# How long do you feed puppy food?



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

My vet and breeder both say adult is fine, so I would go ahead and switch over now.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I think I am rather inclined not to buy another bag of puppy. Or if I do I will mix it for everyone.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Buck has always been on adult kibble per his breeder's instructions. I would start transitioning to the big dogs' brand.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks Mfmst, I don't need to switch brands, just the formulation from puppy to adult maintenance. He is already eating a mix with no problems. I think it will be an easy thing to fade the puppy. I appreciate hearing what others have done.

You know that all the food manufacturers label such that you think you need to feed puppy for a year, which I know I don't need to do. It will be easier when I start taking Javelin to shows with Lily to only have to take one kind of food.


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Ari has been on Acana Singles Duck and Bartlett Pear which is an "all life stages" formula since she came home. If the new food is "all life stages," I see no reason not to start gradually switching over.

Not sure about an adult maintenance formula, though, I suppose it would depend on the specific one. For adult maintenance I would probably wait until he was done with his major growth spurt, but that isn't based on anything other than gut feeling... If they are very similar in calorie/nutrient content I'd go for it.

AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

lily cd re said:


> Javelin is 14 weeks old and I still have him mostly eating Blue Buffalo Large Breed Chicken and Rice. I use the kibble for training and also feed him from my hand for at least one meal to remind him I am the source of all good things and life's necessities.
> 
> Here's the thing, Lily and Peeves free feed Blue Buffalo large breed adult maintenance and Javelin raids their food. Also if I give Javelin his food in a bowl the others come and share it with him. So he is already on his way to being a free feeder (which I want) and he understands about sharing his food (which I want). In a little less than two weeks I will be back to work. It will be easy to give him his own lunch as he will be confined in the kitchen when we are out. Two days I will give him his lunch when I am leaving and the other two days my dog sitter will give him lunch.
> 
> ...


If the adult food is AAFCO approved for All Life Stages or for growth, if the calcium content as well as the calcium phosphorus ratio are moderate, you are good to switch him. If the adult food is AAFCO approved for maintenance but not growth, I would not feed it this young as you risk nutritional deficiencies.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Millie I will check on those parameters specifically and thanks sophie anne for making it easy to do that.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I would just switch everyone to puppy if buying two bags is a problem, but that's just me. The puppy food is richer than adult and I would be too scared my dog would be missing on essentila nutrients. Adults can eat puppy food, just give them less.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

My adult dogs are free feeders and Javelin will transition to free feeding too, but I have decided to go for at least one more bag of puppy food before I really switch him over. I did the nutritional analysis of the adult formula and it isn't quite what the pup will need. Buying two bags is no big deal. I buy my food four bags at a time and store it in a cool dry space. Even with just Lily and Peeves a 30 pound bag only lasts about three weeks.


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

Hey there Lily cd re, Ive feed Stella a food formulated for all life stages since I got her at 4 months. My Vet told me that with both my girls breeds (Border Collie and Standard Poo) I was fine not feeding puppy food.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

My vet said the same thing. Javelin will be four months on September 13th, so I still have a little time to get there. I will be confining Javelin in the kitchen when I go back to work next week so it will be easy to keep feeding him separately a while longer.


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