There are two ways you can feed your puppy. One is on demand and the other is with scheduled measured portions. Either will work for most dogs.
I'm lazy so I prefer the first method. I have 5 Shih-Tzu dogs and I have one bowl and I simply keep it full and when a dog is hungry, it eats.
This system works well if your breeder has already got the dogs accustomed to eating this way. the dogs regulate themselves.
The downside is you have to watch the pup if there is an older more dominate dog in the house.
We have a pack and there is a pecking order. Shadow is the stud and the dominate alpha male who eats first and will growl if any other dog comes around while he is at the bowl. The danger is that a puppy has no clue about the pecking order and may venture too close and be snapped at or worse even attacked.
You have to know the personalities of your dogs and guard against this situation. Most often a simple growl sends the right signal and the pup backs away.
Our pups can share with their mom, uncle and grandmother but both Gizmo the neutered grandfather and his son, Shadow prefer eating alone.
Some dogs are gluttons and do not fair well on the demand system because they will eat until they burst, get sick and can even die. You'll know if this is true when you put the first plate down. If he/she eats like a vacuum cleaner, you might opt for the measured approach.
The measured approach is quite simple. You take your pup, measure his/her weight and mete out the portions you give based on size and what the vet or the dog food recommends. It usually equals 1 or 2 cups of food in the morning and the same again at night. You leave water out at all times.
The benefits to this is a fit and trim pup who should stay that way for life as long as you take in his size and age when giving him/her their food.
You might have to adjust the amount after spaying or neutering as most dogs are prone to weight gain after the surgery.
It means you have another reason to stay trim and fit yourself because your dog will require regular scheduled walks to stay thin.
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