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Maintenance of your dog's health depends in large part on their diet. Their diet in turn should be consistent, and any changes made to it will be associated with the age and weight of your dog.
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Depending on your dog's size and breed, you will want to switch from puppy food to adult dog food anywhere from 6 months to 2 years of age.
Large-Breed adult dogs will keep growing until they are about two years old. Until this time they should be fed a puppy food formulated for large breeds. Your veterinarian will be able to recommend a specific brand for your needs.
Smaller dogs have a faster metabolism and require a different diet than larger dogs. A food formulated for a smaller breed should have more nutrients per kilo, so they can get the energy they need without overeating. An average age for small and medium dogs to switch to adult dog food is around the 9 month mark, or a bit after. Their skeleton should be just about full size by this point.
Mixed breed weight
Of course, a great number of pet dogs in America are mixed-breed, and the right age for knowing when they should switch to adult food isn't written in any book. If you have a mixed-breed pup and have had it since birth, or know the records of the animal from an early point, you can figured out their mature weight point. This is just an approximation, but the formula is as follows:
(Pup's weight at 8 months) x 4 to 5.
This will give you a weight range that your puppy is like to fall into after they are fully developed, provided they stay relatively healthy. A pup that weights 12 pounds at 8 months of age will most likely weight between 48 and 60 pounds when they reach maturity.
Pup to Adult food - steps to follow
The most important thing to do when your pup is switching to adult dog food is to make the change gradually, by mixing foods, over the course of about a week. This will prevent the change from upsetting your dog's digestive process. Dogs in general have a sensitive system, which is a primary reason for ensuring your dog has a consistent diet.
More often than not staying with the same brand when going from puppy to adult chow will lessen the shock.
Midlife to Mature
Feed your dog a consistent diet so long as their health remains consistent. If their coat is healthy and their skin condition is good, it's a good sign that their diet is comprehensively healthy enough to continue. Unexpected weight gain (without a major change in lifestyle, exercise habits, etc) may be an early sign that your dog is aging, and may need to change their diet. A gradual change in exercise habits is natural with age, and less food is needed to maintain the same weight. The older body also needs more protein and less calories from fat.
Cutting down on how much you feed your mut may make them pretty unhappy, so try to find a food with a good dose of fiber, which will help them feel full without adding unnecessary calories.
If your dogs coat or skin are not as healthy as they once were, and you think may be too dry or itchy to be comfortable, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation. They will likely recommend some specific food or supplements for fatty acids, vitamin E or Zinc.
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| Basic Dog Health |
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| Adult Dog Care |
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