Raising Gus

I got a puppy in 2022. July, I think. Maybe June. It was hot. Denver gets hot in the summer. I remember that. The breeder handed me a one-page printout. The vet sent another. They didn't match. I spiraled. 2 AM on puppy forums. Every post contradicted the last one. I was convinced I'd either starve him or make him obese by month three.

He's 4 now. He's fine. Here's what I'd do differently. Not because I'm an expert. Because I made mistakes and you don't have to.

The First Week

I free-fed. That was stupid.

He'd leave kibble in the bowl and I'd just leave it out. I was worried he wasn't eating enough. What I actually did was destroy any hope of a potty training schedule. Food goes in, poop comes out about 20 minutes later. I learned this at 3 AM. On my kitchen floor. Barefoot.

Schedule the meals. Four times a day at this age. Pick up the bowl after 15 minutes. Trust that a healthy puppy won't starve himself.

My neighbor knocked on my door at 2 AM because Gus was crying. He thought I was torturing something. I explained I had a puppy. He said "oh" and went back inside. He plays saxophone sometimes. At night. I don't know what time. I don't keep track.

The Growth Months

Somewhere around 4 months old, Gus started gaining weight fast. Normal for a large breed. I dropped to 3 meals a day.

Saturday morning weigh-ins saved me. Pick him up. Step on the bathroom scale. Subtract my weight. Tracked it in a notes app. When growth flattened, I adjusted food. Low-tech. Effective. I used an online calorie calculator to check his numbers at the start of each month. Puppy calorie needs shift fast.

I once took Gus to a brewery patio and he ate someone's tater tots off their plate. I offered to buy them new tots. They said it was fine. Gus thought it was excellent. I did not log those calories.

The Teenager Phase

Around 8 months. Gus started sniffing his bowl and walking away.

I panicked. Added toppers. Switched brands. Mixed in wet food. Basically trained him to be demanding. What I should have done? Nothing. A healthy dog will eat when hungry. After skipping a meal or two, he gave in. Lesson learned the annoying way.

Dropped to 2 meals at 9 months. Added some pumpkin and green beans for variety. He loved it. Still does.

Switching to Adult Food

Took 10 days. 25% new, 75% old. Then 50/50. Then 75/25. Then full adult. Zero stomach issues.

Gus is a large breed so I waited until 18 months. Their joints need puppy formula nutrients longer. Small breeds can switch at 12 months. But ask your vet. Don't take my word for your specific dog.

One Thing I Still Do

Feed the dog in front of you. Not the one on the bag.

Feeding charts are guidelines. Not gospel. Gus needed 10% less than the bag said because he wasn't as active as the "active adult" label assumed. Your dog will vary. Use a calculator. Watch body condition. Adjust.

Oh. Treats count.

Obvious, right? But when you're training a puppy, treats fly constantly. They add up. The rule: no more than 10% of daily calories from treats. For a small puppy eating 400 calories, that's 40 calories of treats. Like 3-4 tiny training treats. I definitely blew past this during Gus's "sit" and "stay" training. Had to cut his regular meals to compensate. Whoops.

That's it. I'm not a veterinarian. I'm an IT guy who got a puppy on impulse and spent two years googling things at 2 AM. This is what worked for one dog in one apartment. Your puppy is different. Talk to your vet — especially about large-breed nutrition, because getting it wrong can cause permanent joint damage. Some links might be affiliate links because dog food is expensive.

I live in Denver with Gus. Golden retriever. Four. Hopes constantly. I write about my bad pet decisions so you don't have to make them.

Gus is dreaming about tater tots right now. His leg is twitching. Probably chasing something in his sleep.