puppy food vs. adult food question

Postby jcoffey917 » March 27th, 2009, 9:51 am

A friend of mine at work just adopted a Border Collie mix puppy from Pet Smart and has been taking her to training there. She's about 5 months and 22 lbs. The trainer told him to take her off puppy food and start feeding adult food already. I thought that seemed really early to start feeding adult food. When should you change over from puppy to adult food? And what is the real difference, just the protein? Thanks!
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Postby katiek0417 » March 27th, 2009, 11:58 am

I believe the fat content is also different...

Personally, I keep my dogs on puppy food as long as possible...Mals tend to grow UP until they're 1, then OUT until they're 2...

I do know that some dogs at risk for pano are told to start adult food earlier...

Also, my mal, Nisha, had a lot of digestive issues with puppy food (too rich), so at around 9 months old, my vet recommended that we put her on adult food...and she did much better on that...
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Postby Jenn » March 27th, 2009, 1:00 pm

Maybe she could think about switching to an all life stages food instead?
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Postby Mickle » March 30th, 2009, 11:04 am

My puppy ate adult food or raw except for about a month. He had Orijen large breed puppy...when that bag was gone he got what everyone else got.
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Postby mnp13 » March 30th, 2009, 12:47 pm

Jenn wrote:Maybe she could think about switching to an all life stages food instead?


that's what I was going to suggest as well.
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Postby Dog_Shrink » March 30th, 2009, 7:13 pm

I have recommended to some client's to go from puppy chow to a senior food at around 5-6 months, THEN switch to a good adult maintenance food after they are done growing bone (some breeds like my Dane grow bone until 2 then build mass until 4). I notice a lot of dogs really start losing interest in puppy food around this time (5-6 mos.) also because it is so bland and are ready for something with a little more ooompf to it.

The reason for this is that senior food is much like puppy food in most respects with it being easily digestable whole protein. Higer fat levels for organ and brain development, lower protein so your pup isn't hyper, calcium and phospherous levels are just right for slow growing your larger breed dogs, and you have all the added suppliments you need to ensure healthy immuno system development. Plus the fiber content is lower or very similar to adult maintenance food. Fiber really serves minimal use to dogs aside of a digestive aide. Too much (over 4%) can over tax the liver and pancreas and results in large stinky poos. The dog doesn't have a chance to absorb the nutrients because fiber acts on a dog much like us taking a laxative... it makes ya poo :)
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Postby pocketpit » March 31st, 2009, 7:23 am

I haven't given any of my little ones puppy food for at least 15years. I raise them all on adult formula food although I often have to buy stuff made for small breeds when they are really young.
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Postby ArtGypsy » March 31st, 2009, 11:15 am

Now I'm REALLLY confused.

Dar is on Eukaneuba large breed puppy.
(((Yes, I know there are better, but this is what I can afford at the time)))

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Postby SisMorphine » March 31st, 2009, 12:05 pm

I think it depends on the quality of food as to if you can give adult from the getgo or if you should go with puppy. Either way I feel that most dogs, as long as they are at an ideal weight (ie: not too thin) can be switched to adult by 5 or 6 months.
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Postby pocketpit » March 31st, 2009, 2:59 pm

Cheap dog food, more expensive dog food to me it doesn't matter which is why I just go straight to adult food. I've seen many cases of bone growth disorders from patients who are fed cheap "puppy food". Purina Puppy Chow in particular. The calcium and phosphorus levels are very different in some puppy foods as well as the fat and protein content. Most of the dogs involved were larger breeds of dogs but that's one of the reasons I started just feeding adult food. I see nothing wrong with feeding puppy food until the dog is 5-6 months old but beyond that I think there is really no use for it. Most foods are formulated to support life at any age so I don't really worry about it and so far I've not had any issues.
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Postby BigDogBuford » March 31st, 2009, 3:41 pm

I skip the puppy food as well. Straight to adult with supplements if needed.
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