Can I Feed My Adult Dog Puppy Food

When Should I Switch My Puppy To Adult Food

Its critical not to switch your puppy to adult food too soon.

Thats because adult dog food can contain too much calcium which can make it unsafe for a growing puppy.

Truth is

The best time to switch your puppy to adult food depends on your puppys breed type. The following table can help you determine when its safe to switch your puppy to adult food.910

Can I Give My Puppy Adult Dog Food

If youre raising a dog, you probably wish to understand how to select dog food. Everything you need is a good and reliable source of information resources. This information will provide you with the basics of what food to feed your pet and the aspects that you should think about. As you research the various food types, you will realize that many factors will have an effect on your choice of food. Here, I will give you a few basic suggestions about how to pick the best dog foods.

The most important thing you should look for in dog foods is the ingredient list. Just like people, dogs also require various nutrients. Smaller dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, need more energy because their metabolisms are fast.

On the other hand, large dog breeds, like Great Danes and German Shepherds need additional fat. Fat helps them lose weight better. And, they can also tolerate higher amounts of carbs, particularly if theyre fed by individual owners.

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Pippa’s online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website

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How Much Should I Feed My Puppy

Puppies need to take in a lot of calories to fuel their rapid growth. At the start, that means about twice as many per pound as an adult dog of the same breed. Puppies grow the fastest in their first five months.

Look for feeding charts on commercial puppy food labels. You can use them as a guide. They provide recommended amounts based on a puppys age and weight. Adjust as necessary to keep your puppy in the best condition, something you may need to do weekly.

Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food

What can puppies eat? Can I feed my puppy adult dog food? What food is the best for puppies? New puppy owners may find themselves asking these questions and more. Making sure your puppy has all the nutrition he needs is one of the most important things you can do to help him grow into a strong, healthy dog. Puppies and adult dogs have different nutritional needs, and as a result, its important to feed your puppy a complete and balanced food formulated for his life stage.

When can puppies start eating dog food? Generally, puppies begin to transition to adult food when they have reached maturity for their breed size. But this varies widely. Its important to not rush to feed a puppy adult food since he is building the bones, teeth, organs, etc. This early growth is something hell need for a lifetime, so you want them to be the best they can be. As with anything else, it usually requires greater resources to build something than to maintain it. So if youre feeding your puppy an adult maintenance dog food, he may not be getting all of the essential nutrients he needs in these crucial, early months.

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When Should I Stop Feeding Puppy Food

The right time to transition from puppy food to adult food varies for each dog. Your puppys age, breed, expected adult size, and current health status will all impact when the diet change should occur. For most dogs, its recommended to wait until they are fully grown before changing to an adult diet. Small and medium-breed dogs are typically finished growing at around 8 to 12 months of age, while large and giant breeds may not reach their full adult size until 18 months of age. If youre unsure of your dogs breed, a good rule of thumb is to wait until your dog is about a year old. Some dogs may need to transition earlier if they have medical problems that can be managed with diet changes, such as food allergies or digestive issues. Your veterinarian can help you decide the best time to make the transition and choose an adult dog food that will be best suited to your dog.

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How Do I Select A High

Start by asking your veterinarian what they recommend, says C.A. Tony Buffington, DVM, PhD. Buffington is a professor of veterinary clinical sciences at The Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital. In the first six months or so, the nutrient needs are changing very quickly. And, they leave the least margin for error. So asking your vet is a good idea since veterinarians typically recommend diets theyve had the most experience with.

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Puppy Food Lacks Nutrients For Older Dogs

A good senior dog diet includes glucosamine, msm, and omega fatty acids to help keep senior dogs joints cushioned in old age. Our senior dogs experience pain from inflammation and they develop arthritis, hip dysplasia, and other joint disorders as they progress through their senior years. None of these much needed nutrients will be found in puppy food.

Glucosamine supports cartilage and omega fatty acids help keep joints lubricated and both nutrients help keep our older dogs mobile.

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Is Kibble Good For Dogs

It is really only a very short time since almost all dogs were fed on canned meat. Many of you over 50s will remember the rows of Pedigree Chum lining the supermarket shelves when you were young. These are a lot less popular now. The effect that this shift away from wet food and onto dried food, has had on canine health remain the subject of intense speculation.

One canine problem that seems more common since the appearance of kibble is allergies. Allergies in Labradors do seem to be on the rise. But, despite this, and despite some of the wilder claims made by some raw feeding enthusiasts, it would appear that most Labradors do thrive on kibble. Plus, it is a really convenient way to feed your dog. So is this the best food for Labrador Retrievers?

The convenience of kibble

The main advantage of being able to open a packet and instantly pour food into a dogs bowl is convenience. Busy modern homes are pressed for time these days. So convenience is an important factor. You can find the right dog bowl for your Labradors kibble in our review article here.

Storage

Not only is kibble convenient, it also stores well, even after opening. Provided that it is stored in an appropriate container* and kept in a dry place.

It doesnt need refrigerating or freezing and it doesnt smell very strong. Most dogs nowadays are trained with food. So kibble has the added advantage of making handy portable training treats

Each Lifestage Has Different Nutritional Needs Learn More

Taking a puppy home can be a fun and exciting experience. However, it also comes with many questions, like: Can I feed my puppy adult dog food? At Purina, the puppy food is different from adult dog food is because each life stage has different nutritional needs.

Your puppy’s body and mind are growing and developing rapidly and for this reason, specific nutrients are required:

• Protein and calories: Puppies need more protein and calories than adult dogs in order to maintain their high metabolism and growth rate. For example, between six and eight weeks of age, a puppy must consume about three times as many calories as an adult dog. This high caloric requirement decreases as the puppy gets older.
• DHA: This omega-3 fatty acid nourishes the brain as well as vision-related organs during development.
• Calcium and phosphorus: These two essential minerals help puppies build strong and healthy teeth and bones.
• Antioxidants: All dogs need antioxidants such as vitamin A and E, but puppies need them to a greater degree because they help with immune system development.

Providing your puppy with the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development offers him the best start to life. It sets your pet on the right path to a healthy adult life, so that you both can share many happy and healthy years together.

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Why Transition From Puppy To Adult Food

Puppies require different nutrients and calories than adult dogs. Puppy-formulated foods typically have higher protein and fat to help them grow. They also often include DHA, which is also in mothers milk.

Once your puppy is fully grown, they dont need as many calories. If you continue to feed puppy food to an adult dog, it could result in the dog gaining excess weight.

Puppy Food Vs Adult Food

Who would have thought that food made for the same species can be so different? Its different because puppies and adults have different dietary requirements as they grow older.

Puppies require a lot more proteins and calories than adults but even after a nutritional diet, they remain skinny. This is because all the proteins and extra vitamins are used up to help them grow.

Since India does not have any specific guidelines for pet food formulas, we have added the guidelines forwarded by the Association of American Feed Control Officials . The below outline of vitamins and minerals are a mandatory guideline for dog food formulas in the United States.

Arginine, isoleucine, leucine, lysin etc are different varieties of protein. Arginine is a growth hormone. The other nutrients include amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, fat, sodium etc. As you can see that allocated requirement for all the nutrients is higher for puppy food.

Adult dogs need the same nutrients as puppies but their requirement is much lesser than adult dogs.

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What Can Puppies Eat

The Association of American Feed Control Officials establishes dog food guidelines, and in order for a dog food to be sold in stores as complete and balanced, it must meet AAFCOs nutritional profile standards. There are two dog food nutrient profiles that you should be aware of when choosing food for your puppy. One is growth and reproduction . The other is adult maintenance . Look at the label to ensure that you are buying a food that is right for your dogs life stage.

Can you feed a puppy adult food? If the label says that the dog food inside is formulated for all life stages, that means it meets the standards for both growth and reproduction and adult maintenance. In other words, its a food that has all the nutrients your growing puppy needs, and you wont have to switch to a new food when your puppy becomes an adult dog.

Can adult dogs eat puppy food? Adult dogs can eat puppy food, but should they? As a general rule, adult dogs do not need the highly caloric food, but there are some exceptions. Some extremely active dogs can handle the high caloric values in puppy food. And some food labels indicate that the food inside is formulated for all life stages, but generally it is best to feed foods appropriately formulated for adult dogs. Dogs have different nutritional needs than puppies, and it is important that they get the nutrients they require.

When Cat Food Is Harmful For Dogs

For other dogs, consuming cat food, even as an occasional treat, could become problematic if there are underlying reasons for why excess protein or fat is not ideal.

Examples:

• A dog with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract may vomit or have diarrhea after eating cat food because the food is simply too rich.

• A dog with kidney or liver disease needs to consume moderate amounts of protein, not excess, to promote optimal functioning of those organs.

• An obese dog, or one with a predisposition for developing pancreatitis , must consume a lower-fat diet to promote weight loss or limit pancreatic inflammation.

For all of these dogs, feeding any amount of commercial cat food, whether its infrequent or on a long-term basis, could exacerbate health issues.

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How To Prepare Homemade Puppy Food

In general, puppies need about twice as many calories per day than their adult counterparts. According to the Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Cats and Dogs of the National Academy of Science, a 10-pound puppy that is expected to weigh 33 pounds at adulthood needs to eat about 990 calories per day. In addition, puppies need more protein, fat, vitamins and minerals than adult dogs.

A homemade puppy diet should contain the proper balance of:

• Protein, such as chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef
• Carbohydrates, like rice, pasta, potatoes
• Vegetables, such as peas, green beans, carrots
• Fat, often in the form of vegetable oil
• Vitamin/mineral supplements

Once you have chosen a recipe, it’s time to prepare it for your dog. Many owners who feed home-prepared diets set up a regular schedule, setting aside time weekly or monthly to prepare and portion the diet. The food can be prepared in bulk and portioned into containers . You can keep meals frozen for several months or refrigerated for about 5 days. When the supply of pre-prepared meals runs low, it’s time to make a new batch. If you like to feed a variety of foods, you can make multiple batches and color code by ingredients, rotating out the different meals.

Remember to increase portions appropriately as your puppy grows. It’s best to weigh your puppy every week or two to make sure you are feeding the proper amount of calories

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Is It Worth It To Buy Expensive Puppy Food

Premium food has higher nutritional density, so you can feed your dog less to achieve the same results. Also, premium foods have stable ingredient profiles the composition of bargain brands can vary from batch to batch.

The major dog-food companies invest heavily in product development and research, constantly upgrading formulas to keep up with their competitors. This means that feeding premium food puts you on the cutting edge of canine nutrition.

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Puppy Food For Adult Dog

Dog Food AdvisorForumsCanine NutritionPuppy food for adult dog?

• Patricia AParticipant

  I was looking at the k kals in freeze dried Stella and Chewys. I want to rotate to the lowest come the winter months when my easy to get chubby Chihuahua gets less exercise.Primal Turkey/Sardine is the lowest actually coming in at 38.5 when I broke it down per nugget. which I do rotate with.However, Tia really loves Stellas, so I will occasionally give the chicken at 50 kals per patty. However, when i just glanced at their puppy freeze dried the calories per patty was only 32 kkals.Firstly, I always thought that puppies need HIGHER calories since they are growing? Cant imagine how many patties youd have to feed to a larger breed puppy. Why would the puppy formula be lower in calories per patty then the adult?Anyway just would like to know is their ANY reasons why a nine year old dog cannot be fed puppy food if the calories are this low?? I asked this question in Stellas P/M but they havent gotten back to me as of yet . Just thought Id throw out the question on the board .The freeze dried is used as a topper to kibble.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by

Check the AAFCO statement on the package. The majority of Stella and Chewys is for all life stages.

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Wet Food Contains Additional Moisture

As the name implies, wet food contains more moisture than dry food. This is helpful for pups who don’t drink enough water and are prone to dehydration. It can also be important for dogs who have kidney issues. If you think switching to wet food might help with your pup’s medical condition, talk to your vet before making dietary changes.

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How Does Your Vet Play A Role In Your German Shepherds Nutrition

Melissa Smith notes that timing is everything when it comes to switching from puppy to adult food, and your vet will play a leading role.

One of the reasons why timing is so important is because the calorie content of puppy food is so high, which can make the young adult dog gain weight too quickly, in the wrong places, particularly the belly area, where fat can be dangerous.

A growth spurt after a year is possible in German Shepherds, particularly males, and your vet may have a good idea of when the growth will finish. However, what about Shepherds that are not purebred?

This question is very reasonable, as it is a little more difficult to guess when a mixed-breed is done growing. Weekly measurements can be an excellent way to track the dogs growth. Compare your measurements to popular GSD growth charts for reference.

Consider making sure your vet is on-board as you make the transition from puppy food to adult. Your vet will be able to spot any nutritional deficits that require addressing. Another advantage is being able to ensure the dog has proper bone growth.

Your dogs medical history will also be a factor in when the switch to adult food takes place. If your German Shepherd has needs that require a special diet, your vet will be able to provide valuable guidance about the appropriate timing.

If your dog is underweight, Amber King recommends a high-protein diet with a moderate amount of fat. Follow up with your vet to help uncover the cause of the low body weight.