At what age should I switch from Puppy food to Adult?

[lvpets2002]

They recomend Puppy food for your baby for the first whole year.. Your baby puppy or kitten is not considered an adult till one year of age..

[bckrazy]

I'm feeding my 9 week-old puppy adult food. He gets half Natural Balance (they only have adult formulas, no puppy food) and half adult Innova. If I were you, I would switch Bodie to adult now, a good all-ages formula like Canidae, Innova, Natural Balance, California Natural, etc. Especially since he's a large dog. If you actually look at the label, puppy food usually contains too much protein and sometimes even less calories than adult food.

[Jessika]

They recomend Puppy food for your baby for the first whole year.. Your baby puppy or kitten is not considered an adult till one year of age..

That's not necessarily true. Small breed dogs mature faster physically than large or giant breed dogs. Small breed dogs need to be fed a puppy food until about six months because they stop growing, physically, sooner than larger dogs. Some large or giant breed dogs don't stop growing until they are closer to two years in age!

All in all, I would consult with a vet you are comfortable with and trust the opinion of. Otherwise I would switch closer to 9 months or a year.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I think it depends on both the dog and the food being fed. Some dogs grow at a good rate on puppy food and some grow too quickly on puppy food. If a dog is growing to quickly they should be switched to adult to slow down their growth. I think small dogs should generally be switched to adult food around 6 months. Larger dogs maybe 9 months to a year. If you're unsure though I'd suggest talking to your vet.

[Lescoop77]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Bodie is a Lab/Golden mix and currently weighs approx 45lbs at 6 months. I'm feeding him Nutro.

[PinkSunshine]

I agree with Jessika. Small breeds generally mature MUCH faster than large breeds. I'd say with a lab/golden mix, I'd wait closer to a year to switch.