Puppy Food vs Adult food question

[frenchielove]

I was wondering how long you guys with Frenchies feed them puppy food. With the larger breeds it really isn't necessary to leave them on puppy kibble a whole year. Just wondering. I feed Solid Gold to one of my dogs with allergies to chicken and feed Canidae to the rest. Canidae doesn't make a puppy formula. I was thinking of putting her on Chicken Soup Puppy for now, my friends feed that and their dogs thrive on it.

[lcmwest]

I am interested, too. I heard from several sources that it is ok to put them on adult food at 6 mos. Scout is now on adult ultramix and doing fine.

[adora's mom]

I put switched Adora from California Natural Puppy to Canidae around 5 months old. I switched her because she was growing rapidly on the puppy food and gaining too much weight. She is doing very well on Canidae.

[frenchielove]

Adora's mom...
How many cups do you feed your 5 month old? That is what I fear about puppy food... I have always fed puppy food till about 4 months and switched them with no harm. I guess it's ok to do the same with Frenchies. Don't want her overweight and growing out of control :eek:

[adora's mom]

She's actually 9 months old now :)

When she was 5 months old I fed her 1 1/2 cups per day. She's down to about 2/3 cup per day now, much to her displeasure! I feed her one Canidae snap biscuit per day and she always has a bully stick in her mouth.

[gmacleod]

I'm actually not a big fan of puppy formulas at all. It's not to say that there aren't any decent ones out there, but there are a great many that are dangerously overloaded in protein and calcium in particular. And that can cause growth and (permanent) musculoskeltal problems, even in small breeds. Sadly, few manufacturers disclose the calcium content of their food.

When a puppy formula is used, then IMO the pup should be switched to an adult formula by 4-6 months. The biggest stages of growth are over by then, and pups are just on a steady rise to adult height and weight. And of course, overnutrition is at it's most dangerous if it is prolonged.

I'd also note that, while young puppies require roughly double the amount of food as an equivalent-weight adult (meaning your 3 month old Frenchie needs twice as much food as an adult Chihuahua), they don't necessarily require different food. And they certainly wouldn't get different food from adults in a natural environment, nor if fed a natural raw diet.

[gmacleod]

Just to add to that, I note that you're feeding Chicken Soup. That being the case, I don't think it really makes a lot of difference which formula you feed. CS is one whose puppy formula isn't overloaded :) - in fact, the sole difference between the puppy and adult formulas is that the puppy one contains a higher amount of chicken fat.

[Lisa]

When a puppy formula is used, then IMO the pup should be switched to an adult formula by 4-6 months.

Agreed. Precisely what my breeder instructed us to do for the very same reasons you have listed.

Lisa

[frenchielove]

I'm glad to see I am not the only one who feels puppy food is not really needed that much... My last one got puppy food till like 12 weeks, when I ran out he began the adult formula with the rest.

As far as the Chicken Soup the Puppy formula is 28/17 (348 cal per cup) the adult is 24/14 (336 cal per cup)... i really don't get how it can be that different if it's only 12 calories difference....

the Canidae I feed to the others is 24/14 (466 cal per cup)... big difference in calories, but same protein and fat?

Still don't know what I'm going to feed the new baby... don't know if to go with the Chicken Soup Puppy, Adult or just feed the Canidae... :confused:

[gmacleod]

The only real difference between Chicken Soup puppy and Chicken Soup adult is that the puppy formula contains a greater amount of chicken fat - and that's where the extra calories and protein comes from. Personally, I feel that 28% protein is just a little too high and I would feed the adult version of that food.

Canidae is another good quality food. It is higher in grains though, than Chicken Soup is - and doesn't have the same fruit/vegetable content. The grains are what accounts for the higher calorie count (more energy in grains than vegetables). Bear in mind though, that the nutrients from grains are less accessible to dogs than the nutrients from vegetables... In the final event, they're probably relatively evenly matched foods.

If you have trouble choosing between them though, how about rotating between them? Rotating through different high quality kibbles is a good thing - it gives the dog variety in it's diet, helps to stop it becomming bored. It also helps to ensure that no deficiencies or excesses develop over time. And, especially if you're changing the main protein source, there is some evidence to suggest that feeding different foods can help to prevent the development of allergies. So lots of good reasons to change foods every once in a while ;)

[frenchielove]

[QUOTE=gmacleod] Rotating through different high quality kibbles is a good thing - it gives the dog variety in it's diet, helps to stop it becomming bored. It also helps to ensure that no deficiencies or excesses develop over time. And, especially if you're changing the main protein source, there is some evidence to suggest that feeding different foods can help to prevent the development of allergies. [ /QUOTE]

I TOTALLY believe in this.... glad to know others do as well. Some people think I am crazy, but the more you research it makes sence. I started doing this last year. I was going to try to switch them every 6 months, but a year has gone by so fast lol. The reason I was wanting to know what people thought of the Puppy food vs Adult food for this particular breed is because I actually wanted to switch my other ones who are eating Canidae now to Chicken Soup... just for the "change"... hoping they do as good on it as they do on the Canidae. If feeding the little Frenchie pup a quality Adult formula is fine then I plan to just switch them all to the Adult Chicken Soup when she arrives.... I also do not like the 28% Protein... :eek:
thanks

[gmacleod]

Sounds like an excellent idea to me :)