# When to switch from puppy to adult?



## rockhead (Jul 8, 2007)

Rookie is 4-months old next week and weighed in at the vet yesterday at 46 pounds. I've been feeding Wellness LBP since 9-weeks. He's not crazy about it; I often add some grilled chicken or shredded cheese just to spice it up, but he's got good stools and is doing fine on it. My vet told me I could feed him a premium adult food with 24% protein content _at 9 weeks!_ 

His growth looks like it might be slowing from "chaotic" to "rapid" ("only" gained 5-pounds last week!), so I'm wondering when would be appropriate to switch to adult food. Am I over-thinking this?


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Whenever YOU want.

I don't feed puppyfood at all. I (gradually) change my puppies to an adult or all life stages food as soon as I get them at 8 weeks.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I'm feeding puppy food for the first time ever. Halo is on Orijen Large Breed Puppy because I want to feed grain-free, and their adult is not recommended for puppies. 

You can switch him to any of the other Wellness foods except for the Core (which is for dogs over a year old) whenever you want. I had Dena and Keefer on adult Natural Balance from 9 weeks old.


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## balakai (Feb 9, 2005)

Other than the initial free bag of Science Diet from the shelter, India never had puppy food--went straight to adult at about 3 1/2 months.

I didn't even use puppy food for my little terrier girl when I got her at about 8 months of age.

~Kristin


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## Rex (Mar 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomI'm feeding puppy food for the first time ever. Halo is on Orijen Large Breed Puppy because I want to feed grain-free, and* their adult is not recommended for puppies*.


Where did you get that information from? When I looked at the analysis I didn't really see too much difference to the puppy formula... Also, I read somewhere Orijen Adult and 6 Fish is ALS? Not sure though! 

I'm just wondering 'cause I thought about switching our 4 1/2 months old to the Adult formula, or at least the 6 Fish.... He's not doing too good on the Orijen LBP. He has runny poops all the time


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Rex
> Also, I read somewhere Orijen Adult and 6 Fish is ALS? Not sure though!


This means NOTHING. There are a LOT of foods listed as "ALS" that are NOT appropriate for a large breed puppy. AFCO standards really don't mean much.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

As far as I can see, the cal/phos is the SAME in the Orijen LBP, adult and 6 fish. They are a little higher in the Regional Red.

The protien and fat are also the smae in the LBP and Adult. The 6 fish is 18% fat where as the other 2 are 16%.

In Orijens case, it almost seems like the LBP is a marketing ploy. (As it is with most companies.) They would rather have a LBP for folks that think you MUST feed puppy food to a puppy, than have someone go to another company. THeir "regular" puppy has higher cal/phos AND more fat. SO the LBP is better than the "regualr" puppy. But the adult would be fine too. 

Don't get me wrong Orijen feeders. I am NOT trying to bash Orijen. I would likely feed it too, IF it were available around here. AND it wasn't so outrageously expensive!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Tracy, you could be right - but Keefer eats the 6 Fish formula since he does better on fish based foods (switched him over from Eagle Pack fish to TOTW fish to Orijen), which is even MORE expensive than the LBP so they'd still be on different foods. I haven't priced out the regular adult formula but unless it's significantly less expensive than the LBP there's no compelling reason for me to switch her over yet. 

Rex, most of the grain free foods (Evo, Wellness Core, Orijen) don't recommend them for dogs under a year old. I've never bothered to compare the ingredients and analysis to see what the differences are, Halo is doing great on the LBP and she loves it, so that's good enough for me. She might do just as well on the regular adult too, no idea.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomTracy, you could be right - but Keefer eats the 6 Fish formula since he does better on fish based foods (switched him over from Eagle Pack fish to TOTW fish to Orijen), which is even MORE expensive than the LBP so they'd still be on different foods. I haven't priced out the regular adult formula but unless it's significantly less expensive than the LBP there's no compelling reason for me to switch her over yet.
> 
> Rex, most of the grain free foods (Evo, Wellness Core, Orijen) don't recommend them for dogs under a year old. I've never bothered to compare the ingredients and analysis to see what the differences are, Halo is doing great on the LBP and she loves it, so that's good enough for me. She might do just as well on the regular adult too, no idea.


Evo and Wellness CORE both have a fair amount more calcuim than Orijen(any formula.)

EVO "regular" has 2.55%
EVO Red Meat is 2.09
and the Reduced fat is 2.21

CORE "regular" is 2
Ocean Fish is 2.1 
and RF is 1.9


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## MikeB06 (Mar 12, 2006)

rockhead,

When you feed the large breed puppy food and then "Spice it UP" with chicken and cheese you jack up the protein level way above what would be recommended. Any high quality food with 24/14 would be excellent for any growing puppy. Most All Life Stage foods are around that percentage. My favorite is Canidae but I know that not all dogs do well on the Canidae line. Mine has done extremely well on it before and after the formula change.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Angeles switched from puppy to adult between his 5th and 6th month. I did the transition per the bag by mixing.


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## Rex (Mar 30, 2009)

Rex is 5 months now and he's almost completely on Orijen 6 Fish... (we are still in the process of switching him from Orijen LBP- almost done though







)
He's doing great so far and he loves it!
The smell of the 6 Fish is awesome too! - well, for dog food it is


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