At what age...

[Leanne O'Sullivan]

...would you change a dog from Puppy food to Adult food?

My Lab Dog is 11 months old and it was my intention to take him off the puppy food next month but someone who called themself a Labrador Breeder (not having a go, just don't know them) said they shouldn't be taken off puppy food until at least 15 months. I've had others (not breeders) who have said they take them off puppy food early to stop them from growing too quickly.

This question may sound a bit basic to some but I would have a new pup around every 7 years so am a bit vague on what I have done in the past.

Thanks
Leanne

[Kate Eltringham]

Hi Leanne,

I've generally started weaning them off the puppy food at approx 9 months of age without any repercussions. Most breeds of gundogs are fully grown (other than ribs and chest development) between 9 - 12 months of age so why you'd keep them on puppy food to stop them growing too quickly is beyond me.

As long as you mix the puppy to adult dry food over a week or so you shouldn't have any problems, particularly if the dry food you use has a fairly high percentage and fat and protein.

Good luck

Kate

[Maureen Cooper]

Now I will really put the cat among the pigeons as they say!

In 1997 when I took my then big 12 week old male to the vet for his second vaccination I was told to get him on adult food at once to slow his growth.

When I freaked out at this the reasoning given was that most puppy foods have a very high protein content which pushes growth too much and can lead to joint problems. This vet has had very wide experience with mastiff and great dane breeders and found that by using adult food the puppy was not pushed to mature early and the joint problems had disappeared. Reluctantly I did as I was told, the dog is now over 6 yrs, scored 0:0 elbows and sound as a bell.

I queried the calcium/phosphorus ratios and he said the puppy would be fine as there was enough in the normal adult foods. I now follow this regime with all my puppies and my puppy feeding sheet advises the same.

I am an avid reader of protein contents etc on dog food bags and many are far too high for Labs especially. An article in a Pal breeder says that "feeding dogs with a very high calorie,high protein diets takes the brakes off their growth rate when they are young.The growth of cartilage and transformation into bone is a process that needs to go very smoothly so it's pretty logical that if you push the system too hard, problems can occur and that the practise of some dog breeders in the past, believing 'big was beautiful' , pushing high planes of nutrition into their dogs has probably made the elbow dysplasia problem worse" end quote.
(Dr R Read. Murdoch University)

Also on May 1st 1993 a joint world veterinary meeting was held in London to discuss the control of hereditary diseases in dogs and in regards to elbow disease and to nutrition it stated that " if the animal has a genetic predisposition then.... too high protein ie greater than 22% in diet can exacerbate the condition"

Most adult foods are around 24-25% protein where most puppy foods are 28% upwards. Does Mother Nature make a puppy food? No! When wild Mum weans her pups they get the same as her, just chewed up a bit more!

At 12 weeks I give half adult and half puppy food and by 16 weeks they are on all adult and latest show/working bitch again scored 0:0.

My vets advice with Lab puppies... keep 'em lean and mean!

Maureen

[Prue Winkfield]

Agree that the protein contact is critical. For the last few of litters I have been feeding the Eaglepack natural which is lower in proten - the pups have done just fine. Think that most of the premium 'large breed' puppy foods also have lower protein content.

[Leanne O'Sullivan]

Thanks Kate, Maureen and Prue for your input.

Leanne