How much to eat & how often

[dempseybeau]

Hello Fellow Boxer lovers, My boy Dempsey is just turning 6 months old and I am wondering if I should continue to feed him 3 times a day or start with 2 times, and how much food I should be feeding him. I give him Nutro Max large breed dry food. He weighs just over 50 lbs and also am wondering when he will stop growing. Dempsey is my first dog and I just love reading all the posting on this site. Thank you in advance for your advice.
DEMPSEY'S MOM

 

[JulieM]

Six months is when we switched to 2 feedings a day. How much to feed depends on him, of course - at his ideal weight you should just be able to see the outline of the last 3 ribs, and if you feel his ribs they should feel like the back of your hand. As a puppy, though, he'll go through some weird growth stages where he looks like a walking skeleton, and then some where it looks like all his skin is melting off of him It is far better for him to be a touch too thin than a touch too fat. He will stop growing up by about 12 months or so, and then he'll start growing out (rib spring). He should be done by the time he's 2-3 years old. Different lines mature at different rates - mine is *very* slow - but that's a good rule of thumb.

 

[Brutus and Amaya's Mom]

You can switch at 6 months. I have continued to feed Bru and Amaya 3 times a day. They are kennled during the day and my hubby and I felt they needed a lunch break. We divy up the week and someone comes home every day to feed the dogs and let them run around a bit. If feeding 3 times is not inconvienent you can continue to do so.