Feeding an American Black Lab

Question
My puppy is a male and about 17 weeks old. He weighs a little over 20 pounds.  I have been feeding him about 2 1/2 cups a day of Nutro-Natural Choice Dog Food.  I feed him twice a day at about 7 a.m. and then at 6:00 p.m.  He does look somewhat slim, and you could barely feel his ribs.  I just want to make sure that I'm not starving him or over feed him.  Please help.

Answer
Likely he behaves like you are starving him.  Unfortunately, you may need to cut back a little.  Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them.  Each dog is different.  Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

Is that an adult or all age chow?  The dog schools make an early switch to adult chow.  They have no other agenda  than producing strong, healthy dogs.  Dogs with joint problems cannot be used as intended.  They have bred thousands of dogs, X-rayed their hips, and kept track of them over their whole life.  They keep careful breeding records. They desperately want sound dogs.  They say switch to adult food at 4 months.  I have done that, and all 16 of the dogs I have turned in passed the X-rays of their hips.