# how much should I be feeding my bulldog puppy?



## djkayg (Mar 1, 2010)

Hi, 

I have an English Bulldog puppy who just turned 5 months on 4/13. I am feeding him Eukanuba Adult Lamb and Rice. I am feed him 3 times a day ( 1 3/4 cup for the whole day). This is what Eukanuba recommends for a dog that weighs 30 lbs (which he is). I was wondering is this not enough? Since, he is a puppy and the amount I should be feeding him is based of an adult dog. I was just curious if I should continue to follow the amount that Eukanuba says, or should I be feeding him more because he is a puppy?


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## MissyP (Feb 21, 2010)

djkayg said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have an English Bulldog puppy who just turned 5 months on 4/13. I am feeding him Eukanuba Adult Lamb and Rice. I am feed him 3 times a day ( 1 3/4 cup for the whole day). This is what Eukanuba recommends for a dog that weighs 30 lbs (which he is). I was wondering is this not enough? Since, he is a puppy and the amount I should be feeding him is based of an adult dog. I was just curious if I should continue to follow the amount that Eukanuba says, or should I be feeding him more because he is a puppy?



I have an English Bulldog also, around 6 months old.. From the time he was 12 weeks, I've been feeding him 3-5 cups (recommended amount for his weight) daily. You need to get him on a puppy food NOW- puppies have special nutritional needs and require more food than an adult. You need to be feeding that puppy a minimum of 3 cups a day~ get him OFF of the adult food get him on a quality puppy food (not the Purina/Pedigree/Walmart junk). I feed my bulldog Natural Balance and he is thriving on it. Here is the link and also has a chart of the amount of food you should be feeding-- which is quite a bit MORE than you're feeding..
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/SPFish.html

Also, I don't know how knowledgeable you are about english bullies, but *many *are prone to skin conditions/allergies.. Feeding a type of food like Natural Balance's LID foods can help to (hopefully) prevent and control any current/future skin issues..

(got a pic of him/her?)


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## djkayg (Mar 1, 2010)

Ok. Thanks, I am going to look around still on how much I should feed my puppy, but as far as feeding him puppy food I am going to have to disagree with you on that one. English Bulldogs are a large breed, and feeding him puppy food may result in him growing too fast, and cause leg problems down the road. The breeder I got him from already had him on adult food at 8 weeks, so I think I am going to keep him on adult food. Thanks for your advice, and I think I am going to increase his amount of daily food, but still keep him on the lamb and rice adult food.


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## MissyP (Feb 21, 2010)

If you insist on sticking with lamb & rice (which many bulldogs are allergic to), there are puppy versions of it.. Adult foods dont have the same nutrition & digestability as puppy food.
(fyi, an English Bulldog is not a large breed.. it is a medium sized breed http://www.akc.org/breeds/bulldog/ & http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bulldog.htm )


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## djkayg (Mar 1, 2010)

MissyP said:


> If you insist on sticking with lamb & rice (which many bulldogs are allergic to), there are puppy versions of it.. Adult foods dont have the same nutrition & digestability as puppy food.
> (fyi, an English Bulldog is not a large breed.. it is a medium sized breed http://www.akc.org/breeds/bulldog/ & http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bulldog.htm )



Sorry, the large breed was a typo, but I was informed my Dr. Butchko and the breeder to feed this breed adult food. Yes, I do know that puppy food has more nutrients, and I do provide supplements with my dogs food to make up for that. Also lamb and rice is a good diet for a dog who may have dermatitis (which is very common is bulldogs). JUST A FYI http://www.bulldoginformation.com/skin-problems-in-bulldogs.html

Thanks, again though for you feed back.


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## MissyP (Feb 21, 2010)

In that case, maybe you should just ask the vet & breeder how much to feed since they're the ones who suggested it. Does your puppy have dermatitis? And yes I know it's common, much like allergies..

Got a pic of your puppy?


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## Ladybug Bulldogs (Feb 8, 2010)

Does your pup seem to be satisfied with the amount you are feeding him?


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## PetCareBev (Jan 12, 2009)

Bulldogs are ADORABLE!!! 

Even though the AKC standard categorizes them as a medium breed, I believe that English Bulldogs will usually weigh in at 60 to 70 pounds when they reach their full growth as adults. I think the breeder and the vet probably suggested adult food because they're concerned that this Bulldog pup might have a tendency to grow very quickly which can lead to developmental bone problems.

I work for Eukanuba, in Consumer Relations. Normally, for a large-breed puppy, we would recommend Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy formula because it's designed for fast-growing puppies (less fat than our other puppy formulas) and has a careful control of the calcium and phosphorus levels. 

I asked one of our vet's about your situation. She confirmed my thoughts that normally at 5 months old we would recommend the puppy formulas with no supplementation, but that you can feed the adult formula--but again, you don't need to supplement vitamins and minerals because that's all included and balanced in the food. 

As for how much to feed, ultimately you're the best judge. Package feeding guidelines are there as a starting point and every dog is a unique individual. The pet parent knows the dog best. You can judge by your dog's body condition whether you're feeding enough or not. In very simple terms, if you can see a distinct outline of his ribs, then you're not feeding enough. If you can't see or feel his ribs, then you're feeding too much. Your vet can also help you in assessing your puppy's body condition. 

If my teammates here at Eukanuba can be of any help, don't hesitate to contact us. The toll-free number is on the bag.

Congratulations on the new addition to your family! There is nothing sweeter than puppy breath!


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