# Switching from puppy food to adult



## T o d d (Sep 25, 2007)

From what I've read Puppy has more protein to help them grow, the rest of the increases look minor.... I don't think it's a special # just when they stop growing/developing.... Moose is >1yr and is still on Puppy. They have adult now 'wild' that has even more protein and other ingredients that are similar to puppy for adults... 

It was my udnerstanding going from adult to 'old or aged' has stuff that older dogs need that is not found in puppy or adult much, puppy -> adult whenever you are ready I believe.


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

Skip it all and just feed a good, holistic all life stages food. Then the only thing that needs changing at all is the amount you feed. Jenny and Sam right now eat the same food and the same amount. Each get 2 cups a day. She only weighs 14# and he is 75#, but she is a growing puppy and he is overweight. Soon she will be eating more than him. He's on steroids so getting this weight off has been a challenge!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

For what it's worth, I've always switched puppies to adult between 7-9 mo depending on the puppy. My small dogs eat a food that is advertised specificly for small dogs of all life stages but I still feed a puppy formual to babies and then switch them over. 

What do you feed Sam I Am? Just curious :0)


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

Used to feed Canidae which is also an all life stages, but they switched formulas and packaging plants. Now we feed Nutrilife. It's not widely available right now. It's made and packaged here in IL.


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> Used to feed Canidae which is also an all life stages, but they switched formulas and packaging plants. Now we feed Nutrilife. It's not widely available right now. It's made and packaged here in IL.


interesting, I'm going to have to look that up now  Thanx


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## meehkim (Sep 11, 2009)

*Twice a day?*

Do you feed your poodles twice a day even as they become adults?


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

meehkim said:


> Do you feed your poodles twice a day even as they become adults?


I don't have a lot of experience with a lot of different poodles (only standards and only three...) but I've found that the standards that have lived in my house need to be feed at least two meals a day to keep from throwing up bile. Lucy gets to eat at least three times a day and if she tells us she's still hungry in between scheduled meals, she gets another snack because she's still a growing puppy. When she's reached maturity and isn't needing the extra food to help with her growth spurts, she will be on a twice a day schedule.

For some reason when the poodles' tummies get empty and if they miss a meal, they'll start throwing up bile and I try not to let it get to that point... multiple smaller meals are better than one big one for the standards I've known (Meau, Lucy and Dolce)

My mix breed and mini dachshund have been fed once a day for YEARS, but now that they're eating at mostly the same time and in the same place as Lucy does, I've split their meals in 1/2 and I'm feeding twice a day instead of just once (they'd look at me with "those eyes" if Lucy kept getting food and they didn't!) :lol:


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I recommend taking off the puppy food between six and eight months old. I have heard and read that all of that protein for too long a period of time can put them at risk for borken bonesby making their bones brittle.


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> I recommend taking off the puppy food between six and eight months old. I have heard and read that all of that protein for too long a period of time can put them at risk for borken bonesby making their bones brittle.


OK, riddle me this, Batman... 

The food I currently have Lucy on is specifically for large breed puppies and I think the protein is limited because of the effect higher protein has on large breed puppies. Lucy's food has 27% protein (for a comparison, I checked the Innova puppy formula and it has 28% protein)

I'd like to give her a grain free food when I switch her to adult food because I've heard that grains are what can cause allergies and other problems in dogs and it just makes sense that they really don't need grains... The brand/type I was looking at was the Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness kibble and the protein content on that is 42%!!!!!!

I'm guessing it wouldn't be good to switch her to the grain-free stuff at 6-8 months old if the protein is so much higher - would it?? Should I give her an interim type between 6 months and 2 years before starting the grain free? Should I not ever use the grain free because the protein is so high??

I may end up just feeding her marshmallows!! :lol: JUST KIDDING!! :fish:


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## Roxy (Apr 4, 2008)

I absolutely recommend feeding the adult dogs twice a day - I would never do one meal. Our Newfoundland (albeit different breed that the poodle) did have his stomach turn and we were feeding twice a day even then. All the vets recommended twice a day meals.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I would go with an interim food until she is fully grown. Personally, I would not give my dogs that high a protein food, but that is just me. There are tons of people who believe in the raw diet, and I would imagine it is 100% protein.


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