Puppy feeding charts / Herding group
Puppy growth · Herding group
Finnish Lapphund puppy feeding chart
A Finnish Lapphund grows to about 53 lb (the standard's range is 33–53 lb). Puppy calories track the puppy's current weight, not its adult weight: 8 lb of puppy under four months needs about 552 kcal a day, and the daily total keeps rising until adult weight, when the factor drops and the dog needs 1216 kcal — fewer calories than it did at 21 lb as a growing puppy (759 kcal).
- 1Under 4 months 8 lb · 552 kcal
- 2Most calories 45 lb · 1344 kcal
- 3Adult 53 lb · 1216 kcal
Chart: calories and cups as the puppy grows
Weigh the puppy, find the nearest row, feed that amount split into three or four meals under four months and two or three after. Re-weigh every two weeks. Cups use 369 kcal/cup (Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice (adult dry)); puppy foods are often denser, so use the kcal/cup on your bag — the sizer accepts it.
| Share of adult weight | Puppy weighs | Stage | Factor | kcal/day | Cups at 369 | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | 8 lb (3.6 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 552 | 1½ | 144 g |
| 25% | 13 lb (5.9 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 795 | 2¼ | 216 g |
| 40% | 21 lb (9.5 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 759 | 2 | 192 g |
| 55% | 29 lb (13.2 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 967 | 2½ | 240 g |
| 70% | 37 lb (16.8 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1161 | 3¼ | 312 g |
| 85% | 45 lb (20.4 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1344 | 3¾ | 360 g |
| 100% | 53 lb (24.0 kg) | Adult, neutered | × 1.6 | 1216 | 3¼ | 312 g |
RER = 70 × kg0.75; puppy and adult factors from the Merck Veterinary Manual. The age split (four months) is Merck's; the weight shares are evenly spaced points for reading the curve, not growth milestones for this breed. Calorie density: Purina. Checked 2026-10-20.
Where the stages fall for a Finnish Lapphund
The 3× factor applies while the puppy is under four months, which for a Finnish Lapphund usually means the rows up to roughly a quarter or a third of adult weight — around 8–13 lb. Between four months and maturity the factor is 2×, covering the 21–45 lb rows. Medium breeds like this one typically reach adult weight around a year, when the factor drops to the adult 1.6× and the daily amount falls even though the dog is at its biggest.
The peak of the chart is the surprise for most owners: at 21 lb and 2× RER the puppy eats 759 kcal, but the same dog at its full 53 lb as a neutered adult needs only 1216 kcal. Watch for the hand-off and reduce the ration rather than letting the adult food amount "catch up".
Growth to watch in a Finnish Lapphund
The standard puts an adult Finnish Lapphund at 18–21 in at the withers (16–19 in for females), so a puppy at the 29 lb row — a little over half its adult weight — is typically most of the way to full height and still filling out. The standard gives one weight range for both sexes, so a smaller individual simply stops lower on the chart; switch to the adult factor when growth plateaus on the fortnightly weigh-ins, not at a date. The gap between the 45 lb puppy row (1344 kcal) and the adult row (1216 kcal) is the amount to cut at the switch.
Crate divider positions
The same growth rows are a guide for the divider in the adult-size crate. A Finnish Lapphund ends up in a 30 in or 36 in crate — see the Finnish Lapphund crate size page — and the divider should give the puppy only enough room to stand, turn around and lie flat at each stage, moving back roughly every re-weigh.
Compare with similar breeds
A Border Collie puppy at 22 lb (40% of its 55 lb adult weight) needs 786 kcal; A Spanish Water Dog puppy at 20 lb (40% of its 49 lb adult weight) needs 732 kcal; A Bulldog puppy at 20 lb (40% of its 50 lb adult weight) needs 732 kcal.
Adult weight from Wikipedia breed infobox/body, checked 2026-10-21. The AKC standard states the height but not the weight, so the weight here is from Wikipedia breed infobox/body. Maintenance figures for a healthy puppy; your vet's growth-curve advice comes first.