[dbikers2]

I am a new mom with a full bred plott hound puppy and giving her the amount of food that is on the bag ..seems like it is alot of food !! She weighs 20lbs and she is 12 weeks old... any help would be appreciated thanks

[briteday]

OMG, another plott hound owner! One of our moderators has a plott that is a "force of nature." They are such an interesting breed.

As far as food, first, remember that dog food companies are in the business of selling food. So they may be a tad high in their estimates and you might certainly start at the low end of the suggested range. Also. depending on the content/ availability of the protein source used, it can impact the amount you need to feed. In other words, higher quality food using higher quality protein = feed less, very good bioavailability to the dog. Lower quality food with less digestible protein (a lot of filler) = feed more. Secondly, you will be seeing the vet pretty often during the next few months for shots, etc. Always ask the vet if your dog is growing and weighs appropriately. Third, puppies, especially large breeds, grow at an enormous rate. You feel like you can almost see them grow just watching them. So you might not want to underestimate the amount of food needed.

What are you feeding her and how much are you feeding her?

[dbikers2]

thanks for your information.. I am feeding both of my dogs Iams dog food. and for the puppy about 2 cups per day.. 1 in the morning and 1 in pm. she goes crazy when she eats so I am not sure if she is getting enough or not.

[TCnBham]

The guidelines on the package are fairly accurate, but amounts might need to be adjusted for individual dogs. For a 20lb puppy who is still growing rapidly, I wouldn't think 2 cups would be too much. Ravenous appetites are not unusual...my two clean their bowls in just a couple of minutes.

You can tell to some extent by the puppies poop...if they are overeating, the poop will tend to be looser or runny, as their digestive system is unable to handle the quantity.

A lot depends on the quality of the food you are feeding...better foods with less "filler" (particularly corn fillers, which are not good for dogs), while costing more, are actually more economical in the long run, as smaller amounts can be fed for the same nutritional benefits.