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Say hi to Buddies, your partner in pet parenthood! Get tips and advice from a community of like-minded Pet Parents and trained pet pros, shop, earn rewards, and track your pals wellness all in one convenient place.
Say hi to Buddies, your partner in pet parenthood! Get tips and advice from a community of like-minded Pet Parents and trained pet pros, shop, earn rewards, and track your pals wellness all in one convenient place. Learn More
Large And Giant Breeds
Large breed dogs weigh 50 to 80 pounds at maturity while giant breeds weigh over 80 pounds. Large breeds often take more than 12 months to reach their adult size and giant breeds may take 18 to 24 months.
The primary concern with these puppies is controlling the rate of growth. If large and giant breed puppies grow too quickly, it can stress the developing bones and joints, increasing the puppys risk for orthopedic problems in adulthood. These growing, large breed puppies should be fed a diet of specially-formulated large breed puppy food, such as American Journeys large breed puppy food.
As adults, large and giant breeds need significantly more calories than smaller dogs. Their needs for protein are quite high but controlling the fat content of your dogs diet is essential for preventing obesity. A large-breed adult dog food contains the ideal combination of protein and fat for bigger dogs.
Make the Switch Slowly
When it comes to transitioning your dog onto a new recipe, slow and steady is the way to go. Making sudden changes to your dogs diet can trigger digestive upset which can be unpleasant for both you and your pup. Simply mix a small amount of adult dog food with your puppys current food, slowly increasing the ratio of new to old food over the course of a week or so.
Its important to work with your veterinarian to meet the individual nutritional needs of your pet.
Can Switching Dog Food Cause Excessive Water Drinking
If your dog seems excessively thirsty lately, you should be concerned. Increased thirstmedically known as polydipsiacan indicate urinary tract problems, liver or kidney failure and other health problems. While you should definitely check with your vet about your dog’s excessive water drinking, don’t panic. If the new thirst coincides with a switch in dog food, that may account for the change.
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What Nutrients Does Your Dog Need For Their Skin And Coat Health
Your dogs skin and hair arent just nice to pet they play an important role in keeping your pup healthy and comfortable. They prevent water and heat from leaving your pups body, plus they help keep viruses and bacteria out. One of the best ways to make sure your dogs skin and coat are in the best possible condition is by paying close attention to what you put in their food bowl.
Nutrients like protein, fat, vitamins and minerals can all impact your dogs skin and coat health. Your dogs coat is made up almost entirely of protein. If their diet doesnt contain enough quality protein, your dogs hair might fall out or become dry, weak and brittle.
Likewise, their skin is made up of tightly packed flat cells with tough membranes made of proteins and fats. Without proper amounts of these nutrients, the cell membranes can weaken, allowing water to escape and bacteria and viruses to enter more easily.
Make sure your dog is getting the following nutrients to help keep their coat and skin healthy. And keep in mind that IAMS dog foods contain an optimal blend of these nutrients to support your dogs skin and coat health.
When Should A Puppy Start Eating Solid Food
Puppies should get solid food starting at about four weeks, when theyre not able to get all the calories they need from their mothers milk. Most puppies are weaned by six weeks.
Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, PhD, is assistant professor of clinical nutrition at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. He tells WebMD that for puppies younger than eight weeks, you may need to moisten dry food until it feels spongy.
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Switching Dog Foods Over A Week Or More
The 7-10 day transition schedulefor switching dog food safely is recommended by vets too. Also, if you see any diarrhea or your dog puts his nose up at his meals, then stop the transition immediately. Sometimes new diets should be tweaked, and our staff can help with any questions.
*If you want to stick to a gradual schedule, consider the new food as a topper. Using the new food as a topper would mean adding a tablespoon of the new food to your existing food.
How To Choose A Senior Dog Food
If you and your veterinarian decide that switching to a senior dog food is correct for your dog, choose a senior dog food with the guidelines below and follow the diet transition guidelines above according to their intestinal sensitivity.
Guidelines for choosing a senior dog food:
- Look for an AAFCO label stating that the food is complete and balanced
- Consider staying with the brand of food that has worked well in the past
- Consider a formula that includes joint support for arthritis
- Look for ingredients you feel comfortable feeding
- Find a senior dog food that fits within your budget
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How Much Food Should I Give My Puppy
Theres a saying in canine feeding: Watch the dog, not the dish. Body condition, not the amount eaten or left in the bowl, should determine portion sizes. Portion sizes depend on individual metabolism and body type, and nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog. If your puppy occasionally skips a meal or picks at food, dont worry. It could mean she is ready to eliminate a feeding or that you have given her too much, in which case simply reduce the quantity served.
Also, if you are doing treat-based training with your pup, adjust the amount you feed at mealtime accordingly. Whenever training with treats, keep the treat as small as possible.
Transition To New Food
Because your puppy is eating either three or four times a day, mix a day’s amount of food and then divide it into equal amounts for the scheduled feedings. For the first two to three days, mix 75 percent of the old food with 25 percent of the new food. For the next two to three days, include equal portions of both foods. For the next two to three days, mix 25 percent old food with 75 percent new food. Then your pup should be ready to continue with just the new food, without any diarrhea, vomiting or indigestion.
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When Should One Switch Dog Foods
- Puppies become adults at 12 months of age and should transition to an adult dog food to ensure they are receiving proper nutrient levels for adult dogs.
- Large breed puppies should switch to a large breed adult dog food to ensure that their unique needs are met.
- Pregnant or nursing dogs need energy-dense foods with increased calcium content, so be sure to transition them during this particular time to puppy food. However, during pregnancy or nursing, large breed dogs should be switched to regular puppy food, not a large breed puppy food.
- Anytime you plan to switch from kibble to a raw or freeze-dried diet. Adding canned food to kibble is an effortless transition, but if youre making a switch to a raw diet, youll want to take it slower.
How To Switch Dog Food Safely
Our staff gets this question a lot How to Switch Dog Food Safely? While the answer can vary, there is a way to do this, so your dog doesnt end up with an upset tummy. We like to refer to this as our 7-10 day transition, but this can also be extended into a more extended schedule if you have concerns or if your dog has a sensitive stomach. One excellent resource on transitioning a dog to a new food is the podcast by Theory of Pets.
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How To Transition Puppy To An Adult Dog Food
When you stop feeding puppy food, you must change more than just the food he eats. The number of meals and portion sizes will shift, too.
Most puppies eat three meals a day, but adult dogs can eat just two meals per day. The feeding guide on your dogs food label will tell you how much to feed your dog each day and to split the amount into two meals.
When its time to transition your puppy to an adult dog food, do so gradually. A gradual transition helps prevent stomach upset.
Heres a sample transitional feeding plan:
- Days 1 to 2: Feed 3/4 of the normal amount of puppy food and add 1/4 adult dog food.
- Days 3 to 4: Serve half puppy food and half adult dog food.
- Days 5 to 7: Feed 1/4 puppy food and 3/4 adult dog food.
- Days 8 to 10: Serve only adult dog food.
If your dog resists eating the adult food or experiences an upset stomach, extend the transition time as needed. Consult with your veterinarian for more help if needed.
For more information and tips on puppy and dog nutrition from our experts, visit our Pet Expertise page.
Adverse Food Reactions In Dogs
An adverse food reaction is a blanket term used to describe a number of different food-related illnesses in dogs such as food allergies, food intolerance, and other gastrointestinal diseases. Many people will describe their dogs as having food allergies but this is not always accurate. True allergies involve a very specific response from the dogs immune system and this is not definitively diagnosed in many cases. Thus, it is more accurate to refer to these events as adverse food reactions.
Adverse food reactions can present with gastrointestinal symptoms, cutaneous symptoms, or a combination of the two. Gastrointestinal signs of an adverse food reaction include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and changes in appetite. Cutaneous symptoms include a wide range of signs such as itching, skin inflammation, hair loss, and many different types of rashes. There are many other illnesses that can cause similar symptoms, so it is important to have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian if these symptoms occur.
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My Sick Or Recovering Dog Wont Eat Much
Dogs that have a chronic illness such as heart problems or cancer generally lose their appetite. So do dogs who are recovering from a serious illness or have pain from recent surgery or conditions like hip dysplasia. This is only partly because they are less active and need less food. Various metabolic changes also take place when the body is under stress.
In these circumstances it will be necessary stimulate your dogs appetite and feed them differently so that they get the nutrients they need. You want to help them to maintain the best possible condition and/or heal and recover.
Your vet will probably advise you on what to feed your sick, injured or recovering dog. He is likely to suggest that you tempt your dog with foods that he enjoys. Meals should be nourishing, easy to eat and to digest. You should offer smaller meals more frequently. Dogs find moist, warm food with a strong flavour more appetising. Canned dog foods, meat, fish, and eggs fit the bill.
The above also applies to elderly dogs who wont eat much.
How Long Will A Dog Be Sick After Switching Food
It is normal for dogs to be sick for a couple of days since youre changing their diet. Vomiting once or twice is finw while transitioning to fresh food, but you should take your dog to the vet if vomiting is persistent, severe, and lasts longer than three days.
If you know your dog is extremely sensitive to changes, make sure you take more time to switch the food, and provide them enough window to adapt to it.
To summaries the above, dogs nutritional needs increase as their age increases. Youre fortunate enough that the market today has a food for each and every stage of your puppy/dogs life. Observe their behavior, and choose accordingly.
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How And When To Transition Your Puppy To Adult Food
Puppies grow quickly, therefore requiring special food that contains more protein and calories than adult food. As they mature their nutritional requirements change and puppy food is no longer required so, transitioning to adult food at the right time can be crucial, and switching too early can result in bone and joint abnormalities. So, when is the right time to switch and what is the best way to go about it? Carry on reading for our top tips on how and when to transition your pup to adult food.
Timing is Key
Transitioning to adult food should coincide with maturity however this is not always universal among all dog breeds. Larger breeds mature slower than smaller breeds. In general, small and medium dogs reach maturity around 9-12 months, with large dogs at 12-15 months and giant breeds 18-24 months.
Watch for Signs
Growing puppies have higher energy needs than adult dogs but once they have reached maturity their metabolic rate slows. Your dog will give you signs when theyre ready to transition to adult food they may skip meals or leave food they would have normally eaten. The calorie-dense puppy food will have filled them up much quicker and fulfilled their energy demands when they have reached maturity.
Do it Gradually
How Much Do They Need?
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Why When And How To Switch Your Puppy To Adult Dog Food
Right now, your puppy probably has a ton of energy and wants to play all the time!
And a lot of that energy will continue into adulthood. But, just like us human beings, its natural to have some slowing down of their metabolism as they exit their childhood and teen years and grow into an adult.
Thats the main reason your puppy will need a change of food
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How To Properly Switch Dog Food
All of that said, there are right ways and wrong ways to switch your dogs food, and some good tips to follow. One thing we need to talk about is switching foods cold turkey.
As we will soon discuss, switching dog food cold turkey is about the worst way to go about it, but in some cases it may be your only option. Your dog may need new food due to sensitivities, or the old food may have been discontinued.
Here are some tips to follow if you have to cold turkey switch your dogs food.
- Get your dog to fast for a day, or in other words, dont feed them for a full day before introducing the new food into its diet
- Only feed your dog half of what you would normally give them on the first day, then 75% of its regular portion on the next day. Introducing only small amounts of new food may help to prevent or reduce the diarrhea
- Adding digestive aids like pumpkin or probiotic bacteria can go a long way in easing the transition
Transition Time: When To Switch Puppies To Adult Dog Food
Puppy food is specifically formulated to support the rapid growth and high energy needs of a puppy in his first year. However, your little furry friend isnt going to be a puppy forever.
At some point, every puppy needs to make the switch from puppy food to adult dog food. Adult food is designed to help maintain your dogs good health through his prime, but it can be tricky to figure out exactly when your precious puppy is ready for some big boy food. To help, weve put together some tips on when and how to switch your dog to adult food.
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What Causes Changes In A Dogs Coat Condition
Changes in diet can lead to changes in your dogs skin and coat condition, but the most common causes are season and life stage. As cold weather approaches, most dogs grow a thick coat to help keep heat in and cold air out. As the weather warms up, they shed their thick, heavy coat.
Most puppies are born with soft, fuzzy hair, but as they age, they grow a coarser coat. Pregnant or nursing dogs also might experience a change in coat condition or hair loss. And, just like humans, a dogs hair might thin out and become coarser and white as they reach their mature years.
What’s The Difference Between Puppy Food And Adult Food
It is highly recommended that your puppy eats a commercially formulated dog food specifically for puppies until they are fully grown. This is because growing puppies have different nutritional needs compared to adult dogs. Puppy diets tend to be higher in calories to support growth and have a slightly different balance of vitamins and minerals to provide optimal nutrition for growing bones and muscles. Most veterinary nutritionists do not recommend homemade, raw, or adult diets for puppies because they do not contain the right balance of nutrients to support rapid growth. Therefore, these diets may lead to developmental abnormalities or deficiencies.
While an adult dog is less likely to become unwell from eating puppy food, there are still some concerns with feeding your dog a diet that does not match their current life stage. The biggest problem with giving a puppy food or a generic “all life stages” diet to an adult dog is that these diets are often too high in calories. Adult dogs that are no longer growing do not require as many calories as puppies and can gain weight if they are fed puppy food. Spaying and neutering your dog, while very beneficial, also causes a decrease in your dog’s metabolism that can lead to weight gain. Specifically formulated diets for neutered dogs are available and contain fewer calories to keep your dog’s weight healthy.
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