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What Do I Feed My New Puppy?

Graphic promoting the benefits of lifelong TLC Pet Food nutrition. Includes the TLC Pet Food logo, a bowl of kibble, and raw ingredients like chicken, lamb, salmon, ginger, rosemary, and grains on a wooden surface. Orange background with paw prints and bold text: "Benefits to Lifelong TLC Nutrition."

Welcoming a new puppy into your home is such an exciting time—but it often comes with a lot of questions. One of the most common things we get asked is:


“What should I feed my new puppy?”

At By Design Poodles, we’ve spent years trying a wide variety of dog foods. After a lot of research and firsthand experience, we’ve confidently chosen TLC Pet Food All Life Stages for our puppies. This food is specially formulated for active breeds and supports them from puppyhood through adulthood.

How much should my puppy eat?

Your puppy is currently eating 1/2 to 1 cup of food, twice daily.

We feed:

  • Breakfast at around 8:00 AM

  • Dinner between 6:00–7:00 PM

While they’re here, mealtimes are a group effort—siblings all around encourage faster eating. At your home, everything is calmer, and your puppy may nibble slowly at first. This is completely normal.

Feeding Tips for a Smooth Transition

We recommend feeding your puppy inside their crate. After a potty or play session, place them in their crate with their food.

This:

  • Builds a strong crate association

  • Supports routine and predictability

  • Helps with housebreaking

Important: Puppies may eat less in the first few days due to all the new experiences. Be patient—they’ll settle in!

Avoid Creating Picky Eaters.

Don’t rush to add canned food, gravy, or tempting toppers. Doing so now can create long-term picky eating habits. Bad habits are easier to prevent than break.Stick with the dry food and keep mealtimes calm and consistent.

When to Switch to One Meal Per Day

Between 6 and 8 months of age, your puppy can begin eating once a day. This is healthy for digestion and supports natural intermittent fasting. Every dog is different, so feel free to reach out if you’re unsure when to make this shift.

Thinking About Switching Foods?

If you decide to change food, do it gradually over 7–10 days.

  1. Start with 75% TLC + 25% new food

  2. Slowly increase the new food daily

  3. Finish with 100% new food by day 7–10

This helps avoid upset stomachs and makes the transition smooth.

Foods We Approve (if you need alternatives)

Here are some foods we don’t hate:

  • Purina ProPlan Puppy

  • Eukanuba Puppy

  • Science Diet

  • Royal Canin

These are available at Tractor Supply, feed stores, and some vet offices.

Brands We Recommend Avoiding

Based on experience, we suggest steering clear of:

  • Taste of the Wild

  • Blue Buffalo

  • 4Health

  • Victor

  • Diamond Naturals

We’ve tried them—and we weren’t impressed.

🐾 Final Thoughts

Feeding your puppy doesn’t have to be complicated. Stick with quality food like TLC, maintain a routine, and give your pup time to adjust.

Pro Tip: TLC ships directly to your home. Let us know if you'd like our breeder link to get started!

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