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Subject: Changing from puppy food to adult
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List_HouseUser is Offline
Midland, Pa (western, Pa)
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06/02/2009 10:51 AM  

When did or will everyone switch from puppy food to adult?

everbellUser is Offline
Kanata, ON
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06/02/2009 11:00 AM  
We never did ... we used a whole life food recommended by the breeder so we never had a transition.

Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures
pvstksUser is Offline

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06/02/2009 11:19 AM  
We have always (and plan to with our new pup) made the switch to adult food at the 1 year mark. The key is not to finish the puppy food and then introduce adult food, rather slowly introduce the adult food over the course of a week or so. Start out 75% puppy/25% adult for a couple of days, move to 50/50 for a couple days, 25/75 for a few more and, finally after a week or so 100% adult food.
Texas BelleUser is Offline
Austin, TX
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06/02/2009 12:10 PM  

I usually switch mine around 6 months.  My male was especially ready to move to adult food at that time.  The girls probably could have gone longer on the puppy food.  I feed a very high quality food combination, and use the same brand of puppy food.  I had no problems when I switched foods. 


Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)

Yellow Rose GSPs

 photo FaunaBISJan20110001cropped_resized_zps96af44b6.jpg  photo DSC_0044_cropped_zps0a25f9ff.jpg  photo DSC_0030a_zps3c822a4a.jpg  photo DSC_0016cropped_zpsab533745.jpg

"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato
WildRoseUser is Offline
Seymour Texas
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06/02/2009 12:39 PM  

There's no need to keep a puppy on a "puppy ration" beyond four months. Just pick a high quality kibble that is labeled for "all life stages" that is high in protein and fat (the "performance blends") and you should save a good bit of money while still providing everything your pup needs.

As the other's have recommended when you do switch do it slowly mixing the new ration with the old.  At first mix more of the old, as time goes on, mix more and more of the new ration in and the transition will be slow and easy.


There's a reason I like dogs better'n people... .
Kerplunk105User is Offline
Bucks County, PA
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06/02/2009 1:55 PM  
If I use puppy food, its only till 6ish months. Leena has always been on an all life stage kibble.

Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
singltrakUser is Offline
Las Cruces, NM
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MH
Posts:1149


06/02/2009 2:36 PM  
My pups are off puppy food by four months also.

Phyllis and the Singltrak crew
www.singltrakshorthairs.net/

Look to the Past, Breed for the Future
bravepointUser is Offline
North Gower, ON Canada
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06/02/2009 3:21 PM  
I too switch at 6 months unless I'm feeding an all life stages food.

Gail

Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
DesertRoseKennelUser is Offline

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06/02/2009 8:21 PM  

We take a little different approach. The puppy food we use and the performance food we use are actually very close in nutritional analysis. So at about 12 weeks our babies start free feeding (not intending to spark that old conversation, but it works for us ) with the rest of the pack and we mix puppy food and adult food one to one until the baby(ies) are about a year and then the whole pack goes back to adult performance food. It works for us because we don't have any fatties, if anything we have to work to keep weight on our dogs. So that's our easy solution.

Jean


"Our dogs are bred to be champion hunters who sleep on the bed"
www.desertrosekennel.com
pvstksUser is Offline

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Posts:225


06/03/2009 6:58 AM  
It's interesting that most of you have moved to adult (or an "all life stages" food) by 6 months -- I may change my thinking here. Just wondering what brand you are feeding. My breeder is feeding IAMS Large Breed Puppy (not what I would choose). Anyone have any recommendations for the first few months and on in to his adult life???
snipsUser is Offline
n.ga.
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Posts:413


06/03/2009 7:18 AM  

I feed Exceed Chicken & Rice from the litter right on up. They do great.


brenda
singltrakUser is Offline
Las Cruces, NM
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Posts:1149


06/03/2009 7:41 AM  
Actually Iams Puppy is probably the only Iams food that is worth anything any more. It used to be a good food, in general, until it also became a grocery store item. I've had puppies arrive on Eagle Pack, Exceed, etc. and they didn't want to or weren't thriving, shall we say, until I went and got some Iams Puppy, added a dollop of plain full-fat yogurt and that was the kick start they wanted. Never figured that out, but somehow its worked for at least three litters of my own also. As soon as they get over the 2-3 month hump, its on to all life stages food, Premium Edge mixed with Taste of the Wild Wetlands...

I know, strange, huh?

Phyllis and the furtribe

Look to the Past, Breed for the Future
DesertRoseKennelUser is Offline

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Posts:1033


06/03/2009 7:56 AM  

This time I've got babies on the Costco puppy food. Did some research and it scores pretty darn high on the quality scale even when compared to some of the priciest options. They are doing really well on it - beautiful coats, nice weight. I'm sure there's a genetic component but this litter really has "ripped" little muscles already too.

Jean


"Our dogs are bred to be champion hunters who sleep on the bed"
www.desertrosekennel.com
Kerplunk105User is Offline
Bucks County, PA
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Posts:713


06/03/2009 8:55 AM  
Posted By pvstks on 06/03/2009 6:58 AM
It's interesting that most of you have moved to adult (or an "all life stages" food) by 6 months -- I may change my thinking here. Just wondering what brand you are feeding. My breeder is feeding IAMS Large Breed Puppy (not what I would choose). Anyone have any recommendations for the first few months and on in to his adult life???



 

I dont think there is another dog related topic that can cause more difference in opinions except maybe training.  I personally would never feed anything with corn in it, which Iams has.  

Leena eats Taste of the Wild and Bliss (my Labrador) eats Bravo, (raw diet).


Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
Texas BelleUser is Offline
Austin, TX
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Posts:7929


06/03/2009 9:17 AM  
Ringo was on IAMs Puppy when I got him. He was doing ok, but he really did not like it. This was a food crazy dog and it would take him forever to decide to eat it. So, I decided to change him to another food. I ended using Innova Puppy because it was the closest to what I would eventually feed him as an adult. He loved the Innova. At six months I changed him to what Belle and Halo were eating which was Innova Adult kibble and a half a can of Wellness Venison or Lamb. Just recently I made a change in their kibble. I was asked to test a new High Performance kibble that isn't even on the market yet. I liked the ingredients so I said I would. They gave me three 40 pound bags to start with and agreed to continue selling it to me directly until it was on the market if I liked it. My dogs now have the most energy I have ever seen and they have spectacular coats. I love this new kibble and the dogs do to. It still doesn't have a name and we are still waiting for it to go into formal distribution, but it is a great food.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)

Yellow Rose GSPs

 photo FaunaBISJan20110001cropped_resized_zps96af44b6.jpg  photo DSC_0044_cropped_zps0a25f9ff.jpg  photo DSC_0030a_zps3c822a4a.jpg  photo DSC_0016cropped_zpsab533745.jpg

"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato
JstLovesGSPsUser is Offline
UP of Michigan
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SH
Posts:47


06/03/2009 9:38 AM  

I feed Canidae - I started with all life stages and then went to the Platinum... the all life stages has 36 % protein - way-y-y-y too high unless you are running the Iditarod or hunting your dogs daily.... the Platinum is only 20% - my Doberman puppy was coming off the wall like peeling wall paper on the all stages...so everyone is now on the lower protein and doing fantastic.

Almost everyone is now recommending that people forego the puppy food for the bigger dogs and just feed adult...

Years ago when I showed dogs I fed Iams or Eukanuba and have to say both foods have gone down hill. 

I was involved with a bloat study a few years ago - and the findings of that study said that foods containing dried beep pulp was hugely responsible for more dogs bloating or the increase incidence of bloating.  So I avoid foods with dried beet pulp as an ingredient.

snipsUser is Offline
n.ga.
MH
MH
Posts:413


06/03/2009 9:47 AM  

I used to feed Pro Plan and Iams puppy, but really like Exceed better.


brenda
Kerplunk105User is Offline
Bucks County, PA
MH
MH
Posts:713


06/03/2009 10:21 AM  
Posted By JstLovesGSPs on 06/03/2009 9:38 AM

I feed Canidae - I started with all life stages and then went to the Platinum... the all life stages has 36 % protein - way-y-y-y too high unless you are running the Iditarod or hunting your dogs daily.... the Platinum is only 20% - my Doberman puppy was coming off the wall like peeling wall paper on the all stages...so everyone is now on the lower protein and doing fantastic.

Almost everyone is now recommending that people forego the puppy food for the bigger dogs and just feed adult...

Years ago when I showed dogs I fed Iams or Eukanuba and have to say both foods have gone down hill. 

I was involved with a bloat study a few years ago - and the findings of that study said that foods containing dried beep pulp was hugely responsible for more dogs bloating or the increase incidence of bloating.  So I avoid foods with dried beet pulp as an ingredient.

Thats funny.  I couldnt keep any weight on Leena when she was on Canidae. Not sure which formula you were feeding but the org All Life Stages is only 24% protein..

 


Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
everbellUser is Offline
Kanata, ON
MH
MH
Posts:3180


06/03/2009 10:28 AM  
We feed TLC which is made in Canada. We really like the ingredients and it was recommended by the breeder. (We also feed our cats TLC cat food.)

Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures
carlower1User is Offline
Kansas
MH
MH
Posts:1253


06/03/2009 11:23 AM  
I always switch on their 1st Birthday...

Carrie
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Forums > General > General Discussion > Changing from puppy food to adult



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