How Much to Feed a Pug Puppy?

Did you recently get a Pug puppy? If so, you may have a lot of questions about general care for your new dog. A common question is how much to feed a Pug puppy? In this article, we will go into depth on feeding guidelines for Pug puppies as well as a puppy food recommendation.

How Much To Feed A Pug Puppy

How Much to Feed a Pug Puppy?

Whenever you are trying to determine how much to feed your Pug, you will always want to consider a few different factors. Those factors are your puppy’s weight, age, and of course, activity level. This will help you know exactly how much food to feed your Pug puppy. If you give your Pug puppy the wrong amount of food, it could lead to excessive weight gain and, in worse cases, obesity.

Weight

Your dog’s weight plays a huge role in the amount of food needed to be fed. For example, a 10-pound Pug will eat much different than a 20-pound Pug. So first, you will want to start by weighing your Pug if you do not already know its weight.

You can do this yourself or have some assistance from a vet. If you do it yourself, you can simply place your Pug on a home scale if it will indeed sit still. If this is impossible, you can always weigh yourself first, then get off and grab your Pug. Then, step back onto the scale, record the weight, and subtract your weight without the Pug with the one holding the Pug.

Age

Age is also very important because Pugs that are only a few weeks old will likely still be on their mother’s milk and not need any dog food. When your Pug puppy reaches a certain age, you can begin allowing dog food into its diet.

Remember that a three-month-old Pug puppy will eat less and differently less than an 8-month-old Pug puppy. If you can to the best of your knowledge, find out the age of your Pug.

Activity Level

Activity level also plays a key role because if your Pug is highly active, it will need to replenish those lost calories and eat more. On the other hand, if your Pug puppy likes to lounge around a lot and isn’t very active, it might need to eat slightly less.

Pug Puppy Feeding Chart

Below you will find our feeding chart for Pug puppies. You can use this as a guide as well as consult with your veterinarian to see how much your puppy should eat.

Age Food Amount
8 Weeks Old 1 Cup Separated Four Times Per Day
12 Weeks Old1 ¼ Cup Separated Four Times Per Day
4 Months1 ¼ Cup Separated Three Times Per Day
6 Months 1 ¼ Cup Separated Three Times Per Day
8 Months1 Cup Separated Two Times Per Day
12 Months1 Cup Separated Two Times Per Day

*Keep in mind that once your Pug puppy is at least a year old, you can begin to switch over to small breed adult dog food. We actually have an entire article on the best foods for Pugs.

Feeding A Pug Puppy

How Much Should a 4-Month-Old Pug Puppy Eat?

A Four-month-old Pug will need around a cup and ¼ cup of high-quality puppy food. That amount of food should be separated into smaller meals throughout the day. Three would be perfect for this age of dog.

What Should I Feed my Pug Puppy?

It is important to know a little about the nutrition your Pug puppy will need before it becomes an adult. This is because puppies have different nutrition requirements than their adult counterpart. Below you will see a small summary of the nutritional requirements for your new Pug puppy.

Calories

When your Pug is a puppy, it will need more calories and nutrients in its diet than when it is an adult. This is due to the fact that puppies actually have a higher metabolic rate than adult dogs. Most puppies need to be fed around 25 calories per pound they weigh. Simply take 25 and multiply that by your puppy’s weight to get the number of calories needed.

More Protein

Pug puppies will also need more protein than an adult because they are growing and growing at a fast rate. Puppies also use a lot of energy and need good protein-dense food to keep it sustained. One way to ensure your dog is getting the right amount of protein is by feeding your dog all the meals it needs throughout the day. You should begin to form a routine or schedule on when you feed your dog. Based on our chart above, you will know how much to feed a Pug puppy.

Recommendations for Pug Puppy Food

Now that you have your Pug puppy, you might be wondering what is the best Pug puppy food on the market. I do have two recommendations for you that you should definitely check out.

Royal Canin Pug Puppy Dry Dog Food

This is a formulated dog food specific to the Pug dog breed. This dry puppy formula has complete nutrition for your growing Pug puppy. This food is perfect for your Pug age 8 weeks up to 10 months old. Once your dog is older than 10 months, you can switch to the Royal Canin Pug formulated adult dog food.

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This food has your Pugs puppy complete nutrition from protein, carbs, healthy fats, and vegetables. A lot of vitamins and minerals are also added to improve your puppy’s development, immune system, as well as your Pugs coat health. This is a great option for your Pug puppy that I highly recommend.

Pug Puppy Eating

Why Is my Pug Puppy Always Hungry?

The Pug dog breed is quite hilarious because it seems to always be hungry and willing to eat anything you put in front of them. It is important to know that this is just how the breed is. If you are feeding your Pug the recommended amount of food based on its weight, then you do not need to feed your dog more food.

Even if your Pug is begging at your feet for a share of your food, keep in mind your dog is not hungry. Unfortunately, many Pug owners make the mistake of over feeding their Pug, thinking it’s hungry. When you overfeed your dog, it can lead to obesity and other health issues.

Now, if your Pug is a puppy, it might actually have a bigger appetite than when it’s an adult. That is one of the reasons why puppies tend to eat more than adult dogs. You can always give your dog treats in moderation.

Homemade Food for a Pug Puppy

More and more dog owners have been making the switch from commercial dog foods to homemade dog food. Dog owners do this for a variety of reasons some are:

  • This allows your dogs to eat a more natural diet that is free from fillers, preservatives, and artificial things.
  • If your dog is allergic to a certain ingredient, you can avoid it in the homemade food you make for your dog.
  • It can essentially be cheaper than purchasing commercial dog food if you are buying ingredients in bulk.
  • This can also promote healthy eating for your dog. You know exactly what you put into the food, and you know your Pug is getting the best.

Keep in mind that it is important that you understand the nutritional guidelines of your dog if you are going to make homemade dog food. If you do not know what you are doing, you can actually stunt your dog’s growth.

Overall

I hope this helped you realize how much to feed a Pug puppy. It can be stressful, especially if you are new to this and planning on getting a puppy. Follow our feeding guidelines chart, and whenever you are in doubt, you can ask your vet for support and guidance. If you have any other questions about feeding your Pug puppy, leave them in the comments.

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