When To Switch Lab Puppy To Dog 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.

When to switch lab puppy to dog food. As surprising as it may seem, many dog food companies make their food based on a recipe and never feed it to actual dogs before sending it into the stores. You want to choose a pet food company that invests in scientific research and consults with veterinary nutritionists to provide a dog food that is specially balanced for the pet’s lifestage. 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. During pregnancy or nursing, large breed dogs should be switched to regular puppy food, not a large breed puppy food. Health Reasons: If your veterinarian has recommended therapeutic dog food for a specific health condition, please be sure to discuss transitioning to the new dog food in detail. There could be some special considerations and. If you have any questions about how much you should feed your puppy, talk with your veterinary care team. They’re your best resource for knowing when to switch your puppy to adult food. Adults Age 1 year to 6-8 years. Two of the most common questions puppy parents have are how long to feed puppy food, and when to switch to adult dog food.

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. Choose a puppy food that lists meat as the first three ingredients and does not contain byproducts. Byproducts are the leftovers other than meat, such as brains, blood and bones. Once you find the kibble you want to switch to, begin the transition with increasing ratios of new food mixed with the old 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. 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!

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. 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. 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. Most puppy food packaging will tell you to continue feeding the pup on the food for a year before switching to an adult formula. But, most people agree, that the switch should happen much earlier at four months whilst others say puppies should be fed on a good quality adult food right from the start.

Start to wean your Lab off the puppy food and onto the adult food bit by bit, no more than half a cup at a time. On the first day of the switch, you might feed a cup and a half of puppy food and a half-cup of adult food. On day seven, you might feed 1-and-a-half cups of adult food and half a cup of puppy food. If your puppy starts to have. 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. 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. 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.