What percentage do most people up their bitches food 3 weeks before they are due to whelp. This would be a mixture of 1/2 puppy food and 1/2 adult. And how many times a day do you feed them? Do you divide it into 3 feedings or stay with two?

I usually start with 25% more at about 6 weeks, building up to 50% more by the last week. It also depends on how many puppies I think she is carrying. If we only see one or two pups on ultrasound, then I won't increase as much, unless we can obviously see that the ultrasound number was incorrect..

I personally do not feed puppy food to a pregnant bitch. Instead once she is confirmed pregnant I switch her food to a "high performance" food, as in essence her body is being stressed in the same way by the pregnancy. Then I start doing 2 then 3 smaller meals as the pregnancy progresses. Each girl is different from a food standpoint, and I have fed anywhere from 3-6 cups total per pregnant girl depending on activity level etc.

I don't feed puppy food to a pregnant bitch either. The calcium levels are too high and can cause all kinds of problems during and just after whelping. I just continue the food she has always been on.

I also don't have any formula for increasing food. Every bitch is different. Some hardly get any increase, some get a lot, and it's not always related to the size of the litter! I adjust their food the same way I adjust anyone's food. I watch their body condition. If their ribs are looking a little too prominent, they get more. I don't want her getting fat, and I don't want her to not get enough, so it doesn't make sense for me to follow a formula that might not match the bitch.

I agree with Nancy. Another reason I don't do puppy food or a large increase in their diet is that I feel a lot of it goes to the pups and they get too large and you have whelping problems. After the bitch whelps, I increase the food for Mom and feed 3 times a day. I adjust it to the her condition. I have never given the bitch puppy food. JMO

Dumb question -- what is the difference between a performance food and a puppy food? Is it the calcium levels as it seems both would have higher protein/fat % than regular food?