Puppies & seniors

Same food, different amounts, a few different rules

A puppy is building a body while running one, and a senior is maintaining one with less margin for error. Neither needs a different food from our range, but both need a different approach to how much and how often. Here's what changes at each end of life.

Puppies

How much to feed

Puppies eat roughly 5 to 6% of their current body weight per day, around double an adult. Because they grow weekly, the amount is a moving target: reweigh every two weeks and recalculate rather than setting a portion and forgetting it.

Puppy weight	Daily at 5%	Pouches per day
3kg	150g	Roughly 1 × 250g every 2 days at first, building up
5kg	250g	1 × 250g
10kg	500g	1 × 500g, or 2 × 250g
15kg	750g	1 × 500g + 1 × 250g
20kg	1000g	2 × 500g

An alternative method for large and giant breeds is to feed 2 to 3% of their expected adult weight instead of 5% of current weight. Both approaches land in a similar place, and the second avoids overfeeding a fast-growing large breed puppy.

How often

• 8 to 12 weeks: four meals a day. A small stomach cannot hold a large portion.
• 3 to 6 months: three meals a day.
• 6 to 12 months: two meals a day, tapering the daily percentage down toward adult levels as growth slows.
• 12 months onward: adult feeding, 2 to 3% of body weight. Large and giant breeds mature later and may stay on puppy amounts until 18 months.

Transitioning a puppy

Puppies usually transition faster and more willingly than adult dogs, since their food preferences are not yet set. A young puppy's digestion is also more delicate, so use the standard 14-day schedule rather than rushing it, and stretch it if stool stays loose beyond a few days. If you are collecting a puppy from a breeder, ask what they have been feeding and transition from that rather than switching on day one, since a new home is already a lot of change.

What to watch

• Body condition, not the scale. You should feel ribs easily under a thin layer, and see a waist from above. Lean puppies grow into healthier adults; overfeeding a puppy to grow it fast is not doing it a favour.
• Consistent growth, not the fastest possible growth. This matters most in large breeds.
• Energy and stool quality as your daily read on whether the amount is right.

Senior dogs and cats

How much to feed

Most seniors need less than they did in their prime, often closer to 2% of body weight for dogs, as activity drops and metabolism slows. But this is genuinely individual: some senior dogs lose weight and muscle and need more food, not less. Work from body condition rather than age.

What actually changes with age

• Protein stays important. The old advice to cut protein for older pets has largely been reversed. Seniors lose muscle mass, and good quality, digestible protein helps preserve it. Restriction is only appropriate for specific diagnosed conditions, on veterinary advice.
• Moisture matters more. Kidney function declines with age, and older pets are more prone to dehydration. A diet that is around 70% water is a real advantage here.
• Digestibility matters more. Older digestive systems are less efficient, so easier-to-digest fresh food often produces a visible improvement in stool quality and energy.
• Joints and weight are linked. Excess weight is the single biggest avoidable load on arthritic joints. Keeping a senior lean does more for mobility than any supplement.
• Dental comfort. Older pets with worn or missing teeth or sore gums often find soft ground raw far easier to eat than hard kibble.

Fussy senior appetites

Appetite often fades with age, partly because the sense of smell declines. Serving food at room temperature rather than fridge cold makes a large difference, and a spoon of bone broth over the top helps considerably. If a previously enthusiastic eater goes off food suddenly, that is a reason to see a vet rather than to change recipes.