# Puppy or Adult food.



## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

So Mac will be 12 months old in a couple weeks. He currently eats Arden Grange puppy 390 grams a day spread over 3 meals every 6 hours. He is not finished filling out by any means. So when do I switch him to adult food???


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Anyone have any insight on this. When should I switch?? When did you switch from puppy to adult???


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

I would say it's safe to switch. I switched around 6-8 months, I think.


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## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

Our breeder sent our dog home on adult food (well, a mix of adult kibble and raw).

She doesn't like puppy food - thinks it makes them grow too much (or maybe it's too fast). The only thing we've done is switch from three to two feedings a day at 6 months.

If the dog is 12 months, I'd say switch if you want to switch. Does the vet have an opinion?


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

My vet told me to keep Odin on puppy food untill he stops growing. She said that V's are slower to reach maturity. 
I would say wait untill you see Mac level out in weight and growth, then switch him. Just my 2 cents thou!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Our breeder said they can stay on puppy food their entire lives due to their high energy/activity level. If he's doing well on it, I would just stick with it.


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## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

I love it! Three entirely different opinions from vets & breeders!


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Now you know why I ask!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I had my oldest V on puppy food till he was way over 2. The reason was I free feed and I got a new puppy when he was 9 months old. Then a few months later my daughter got a puppy. As long a they don't become over weight there shouldn't be a problem.


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## polkan (Dec 29, 2011)

My understanding is that the differences in opinion exist because there are just too many variables to have a standard recommendation. 

For example:

- puppy food typically has higher calorie content and protein/fat ratios to enable good growth rate
- however, growth happens at different rates in different breeds: large and giant breeds being the most frequent example. 
- it's then further adjusted for breeds that are especially prone to bone problems (HD)
- and then again for dogs that have various food intolerance issues (corn, etc)
- and finally: the dog's "occupation" and lifestyle. Many people adjust feeding during hunting season or for periods when dogs need to be more active

The most common "generalized" recommendation I'm aware of is puppy food until about 6 -8 months for a medium to large breed. 

But this will almost always need to be customized for the individual dog based on activity level, HD in pedigree, known intolerance, and the specific food profile. For instance, "performance" brands typically have higher nutrient density and increased fat ratio for the dogs that are extremely active - and as a result, less food per feeding is needed.

The advice from my breeder was - always start by following the routine that was used with your dog's parents, then customize as necessary.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

as many opinions as there are dog food brands but as said above most brands recommend the switch at 1yr old that was perfect for PIKE because he had stopped growing


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

In the past I've almays made the switch at 1 year old. Just read the Blue Buffalo Puppy Food bag and that is the age the manufacturer recommends. Seems to me that other manufacturers make the same recommendation, which is probably why I've always done it this way 

To be honest I think any time after six months of age is okay to make the switch. After that it seems to be more of what the owner thinks than what is best. I've seen puppies fed adult food and they mature just fine, and I've seen adult dogs eat puppy food up to 5 years of age with no ill effect. I'm not entirely convinced that the food manufacturers haven't hood winked us by offering a special food for our babies, er pups.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Aside from the aforementioned recommendations, you can also feed a life-stage food from puppy to senior. The life-stage foods are usually grain-free. I didn't read all of the posts, but if you are switching brands as well, you can switch to a life-stage food at anytime. We feed Pumpkin Go! Natural Grain-Free Endurance. She was still a pup when we made the switch, but I prefer to wait until 12m if not a life stage kibble.


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

We have fed Finch (V-mix) grain-free All Life Stages Taste of the Wild since the day she came to us at 9 weeks. She gets the same amount as our 6 year old lab-mixes, due to her higher activity/energy level. She's very healthy and has not had any allergies or growth problems.


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