Small To Medium Breeds
The average age to begin switching your puppy to dog food is around one year if they are a small to medium breed. This is because physical maturity can be defined when a puppy reaches its breeds expected height and weight. A small breed will weigh under twenty pounds at maturity. Whereas a medium breed will weigh under fifty pounds at maturity. An exception to these weight categories are toy breeds. Which usually average at four to seven pounds when they are adults.
Here are some good websites to calculate the predicted adult height and weight of your puppy. You can start switching your puppy to dog kibble when they reach 80% of their adult size. Once you find the predicted weight and height for your dogs breed, divide this amount by ten and multiply it by eight to find 80% of their adult weight. Once they reach this number, you can start the switch.
How Many Times A Day Should A Dog Eat
Dogs should eat at least 2 meals a day, you can also feed them breakfast, lunch, and dinner with you, but you will need to watch their weight to avoid obesity that most dogs suffer from. Both options are great. If youre feeding them 2 meals make sure its about 12 hours apart.
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Dog Articles: Health
Puppy, adult and senior: all three stages are important times in your furry pals life when its appropriate to ask your veterinarian about your dogs diet.
Growth foods necessary at the puppy stage have higher protein levels and calorie counts to meet your pups developmental needs. But once your pup is six to 12 months old those needs change.
Thats usually when your puppy is nearing his adult height and can transition to adult food. Spaying or neutering usually occurs at this age as well, lowering your dogs need for increased energy hence a reason to switch from puppy to adult dog food.
Breed size matters
Switching to adult food coincides with maturity, but due to the large variety of breeds, different dogs mature at different rates. Smaller breeds tend to mature faster than larger breeds:
Dogs up to 30 pounds mature around 10 to 12 months of age.
Some toy breeds can mature as early as seven to nine months old.
Medium breeds, up to 80 pounds, mature between 12 to 16 months.
Large breeds can mature at 12, 13, or even 14 months old.
Giant breed dogs can take up to two years to reach full maturity.
No more three squares a day
Most pet parents feed two half-portions of adult food when their dogs are over a year old.
Eyes on your furry friend. Not his food.
Switch slowly
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When To Switch Golden Retrievers To Adult Food
You can start to switch your puppy golden retrievers food to adult food when they are between 18 and 24 months old, thats the general rule, but you should use it more as a guideline and you may actually start the transition to adult dog food as early as 12 months of age.
You can tell if they are ready or not for the transition by their weight. How? Using the following table:
You can simply follow the chart guidelines and decide when you should start the transition based on this chart.
If your golden retrievers weight is slightly more than the average for his age, this means they are growing up a little faster than the average and you can start the transition a little earlier, and the opposite is true.
You can also recognize the signs that they are ready for adult dog food when they start skipping meals, tasting different things around the house, or showing other signs that they are looking for more nutritious, solid food.
Did you notice that the weight can slightly differ between males and females? Thats because they grow up slightly differently, and you can learn everything about the differences between male and female golden retrievers here.
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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What Happens If I Keep Feeding My Dachshund Puppy Food
If you keep feeding your Dachshund puppy food for too long, they may start to gain weight.
Puppy food is high in protein and fat. Its formulated for growing puppies who quickly burn off all those extra calories.
Whereas full grown Dachshunds have very different nutritional needs to puppies. Theyll store the extra calories and then start to gainweight.
Sadly, Dachshunds are prone to obesity. So, if your Dachshund starts to rapidly gain weight at around 8-9 months old, its worth checking with your vet.
The vet may get you to switch your Dachshund over to adult dog food a bit sooner to keep his weight in check!
Keeping your Dachshund at a healthy weight is important as theyre also prone to Intervertebral Disc Disease or IVDD.
IVDD an extremely painful back disease that one in four Dachshunds suffers from. Unfortunately, it can lead to paralysis in extreme cases.
Any extra weight could put pressure on your Dachshunds spine, and that could put him at increased risk of suffering from IVDD.
Ideally, your Dachshund needs to be fed a diet that works for his nutritional needs. But these needs will change as he develops and grows older.
And thats the reason why theres a choice of dog food available to buy. Theres puppy food, adult dog food and also senior dog food too!
How To Switch A Puppy To Adult Food
If you need ideas on which food is right for your dog, check out these dog food delivery options. The fresh foods make it easy to customize your dogs diet based on age, weight, etc. and it ensures you will have food on hand at all times.
When it is time to switch to an adult food, make sure you do it slowly. Youll want to transition your dogs food over multiple days and watch for any upset stomach issues. To learn how to adjust a dogs diet correctly, read our full article on how to safely change your dogs food.
What dog food do you plan on transitioning your puppy to?
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How To Switch Your Dogs Diet
Even when your dog is ready for a dietary change, it is important to make the transition slowly. Switching foods too quickly can lead to digestive difficulties such as diarrhea and vomiting, and if the symptoms are severe, your dog may associate illness with the foodâs texture or flavor and reject it completely. By gradually switching to adult food, however, you can ease your dog onto a new diet with less difficulty. When it is time to make the switch, start by offering your dog 75 percent puppy food with 25 percent adult formula. Offer that meal for a few days, then change the ratios to 50/50. After a few more days, lower the amount of puppy food to just one-quarter of each meal, and when that is easily acceptable to your dogâs tastes, eliminate the puppy food altogether. Every dog may be different with how easily they switch diets, but ideally the transition will not take more than 7-14 days, and will cause a minimum of digestive disruption.
At the same time you are changing the composition of your dogâs meals, make sure you are also switching any treats to adult formulas, and adjust how much you offer at any one meal to give your dog the right nutrition without encouraging obesity. The number of meals you feed your dog each day may change as they age, but consult with your veterinarian for more precise guidelines that will best suit your individual dogâs nutritional needs.
When To Switch From Puppy To Adult Dog Food
Your puppys nutritional needs will change as he grows into adulthood, but how do you know when your puppy is ready for adult food?
Depending on his breed size, at some point between 12 and 24 months of age, you should reexamine your puppy’s nutritional needs and choose the right adult formula. His adult food could depend upon his metabolism and his activity level These factors can help you find the ideal food for your dog.
The transition to a premium adult formula should begin when your dog approaches adult height and weight. The kind of dog you have will determine the right time to switch. When you do switch to adult formula, follow the same four-day process as you did when introducing your puppy to premium puppy food.
Small-breed dogs tend to mature physically much sooner than large-breed dogs. Follow these guidelines to help you decide when to switch formulas:
- Small-breed dogs are usually ready to transition to an adult formula when they are 9 to 12 months of age.
- Medium-breed dogs normally mature at around 12 to 14 months of age.
- Large-breed dogs might not be ready to switch to an adult food until they are between 12 and 24 months old.
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How Much Time Does My Puppy Need To Adjust To New Food
Similar to switching from puppy to adult food, changing your puppy or dog onto any kind of different food will require a gradual adjustment. It is always recommended to give your dog at least a week to adjust to their new food. This is done by slowly adding some of the new food to the old. Do this until the old food completely replaces the new by day seven.
Read next
How Often Should You Change Your Dogs Protein
You can change your dogs protein every three months but you can also change it more frequently but only if your dog doesnt have a sensitive stomach, you can switch it when you are run out of their current protein.
You can learn more about golden retrievers sensitive stomachs here and how to find out if your dogs stomach is sensitive.
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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.
One Size Doesnt Fit All
Unfortunately, there is no hard-and-fast rule about the right time to switch your puppy over to adult food, and the reason is simple: Dogs come in a large number of breeds and sizes, and they dont all mature at the same rate. While many pet owners believe that its time to switch once a puppy reaches the one-year mark, this may be much too early for some dogs and a little too late for others.
- Small breeds that reach about 30 pounds at maturity tend to mature somewhere between 9 and 12 months of age, and toy breeds may mature even faster.
- Medium breeds that reach about 80 pounds at maturity usually mature around 12 to 16 months.
- Large and giant breeds that exceed 80 pounds at maturity may take up to two years to mature.
Giant breeds in particular require food appropriate for the growth stage due to a high susceptibility for developing skeletal problems. Replacing puppy food with adult food before its time can cause serious and painful problems later on.
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A Vets View On When To Stop Feeding Puppy Food To Your Dog
How to know when it’s the right time to start feeding your dog adult food
If you have a new puppy, you’ll probably have many questions about how to care for them. One of the most common questions about caring for puppies is when to stop feeding puppy food. As your puppy grows into adulthood, youll probably begin to notice many changes in their behavior, appearance, energy levels, and appetite. The best puppy foods provide essential nutrients to help your puppy grow, so its important not to make this transition too early. In general, its recommended that your dog reaches musculoskeletal maturity before transitioning to an adult diet. Read on to learn more about the ins and outs of transitioning your dog onto an adult diet.
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Why Switch To An Adult Formula
As your new puppy quickly matures into adulthood, he needs nutrition appropriate for his “new” body. That means a high-quality, premium adult formula. Most veterinarians agree that feeding a complete and balanced premium food, such as IAMS ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks, throughout your dog’s adulthood can promote a long and healthy life.
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The Benefits Of Feeding Premium Food
Why move your grown-up pup to a premium adult dog food? Because quality counts. It’s crucial to continue his superb puppy nutrition into adulthood. Downgrading to a lower-quality brand at this stage of his life may upset his digestive system, and won’t provide him with the same level of nutritional excellence he was raised on.
Think of a baby. When it’s time to start giving him solid food, you wouldn’t dream of feeding your child anything less than the best nutrition you can buy. The same is true for your maturing puppy. He needs the best age-appropriate food there is to help maintain his overall health.
Premium foods, such as IAMS, are specifically designed to provide your dog with a food that has:
- High-quality ingredients
- Balanced, optimal levels of protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals
- A nutrient-dense formulation appropriate for a particular life stage
- Consistent, high-quality, natural-ingredient recipes that do not change because of manufacturing costs
- Specific fatty-acid balance to help maintain healthy skin and coat
- Great palatability and taste, based on feeding trials
- Met or exceeded the Association of American Feed Control Officials guidelines
- Product guarantees
How To Properly Transition Your Dog’s Food
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There are plenty of reasons you may want to switch your dogs current food. Perhaps your dog has been diagnosed with a health issue, youre looking to switch to a more premium dog food, or maybe your dog is just getting older and needs something that better fits their changing nutritional needs.
It is important that your dog switch their food gradually. Switching dog food too fast can lead to tummy trouble for your furry companion. This is particularly important after adopting a dog from shelter while it is often a good idea to keep your dog on the same food that he was fed at shelter, if you do decide to feed something else you might need to be even more patient. While a dog is adjusting to a new home, he might have anxieties and as a result digestion issues. Because of this reason, many pet parents may blame the food for the digestion issues. While that can be possible, its best to not do a bunch of switches in the first month or so until your dog starts to get familiar with their new home.
To transition, mix your dogs current food with their new food. Over 7 days, gradually decrease the amount of the current dog food while increasing the amount of new dog food.
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