TL;DR: A growing puppy isn’t a small adult dog — she needs more food by body weight, more often, and specific building blocks: DHA for the brain, glucosamine for growing joints, and a balanced omega ratio. Start with single-ingredient treats sized for a pup, feed roughly 8% of her body weight at 3–4 months easing to 4–6% by 6 months across 3 meals a day, and add the Hemp Meal Balancer once she’s 6 months. Here’s the whole playbook.
First, the only two numbers that matter: how much, how often
Puppies grow fast, and the bowl has to keep up.
- How much: about 8–10% of body weight a day from 8–16 weeks, easing down to 4–6% by 6–12 months. (An adult dog, for contrast, eats just 2–3%.) Always adjust to body condition — you should feel her ribs with light pressure and see a waist from above.
- How often: 4 meals a day at 8–12 weeks, dropping to 3 meals by 4 months, and 2 meals by her first birthday. Small stomachs do better with little and often.
What a growing puppy actually needs (and why)
DHA — for the brain
DHA is a building block of brain tissue, and puppies raised on a high-DHA diet are easier to train. The best natural source is small oily fish — Sardines and Anchovies. Being small and short-lived, they’re clean and low in heavy metals, ideal for a young dog.
Glucosamine — for growing joints
Her joints are forming right now. Dehydrated Chicken Feet are nature’s glucosamine — a natural chew that supports developing joints (and keeps a teething pup busy).
The right omega balance — for skin, coat and calm
Commercial Indian chicken runs an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 20:1–30:1 (a balanced ratio is closer to 7:1), and that excess omega-6 is inflammatory. From 6 months, our Hemp Meal Balancer rebalances a normal chicken bowl. Until then, lean on the fish above for omega-3.
Where to start: the puppy shelf
You don’t need the whole store. For a growing pup these earn their place — all single-ingredient, GMP-made, nothing added:
- Chicken Feet — natural glucosamine for growing joints; a brilliant first chew.
- Sardines & Anchovies — small, clean fish for the DHA that builds a young brain.
- Peanut Butter & Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Biscuits — your training reward at the age when everything is being learned.
- Whole Quail — a gentle, novel whole-prey protein.
- Bone & Organ Boost — rounds out the minerals a growing skeleton needs.
- From 6 months: Hemp Meal Balancer — to fix the omegas in a regular bowl.
Desi puppies (Indies & Pariahs) — a note
The Indian Indie is a hardy breed, evolved for Indian conditions, and generally suffers fewer allergies than imported breeds. Two things to know: transition slowly (a desi gut that’s been on scraps or kibble needs a gentle introduction), and smaller Indies do especially well on Sardines and Anchovies. Many Indies are rescued with a poor nutrition history — good food now pays off fast.
From the Indian kitchen
A few things already in your kitchen support a growing pup: a pinch of turmeric (¼ tsp per 10 kg, with a little fat and black pepper), a spoon of curd for gut-friendly probiotics, and a little ghee for butyric acid. Single-ingredient, desi, and free.
The simple by-age cheat sheet
| Age | How much / day | Meals | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–4 months | ~8–10% body weight | 4 → 3 | Soft training bites, small fish (DHA), gentle introduction |
| 4–6 months | ~6–8%, easing down | 3 | Chicken Feet for joints, fish for brain, Quail for variety |
| 6 months+ | ~4–6% | 3 → 2 | Add the Hemp Meal Balancer; keep the omega-3 daily |
Frequently asked questions
What are the best treats for a puppy in India?
Single-ingredient, size-appropriate chews and small fish: Chicken Feet (joints), Sardines and Anchovies (brain-building DHA), and peanut-butter training bites. Skip anything with additives, colours or preservatives — a growing body doesn’t need them.
How much should I feed my puppy?
Roughly 8–10% of body weight a day from 8–16 weeks, easing to 4–6% by 6–12 months, split across 3–4 meals. Adjust to body condition — ribs felt with light pressure, a visible waist.
Can a 5-month-old puppy have hemp products?
We’d wait until 6 months for the Hemp Meal Balancer. Until then, get omega-3 from small fish — Sardines and Anchovies.
My puppy is an Indie — anything different?
Indies are hardy and adaptable. Transition slowly, and lean on Sardines and Anchovies; smaller desi dogs do brilliantly on them.
How many treats a day is okay for a puppy?
Treats are food, not extra — keep them within her daily food budget. Use small training bites for rewards, and count chews like Chicken Feet as part of a meal.
About the author
Mahiv Chhabra is a Certified Canine Nutritionist, founder of The Doggos, and author of The Desi Carnivore — an India-first playbook for feeding dogs by their biology. The Doggos makes single-ingredient, GMP-made nutrition for Indian dogs, from a kitchen and store in Thane.
