When To Switch From Puppy Food To Dog Food Lab
That’s because adult dog food can contain too much calcium… which can make it unsafe for a growing puppy. Truth is… The best time to switch your puppy to adult food depends on your puppy’s breed type. The following table can help you determine when it’s safe to switch your puppy to adult food. 9 10
When to switch from puppy food to dog food lab. The change of dog food from puppy to adult must be done at the end of the dog's development and growth. Thus, your puppy's breed plays a crucial role, since each one develops at a different time. 2. Small breeds, such as Chihuahuas or Yorkshire terriers, reach maturity long before the larger breeds. Switch slowly. The recipe for successful food transitioning is to do it gradually. Mix a small amount of the adult food with your dog’s favorite puppy formula and slowly increase the amount over a week, while decreasing the puppy food. By the end of that week you should only be feeding your dog adult food. Sometimes owners have to switch food abruptly, due to a recall or other unforeseen circumstances. Even in this situation, you can help your puppy adjust to a new diet. If your puppy is approaching his peak adult height and weight, you may be wondering when to switch to adult dog food. It can be hard to determine when your dog hits adulthood by looks alone. In fact, some large breed puppies may look full size even though they’re still growing!
You should plan to fed him a large breed puppy food for 12 months to control his growth and switch to a large breed adult food when his growth starts to slow down. Keep an eye on your dog’s body weight and condition as well to make sure he isn’t growing too quickly or gaining too much weight. 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. So puppies thrive best on puppy food, adult dogs on adult dog food and it’s strongly recommended to buy food aimed at the life stage of your dog. If you have any questions or doubts as to when you should switch from puppy to adult dog food, it's best to consult a veterinarian. Don't Sacrifice Quality To Save A Few Bucks Many people recommend feeding large breed dogs a large breed puppy food until a dog is about a year or a year and a half old. Some people think regular puppy food is ok for large breed dogs. Among those who are ok with feeding a large breed dog regular puppy food there is a lot of disagreement about when is a good time to switch to adult food.
I have a 9 week old yellow lab puppy (Murphy), and am currently feeding him Pro Plan puppy chicken and rice formula. He is doing very well with the food - he likes it very much. At 4-5 months, my breeder recommends switching him to an adult dog food. There are many reasons you might decide to switch your dog’s food. Sometimes a change of life stage (puppy to adult, or adult to senior) requires a change of food. Or you may wish to switch from a dry food to a fresh dog food. Or perhaps the dog has a medical condition requiring a special prescription food. Some breeders and experienced dog owners do switch their lab puppies on to adult food before this, but not usually before they reach six months of age. Switching Between Dog Food Brands If you haven’t brought your puppy home yet, make sure you get a diet sheet from the breeder, and feed her with the same brand for at least a week or two. When to switch from puppy food to dog food and how? After deciding it is time to switch your puppy to adult dog food, it’s time to consider how you will go about it. You should begin slowly. Transition your puppy to adult food over a seven to ten-day period, gradually increasing the ratio of adult food to puppy food.
Also remember that you should never switch your dog’s food all at once. Make the switch over the course of a week or two, slowly combining more and more adult food with less and less puppy food at a time. Expect a mild amount of gastro discomfort as your dog gets used to her new grub. And finally, always follow the directions on your dog’s. Depending on the age of your lab puppy, the amount of food you feed them will change. The formula of the puppy food you choose will also play a factor, so it’s best to refer to the bag for guidance. In general, though, most puppies under three months old, need fed ½ cup of food 3-4 times per day. Whatever the reason for the switch, changing your dog’s diet is more complex than simply pouring the new food into a bowl. In order to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach, you will need to. This is why it is important to switch from puppy food to adult dog food at the appropriate time. Switching the Food. Because a switch in food can sometimes cause stomach upset or even allergies, you should always make sure that the transition is a slow and gradual process. The best way to do this is to work in the adult food over a four day period.