Puppy feeding charts / Terrier group
Puppy growth · Terrier group
Fox Terrier puppy feeding chart
A Fox Terrier grows to about 18 lb. Puppy calories track the puppy's current weight, not its adult weight: 3 lb of puppy under four months needs about 265 kcal a day, and the daily total keeps rising until adult weight, when the factor drops and the dog needs 541 kcal — fewer calories than it did at 7 lb as a growing puppy (333 kcal).
- 1Under 4 months 3 lb · 265 kcal
- 2Most calories 15 lb · 590 kcal
- 3Adult 18 lb · 541 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% | 3 lb (1.4 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 265 | ¾ | 72 g |
| 25% | 5 lb (2.3 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 388 | 1 | 96 g |
| 40% | 7 lb (3.2 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 333 | 1 | 96 g |
| 55% | 10 lb (4.5 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 435 | 1¼ | 120 g |
| 70% | 13 lb (5.9 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 530 | 1½ | 144 g |
| 85% | 15 lb (6.8 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 590 | 1½ | 144 g |
| 100% | 18 lb (8.2 kg) | Adult, neutered | × 1.6 | 541 | 1½ | 144 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 Fox Terrier
The 3× factor applies while the puppy is under four months, which for a Fox Terrier usually means the rows up to roughly a quarter or a third of adult weight — around 3–5 lb. Between four months and maturity the factor is 2×, covering the 7–15 lb rows. Small breeds reach adult weight early — often by eight to ten months — so the drop to the adult factor comes sooner than owners expect, and continuing the puppy amount is the usual route to a chubby small dog.
The peak of the chart is the surprise for most owners: at 7 lb and 2× RER the puppy eats 333 kcal, but the same dog at its full 18 lb as a neutered adult needs only 541 kcal. Watch for the hand-off and reduce the ration rather than letting the adult food amount "catch up".
Growth to watch in a Fox Terrier
The standard puts an adult Fox Terrier at 15½ in at the withers, so a puppy at the 10 lb row — a little over half its adult weight — is typically most of the way to full height and still filling out. Because females of the breed finish around 16 lb rather than 18 lb, a female puppy's rows stop short: read the chart to about 14 lb before switching to the adult factor. The gap between the 15 lb puppy row (590 kcal) and the adult row (541 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 Fox Terrier ends up in a 24 in crate — see the Fox Terrier 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 West Highland White Terrier puppy at 8 lb (40% of its 20 lb adult weight) needs 368 kcal; A Rat Terrier puppy at 10 lb (40% of its 25 lb adult weight) needs 435 kcal; A Shetland Sheepdog puppy at 8 lb (40% of its 20 lb adult weight) needs 368 kcal.
Adult weight from AKC breed standard (PDF), checked 2026-10-21. Maintenance figures for a healthy puppy; your vet's growth-curve advice comes first.