How Much To Feed A Poodle Puppy | 4 Week - 6 Week

Nutrition plays an important role in the growth and development of your Poodle puppy. So, are you wondering how much to feed a Poodle puppy?

The amount you feed your puppy should be enough for them to maintain a healthy weight.

Since there are different sizes of Poodles: toy (smallest), miniature (medium), and standard (largest), the amount of food they need can slightly vary.

This article focuses on miniature Poodle puppies but references other Poodle sizes where necessary.

This article will provide you with information on how much to feed a Poodle puppy, their nutritional requirement, the best food for Poodle puppies, and many more.

How Much Should A Poodle Puppy Eat?

How much to feed a miniature Poodle puppy depends on the type of food you are giving them. This is because there is a huge difference in the calories between dry vs wet food and high-quality vs low-quality food.

The amount of food a Poodle puppy should eat depends on their activity level, age, health status, and metabolism. Weather can also affect the amount since dogs tend to eat less in summer and more during winter.

On average, Poodle puppies need between 40 to 55 calories per pound of weight per day. However, the amount can vary down or up by 20%.

Check the food label on the guidelines of how much to feed your puppy according to their age or consult with your vet.

Poodle Puppy Feeding Chart

The Poodle puppy feeding chart shows the amount of food your Poodle puppy needs as they grow older.

To find the exact number of calories to feed your puppy, calculate their Resting Energy Requirement (RER). Then multiply it by 3 if the puppy is less than 4 months or 2 if the puppy is 4 months old and above.

RER can be calculated by multiplying 70 by the puppy’s weight in kilograms to the power of ¾. For example, if your puppy is 3kg, their daily caloric intake will be calculated as 2 multiplied by 70(10kg)3/4 = 320 calories.

Below is an example of a Poodle puppy feeding chart:

2-Week-Old Poodle Puppy

If your miniature Poodle is two weeks old, you should not feed them any regular puppy food.

During this age, your puppy should still be feeding on milk from the mother. This is because the mother’s milk has all the essential nutrients the puppy needs to grow.

However, if the mother is not present or the puppy is not getting enough milk, you can give them puppy formula which has similar nutrients to the mother’s milk.

4-Week-Old Poodle Puppy

At 4 weeks, your miniature puppy is still reliant on the mother’s milk for nutrition and sustenance. At this age, your puppy is willing to leave their mother for short periods and is more energetic.

You can see if they are interested in puppy food, but it may take a while. If they want to eat the food, ensure that you give them a small amount of solid food mixed with puppy formula or water.

6-Week-Old Poodle Puppy

You can start weaning your miniature Poodle at 6 weeks, as their mother will start moving away from the litter. At this age, the puppy will also be busy and becoming more curious about the surrounding environment.

The puppy is still nursing but you can introduce puppy food. Their stomach is still small, so a ¼ of a cup of food per day is enough at this point. You can split the food into four mealtimes.

8-Week-Old Poodle Puppy

At 8 weeks, a miniature Poodle puppy is ready to move to a new home. They should also be weaned from their mother at this point. A miniature Poodle puppy can now rely on puppy food for their nutrition.

Feed them ½ to 1¼ cups of food per meal and feed them three times a day. Miniature Poodles will likely be on the medium to lower end of this amount. The amount can also vary depending on your puppy’s activity level.

10-Week-Old Poodle Puppy

At 10 weeks, your miniature Poodle puppy is ready for a growth spurt and has more energy. Continue feeding them three times a day and your puppy should be getting ½ to 1¼ cups of food per meal.

This is the time to watch your Poodle’s appearance to see whether they are in their average weight category and that they are not overweight or underweight.

12-Week-Old Poodle Puppy

At 12 weeks, your miniature Poodle will likely add on more weight and their appetite may increase or decrease depending on their needs.

You will also be keeping active more with your Poodle so they may need more calories to meet their energy and growth spurt demands.

You still need to feed your puppy three times a day and each meal should be between ½ and 1½ cups of food.

Best Puppy Food For Poodles

Editor’s Choice

#1. Royal Canin Poodle Puppy Dry Dog Food

The Royal Canin Dry Dog food is specifically designed for Poodle puppies who are between the ages of 8 weeks and 10 months. The Poodle’s coat grows continuously in curly, single strands with no undercoat.

Every delicious bite of this formula has the nutrition that your Poodle needs to maintain a healthy coat.

Enriched with antioxidants, probiotics, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, this dry food will meet your Poodle’s specific nutritional needs.

Pros

Supports healthy hair growth.
Supports healthy digestion and maintains a balanced intestinal environment.
Improves your Poodle’s natural defenses.
The texture of the kibble encourages chewing and is easy to pick.

Cons

Not suitable for picky eaters.

Runner-Up

#2. Bil-Jac Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

Nourish your Poodle with the needed nutrition they need to thrive by feeding them Bil-Jac Puppy Dry Dog food.

The first ingredient in this dry food is fresh, farm-raised chicken and it also features sweet potatoes, wholesome oatmeal, and cornmeal cooked slowly to produce simple carbs that your Poodle needs.

This dry food is also formulated with essential minerals and vitamins.

Pros

Supports early growth and development in your puppy.
The kibble sizes are easy to chew for your puppy.
Balanced nutrition to support the immune system.
Does not contain any fillers, wheat, protein concentrate, or soy.

Cons

Contain BHA preservatives.

#3. Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Dog Food

The Iams ProActive Smart Dry food will give your puppy a great start to his healthy life. It is specifically designed to meet the nutritional requirements of a small growing breed like a Poodle puppy.

The first ingredient is farm-raised chicken as the main source of protein.

This dry dog food features 22 essential nutrients that the Poodle puppy will find in their mother’s milk such as omega 3 DHA.

Pros

Helps the puppy develop strong and healthy muscles.
Helps with the cognitive health of the puppy.

Cons

Can cause stomach upsets for some puppies.

#4. Wellness Small Breed Dry Dog Food

This natural, dry dog food will get your Poodle puppy all set up with the small kibble size designed to promote total body nutrition and make eating easy.

It is made with natural ingredients that are chosen carefully and balanced by experts to support the growth and development of your puppy.

This dry food contains wholesome grains and premium proteins that are fortified with antioxidants, probiotics, essential vitamins, and omega fatty acids including DHA.

Pros

Supports the digestive health of your puppy.
Supports healthy brain development.
Improves the immune system of your puppy.
No artificial preservatives, fillers, or meat by-products.

Cons

Kibble size can be bigger for 6-week-old puppies.

#5. Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

For your Poodle puppy to grow strong and big, they need proper nutrition to support their growing and active body. Eukanuba Dry Dog food provides balanced and complete nutrition for the healthy mind and body development of your puppy.

This puppy dry food is formulated with high-quality protein, DHA, optimized phosphorus and calcium levels, optimized carbohydrates and fats, prebiotics, natural fiber, and vitamin E.

Pros

Supports bone health and muscle growth.
Helps with healthy brain development.
Supports your puppy’s developing immune system.
Helps the digestive health.

Cons

Causes smelly stool in some puppies.

Understanding Poodle Puppy Nutritional Needs

Your Poodle’s nutritional diet should include significant staples such as poultry, fish, or other meats.

Apart from these protein sources, your Poodle’s diet should also have healthy fats and oils, some vegetables, some carbs such as fruits and starchy vegetables, as well as some grains such as oatmeal or rice.

Rationing each food in the right way will help your Poodle live a healthy and long life. Generally, your Poodle diet should contain 50-60% protein, 20% fats, and 20% carbs.

Depending on the exercise habits, weight, and the general health of your Poodle, you need to find out how much of their total calories should come from carbs, protein, and carbs.

Kibble vs Wet Food For Poodle Puppies

Kibble is the most popular feeding option among dog owners because it is reasonably priced, convenient, and contains a blend of ingredients that your Poodle puppy needs to grow strong and healthy.

Kibble is also good for your puppy’s dental health because the hard texture helps to remove food debris on the teeth.

Wet food has more protein and fat, and fewer carbs. Also, most dogs like the taste of wet food, so if your dog is not feeling well this is a good choice.

If your Poodle needs more hydration, feeding them wet food is recommended because canned food has 75% moisture content.

Choosing to feed your Poodle puppy either kibble or wet food depends on your budget, your puppy’s preference, and lifestyle. If you are not sure what to feed your puppy, consult with the vet.

2-Month-Old Poodle Puppy Weight

A miniature Poodle lies between the toy (4-6 pounds at adult size) and standard Poodle (40-70 pounds at adult size) in terms of sizes.

At two months, a miniature Poodle weighs between 2 pounds and 3 pounds. Weight is a good indication that you are feeding your Poodle correctly.

It does not mean that your puppy is overweight or underweight if they weigh more or less than this. However, if you are not sure, take your puppy to the vet. This is also the right time to ask the vet about the general health of your Poodle.

3-Month-Old Poodle Puppy Weight

Weight gain and rapid growth are part of healthy development in a miniature Poodle. But some owners may be concerned that their Poodle puppy is gaining weight faster.

A miniature Poodle weighs between 3 pounds and 5 pounds at the age of 3 months. This weight is average, and some Poodle puppies may still have some of their puppy fat.

4-Month-Old Poodle Puppy Weight

As the weeks pass, your miniature Poodle puppy grows more and by 4 months they should weigh between 4 pounds and 6 pounds.

If you have a concern about your Poodle’s weight or notice any signs of lack of appetite, visit the vet to assess your puppy. You can also ask your vet about how the growth chart of your Poodle puppy will look like.

How Much Do Poodles Grow Each Week?

It can be hard to know exactly how much a Poodle puppy grows each week because puppies have different growth rates. However, you can ensure that they reach their average weight and height for each month by providing them with a healthy diet and enough exercise.

Generally, the growth of Poodles rapidly increases in the first three months of their lives and then the growth slowly increases until they reach the age of twelve months when their growth flattens.

Switching From Puppy Food To Adult Food

When your miniature Poodle puppy reaches between the ages of 9 and 12 months, it is time to switch to adult food. When your Poodle is grown, they do not need as many calories as they needed when they were puppies.

This is because puppies need more fat and protein to help them grow and if adult Poodles feed on puppy food, they will likely gain more weight.

The transition process should be done gradually and slowly over multiple days to avoid stomach problems. Below is a simple guide to follow:

Day 1 – 75% puppy food and 25% adult food.
Day 2 – 60% puppy food and 40% adult food.
Day 3 – 50% puppy food and 50% adult food.
Day 4 – 40 % puppy food and 60% adult food.
Day 5 – 25% puppy food and 75% adult food.
Day 6 – 90% to 100% adult food.

What If My Poodle Won’t Eat?

Some situations make your miniature Poodle puppy not eat their food. This can be a change in the environment which causes stress. A big move such as a change in homes can induce anxiety in your puppy making them lose appetite.

Other reasons why your Poodle is not eating their food include change of food brands, dental issues, or digestion problems.

If your puppy skips a few meals and you see signs of illness such as vomiting and diarrhea, take them to the vet for examination and treatment.

Can You Freefeed A Poodle Puppy?

Free feeding is leaving food for your Poodle to have access to it whenever they want to eat and there is no feeding schedule. Some owners free-feed their Poodles because it is convenient and easy.

However, free-feeding allows your Poodle to snack and nibble his way to obesity.

If your Poodle is a picky eater, they may not eat enough during regular mealtimes and this may make them lose weight and appear slim.

You can try free-feeding them but remember that once they are used to free-feeding, it may be hard to introduce scheduled mealtimes to them again.

Should You Feed A Poodle Puppy Supplements?

Feeding your Poodle puppy, a diet that is balanced, healthy, and complete, should provide them with all the nutrients they need for growth.

However, supplements can provide more of the necessary minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids your Poodle needs to stay mentally fit, active, and in optimum health.

Supplements should be prescribed by the vet especially if your miniature Poodle is more active to reduce inflammation in their joints, need help with their weight, immune system, cognitive development, or alleviate certain health conditions.

How Much Water Should A Poodle Puppy Drink?

Poodle puppies who are transitioning from their mother’s milk to eating solid foods need ½ cup of water every two hours. When your Poodle is fully weaned, you can give them 0.5 to 1 ounce of water per pound of their body weight per day.

Coming up with a schedule is the best way of ensuring that your Poodle is drinking enough water.

Ration their water intake instead of leaving it in the bowl for them to drink whenever they want. Every few hours, call your puppy to drink the appropriate amount of water you have measured in their drinking bowl.

It is important to monitor the amount of water your puppy drinks because too much of it is dangerous to their health and less of it can cause dehydration.

How Much Exercise Does A Poodle Puppy Need A Day?

Developing a proper exercise plan for your miniature Poodle is more than just taking regular walks, it needs the effort to make an exercise plan and discipline to follow through.

A general rule of thumb is that your Poodle puppy needs 5 minutes of exercise for each month of their age, but not exceeding 60 minutes per day. So, if your puppy is 4 months old, they need 20 minutes of exercise per day.

Outdoor walking is a great way to exercise your miniature Poodle. Avoid overtraining your puppy because it can be dangerous as their bodies are still developing and too much stress can cause injury or affect their growth.