How much should I feed my labrador puppy?

Question

Hey, I have a 10-11 week old labrador puppy and she acts like she is always starving! I got her from a humane society and she was with a lot of other puppies, so maybe she acts so frantic when she eats because it was "hurry up and eat or not eat at all" at the shelter.

Right now I give her 6 large handfuls of food spread out twice a day, or three times a day depending if i have to work or not. I make her sit down a few feet away from her bowl while i fill it, then say "Good girl!" and then she can go eat... but she scarfs it down like she hasn't eaten in days!

I've heard some people allow them to eat as much as they want for 15 minutes at a time, but I think she'd eat herself to death! lol

Advice please?

Answer 1

has she been wormed? that is what it sounds like to me. when a dog has worms they will eat and eat. and a dog will eat until it makes itself sick.

Answer 2

You definitely don't want to let them eat as much as they want for fifteen minutes! My dog brogan would eat the entire bag of food by then!!!

Whatever food you are feeding her-check the back label. There should be a feeding chart that goes by the age and weight of your dog, and is a general guide for how much to feed during the day. I try to use actually measuring cups rather than my hands because it just makes it easier for me to know exactly how much I am feeding my dogs.

Some puppies are just like that. I have a 9 month old chesapeake who would eat until he exploded-no exaggeration. He is definitely not starved though, and hasn't ever had to scramble to his food, so I have no clue where he picked it up from.

Be careful about how fast she eats. Brogan eats so fast sometimes he will actually vomit up his food after he is done. My solution to this-feed smaller meals more spread out during the day. He eats a whopping six cups a day-two cups, three times a day is how I feed it. Instead of putting it in a bowl, I actually just toss the food on the ground. It takes him longer to eat it because it is spread out, and thus he digests it better and isn't puking it up afterwards.

Congrats on the pup, and on adopting!

Answer 3

I would suggest reading the bag of dog food that you are feeding and feed her accordingly, use a measuring cup.

My puppy eats 3 cups of puppy food per day.  One cup in the morning, one cup at noon, and the last cup at 5:30 pm.  She is a 16 week old Collie, which is a large breed like your lab...but, read the bag of dog food that you are using for the proper amount to feed.

I would also suggest that if she is a food scarfer to go to your local pet food store and purchase a bowl that is created to slow a dog down while eating.  Or, I have heard of people putting a large clean rock in the center of the food bowl to slow the dog down.

Answer 4

DO NOT let your lab eat freely! I have 2 labs myself and they always seem hungry but are overweight as it is!!! Labs will eat until they fall over, with other breeds its not as big od a deal but labs like their food...thats why there are so many overwieght ones. My parents dogs food is gone in a matter of seconds! like she hasnt eaten EVER! lol its just the way they are. I think 6 large handfulls 2x a day is to much food!!! maybe 4 would be better. i feed mine 2 cups, 2x a day