No matter how old your dog is, for you he is forever your little one. Dogs age faster than humans as their life span is unfortunately far less than an average human being. So irrespective of what you think, your pup could have attained maturity and needs to be treated as an adult. This holds true for his dietary transition, his exercise regimen and other factors. You should feed puppy food until they reach maturity. The question remains, when do they reach maturity. In dogs, this depends and varies from one breed to another and hence there is not a common age at which you can switch from puppy to adult food.
Breed sizes
In general dogs that are one year or older are often considered adults, although this isn’t always the case. Many toy and small breed dogs weigh less than 20 pounds at maturity and reach this size between 9 and 10 months of age. On the other hand medium sized dogs weighing 21 to 50 pounds reach their maturity around one year of age. Large and giant breeds are those that weigh between 50 and 100 pounds and take around two years to attain this weight and hence maturity. Thus they need puppy food longer than small and medium sized puppy. If you have a mixed breed dog and you are confused as to its maturity age and size, consult your vet for proper guidance. In addition to food type, it is equally important to monition food potions too. The amount and number of meals given to an adult dog is different from that of a puppy.
Why it is important to switch to adult food
The growing years of any being requires high calorie food and protein to help them grow. Puppy food is rich in nutrients and high in calories to facilitate their healthy growth and development. The high calorie food is also essential to match their high energy levels as puppies are always active and happily bounding from one place to another. In contrast, an adult dog needs a balanced diet to maintain his ideal body condition. Continuing puppy food for them may lead to health implications as they may not be able to burn off those high calorie foods and result in unwanted weight gain. When your puppy is nearing his adulthood, this is around the time when spaying or neutering is done, lowering your dog’s need for increased energy. Hence it is all the more crucial to switch food at the right time to avoid any nutrition based issue in canines.
How to make the transition
When you are sure that this is the right time to make the switch, it is important that you go slow and steady. Introducing a change in diet immediately could cause gastrointestinal issues in them. Chances are your dog would reject the new meal if the transition is sudden because he is not used to the taste and texture of the new meal. To make a gradual switch, start by feeding three fourth of the normal amount of puppy food and add one fourth portion of adult food for the first couple of days. Make it half of each puppy and adult food for the subsequent couple of days. Increase the adult food portion to three quarter and add one quarter puppy food to it for the following two, three days. After a week or eight days from starting to introduce adult food, you can switch completely to it.
While making the transition to the quality of food, it is also advisable to cut down on the three times a day puppy meals to twice a day adult dog food. The protein dense, high calorie puppy food is no more required as full grown dogs do not have as much high metabolism and energy needs. Keep a tab on the appetite of your dog as every dog is different. If you see him picking at food or skipping meals, you may reduce the potion to suit its needs.
Waggfluence cares for all three stages of your dog’s life, be it puppy, adult or senior. That is why we have appropriate pet supplies to suit their requirements and comfort for each junctures of their life. The team of Waggfluence would love to hand hold you throughout your journey of pet parenting. Subscribe to our newsletters and membership plans to avail maximum offers and benefit.
