How To Make Homemade Dog Food:
Making homemade dog food is a cinch! Heres a quick rundown of the process:
- Brown the turkey. Heat a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add in the coconut oil and turkey and sauté until it is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add the veggies. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the zucchini, spinach, carrots and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Mix in the egg. Turn off the heat and and crack in the egg. Let the egg cook in the hot food, mix it around to ensure it mixed through and cooked through.
- Stir in the rice. Add the rice and stir it in with the other ingredients until everything is well combined. Cool and serve!
When Should Puppies Switch To An Adult Dog Food
The simple answer is: When they stop growing.
The more detailed answer involves a few more factors
For example, not all dogs finish growing into adults at the same age.
Individual factors play a role, but on average, small and toy breeds mature faster while larger breeds take longer to finish growing .
Also, when some dogs are spayed or neutered, they may experience an earlier slowing down of their metabolism.
So, your veterinarian may have you monitor their weight more closely after the procedure, and may recommend a transition to adult food a little bit soonerespecially if your pup is already on the plump side for their age.
The exact age is a decision best discussed with your veterinarian.
Other Vitamins And Nutrients
Of course, puppy food composition is not just about energy. Because puppies are building their bodies pretty much from scratch, they need a lot of specific amino acids to create muscle and tissue.
These amino acids are principally found in meat proteins, which is another reason why protein needs to be such a big part of a puppyâs diet.
Specifically, the amino acids puppies need include:
- Phenylalanine-tyrosine
- Thereorine
Puppies need to ingest about twice as much of these amino acids as adult dogs. If adult dogs eat foods too high in these acids, they can develop high cholesterol and heart problems.
Puppies also need to continue consuming lots of DHA, which is a fatty acid found naturally in motherâs milk. It is usually added to puppy foods through fish oils. This is essential for cognitive development and eyesight.
Next, puppiesâ growing bones also need lots of calcium and phosphorus. While adult dogs only need about 0.6% calcium in their diet, puppies need at least 1%. Similarly, while adult dogs need just 0.5% phosphorus, puppies need at least 0.8%.
With all of this in mind, it is not hard to see why puppy food is more expensive. The particular ingredients puppies need more of are the most expensive ingredients in the recipe, specifically meat and fish oils.
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Can Adult Dogs Eat Puppy Food Faq
To make sure that you can make q fully informed decision about whether to feed your dog puppy food or not, take a look at the most frequently asked questions concerning adult dogs eating puppy food.
Can puppy food give my dog diarrhea?
Puppy food can give your dog diarrhea. Diarrhea is caused by a lack of absorption of water in combination with digestion happening too quickly. Illness, stress, and diet can all induce diarrhea in your dog because they can upset normal digestion. Puppy food can also interrupt normal digestion. The excess fat and protein that cannot be digested properly, it will pass through your dogs digestive system too quickly leading to diarrhea.
Can I feed my underweight dog puppy food?
You can feed your underweight dog puppy food as long as a vet recommends this action. It is important to note that giving your dog puppy food can have negative side effects. Therefore, you need to be careful with the change of diet. However, due to the increased fat and protein content along with a higher number of calories per cup, it can help your dog gain weight quickly. Whether it be from illness or pickiness, sometimes it is most important for a dog to gain weight. However, high-fat foods can also do this so be sure to check out the whole market before making a decision.
How long can a dog eat puppy food?Whats the difference between puppy and adult dog food?
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What Is The Difference Between Large Breed And Regular Dog Food
What you feed a large dog and a small breed are not the same. We are not just talking about the quantity which more or less goes without saying given the specific calorie needs and appetite levels of both dogs. The differences include the nutrient balance which is why it is never a good idea to mix especially if you are considering feeding a larger breed food meant for a small or regular dog.
Before we get into the nutritional requirements, lets take a look at what it means to be large, regular, and small. The size is actually more often than not determined based on weight although the height is also factored in. Large dogs are dogs that are 55 to 60 pounds or more. Medium dogs on the other end weigh 35 to 50 pounds at the point of physical maturity. Finally, small dogs are dogs that are less than 30 pounds with the chihuahua being the smallest at 6 pounds.
In addition to differences in quantity, the diet of a large dog requires more calorie-dense foods to keep up with the large bodys higher demands. Protein calories are particularly important for both energy and strong muscles. They are also prone to bone and joint issues which makes skeletal health supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin very important in the diet.
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How Puppy Food Is Different Than Adult Dog Food
Puppies require richer food higher in protein, nutrients, and calories to support their accelerated growth, energetic play, and changing physical condition. Many types of puppy food also have smaller kibbles or softer formulas to better accommodate a puppyâs size and more delicate teeth. Puppy foods are often higher in calcium, sodium, and potassium than adult dog food, as well as more heavily enriched with different enzymes that puppies need for healthy growth.
As puppies grow older, however, their natural growth slows and their energy levels decrease, and they no longer need a rich, puppy formula food. In fact, giving adult dogs a diet of puppy food can lead to obesity or other health problems, such as faster growth that can contribute to hip or elbow dysplasia or other deformations that can create difficulties for adult dogs. It is important, then, to recognize when your puppy is ready for adult dog food and change its diet accordingly.
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Is There Really A Difference Between Puppy Adult And Senior Dog Foods
Pet Health and Safety Jodie Otter, MSW May 11, 2022
With the dozens of varieties of dog food now available on the market, all claiming a multitude of benefits, you may be wondering if it makes any difference if you feed an age-designated food or not. After all, they’re all dogs, and they’ll chow down either way. So, does it matter if dogs from different age groups eat the same food?
Ensuring your puppy or dog is getting all of the nutrients and calories they need for their development is one of the most important things you can do to support your dog’s long-term health. Let’s break down how the different stages of life impact the type of food your dog needs to stay happy and healthy.
Puppy Food Vs Adult Food: Whats The Difference
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When you get a new puppy, you tend to fall in love right away and want to do everything possible to give them the best start in life.
This often means giving them the best food, since quality nutrition helps puppies grow and flourish. But you might be surprised to see that puppy food is quite a bit more expensive than adult dog food.
You wouldnât be alone in asking what the difference is between puppy food vs adult food.
Though they seem similar at a glance, puppy and adult foods are actually formulated very differently.
While all dogs eat fundamentally the same things, growing puppies, just like growing children, need specific nutrients to help them form new muscle, strengthen their rapidly growing bones, develop eyesight and cognitive function, and more.
In this article, Iâm going to take you through what exactly the differences are between puppy food vs adult dog food, why those differences matter, and my recommendations for the best food to feed your puppy.
DISCLAIMER: We are not veterinarians. This article is for entertainment purposes only. If you have questions about dog or puppy food please contact your canine nutritionist or veterinarian.
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Adult Dogs Vs Puppies
We all know that puppies are cute. And they bounce a lot and have sharp teeth. They usually need a lesson in manners and a completely different dog food from their grownup counterparts.
A puppys nutritional needs are much more expansive than an adult dog.
The reason there is such a difference between adult dog food and puppy food is because puppies need calories for all the energy they have, plus they need calories to support their growing bodies and bones. Every calorie that they consume should be packed with nutrition. No empty calories allowed. A puppys stomach is only so big and cant hold as much food as a grown up dog, so feeding them in small chunks, but often, is a good idea.
Switching To Adult Food From Puppy Food
I am reading conflicting information about when to transfer our puppy from puppy food to adult dog food. Our vet says anytime between 6 and 18 months for our type of dog . The dog food guide says 12 months, the 30-year pet store owner says 6 months, and our back-up vet says 12 months at the longest. My gut instinct says, because a Bassets bone structure is not fully developed until about 18 months old, keep her on puppy food until shes 18 months, but shes not interested in her puppy food anymore and as of late goes several days at a time without eating. When she does eat its only about a cup and a half. Shes exuberant and playful and drinks plenty of water, so I am not sure what is left other than maybe she is ready for adult dog food?
-Tish Beavens
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The Difference Between Puppy And Adult Food
Since your puppy is growing, he needs more nutrients and calories than an adult dog. This is why puppy foods have a higher level of protein and fat to support growth, as well as nutrients like DHA, an omega fatty acid found in mothers milk.
Once your puppy reaches adulthood, he doesnt need as many calories. Puppy food can quickly lead to excessive weight gain for adult dogs, so the transition is important. Dont wait until you see weight gain in your dog to make the switch, a proactive approach is better for puppy health. If youre still feeding puppy food and want to know how much your puppy should be eating, read our article on how much to feed your puppy.
When Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food
Puppies can usually start eating adult maintenance food between 6 to 12 months of age. But the exact timing will vary by dog. As long as your dog is showing signs of rapid growth and development, they should remain on a puppy formula. However, once the growth levels off, they can be transitioned onto an adult diet.
This timing often coincides with your dogs spaying or neutering procedure, which will reduce their energy requirements. However, if your dog is spayed or neutered before this age, you may want to keep them on a puppy diet for a few months longer. Just ask your vet when you visit for the procedure.
If youre already a dog owner, and youve just added a young puppy to your pack, you may be tempted to stick both dogs on the same pet food. While this may be a practical solution later on, dont do it just yet.
If youre still feeding your dog the food they were given by the shelter or breeder, but its time to transition them to an adult formula, now is also an excellent time to upgrade their food to a more nutritious diet. If you take nutrition very seriously, check out a fresh food subscription brand such as Just Food for Dogs or The Farmers Dog. If you prefer dry food, try out Spot & Tangos UnKibble line or at least a clean brand that doesnt use meat meals, such as Halo.
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Exercising Your Growing Dog
Puppies need a healthy amount of exercise to burn off all of that energy and channel it into positive behaviors. Now that your dog is fully grown, regular exercise is essential to keep him fit, active, and well-tempered.
Healthy adult dogs need at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise twice a day. This includes activities such as jogging, swimming, hiking, and playing at the dog park. Structured games like fetch and tug-of-war can not only help your dog burn energythey can also strengthen his bond with you and teach him discipline.
For more advice on exercising your dog, check out these other helpful articles.
Pregnant Or Nursing Dogs
Pregnant and nursing dogs have different nutritional requirements than other adult dogs. These dogs should be eating food that is calorie dense and high in protein. Look for foods that are at least 22 percent protein.
It may seem unusual, but feeding puppy food, like Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, to a pregnant or nursing dog is a good way to meet these requirements. Because puppies, like pregnant and nursing dogs, also need more calories and protein than other dogs, food made for them is suitable for dogs who are moms or moms-to-be too.
And heres the good news for your pregnant or nursing dog: Unless she is overweight, you can let her have all she wants.
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Is Adult Dog Food Really Different From Puppy Food
If you just adopted a new puppy, you might want to just get him regular adult dog food to make it easy since there are so many options out there.
It turns out puppy food and adult dog food are actually really different, and theres an important reason why you shouldnt feed your puppy adult dog food.
The Dodo spoke to Dr. Sara Ochoa, a veterinarian consultant at Senior Tail Waggers, to find out why puppies cant eat adult dog food and how to choose a puppy food.
When People Find Out We Make Our Own Dog Food At Home They Always Ask Us What About A Raw Diet So Let’s Get That Out Of The Way First
There are LOTS of thoughts and theories on feeding your dog a raw diet especially a dog that is living with kidney disease. Our vet however, was personally opposed to feeding a raw diet due to the fact that dogs, just like us, are very susceptible to food poisoning. Besides that, a raw diet can be tricky to get just right! You run the risk of giving your dog a horrible belly ache by mixing a raw diet with cooked treats, so if you decided to go raw it is important to have both raw meals and raw treats planned for your pup at all times. NO MIXING the two! Since raw and cooked foods digest at different rates any combination of the two can wreak serious havoc on your pup’s gut which can lead to some pretty unpleasant situations for you – if you get my drift.
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Why Switch From Puppy Food To Adult Dog Food
Because of that faster metabolism of youthand the nutritional demands of growthpuppy food is formulated with more calories, fat, protein, and certain other nutrients than adult dog food.
All of this is very important during puppyhood. Its the right nutrient profile to help your puppy grow up strong and healthy.
However, for most adult dogs , puppy foods provide a far higher calorie density than they need.
So, unless you really cut back on their quantity of food , theres a good chance your dog will gain weight if they continue to eat their puppy food as an adult.
Considering the health risks that come with obesitysuch as arthritis and increased risk of orthopedic injuries, diabetes, cancers, and other health problemsits best to keep your young adult pup at a healthy weight, right from the start.