Establishing a feeding schedule by knowing how much to feed a Weimaraner puppy is a great way to start your puppy on a journey of good health.
Providing regular food to your puppy will keep their blood sugar balanced and help regulate their digestive system.
You should establish a Weimaraner puppy feeding chart as soon as your new companion gets home, then stick to it. Feeding a puppy is not difficult but it is essential that your feed them healthy and balanced meals.
Keep on reading to know when to feed your puppy, the amount of food they should eat at different stages, whether you should supplement their diet, and the best foods for a Weimaraner puppy.
How Much Should A Weimaraner Puppy Eat?
Younger Weimaraners should be fed differently from older ones because they need different nutrients to help with their development.
There are other things that need to be considered when deciding how much to feed them. These include the level of daily physical activity they are getting, their age, and the type of food you are feeding them.
Also, consider their health and body condition.
Fortunately, most dog food companies put feeding guidelines on food labels or their websites to help guide you. If you have concerns about the amount of food your puppy needs, speak to your vet about it.
Ensure that your puppy’s diet is high in proteins and contains healthy fats and carbs as well as minerals and vitamins.
Best Dog Food For Weimaraner Puppies (2022)
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Dog Food (Editor’s Choice)
- Purina Pro Plan Puppy Dog Food (Runner-Up)
Weimaraner Feeding Chart
Creating a feeding schedule for your Weimaraner puppy ensures that they stay full all day and have enough energy to do their daily activities.
As your puppy grows, their nutritional needs change, hence needing a different feeding schedule at different ages.
A Weimaraner feeding chart will help you give your puppy the right amount of food for their age. Finding your puppy’s Resting Energy Requirement will enable you to calculate their daily caloric needs.
RER = (weight in kg)3/4 * 70
Your puppy’s daily caloric requirement is two times their RER.
Below is a Weimaraner puppy feeding chart explained in detail:
4-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
When your puppy is a month old, they are still depending on their mother or puppy formula for their nutrition. their digestive system is still developing hence may not handle puppy food.
However, some puppies may be ready to start the weaning process, but if your puppy is hesitant to eat the kibbles, do not worry as they are not ready to be weaned off yet.
6-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
Weaning should begin at this age and your puppy should be ready to feed on kibbles. This is because they will be moving to their new homes in two weeks.
To ease the weaning process, you can mix the kibble with puppy formula so that the meal is easy on your puppy’s tummy. They can eat between ½ and ¾ cups of food per day, divided four times.
8-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
At the age of two months, your puppy should be fully weaned and ready to be rehomed. Ensure that you feed them the food that they were eating at the breeder’s home to avoid causing stomach issues.
However, if you must change the brand, do it slowly to give time to your puppy’s stomach to get used to the new food.
They should eat somewhere between ½ and ¾ cups three times a day.
10-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
During the 10th week, your puppy is beginning to be more active and will need more calories to meet their energy requirements. Your puppy should eat between 1½ and 2 cups, thrice per day.
12-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
At the age of three months, your puppy is going through plenty of growth and development and will need more nutrients for support. They still need to eat three times per day but the amount of food increases to 2 cups.
14-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
The 14th week is similar to the 12th week in terms of your puppy’s growth and caloric consumption. Their activity level is also increased, so you should continue feeding them between 2 to 3 cups, thrice a day.
16-Week-Old Weimaraner Puppy
At four months, your puppy needs more food than the previous months and should eat around 3 ½ cups of food per day. Divide the food into three mealtimes.
6 Months – 12 Months Old Weimaraner Puppy
Between the ages of 6 months and one year, your puppy is building more muscle and so their food should be around 2 1/3 to 4 cups per day. however, you should reduce the feeding frequency to two.
12 Months & Above Weimaraners
From the age of one year onwards, your puppy can eat twice or once per day. This is when they reach their adult size and can transition to adult food from puppy food.
They can be fed between 2 and 3 cups of food, but you should monitor their activity levels to reduce the food when they have not been active and feed more when they have been busy.
Understanding Weimaraner Puppy Nutritional Needs
A Weimaraner puppy needs to have balanced nutrition with all the necessary nutrients to ensure that they have healthy growth and development.
Puppies with nutrient deficiencies are at high risk of developing diseases and experiencing stunted growth.
Ensure that your puppy’s food contains 22% of high-quality protein from animal sources so that they can have strong and healthy muscles.
Weimaraners need 12% fat in their diet for healthy skin and a shinier coat.
Also, your puppy needs around 5% to 8% carbs to provide them with energy but ensure that they are healthy and come from sources such as fruits and vegetables.
Do not forget, to feed your puppy food that contains vitamins and minerals to boost their immune system and protect them from disease.
Avoid foods that contain fillers, grains, additives, and artificial flavours and preservatives.
How Many Times A Day To Feed A Weimaraner Puppy?
The feeding frequency for your Weimaraner puppy depends on their activity level, age, and health condition. They should eat four times a day when they are two months old. Divide their daily food ratio into four meals.
From three months to six months, you can feed them three times per day, and from the age of six months to one year, you can feed them twice a day.
After one year, they can eat either once or twice depending on their hunger and activity levels.
Kibble vs Wet Food for Weimaraner Puppies
You can feed your Weimaraner puppy either kibble or wet food as both options have similar nutritional value.
Kibble is easy to store, helps your puppy clean their teeth because of the crunchiness hence preventing dental issues, and is affordable. Kibble also encourages puppies to chew their food which strengthens their jaw muscles.
Wet foods are high in moisture content making them suitable for puppies who do not like drinking water and also help with digestion.
If your puppy is sick or has lost their appetite, you feed them wet food as it is flavourful and tasty and will encourage them to eat more food.
However, wet foods are expensive and can go bad quickly if not stored in a fridge after being opened. Some dog owners, mix kibble and wet food to get the benefits of both types of food at a cheaper cost.
Switching From Puppy Food to Adult Food
When your puppy stops growing and has reached their adult size, you should transition them to adult food. This is because adult dogs have different nutritional needs from puppies.
The process should be done slowly over a week to avoid causing stomach issues to your puppy.
On days 1 and 2, each meal should contain 3 parts old food and 1-part new food. On days 3 and 4, you should feed them equal portions of the old and new food. On days 5 and 6, each meal should contain 1-part old food and 3 parts new food.
The slow transition will allow your dog’s intestinal tract to get used to their new food. Ensure that the adult food you feed them is high in quality and has enough protein to maintain their strong and lean muscles.
What If My Weimaraner Puppy Won’t Eat?
Your Weimaraner puppy may not be eating their food because of a few reasons, some are serious while others do not need you to worry.
If you have changed the brand or type of food and your puppy is a picky eater, it may take them some time to get used to the new food.
If your puppy has just moved in or you have moved houses, they may be hesitant to eat their food because of stress caused by the move. However, they should resume their normal feeding habits after two days.
When your puppy does not touch their food or drink any water for more than 12 hours, you should be concerned and take them to the vet for medical examination.
This is because they may be suffering from a problem that is causing a lack of appetite.
Can You Freefeed a Weimaraner Puppy?
Free feeding is a method of feeding where you leave food on a plate for your puppy to eat whenever they want.
This means that they can continue eating even when they are not hungry. This method of feeding is easy and convenient, but it can be detrimental to your puppy.
It only works best for very young puppies and those that are sick, but for a healthy Weimaraner, it is not recommended.
This is because it makes house training difficult and can lead to unnecessary weight gain and health issues.
Also, if canned food is left out in the open for a long time, it may go bad and attract bacteria which can be harmful to your puppy’s stomach.
How Long to Feed a Weimaraner Puppy?
Until they are fully grown, your Weimaraner puppy should continue eating puppy food or meals specifically designed for all life stages. The time can range from 15 months for small female puppies to 21 months for large male puppies.
Most pet stores and vets have a walk-on scale that you can use for free to monitor the growth of your puppy and when it stops.
You should weigh them at least once per month. Once their growth has stopped, you should switch them to a suitable adult diet.
Best Puppy Food for Weimaraner
1. Royal Canin Health Nutrition 30 pound
Editor’s Choice
Royal Canin formula is the right-sized diet for every dog. It is made with the right amount of nutrients that a dog needs in every growth stage.
Medium-sized dogs are usually very active, therefore, the Royal Canin has the special nutrition that the pet needs to keep them running, playing, or jumping daily.
The Royal Canin is made to feed the Weimaraner’s high level of energy. It has a mix of antioxidants and prebiotics that help support natural defenses. EPA and DHA help the dog to stay vibrant.
Fibers and highly digestible proteins help the Weimaraner digest and absorb nutrients. The meal is also highly palatable.
Pros
- Support immunity through the availability of prebiotics and antioxidants.
- Supports your puppy’s growth at all stages.
- The highly digestible protein and balanced fiber supply promote a healthy skin
Cons
- Prices are high
Runner-Up
2. Purina Pro Plan Shredded Chicken
Runner-Up
Purina Pro Plan Band dog food blends the chicken and rice formula. There is real chicken which is the first ingredient and rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates.
It is a hard dog kibble with tender shredded pieces to keep the dog engaged. It is 100 percent nutritious and complete.
It has vitamin A and linoleic acid plus omega-6 fatty acid for healthy coat and skin. The probiotics help in supporting digestive health. This meal has complete essentials to support the pet’s overall wellness and health.
Pros
- High protein content for the dog’s ideal body condition
- Supports healthy coat and skin
- Live probiotics for immune and digestive health.
- High protein formula for muscle health.
Cons
- May have dietary upsets if there is no gradual transition of the dog food.
3. Science Diet Perfect Chicken Management
Science Diet dog food provides weight management nutrition for the Weimaraner. It is a weight control meal and over 70% of the weight will be lost in 10 weeks.
It is made with natural ingredients that help the Weimaraner maintain lean muscles.
It has great taste. Real chicken, salmon, and lamb are the only high-quality ingredients used. There is high-quality protein as the first ingredient and clinically proven antioxidants.
They are made with natural ingredients and do not have any artificial flavors or colors.
Pros
- Dog food s clinically proven for weight management.
- Purina Pro Plan Chicken Formula
- Made with only natural ingredients
- Helps the dog to maintain lean muscles.
Cons
- Could not find one
4. Purina Pro Plan Chicken Formula
This Formula meets the unique nutritional needs of a puppy. It has high-quality protein sources including chicken. It is good for the development of healthy muscles.
There is omega-rich fish oil that nourishes the brain and vision development. Phosphorus and calcium build strong teeth and bones.
The puppy kibble does not have any artificial colors and keeps the puppy running to the bowl. It has a complete and nutritious ingredient that the body needs during the early stages of life.
Pros
- DHA for healthy vision and brain development.
- Easily digestible
- Great taste
- Formulated to support the right growth rate for puppies
Cons
- Sensitive to some puppies
Is a Raw Diet Healthy For a Weimaraner Puppy?
Raw food is the best for Weimaraners because their ancestors used to live in the wild and could hunt animals and take raw meat.
Their stomachs can digest raw meals and they are built to live that way.
Most pet owners have a concern when it comes to raw food because bacteria and germs that are in raw food cause harm to the dog.
You don’t need to fear because their canine digestive system can deal with them. However, if you are worried, you can get commercial raw food products that are free from germs and sterilized.
When feeding your puppy raw food, ensure that it is handled properly and stored safely to prevent stomach problems due to bacteria.
How Much Does Weimaraner Grow Each Week?
Your Weimaraner puppy adds some weight each week even though it may not be noticeable.
The average weight of a Weimaraner at 8 weeks is about 5.7 kg. From three months, Weimaraner gains 1.05 kgs per week on average. At 4 months, Weimaraner grows 0.89kgs per week on average.
At 5 months the puppy grows 0.74kgs per week. Then from 6 months, the puppy gains 0.6kgs every week. At 7 and 8 months, the puppy gains 0.49kg and 0.39kgs per week respectively.
Should You Feed a Weimaraner Puppy Supplements?
The dietary supplements take the dog’s Weimaraner’s nutrition to the next level because it has an addition to the individual needs of the dog.
All breeds have certain health conditions that are more prevalent in every specific breed. It is good to acknowledge that when you give your dog the right diet with all essential nutrients, it helps mitigate against and minimize breed-related conditions.
When your Weimaraner needs extra nutritional support, go for the whole food supplements with no chemicals, non-species appropriate ingredients, or synthetics.
There is a range of dog supplements that you can go for if your dog needs supplements.
How Much Water Should a Weimaraner Puppy Drink?
Water is essential in every dog’s life and is an important part of the dog’s diet. The ideal intake of water for a dog depends on the size and activity level.
In general, a dog takes about 1 ounce of fluid per pound of body weight. That means a dog weighing 45 pounds should take about 5.5 cups of fluids daily.
Puppies who are transitioning from mother milk to solid food need 0.5 cups of water every two hours. After weaning, the Weimaraner puppy should drink between 0.5 to 1 fluid ounce per pound of the body weight every day.
Set a schedule for your puppy’s water intake and always ration his intake.
