Puppy poop and food

**raider0529** · 10-13-2011, 10:47 AM

Hi everyone! I have a 4 month old black lab and we fed her twice a day but lately she is only pooping after her dinner meal...is this normal?? She used to go twice a day but that was when she was on a different brand of food. We're now giving her Blue Buffalo for puppies (chicken and brown rice). Let me know your thoughts...thanks!

**raider0529** · 10-13-2011, 10:52 AM

Also, how much food she should get at this age....the bag says anywhere from 1.5 to 3 cups a day. Right now we're giving her a little over 2 cups and she is 30lbs and 4 months old...the vet says she's fine but I'm wondering if she should weigh more and maybe give her closer to 3 cups a day. We also fed her twice a day (with some treats at lunch time).

**Luvmydog2much** · 10-13-2011, 12:04 PM

How is she looking? Is she eating her own poop or have the opportunity to do so after her breakfast?

My experience has been with puppies: In=Out. My puppies poop after they eat every time.

I wouldn't be real happy with a 4 month old weighing 30lbs. But that depends on breeding too.

My 4 month old Curly-Coat is 43lbs and eats almost 5 cups of high quality kibble every day. She is NOT fat one bit.

**Baloo317** · 10-13-2011, 01:10 PM

I also think it depends more on body type/look than actual poundage. I like a (thin) layer of pudge on puppies for stores just in case, and feed to that goal. Little too chubby = less food, little too thin = more food, etc.

Also depends on individual dogs in terms of metabolism, etc. Rudeboy (7 month old dogo) eats 4 heaping cups of food a day (probably the equivalent of 6 level cups, approx.) split into 2 meals, he weighs 72 pounds and looks awesome. Nice thin fat layer.

It is odd that she only poops once a day though..? My adults usually poop once a day, occasionally twice, but I would expect a four month old to poop at least twice, if not three or four times.

**tammyhuffman** · 10-13-2011, 01:16 PM

My Maxx is 12 weeks, will be 3 mos. on the 17th, and he poops after he eats every time also. I just dropped him to 2 x's a day feeding and he is eating almost 4 cups of high quality kibble every day. He goes back to the vet on Saturday so not sure about his weight at the present moment but 30 lbs seems small at 4 mos., to me anyway. Can you call the breeder you got her from to check on this?

**Sophiesmama** · 10-13-2011, 05:32 PM

Our vet said pups should weigh 2 lbs per week for females and a little more for males. My female weighed 40 lbs at 4 months. She is 6 months today, and weighs 56lbs. The vet says she is right on schedule for weight. She eats 2 to 3 times a day. Sometimes she thinks she is starving and other times she nibbles. We feed TOTW Pacific Stream and it has been a wonderful food for her. The difference has been amazing.

**SharonaZamboni** · 10-14-2011, 12:19 AM

Bean was only 25 lbs at four months, and around 50 lbs now. He's "field bred" and his parents weren't very big. He looks good and has plenty of energy. Do you know the sizes of your dog's parents?

ETA- The pic shows him at 5 or 6 months, getting a bit chubby due to overfeeding