How Long Should You Feed Puppy Food

Small dogs by 12 or 13 weeks.

How long should you feed puppy food. Dogs weighing between 30 and 80 pounds or medium breeds take 12 to 16 months to fully mature. Growing pups should be fed puppy food a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for normal development. This will ensure that your puppy switches from puppy to adult dog food at the ideal time. Once he is not nursing he should have four meals a day that are measured and equally divided into four well spaced intervals throughout the day.

Giant breeds will grow at least two years and there are some dogs in the middle that don t grow taller after their first year but they fill out in their chests like pit bulls and labradors. Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients. In general however expect to make the transition to adult dog food between one and two years of age. By 7 to 8 weeks old he is eating only the puppy food.

Your pup begins eating solid food around 3 to 4 weeks old. For the first few months of a puppy s life they will need small meals of food throughout the day as they transition from their mother s milk to solid food. Large breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by 9 or 10 weeks. Larger breeds may take longer to reach full maturity so he may need puppy food for up to two years.

Starting around four months puppies can. However you must work closely with a veterinarian to assess your puppy s body condition score. Depending on the breed most dogs will not stop growing for the first year or two. How long to feed puppy food depends much on the dogs weights and breeds.

Can stop eating puppy food after a year. Here s how long you can expect to feed your dog puppy food based on his breed size. Can stop eating puppy food after 8 months to a year. Puppies allowed to free feed or those fed liberal meal portions that exceed their daily caloric needs risk rapid bone growth.

Talk with your veterinarian to determine the right time to make the switch and for tips on making the change easy on your pup. Need up to 2 years before stopping puppy food completely. He will continue to eat four meals a day until he is 4 months old. You can continue feeding them a puppy formula until their growth plates have sealed as long as they are not overweight.

Growing pups should be fed puppy food a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for normal development. Toy and small breed dogs weighing less than 30 pounds may reach full maturity between 9 and 12 months of age. Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients.