What to Feed a Puppy For Weight Gain

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This article was originally published in March 2024, and has been updated.

Part of the joy of raising a puppy is watching them grow every day. And this growth isn’t just amazing to see—it’s vital to their good health. A thriving puppy should gain weight consistently until they reach adulthood.

So if you’re worried that your puppy isn’t gaining weight like they should, talk to your veterinarian. And if your puppy isn’t eating, call your veterinarian immediately—this could be a sign of a problem that requires prompt medical attention.

“Healthy puppies should have good appetites and generally are not underweight,” said Rae Sires, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition), manager of nutrition research at The Farmer’s Dog. “If a puppy is underweight, addressing the issue may be as simple as feeding more food. However, there are also many health issues that can cause a puppy to not eat well or to become underweight.”

There are a few reasons that a puppy might have trouble putting on weight, and ways you can help them do so. Here’s how to tell if your puppy is too thin—and, if so, how to safely get them into an ideal body condition.

Please note: The tips below apply to dogs who are 8 weeks or older; in almost all cases, puppies should stay with their mothers at least that long. They’ll generally begin weaning to solid food around 3 to 4 weeks of age, and be fully weaned between 7 and 10 weeks. If you have any questions about whether your puppy is ready for solid food, ask your veterinarian.

How can I tell if my puppy needs to gain weight?

Vet checkups

For the first four months of your puppy’s life, you’ll be taking them to the veterinarian every three to four weeks for vaccines and regular checkups. At these appointments, your vet will weigh your puppy to make sure they’re at a healthy weight; you can also use a baby scale to track their gains at home. 

Healthy puppies will gain weight until adulthood. Small breeds may finish developing physically as early as 6 to 8 months, while large breeds may not reach their full size until they’re 2 years old. Growth charts can help guide you as you nourish a pup.

Body condition score

In addition to weight, body condition is another helpful marker to ensure healthy growth. Starting at four months, a simple at-home test can help you determine whether your puppy is in an ideal body condition. Before then, they won’t have a defined waist. After that time, if you can easily feel, but not see, their ribs, your puppy is probably at a healthy weight.

A too-skinny appearance with visible ribs may indicate an unhealthy weight—but some breeds are naturally skinny. For example, greyhound and whippet puppies may appear quite lean at a healthy weight. 

“These puppies may also be very lean even if they are a healthy weight—vet checks are important to help distinguish between healthy and lean versus underweight and needing vet care,” said Dr. Sires.

Other signs that your puppy may require medical attention include lethargy, loss of appetite, and signs of pain like whining, crying, and constant restlessness while trying to sleep. Any unexplained change in your puppy’s behavior is a good reason to give the vet a call.

Why is my puppy underweight?

Puppies can be underweight because they’re not eating enough, their food doesn’t meet their nutritional requirements, or they have a health condition. 

If your puppy isn’t eating enough, that could be a sign of underlying illness—which is why it’s so important to take your dog to the vet if they show changes in appetite.

If your dog is eating but not gaining weight, they may have intestinal worms. Dr. Sires said that this is a common issue in young puppies. In that case, they must be dewormed.

There are also health conditions that can keep puppies underweight by causing them to eat less or preventing them from properly absorbing nutrients. The list of possibilities is long—and that’s yet another reason to consult a vet as soon as you suspect anything is amiss about your puppy’s appetite or growth. 

Here are some issues that could keep a puppy from gaining weight:

  • Developmental/congenital conditions that formed before a puppy was born, such as heart disease.
  • Infection by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, or single-celled organisms called protozoa. 
  • Parasites, such as worms, that may be pilfering nutrients from the food your puppy eats.
  • Traumatic injuries that may have occurred just before or during birth.

Getting your puppy to a healthy weight as soon as possible is critical. “The biggest concern is malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies if the puppy has a poor appetite for a long period of time,” said Dr. Sires. If your dog isn’t eating enough complete and balanced food (more on this below), they’re not consuming the vitamins and minerals essential to healthy growth in the long term.

How can I help my puppy gain weight?

If you and your vet have determined that your puppy needs to gain weight, “gradually increase their meals’ sizes over a few days and offer more frequent meals,” said Dr. Sires. Because puppies have small stomachs, providing more meals throughout the day is more effective than providing bigger meals. Until about 6 months of age, feed your puppy three or four meals a day.

When we spoke to him for an article about veterinary care for puppies, Alex Schechter, DVM—founder of Burrwood Veterinary in Michigan—said: “I recommend feeding puppies three to four times daily until approximately 6 months of age, after which they can be transitioned to a twice-daily feeding schedule.”

You may be tempted to free-feed your puppy, or leave food out for them at all times. But this approach is not recommended. Free-feeding makes it hard to track exactly how much your puppy is eating, and presents food-safety issues. If your dog isn’t eating their fresh food and it has been out of the fridge for 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F), we recommend following USDA guidelines and tossing it out to be as safe as possible—the same way you would with food for yourself and your human family members. Don’t put the food back in the refrigerator—once it’s been out that long, re-cooling won’t make it safe again.

If your puppy isn’t eating enough and they don’t have an underlying condition, Dr. Sires suggested that you try rotating food or adding toppers, so long as the toppers comprise no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Consult with your veterinarian about what toppers might be appropriate for your dog.

It’s also worth mentioning that The Farmer’s Dog fresh food is clinically shown to be highly palatable. This means, basically, that dogs like eating it. In one study, dogs chose The Farmer’s Dog over a leading kibble brand 86.4 percent of the time. So if your puppy seems to be a picky eater, trying The Farmer’s Dog might help.

A light-haired dachshund with their tongue sticking out stands in a leaf-strewn field on a fall day.

What should I feed my puppy for healthy weight gain?

If your veterinarian confirms that your puppy is underweight, it’s not enough to simply feed them more of any food on hand. Your puppy needs 100% complete and balanced food, offering all the essential nutrients in proper proportions. 

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which sets standards for pet food, has two nutrient profiles for dogs in different stages of life: 

  • Adult maintenance
  • Growth and reproduction

Puppies require recipes formulated for growth and reproduction or “all life stages” (meaning that they meet both nutrient profiles).

The Farmer’s Dog has recipes that meet the growth and reproduction profiles, and thus are ideal for puppies. 

How much should I feed my puppy?

Our food is also complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, highly palatable and digestible, and comes in personalized portions so your pup eats the correct number of calories and gets the right proportion of nutrients to support healthy growth.

As your puppy grows, we’ll reach out with reminders to update their information so they always receive the right amount of food.

Mind the treats

It can be tempting to add extras when you’re trying to get your puppy to put on weight, and treats are essential for training—but remember that those treats count, and should never exceed 10% of any dog’s total calorie intake. “Treats, while a good source of calories, may risk unbalancing the puppy’s complete and balanced food if not fed in moderation,” said Dr. Sires.

A complete and balanced food, fed in the proper portions, should be sufficient to fuel your puppy’s healthy growth—and getting too much of certain nutrients can be very dangerous for them. As such, don’t add any supplements unless specifically directed to do so by your veterinarian.

How can my vet help my puppy gain weight?

There’s a lot to keep track of as you try to set your puppy up for optimal growth and a long, healthy life—but you’re not in this alone. Reach out to your veterinarian with any questions, and always keep up with their regularly scheduled visits. That, combined with the right complete and balanced food, can give you peace of mind that you’re doing right by your new best friend.

The post What to Feed a Puppy For Weight Gain appeared first on The Farmer’s Dog - Digest.


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