get me wrong he is eating about 3 to 5 mouthfuls at eat feeding and drinking and peeing fine but there is still tons of kibble left compared to the suggested feeding amount. Thanks!
Hi Tanya, some puppies are a little subdued until they have settled in to their new homes. But you need to get your puppy checked by your vet in any case, so mention the feeding to him at the same time. Pippa
Thank you Pippa! He is eating great this morning and he sniffed his food bag out in the other room and keeps barking at it! lol … I think he like it now 😉 What a relief.
Hi, I m a physician and planning to buy a Labrador puppy very soon . What should be the ideal age of the puppy for bringing home? Definitely not less than 2 months , I think. What do you suggest?
Hi there, eight weeks is the right age. Pippa
Pippa, I found that mixing puppy kibble with a small amount of tinned puppy food. with plenty of water available. Unfourtnatly i did know what he had been fed on, as dumped in Chateau grounds. I have to say i was lucky , no problems. I feed him adult kibble with a small amount of tinned, Twice a day. Weigh it each feed, give him bones , ever so often. Then i cut a small amount out, as Labradors , can ballon easily.
I have got a 4 weeks old labrador so please tell me how to take care of him… I havent took care of any pet yet so i request you to help me ….. Will be waiting for ur rply
hi i have 2 and half month old puppy name labby female the day i bought her she was fine than gradually she having loose motion …now she is vomiting continuously and refuse to have food and water i showed her to vet they given her saline still she is not recover still vomits pls advice what to do..
Sorry to hear your puppy is sick. You need to let your vet take over now. He will do his best for her. I hope she recovers soon. Pippa
Hello,
Thank you so much my labby is fine now..just have few more queries my puppy is 3 months old now almost 14 weeks and her weight is only 7 kg..even she is not growing that fast according to her age i spoke to my vet they had given her royal canin kibble.still no recover..pls help with some advice.
Thank you
Monika
hi, i own a 5 month old black labrador pup blacky. Just need to ask that what shall i give him in food coz his wait’s not growing whereas the other black lab which born with him only is way fatter than blacky. I give him veg foods. plz suggests sumthng
Hi Debonita, there are many reasons why a puppy might not put on weight. It would be best to check with your vet. Dogs are carnivores and benefit from an appropriate diet.
Pippa
Hello i just got my Lab for my 18th. im nervous in feeding her.
I have food for adult dogs but i was wondering if i broke the chunks of food into smaller peices would it be ok im using Earls Premium moist and meaty
Hi Kevin, puppies have different nutritional needs from adults, so you need to get her some puppy food.
Pippa
Hello sir
We have 31 days lab.pet pls suggest diet chart and tell me how use me vaccine for her
Fido, my new dog, we are giving him vegetarian kibble. Will this harm him in anyway ? Please tell me. I am very worried about him.
Hi there, I am not familiar with vegetarian kibble, and I recommend that dogs are fed a diet designed for carnivores. If you are worried about your dog I suggest you switch to a well-known brand of standard kibble.
Pippa
good .pl suggest me a veg brand
How to prepare home made vegetarian dog food????????????
Hi there,
Dogs are carnivores and should not be fed a vegetarian diet.
Pippa
Hi
Dogs aren’t carnivores. They are omnivores – exactly the same as the wolf omnivores they descended from and the human omnivores they live with.
The problems arise when well-meaning owners give dogs scraps of junk food, which are as unhealthy for the dog as for the owner.
Hi Maria, the question of whether or not dogs are carnivores is a topic for keen discussion. But scientific evidence currently suggests that they are.
The domestic dog is now classified as a subspecies of the gray wolf. This classification is based on DNA evidence. Wolves (and dogs) belong to the family Canidae, all of which belong to the order Carnivora, or carnivores. There is often dispute as to how carnivorous dogs actually are, but right now, they are classified as carnivorous and their digestive system supports this classification.
Pippa
Carnivores or omnivores, dogs most certainly are not vegetarians. Feeding them this way is very wrong and it can lead to serious health issues. We feed our dog raw, with pureed veggies for his easier digestion which supports the theses that dogs in fact ARE carnivores. If omnivores, there wouldn’t be the need to puree their veggies. Lately, since he was a bit on the slimmer side, I started adding carbs to his diet. I only give him rice, which is overcooked also for his easier digestion. He doesn’t get carbs every day. I started feeding him raw when he was a pup of 3 months and he’s thriving. As Pippa said, I wouldn’t feed raw (especially not at puppy life stage) unless you do a thorough research. Feeding raw is not just “throw dog some meat and raw bones”. There is a whole lot more to it.
i am sorry .i do not agree . we are hindu veg and feed our dog only veg food . he is healty and active
Biscuit, my last Lab, died from a tumour of the heart at 9 years 2 months, and was overweight from too many table scraps on top of her kibble. A word of warning there. She was fed on kibble for convenience I must admit, but the (popular and not cheap) brand I normally bought, had so much powder at the bottom of the bag that it needed sieving to get the last few handfulls. By contrast, Polly`s breeder fed her on Royal Canin Junior, and each big bag of the stuff I use is utterly clean when I get to the bottom, because there are a minimum of bulking ingredients. I plan to feed Polly the occasional meat meal but very few table scraps.
I have a question. My lab puppy (his name is Ace) LOVES to eat human food and I understand they are not very good for any dogs but I was told that if I feed them once or twice every month or two months it should be okay. What is your suggestion on this?
As the website you attached to your comment, and of which you are the administrator, is advising people what to feed their dogs, I am curious as to the reason behind your question 😉