What age to stop puppy food?
- Thread starter Brittany
- Start date
Sound Bay Newfs
Active member
Always adult food from the beginning.
Ginny
New member
To those who feed adult food, read this article written by a vet who is also a Newf owner:
http://www.lgd.org/library/Optimal feeding of large breed puppies.pdf
http://www.lgd.org/library/Optimal feeding of large breed puppies.pdf
Wild Spirits Newfs
New member
I feed my pups Large/Giant Breed Puppy food for the first 9-10 months and have gotten amazing results.
Jeannie
Super Moderator
Interesting. It's amazing how opinions change over the years. As we get more info on growth and nutrition how we feed our puppies will change also.
How do you feed your growing puppies?
Ginny
New member
I feed a large breed puppy food with a maximum Calcium level of 1.4% until about a year of age.
victoria1140
Active member
we fed Max half and half until he was 4 months but then changed him over to adult food as he was growing too fast.
we feed him 2 main meals a day one in the morning and one in the evening but as he is on medications he has a handful of food midday. he is 7 1/2 months old now , nice and skinny
I read the article and was amused at the amount they can eat in less than 10 minutes. Max would eat at least 3kgs of food in that time if I let him. the whirling dervish even with tennis balls in his bowl still polish's off food fast
we feed him 2 main meals a day one in the morning and one in the evening but as he is on medications he has a handful of food midday. he is 7 1/2 months old now , nice and skinny
I read the article and was amused at the amount they can eat in less than 10 minutes. Max would eat at least 3kgs of food in that time if I let him. the whirling dervish even with tennis balls in his bowl still polish's off food fast
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Ginny
New member
Important points from the article for those who don't have time to thoroughly read it:
The common practice of feeding commercially available adult dog foods to puppies can also be detrimental. The broad category of adult canine maintenance foods contains diets with a wide range of nutrient profiles, caloric densities, and mineral contents. Some foods marketed for adult maintenance have passed AAFCO feeding tests for growth, but some have not. Regardless, in some instances, these diets provide more calcium per calorie and/or have more calories per cup than growth diets designed for large breed puppies. A large breed growth diet that has passed AAFCO animal feeding tests should be fed at least until the puppy reaches about 80% of the expected adult weight, and it will not be detrimental to keep a healthy, lean puppy on growth formula until full adult size is achieved. Above all, remember to feed a large breed growth formula in sufficient quantities to maintain a lean body condition, and avoid additional supplements.
In contrast to protein, excessive calories and inappropriate amounts of calcium have both been shown to negatively influence optimal skeletal development in puppies.
The common practice of feeding commercially available adult dog foods to puppies can also be detrimental. The broad category of adult canine maintenance foods contains diets with a wide range of nutrient profiles, caloric densities, and mineral contents. Some foods marketed for adult maintenance have passed AAFCO feeding tests for growth, but some have not. Regardless, in some instances, these diets provide more calcium per calorie and/or have more calories per cup than growth diets designed for large breed puppies. A large breed growth diet that has passed AAFCO animal feeding tests should be fed at least until the puppy reaches about 80% of the expected adult weight, and it will not be detrimental to keep a healthy, lean puppy on growth formula until full adult size is achieved. Above all, remember to feed a large breed growth formula in sufficient quantities to maintain a lean body condition, and avoid additional supplements.
In contrast to protein, excessive calories and inappropriate amounts of calcium have both been shown to negatively influence optimal skeletal development in puppies.
Sound Bay Newfs
Active member
Most vets have about an hour of nutritional instruction at vet school. Mostly their recommendations are not correct. Just because he owns a newf does not make him any more knowledgeable either. One of the worst vets in my area is a newf owner too. I would go with the many years of experience from knowledgeable breeders. Once the pup is a year old and one realizes it has been fed the wrong growth food, the damage is done and cannot be reversed. I would rather go with a more conservative approach. The owner has to learn to read the bag and understand what is in a food, such as the calcium/phosphorus level, calories, protein level, etc.
Brittany
New member
Thanks everyone for your opinions. Our breeder told us buy one bag of puppy food and after that is gone switch to adult food. Our vet said she has patients that have always done adult food and some that stayed on puppy food. Just always monitor their grow carefully. I know gaint breeds are so different then normals dogs and l want to do what is best. It's like someone has said once you realize what you should of choose the damage is done it's to late.
Sierra Newfs
New member
The vet in question is Jennifer Larsen. Her bio at http://nutrition.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty_staff.cfm reads: "Dr. Larsen holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Animal Science and a Doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis. She completed one year in local private practice before accomplishing a clinical nutrition residency at UCD. In 2007, Dr. Larsen attained Diplomate status from the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, and completed a PhD in Nutritional Biology in 2008. She is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis and does clinical nutritional consulting through the VMTH Nutrition Support Service." (My note, she is also active within the Newf Club of Northern California, her first Newf earned a VN title and she is well thought of within the NCNC.)
It is important to consider the source of information and in this case I'm very comfortable with Dr. Larsen on the topic of nutrition, particularly when it pertains to Newfs. I agree with you on the importance of reading and understanding the information on the label. With the myriad of commercial dog foods available, blanket statements just don't cut it.
A more recent version from Dr. Larsen that I've shared previously is at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.pro...44e1a1036fa4f52e03ee/filePV0510_Nutrition.pdf
Ginny
New member
What Sierra Newfs said plus the fact that she references several studies on giant breeds that are the basis of her recommendations.
YorkvilleNewfie
New member
Thanks to you and Ginny for these links and information!
ShelbysMomma
New member
My breeder recommended Nature's Variety Prairie adult food .... Ive had no issues.