Many of us love huskies simply because of their appearance, but behind that lies a caring regimen that needs to be done properly, which involves both grooming and feeding. Whether you’re down to adopt one soon or already have one, you might wonder: how much should I feed my husky puppy?
Keeping your pup healthy and happy largely depends on how you feed them and what meals you serve in their bowl. While there are formulations in the market for adults and puppies, there are also specific ways of feeding your pup depending on their age in weeks, which we will cover in this article.
Eye problems are the most common hindrances of a husky’s overall health, which is why they need a lot of healthy food in their meals. Knowing what to feed your puppy, how much to feed them, and when to set schedules is important to maintain your husky pup’s overall health.
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How much to feed a Husky puppy?
As a large breed, huskies usually don’t get weight issues, unlike smaller dogs. Eating 3 times a day is recommended for a husky puppy and they should be served about 2 cups of food a day (divided equally in the 3 meals we mentioned). This schedule could be in the morning, afternoon, and night.
However, is “2 cups a day” the staple for all husky puppies? We think it depends on various factors, such as their activity levels, genetics, growth spurts, and others. Their age in weeks could also have a bearing on how much they should eat (which we will detail below).
Feeding Chart
Are you wondering how much food to give your husky puppy and how often? Below is a feeding chart to help guide you in giving the best diet plan for your husky puppy to grow healthy, strong, and happy:
| Puppy age | What to feed | Feeding frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 weeks old | nursing | - |
| 4 weeks old | 1:3 ratio of puppy food and water | - |
| 5 weeks old | 1:3 ratio of puppy food and water | - |
| 6 weeks old | 3:1 ratio of puppy food and water | - |
| 7 to 8 weeks old | A total of 2 cups of puppy food a day | 3 to 4 times a day |
| 9 to 10 weeks old | A total of 2 to 2 ½ cups of puppy food a day | 3 to 4 times a day |
| 11 to 12 weeks old | A total of 2 cups of puppy food a day | 2 to 3 times a day |
As you can see, husky puppies require 2 to 2 ½ cups of food for most of their puppyhood, since they are a large breed. The amount of times per day that you should feed your pup is generally 3 but it can vary depending on their energy since huskies are naturally workaholic dogs.
If your pup is typically outdoors, running around, and doing physical activities, you may increase the amount of food per day. For pups that have a history of bloating due to hunger pangs, you may also want to increase the number of times per day to 4 to keep them full (so they don’t gobble their food too quickly).
Growth Chart
Huskies usually have a pretty fast development before they reach 4 months of age. Do you want to know if your husky puppy is growing just fine?
To help put your mind at ease, here’s a growth chart to see if their weight is just right for their age. You can use it as a guide to estimate if your puppy is overweight or otherwise.
| Age in Month | Male Weight | Female Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 5-5.5 lbs (2.3-2.5 kg) | 5-5.2 lbs (2.2-2.5 kg) |
| 2 months | 12-13 lbs (5.4-5.9 kg) | 10-12 lbs (4.5-5.5 kg) |
| 3 months | 20-23 lbs (9-10 kg) | 17-21 lbs (8-9 kg) |
| 4 months | 26-32 lbs (12-14 kg) | 22-29 lbs (10-13 kg) |
| 6 months | 35-45 lbs (16-20 kg) | 29-40 lbs (13-18 kg) |
| 8 months | 40-53 lbs (18-24 kg) | 32-46 lbs (14-21 kg) |
| 10 months | 43-58 lbs (19-26 kg) | 35-49 lbs (16-22 kg) |
| 12 months | 44-59 lbs (20-26.7 kg) | 35-50 lbs (16-23 kg) |
| 24 months | 44-60 lbs (20-27 kg) | 35-51 lbs (16-23 kg) |
Huskies are big dogs when they grow up – and they grow fast! Be sure to always prepare your stock of food at home – especially if you own two or more huskies! However, keep in mind that the above-mentioned chart is simply a guide – you can ask your vet for more detailed information if your puppy is indeed at the right weight for their age.
Below are some more details on a husky puppy’s journey from their younger age and early weaning up to their teething stage.
6 weeks old
During this time, your husky puppy should already be in its weaning stage. They should be offered a mixture of puppy food and water to make it easier for them to digest. Solid food usually starts with only ¼ of their meal or serving and then gradually up to ¾, decreasing the water content slowly as your puppy is weaned.
A 6-week-old husky puppy is usually not that keen on getting its mother’s milk anymore. Likewise, the mother might also start to go away from their pups to train them how to not depend on nursing anymore.
However, when it comes to feeding a husky puppy, it’s best not to set them in schedules yet by this time. Free-feeding is the way to go until they can eat solid food in full. Huskies are generally not very voracious eaters so you shouldn’t expect them to eat and finish their bowls all the time. Be sure to take out the food bowl after 20 minutes of inactivity to avoid spoilage.
Nursing can still be done from 6 to 7 weeks of age for a husky puppy, although it will be more limited. That’s why this is the perfect time to go full force on the weaning process. This is also the ideal age if you need to re-home your husky puppy (e.g. if you’re a breeder).
8 weeks old
During this time, your 8-week-old husky puppy should be fully weaned and won’t be reliant on their mother’s milk anymore by the time they reach 9 weeks of age. The ideal schedule should still be 3 meals a day with a total of 2 equally divided cups.
As mentioned above, huskies don’t generally gobble their food so don’t worry if there are leftovers on their bowl – that is normal for a husky. In most cases, husky pups can have varying appetites depending on their energy levels and mood.
At 9 weeks old, you may also want to increase their daily food allocations to 2 1/2 cups a day. If it will be divided into 3 meals, that’s about 0.8 cups each meal, and if 4 meals a day, 0.6 cups per serving. However, if you want to stick to just 2 cups a day, each serving in a 3-meal schedule would be 0.6 cups and 1/2 cup each for 4 meals a day.
By this time, a husky puppy should be fully weaned – especially if they need to be re-homed (this is the ideal time for that). If you’re adopting the new husky puppy, make sure you know the brand of food that was used to feed them.
10 weeks old
A husky puppy reaching 10 weeks of age should have a proper eating schedule. Whether you want 3 or 4 times a day is up to you – so long as you’re keeping your pup in tip-top shape when it comes to exercise, food, playtime, grooming, and whatnot while also attending to your real-life duties.
Usually, obesity is not a problem for husky puppies but this doesn’t mean you can just feed them as much as possible! Always make sure to keep the meal proportions just right because huskies losing weight can be a challenge.
An 11-week-old husky pup could also get curious around the house (or your yard) so make sure to keep all the dangerous objects out of sight. They might also eat much more than expected during this period. Remember that huskies are better on the thinner side, but not too thin! You can use our growth chart above for reference on their ideal weight.
12 weeks old
When your husky pup reaches 12 weeks old, they will start the teething stage. This is when your pup might be less inclined to eat – especially chewy food! Try giving your pup some teething toys and treats that are gentle on their gums during this time.
Recommended Food
Like most dog breeds, husky puppies can be fed canned or kibbled food. Here’s what you should look for when you’re shopping for either of the two:
Quality protein
You can get these from good dog food brands that list “chicken/beef/fish” as their first ingredient. Not only do they possess a sufficient amount of protein for workaholic dogs like huskies but they also contain healthy fats and oils, which are good for balancing your puppy’s overall health and energy.
If you prefer to feed your puppy with raw food, make sure it is properly handled to avoid bacterial contamination. Huskies can be sensitive towards new food so if you’re switching from kibble to raw, make sure to do it gradually.
Meat with a few green vegetables and fruits
While most of us think that dogs are carnivorous, that’s not entirely true! In the wild, wolves (dog ancestors) may also eat grass because it helps regulate their digestive system – the same is true for our canine friends. Therefore, adding a bit of fruit and vegetables to your husky puppy’s diet is okay!
However, do keep in mind that wet food can expire quickly, so if you need to stock up, make sure you have kibble around the house. If you plan on some home-cooked meals, you can add slices of carrots and some frozen fruits – but be sure to make the bits small enough to avoid giving your pup a choking hazard!
Vitamin A
As mentioned above, carrots are great husky foods because they contain vitamin A, which is good for the eyes. Huskies are prone to eye problems and by eating such foods, you can prevent the onset of cataracts and the like.
Foods to Avoid
While we did say that huskies can get stomach upset easily, what foods should be avoided for them? Here’s what shouldn’t be included in their diet:
- Fillers like corn and wheat
- Artificial colorants and preservatives
- The same food all the time (huskies can get tired/picky sometimes)
- Grapes and other toxic human food to dogs
FAQs on Feeding a Husky Puppy
Here are some more fast facts to help improve your husky puppy feeding experience:
Combine chicken, fish, and other types of meat with some fruits and vegetables. Fortunately, most canned and kibble brands out there already have formulations like these to help save you time in preparing food for your pup. Consider a brand that doesn’t have a lot of fillers and preservatives.
Huskies usually don’t need supplements unless your vet recommended them in the first place. Puppy food is typically sufficient for their overall health. However, your vet could give some supplements that would boost their eye health, especially if the puppy has a family history of cataracts.
Raw feeding a Husky puppy
Raw feeding is possible and okay for huskies. However, keep in mind that raw feeding food shouldn’t be fed together with the kibble because they are digested by your puppy differently. Also, make sure you handle the raw food properly to avoid contamination – especially if you live in coastal and humid areas!
You may want to consult your vet and/or breeder for proper advice on raw feeding because it requires calculation depending on your puppy’s body weight. You also need to consider the type of food and do some math on the total calories.
Conclusion
As a whole, husky puppies aren’t gobblers (and can be picky at times) but they still need to be in a scheduled meal to keep their weight in check. Coupled with the right feeding amount and schedule, your puppy should also get sufficient exercise and activity throughout the day to ensure that their journey to adulthood will only have minimal health hiccups.
