How Often Should You Feed a Toy Poodle?

Food can be very delicious but the danger of over-feeding your toy poodle is always present. You have to toughen up some when you look into those puppy dog eyes. They are hard to resist but an overweight dog is not attractive and can cost you a lot of money in vet bills.

Keeping your pet on the right diet and giving them the right amount of food, each day takes a strong will. But you can do it. To help you maintain your firmness, our article has the information you need to know about. Just keep reading to get that information.

How Many Times a Day Should a Toy Poodle Eat

There may be differing opinions on this topic, but the following guidelines should help you come to the right number of meals you should feed your pet every day. Nothing is written in stone as every poodle is different, so you have some flexibility here.

1. 0 To 3 Months– Free feed them. They have growing bodies that need to fight infections and build up strength so they should have access to food all day. They are also small, so they won’t eat too much. Just regulate the amount to prevent overeating.
2. 3+ Months- 3 meals a day and do not forget to throw in a few treats and snacks. Just be careful of those in-between meal snacks as they can add weight quickly.
3. 12+ Months– Play this by ear but 1 meal may not be enough for your active pet. You can go with 2 or 3 meals a day with treats and snacks. Just regulate their food amount each meal.

One tip to help you govern their food intake. Monitor their weight either weekly or monthly and see if your dog is gaining or losing weight. Then adjust their food amount accordingly.

If there is no loss or gain, then you are giving him or her the right amount of food each meal.

How Much Should a Toy Poodle Eat Daily

They are not going to need a lot of food or have a heavy-calorie diet. Their bodies will be small and remain small throughout their lives. Plus, their diets should be governed by the number of calories, not the amount of food you want to give them. For example:

1. 0 To 6 Months of Age– Toy poodles should only have about 130 calories a day.
2. 6 To 12 Months– That total should be raised to 250 calories per day.
3. 12+ Months– You can raise that calorie total to 325 each day and your dog should be well-fed and healthy.

But as we said, nothing is written in stone, and you should tailor the calorie count according to your dog’s needs. If you have a very active poodle, then you can raise those amounts a little bit.

If you have a senior pet who doesn’t do much all day, then you can cut those calorie numbers down somewhat.

Toy Poodles May Have Weight and Health Issues

One thing to keep in mind is that you may need to call a vet if your puppy is having weight issues. If they are gaining or losing no matter what you are doing, then they may have a health issue hindering your efforts to keep your poodle at the right weight.

A fluctuating weight is not the only health issue your toy poodle will face. You have to be prepared for when those illnesses or difficulties come their way. One way to help them through those tough times is by talking to your vet and getting a new diet plan in place.

Here are some of the health issues your pet may contract:

1. Cushing’s disease
2. Hypoadrenocorticism
3. Hypothyroidism
4. Epilepsy
5. Hip Dysplasia
6. Bloat

Always talk to a vet when your puppy is not feeling good. Their young bodies are vulnerable to different diseases until they build up enough immunity. To help prevent those illnesses from coming, make sure to feed your poodle nutritious food that builds their bodies.

Some Final Words

Keeping yourself from becoming a victim of those puppy dog eyes at mealtime is hard work. But it can be done if you love your pet. Just make sure to feed them the right amount of food the right amount of times each day so that they can grow big and strong.