Puppy feeding charts / Working group
Puppy growth · Working group
Giant Schnauzer puppy feeding chart
A Giant Schnauzer grows to about 105 lb (the standard's range is 75–105 lb). Puppy calories track the puppy's current weight, not its adult weight: 16 lb of puppy under four months needs about 929 kcal a day, and the daily total keeps rising until adult weight, when the factor drops and the dog needs 2031 kcal — fewer calories than it did at 42 lb as a growing puppy (1277 kcal).
- 1Under 4 months 16 lb · 929 kcal
- 2Most calories 89 lb · 2242 kcal
- 3Adult 105 lb · 2031 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% | 16 lb (7.3 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 929 | 2½ | 240 g |
| 25% | 26 lb (11.8 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 1336 | 3½ | 336 g |
| 40% | 42 lb (19.1 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1277 | 3½ | 336 g |
| 55% | 58 lb (26.3 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1626 | 4½ | 432 g |
| 70% | 74 lb (33.6 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1952 | 5¼ | 504 g |
| 85% | 89 lb (40.4 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 2242 | 6 | 576 g |
| 100% | 105 lb (47.6 kg) | Adult, neutered | × 1.6 | 2031 | 5½ | 528 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 Giant Schnauzer
The 3× factor applies while the puppy is under four months, which for a Giant Schnauzer usually means the rows up to roughly a quarter or a third of adult weight — around 16–26 lb. Between four months and maturity the factor is 2×, covering the 42–89 lb rows. Large and giant breeds like this one keep growing well past a year, and large-breed puppy foods are formulated to slow that growth slightly for joint health; the calorie math is the same, the food choice is the vet conversation.
The peak of the chart is the surprise for most owners: at 42 lb and 2× RER the puppy eats 1277 kcal, but the same dog at its full 105 lb as a neutered adult needs only 2031 kcal. Watch for the hand-off and reduce the ration rather than letting the adult food amount "catch up".
Growth to watch in a Giant Schnauzer
The standard puts an adult Giant Schnauzer at 25½–27½ in at the withers (23½–25½ in for females), so a puppy at the 58 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. At this adult size the 2× stage lasts longest and the kcal totals run past 2242, so buy puppy food by the large bag and weigh it in grams.
Crate divider positions
The same growth rows are a guide for the divider in the adult-size crate. A Giant Schnauzer ends up in a 42 in or 48 in crate — see the Giant Schnauzer 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 Borzoi puppy at 42 lb (40% of its 105 lb adult weight) needs 1277 kcal; A Old English Sheepdog puppy at 40 lb (40% of its 101 lb adult weight) needs 1231 kcal; A Doberman Pinscher puppy at 40 lb (40% of its 100 lb adult weight) needs 1231 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.