Okay, so puppy feeding schedule by age? Total game-changer, but man, I’ve screwed it up plenty living here in Mumbai. Picture this: me, an American, sweating buckets in this humid chaos, trying to keep a borrowed pup alive while dodging street food carts and monsoon puddles. First week, I legit fed the little guy too much kibble—thought he was starving, but nope, just my dumb overzealousness. Puke city on my sandals, ugh. Anyway, let’s dive into how I stumbled through getting when to feed puppies right, with all my fumbles and some hard-won tips from the India grind.
Starting Out: Newborn Puppy Feeding Schedule by Age
Newborns are intense, yo. Like, every two hours, you’re on milk duty—formula, not some random cow milk from the corner store. I tried that once, huge mistake; pup got the runs, and I was scrubbing floors at 2 AM with the fan rattling like it’s possessed. My setup? A rickety table in my cousin’s flat, chai mugs everywhere, and me warming bottles in a pot while dodging power cuts. Missed a feed once ‘cause I passed out jet-lagged—pup was sluggish, scared me straight. Gotta stick to 8-12 feeds a day under 3 weeks.
- Use puppy milk replacer, warmed to body temp (test it on your wrist, duh).
- Watch for whining or rooting; don’t let ‘em scream for it.
- My fail? Cold formula once—never again, tummy aches suck.
The smells here, man—masala from next door mixing with puppy formula—it’s weirdly nostalgic now. Hang on, where was I?
Weaning: Messy Middle of Puppy Feeding Schedule by Age
Around 3-4 weeks, you start weaning, and oh boy, it’s a sloppy disaster. I thought I’d be cute and mix rice with puppy mush—Indian fusion, right? Half ended up on the floor, half on my shirt. Tried again with proper gruel (soft kibble plus milk), three to four meals a day. Rushing it gave my pup diarrhea, and cleaning that in this heat? Gross. Slow and steady, folks—start mushy, ease into soaked kibble.
Here’s my hard-learned routine:
- 7 AM breakfast, noon lunch, evening, bedtime—set alarms, trust me.
- Start with maybe 1/4 cup total daily, split up.
- Play after eating; stops the gulp-and-puke cycle.
I wanted to spoil him, but too much food? Picky eater later. Check out the American Kennel Club for more on weaning done right.
Toddler Pups: Nailing the Puppy Feeding Schedule by Age
By 2-6 months, you’re down to three meals—breakfast, lunch, dinner. My pup hit a growth spurt at three months, and I caved, tossing extra kibble like a rookie. Vet gave me that look, like, “Really, dude?” When to feed puppies now? Stick to a schedule, or their stomachs flip out. Mumbai’s traffic horns mess with my head, so I set loud phone alarms—works like a charm.
- 6-12 weeks: High-protein kibble, 1/2 to 1 cup daily, split up.
- Check weight weekly; no chubby pups on my watch anymore.
- Water, water, water—humid heat here dehydrates fast.
Surprised me how feeding time became our vibe—him pawing my leg, me fumbling bowls. But yeah, I underfed once during a heatwave, thinking less food in summer—dumb move, nearly zapped his energy. Raw truth: you mess up, you learn.
The ASPCA has solid tips I should’ve read sooner.
Grown-ish: Shifting Puppy Feeding Schedule by Age to Adult
At 6-12 months, it’s two meals—morning, evening. Easier, but I kinda miss the constant chaos, you know? Switched to adult food slowly, but my impatience meant a few upset tummies—my bad. What to feed? Quality kibble, maybe some veggies (tried carrots; he used ‘em as chew toys). Consistency’s still key; no snacks unless you want a beggar.
Biggest shock? How chill he got—no more hourly whining. But don’t get lazy; obesity sneaks up. My take: trust your vet over random forums, especially when you’re navigating a new country like me.
Alright, wrapping this like a late-night chai run—puppy feeding schedule by age ain’t perfect, and I’m still a hot mess sometimes, spilling kibble and missing alarms. But it’s kept my little dude thriving through Mumbai’s madness, so I’ll call it a win. What’s your worst puppy feeding screw-up? Spill in the comments, or share this if it saved your sanity. Grab some good chow and get scheduling—your pup’s counting on ya.
