Puppy Feeding Guide Singapore: Fresh Food, Portions, Ages
You just picked up your new puppy from the breeder or shelter, drove home through the Singapore heat, and the first thing you Googled in the car was probably "how much do I feed this tiny thing". Fair. Puppies are all wobble and appetite and zero manual, and the kibble bag's back label reads like a physics problem.
This guide is the one we send to every pawrent who WhatsApps us a photo of a new furkid asking where to start. It covers fresh food specifically, because that's what we make, but the portion maths and meal-timing logic works whether you're on The Bon Pet, another fresh brand, or transitioning off kibble.
Why puppies need different food from adult dogs
Puppies aren't just small adults. They're growing bone, muscle, brain, and immune tissue at a rate they'll never hit again. That means higher protein, more fat, more calcium and phosphorus (in the correct ratio, not just more), and more calories per kilogram of bodyweight than an adult of the same breed.
This is why the AAFCO framework matters. AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) sets two main nutritional profiles: Adult Maintenance and Growth & Reproduction (which covers puppies and pregnant/nursing mums). A third label, All Life Stages, meets the stricter Growth standard and is therefore safe for puppies, adults, and seniors.
Every Bon Pet recipe is formulated by our PhD nutritionist to AAFCO All Life Stages. Translation: the same pack of chicken or beef you feed your Golden Retriever can go to a 10-week-old puppy, and the nutrient profile is safe for both. If you want the deeper dive on what AAFCO actually certifies, we have a full breakdown on AAFCO approved dog food in Singapore.
How many meals a day, by age
Puppy stomachs are tiny. They can't hold a full day's calories in one or two sittings the way an adult dog can, and they burn through glucose fast enough that skipping meals can cause hypoglycaemia in small breeds. Meal frequency drops as they grow.
8 to 12 weeks
4 meals a day. Roughly every 4 to 5 waking hours. A tiny Maltese pup might only manage 20g per meal; a Labrador pup might inhale 80g. Both are normal.3 to 6 months
3 meals a day. Space them roughly morning, midday, and evening. This is also usually when housebreaking clicks, because you can time toilet trips 15 to 20 minutes after each meal.6 to 12 months
2 meals a day. Same schedule you'll use for the rest of their life. Small breeds may hit adult size and switch to adult portions by 10 months; large breeds (Retrievers, Shepherds) are still growing until 18 to 24 months and need puppy-level calories longer.12+ months (small and medium breeds)
2 meals a day, adult portions. Move to our dog portion guide for the maintenance maths.Portion sizes: the actual numbers
Here's where most puppy guides wave their hands. We won't. Fresh food is calorie-dense compared to kibble (real meat and fat, not extruded starch), so portions look smaller on the scale than the kibble bag suggested.
Rule of thumb by age and current bodyweight:
- Under 4 months: 5 to 8% of current bodyweight per day, split across 4 meals
- 4 to 6 months: 4 to 6% of current bodyweight per day, split across 3 meals
- 6 to 12 months: 3 to 4% of current bodyweight per day, split across 2 meals
- 12+ months (adult): 2 to 3% of bodyweight per day, split across 2 meals
Now a 4-month-old Labrador weighing 12kg. Take 5% of 12kg = 600g per day, split across 3 meals = 200g per meal. That's two 300g packs a day. Yes, big pups eat a lot. Yes, it's normal.
Reweigh weekly. Puppies grow fast enough that a portion set at week 8 will be underfeeding by week 12. If you can't see or easily feel their last two ribs, back off 10%. If ribs are visible even from a distance and there's no waist tuck, add 10%.
Or just use our feeding calculator and skip the maths.
Transitioning a puppy off kibble (or off breeder food)
Most breeders send pups home with a small bag of whatever they were weaned on, often a dry kibble. Even if you're excited to switch to fresh, don't do it overnight. Puppy guts are still developing a stable microbiome, and a sudden swap will almost guarantee a few days of loose stool, which for a small pup means real dehydration risk in Singapore's climate.
5 to 7 day transition:
- Days 1 to 2: 25% Bon Pet, 75% old food
- Days 3 to 4: 50/50
- Days 5 to 6: 75% Bon Pet, 25% old food
- Day 7+: 100% Bon Pet
Serving fresh food safely in Singapore's climate
Our weather is not kind to fresh food left out. 30°C and 80% humidity is bacteria's happy place, and a bowl of fresh chicken that sat on the kitchen floor for two hours in a Singapore afternoon is not safe to eat.
Ground rules:
- Thaw in the fridge overnight, not on the counter. A 300g pack takes 10 to 12 hours from freezer to ready-to-serve.
- Serve at room temperature, not warmed. Heating destroys taurine and heat-sensitive vitamins that we've deliberately preserved by sous vide cooking at 80°C (versus kibble extrusion at 200°C). Take the pack out of the fridge 15 minutes before feeding.
- Don't leave food in the bowl for more than 30 to 45 minutes. If your pup doesn't finish, cover and return to the fridge. Toss anything left after the second offering.
- Use within 2 to 3 days once thawed. Never refreeze.
What puppies should NOT eat, ever
A quick non-exhaustive list because we get asked weekly:
- Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, xylitol (sweetener). All toxic. Full list in our foods toxic to dogs Singapore post.
- Cooked bones. They splinter. Raw meaty bones are a separate conversation and not recommended for young pups without vet guidance.
- Adult dog food for the first year (small/medium breeds) or 18 months (large breeds) unless the label says AAFCO All Life Stages.
- Table scraps as "meals". A tiny piece of plain boiled chicken as a training treat is fine; last night's curry is not.
When to call the vet, not us
We love answering feeding questions on WhatsApp. But some things are vet calls, not diet tweaks:
- Vomiting more than twice in 24 hours
- Diarrhoea lasting more than 48 hours, or any bloody stool
- Refusing food for more than 24 hours (12 hours for pups under 3 months)
- Lethargy, wobbly walk, sunken eyes (dehydration signs)
- Rapid weight loss or failure to gain weight over 2 weeks
What a real Bon Pet puppy switch looks like
Our pawrents send us photos and voice notes every week, but Wei Ming's message stuck with us:
> "Tried 3 other fresh pet food brands in Singapore before landing on Bon Pet. The sous vide texture is different, you can smell it. AAFCO certification + PhD formulated was the clincher."
> Wei Ming L., pawrent to Niko (Shiba, 6y)
Niko wasn't a puppy when he switched, but the point stands: the label credentials matter more when you're feeding a growing animal, because you can't fix a bone-development mistake made at 4 months. Get the nutrition right the first year and you're setting up 12+ years of easier vet visits.
We publish every formula openly, gram by gram, supplement by supplement. If you want to see exactly what's going into your pup's bowl, it's all there.
Starting your pup on The Bon Pet
If you're not sure which protein your pup will love, our Sampler Set lets you sample 5 proteins (chicken, beef, kangaroo, fish, pork) in 300g packs. Enough food for a few days of testing, and enough variety to spot a favourite before you commit to a subscription.
Subscribers get 10% off ongoing, delivery cadence anywhere from weekly to every 6 weeks, and pause/cancel is 2 clicks. Intro savings apply at checkout for first orders.
Ninja Van cold chain delivers frozen to your door islandwide. Free delivery over $150.
Questions on your specific pup's breed, weight, or transition? WhatsApp us at +65 9010 8515. We'll walk you through it.
❤️ The Bon Pet team
Frequently asked questions
How many times a day should I feed my puppy?
4 meals a day from 8 to 12 weeks, 3 meals a day from 3 to 6 months, and 2 meals a day from 6 months onwards. Small breeds may drop to adult portions around 10 months; large breeds keep puppy portions until 18 to 24 months.
Can puppies eat fresh cooked food in Singapore?
Yes, as long as the recipe is formulated to AAFCO All Life Stages or Growth standards. The Bon Pet's gently cooked meals meet AAFCO All Life Stages and are safe for puppies from weaning onwards.
How much fresh food does a puppy need per day?
Roughly 5 to 8% of current bodyweight per day under 4 months, tapering to 3 to 4% by 12 months. A 3-month-old 2.5kg Shih Tzu eats around 150g daily; a 4-month-old 12kg Labrador eats around 600g daily.
How do I switch my puppy from kibble to fresh food?
Transition over 5 to 7 days: 25% new for 2 days, 50/50 for 2 days, 75% new for 2 days, then 100%. Slower than the standard adult 3 to 5 day switch because puppy guts are still developing. Watch stool the whole way.
Can I warm up fresh puppy food?
No. Heating fresh food destroys taurine and heat-sensitive vitamins that were preserved by low-temperature sous vide cooking. Thaw in the fridge overnight and serve at room temperature by taking the pack out 15 minutes before feeding.
