Look around, and you'll find all sorts of advice on feeding your puppy. The AAFCO has a set of guidelines for growing and lactating dogs, which includes puppies. Pet-food manufacturers recommend feeding a pet food formulated specifically for puppies from the time the pups are weaned through twelve months of age. Some breeders prefer to begin feeding an adult maintenance diet to puppies when they have reached six months of age. Still others never feed a puppy-specific formula at all.

Who's right? It's hard to say. If a puppy is fed an adult maintenance food, there is a risk that she won't receive all the nutrition she needs. On the flip side, puppy foods are packed with nutrition, which a growing puppy needs. If an owner overfeeds a highly packed, more nutritious food, there is a significant danger that the puppy will be obese and that undue pressure will be put on her joints while she is growing.

Perhaps the best solution is to use a food made for puppies and to be diligent in the pup's portion control. Do not allow your puppy to free-feed from an automatic feeder or overfilled bowl twenty-four hours a day. Instead, feed small portions three to four times a day until she is three months old, at which time you can feed her three times a day. At six months, she may be able to be fed twice a day; however, if she is still quite small, it is often advisable to continue with more frequent, smaller meals if possible for a few months longer.