How Long Should a Dog Be on Puppy Food? This Guide Will Inform You

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How Long Should a Dog Be on Puppy Food? This Guide Will Inform You

Mathew. Barham

Imelda is my beloved furry friend. She is a four-year-old, 50-pound Siberian Husky. My family’s journey of owning her for the past four years has been a gleeful one.

Fortunately, our love for owning dogs as pets and our knowledge of their proper maintenance have assisted us all these years.

Imelda is a dependable household companion. She is happy, healthy, and has full barking and growling capabilities. You may wonder how I was able to give her the right upbringing.

As a seasoned dog owner, having these pets around the home surely enliven the household and keep it secure.

If you are a dog owner like me, you will notice that these pets grow quite rapidly.

You may also wonder and ask yourself “How long should a dog be on puppy food?” if it is your first time to manage a growing Siberian Husky like my Imelda, a Golden Retriever, a Labrador Retriever, or a Chihuahua.

In this discussion, I will guide you on how you can help your cherished friend transition from consuming puppy nutriments to relishing adult dog food.

Through reading how you can properly nourish your cuddly pal, you will appreciate him more because he will always be in his best of health.

I would like you to enjoy your vibrant, wholesome, and happiness-giving pet, and realize the value of keeping your dog, the same as what that I do with my Imelda.

I guarantee you that you will eventually affirm the truth behind the cliché that a dog is a “man’s best friend.”

Fundamental Information about Puppy Food

Having kept Imelda as my beloved pet for four years, I learned that puppies develop and grow daily. Thus, she required puppy foods that fulfill her high-energy demands.

“Puppy foods” are the nutrients supplied to infant dogs during the stage in which they are weaning from the milk coming from their mothers.

Small dogs that are merely beginning to eat on their own consume them.

As directed by my veterinarian, I fed Imelda puppy food when she was still a baby dog and has not reached one year of age.

I always had her monitored by my veterinarian friend. He advised me to nourish Imelda with formula puppy food that is stringently meant for puppies to keep her healthful.

When I explored the recommended puppy food for my beautifully fluffy Siberian Husky, I discovered that it comprises more protein content than adult dog food.

Furthermore, I learned that calories play a vital role in this growth stage of my elegant Siberian Husky.

Puppy foods supply the extra calories and nutrients that young dogs need until they are at least one year old.

My veterinarian explained that this feature is necessary, so Imelda’s growth momentum is sustained at a faster rate.

The puppy stage is also the time when the baby dog will usually eat a lot of food because they continue expanding in size as they mature actively.

4 Tips to Follow When Changing from Puppy Food to Adult Dog Food

As Imelda was growing, I learned from my veterinarian pal that she needed more nutrients and calories.

Thus, puppy food nourished her with high levels of fat and protein that supported her growth. Also, Imelda obtained the docosahexaenoic acid found in the milk of her mother.

This acid is more commonly known as DHA, which is a kind of omega-3 fatty acid also found in eggs, fish, and certain types of organ meat.

However, I learned that when Imelda reached one year old, she surely needed to quit eating puppy food.

The reason behind this fact is because rich puppy nutriments could quickly make her gain excessive weight, which dog health experts discourage.

I surely did not want my treasured household companion to become obese, unhealthy, sickly, and worse, to make her life cut short!

Hence, I advise you to keep this essential golden nugget for dog owners in mind: Transitioning from puppy food to adult dog food gradually is A MUST.

A proactive approach, indeed, helped me keep my Imelda stay wholesome, alive, and kicking until today.

How long should a dog be on puppy food? These four tips will enlighten you:

Pay attention to your dog’s size, age, and breed.

Small-breed dogs weigh less than 20 to 30 pounds heavy at maturity. At nine months to one year old, they are already considered adults.

Meanwhile, medium-breed puppies are between 30 to 80 pounds massive at maturity. They are usually fully mature when they reach one year old to 16 months old.

If your puppy is a large or giant breed, they weigh more than 80 pounds.

You can modify his diet to adult dog food when he is between 18 months to 2 years old when he has already attained full growth.

As you can see, puppies become adult dogs when they are about one year old and above.

I gathered that huge dogs take a little longer to become fully mature. They carry on increasing in size until they are two years of age.

Hence, they need to consume puppy food longer than small or medium-sized breeds. The weight of dogs, indeed, varies greatly.

It undoubtedly helped me a lot working closely and staying guided by my veterinarian’s insights.

He instructed me the appropriate time to alter Imelda’s diet from puppy food to adult dog food.

Allow 7 to 10 days to ease the switch from puppy to adult dog food.

Having the query “How long should a dog be on puppy food?” in mind may leave you anxious at first. This reality may inconvenience you, especially if you are not an experienced dog owner.

Let me tell you that altering a dog’s food is a process. When your pet becomes fully mature and already suitable to eat adult dog foods, follow these steps I performed:

Days 1 and 2

In the first two days, I introduced Imelda to the new adult dog food in small amounts. I was still primarily feeding her with her old puppy food.

I added 1/8 a cup of adult dog food and removed the 1/8 cup of the puppy food.

Days 3 to 5

From days three to five, the adult dog food was, then, already a part of my routine. I fed Imelda a little bit more of the new dog food every day.

At the same time, I carried on eliminating the equal amount of the old puppy food.

Days 6 to 7

From days six to seven, I continued adding in the adult dog food of Imelda. Furthermore, I removed an equivalent amount of puppy food.

By then, the new adult dog food already constituted the majority of my treasured Siberian Husky’s meal.

Days 7 to 10

Then, from days seven to ten, I continued increasing the amount of adult dog food and decreasing the puppy food of Imelda.

I performed this step gradually until I reached the day when I was feeding my stunning Siberian Husky the adult dog food exclusively.

I, then, realized that I had completed switching Imelda’s diet from puppy food to adult dog food.

I benefitted tremendously through my veterinarian’s instruction to allow one week to ten days, easing the transition from Imelda’s puppy food.

In this manner, I was able to witness the difference that the adult dog food’s effect made on her.

Moreover, I was so pleased that the gradual shift did not make my little Imelda suffer from unwanted dietary dilemmas or stomach upsets.

Again, puppies are no longer infant dogs when they reach about one year old and above, depending on their sizes.

Hence, with the help of your veterinarian, your pet is all set to consume adult dog foods by then.

During the transition phase, ensure to work closely with your vet.

I must say I am one meticulous dog owner. Therefore, I made sure that I had my veterinarian carefully guide me every step of the way in raising my Imelda.

During the transition phase, my pet specialist assessed the body condition score of my beloved Siberian Husky.

He helped me guarantee that Imelda changed gradually from puppy nutriment to adult dog food at the ideal time.

My veterinarian friend also recommended how much adult dog food Imelda should receive. He made sure that the foods do not contain more phosphorous and fat that Imelda needed.

In this manner, my pet did not experience the detrimental impacts of having too many calories and nutrients, damaging her svelte physique.

Plus, the veterinarian safeguarded her from getting unwarranted obesity.

Choose an adult dog food that meets nutritional standards.

I have always been elated because Imelda has been in sound health condition. She rarely gets ill. It is because I have always followed her veterinarian’s advice.

The pet specialist recommended me to select adult dog food formula that underwent feeding trials by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

The latter is a non-profit organization that sets the standards for both pet foods and animal feeds.

Dog food companies have to meet the nutritional standards that the AAFCO established. Then, their products become available in the market as balanced and complete.

I gathered that the specific formulation of Imelda’s adult dog food has been tested and fed to dogs, ensuring that there are zero deficiencies.

I am also blissful to learn that the pet food company manufacturing Imelda’s nutriments significantly invests in scientific research. They also consult with veterinary nutritionists.

Hence, I am comforted to know that my pet consumes dog food, uniquely balanced for her life stage.

Following these significant guidelines will surely help you monitor and enjoy the growth stages of your much-loved, furry best friend the same way that I did with my Imelda.

The recommended measures I elaborated in this discussion led my Siberian Husky and me for a delightful and positive change from puppy food to adult dog nutriments.

They guarantee that your dog will be far from acquiring diseases, and your journey as a pet owner will surely be a rewarding one.

Did you feel enlightened by this informative discussion, answering our essential question of the day, “how long should a dog be on puppy food?” Knowledge is power.

You can empower the world’s dog owners by sharing your newfound knowledge and discoveries by sharing this article!

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