When do we change to Adult food? Help :/

[Oreo Chunky Dunk Bikki]

Oreo is on Arden Grange complete puppy food for large breed, he is nearly 9 months old and there are differing opinions on when to change him to Adult. One person said from 9 months he should go on to Adult food and someone else has said to keep him on the puppy until he's a year old. Could really do with a bit of help for this decision please.

Thank you

 

[Puppypeoplenj]

Most people on here feed their newfs adult food from the day they come home in puppyhood.

 

[Subverto]

I know a lot of people on here say that they should be on adult food the day you bring them home. After conducting a lot of research on my own, I have decided to keep Nala on puppy food until 1 year. She is currently eating Hollistic Select Giant Breed puppy food and from my research it has protein, calcium, and phosphate levels exactly where they should be for a giant breed puppy.

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

I'm in the no puppy food camp, but not always. It really depends. Some puppy food formulas ARE perfectly okay for a growing giant breed pup, but many of them do facilitate too rapid a rate of growth. But then again, some adult formulas are inappropriate for growing pups too. Slow and steady is best for giant breed dogs, regardless of what you end up feeding them (http://www.newf.net/Forums/showthread.php?t=106353).

Here's my favorite, most recent thread on the matter: http://www.newf.net/Forums/showthread.php?t=106094&page=2

I found it rather enlightening.

(as you can tell, there are varying opinions in this matter , so use your best judgement and do what feels right to you.)

 

[Oreo Chunky Dunk Bikki]

Thank you all very much. It is so difficult to decide what is best for our lad but I will read the links that you've given etc and then have to try to decide.
Hubby had him weighed today and at 8months and 2 weeks he weighs 42.3KG, is that about average for a male pup that age?
xx

 

[BlackLightning]

Thank you all very much. It is so difficult to decide what is best for our lad but I will read the links that you've given etc and then have to try to decide.
Hubby had him weighed today and at 8months and 2 weeks he weighs 42.3KG, is that about average for a male pup that age?
xx

His weight seems reasonable for that age, but the best way to tell is the rib test. Can his ribs easily be felt or do you have to dig your fingers in to find them? You want to keep him nice and lean. I see way too many fat Newfs (not implying your boy is fat). If his body condition is good and you can feel his ribs easily, then he is likely at a good weight.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

No puppy food here

 

[Oreo Chunky Dunk Bikki]

Yes, I can feel his ribs but they're not sticking out as though he's skinny....lol, if you understand what I mean...

Hmmm, I think I'm edging towards the Adult Arden Grange at the moment...looking at it, more of you have said to use Adult than there have puppy....

x

 

[shellyk]

We switched our puppy at 6 months to adult food. We were feeding her three times a day and wanted to send her twice a week to doggie day care. We didn't want to have them feed her. Switching to adult food allowed us to give her the same calories only feeding her twice daily and not increasing the the amount of food. Adult kibble has more calories.

 

[ElvisTheNewf]

Elvis never had puppy food.

 

[Oreo Chunky Dunk Bikki]

Thank you all for the advice. I have decided that once he's finished this bag of food then I'll change to the adult one I have also heard that I should give him fish oil tablets for his joints, is this correct too?

xx

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

I give wild alaskan sockeye salmon oil, glucosamine, MSM and Ester C, all for joint support (Mila has osteoarthritis in both knees) and for her skin/coat.

 

[Oreo Chunky Dunk Bikki]

Ah, superb, I'll see if I can get that for him then I presume I start using that straight away, even as a pup?

 

[shellyk]

I give all those supplements to both of our dogs except the Newf puppy doesn't get the Ester C - yet. I was told it has too much calcium by a very knowledgeable NN expert.

 

[new_2_newf]

i'd start the salmon oil right away, but I think I'd hold off on the rest until the pup unless there were extenuating circumstances (like Kristen's pup). Assuming your pup has normal and healthy joints up to this point, I'd just try the oil and bring in the rest after 24 months.

 

[Subverto]

How much salmon oil should you give a puppy per day? And I'm assuming it is in pill form?

 

[Annetteb]

Here is a thread that talks about the dosage for fish oil.

http://www.newf.net/Forums/showthread.php?t=101584&highlight=salmon

 

[CMDRTED]

Although I feed RAW, I used to feed Kibble. I'm in the no puppy food camp.
A good quality Super Premium food

 

[Oreo Chunky Dunk Bikki]

Thank you all for the advice and yes, his joints are fine up to this point
Somebody has also said that Oreo's coat is 'too shiny for a Newfoundland', not sure if they're just being spiteful, but from every picture I have seen of a Newfoundland of Oreo's age into adulthood has a shiny coat and fish oil is supposed to make their coat shiny too.......Is she just being spiteful?

 

[CMDRTED]

How much salmon oil should you give a puppy per day? And I'm assuming it is in pill form?

Peter M recommends 6000mg a day for Adults, I usually start mine on 1000mg a day for a week to see how their digestive system tolerates it, then in the second week go to 2000mg, and steadly work it up to 6000mg.

My breeder recommends a tblspn of Flaxseed Oil, and Cod Liver Oil also in their food once a day.

I use a liquid salmon oil. It's Sockeye Salmon: http://www.vitalchoice.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=126&idcategory=748

It's a little pricy, but well worth it, considering how they process it, and it's Alaskan Sockeye Salmon.