Why can t puppies have adult dog food

Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food?

Many new puppy owners are overwhelmed by the myriad food choices available. Chicken or beef? Whole grains or none? The questions multiply with every additional click of your laptop or step you take down the pet store aisle.

One of the most common questions concerns the differences between adult dog food and that which is designed for growing puppies. Many new owners wonder if they really need to purchase food marketed for puppies, or if they can get by with the standard foods marketed for adults.

The simple answer?You should feed puppy food to puppies and feed adult food to adult dogs. They are both designed with different goals in mind.

Theres certainly nothing toxic about adult dog food, and your puppy wont become sick from eating the odd bowl of kibble or stealing morsels from his big-brothers dish (aside, potentially, from some minor digestive upset). However, long-term damage can result from a steady diet of adult dog food.

Adult dog food is formulated much differently than puppy food, and these differences are important for the long-term health of your pet.

Differences Between Puppies and Adult Dogs

The entire reason that puppies and adults have differing nutritional needs is because they have important biological differences. They work differently, so they need different types of fuel.

For example, because of their small size, puppies have a higher surface-to-volume ratio than adult dogs do. This means that they lose body heat more quickly than adult dogs do. Puppieshave to work harder to maintain their body temperature than larger, adult dogs do (although the same is true of small breeds vs. large breeds). This is also why puppies and small breeds tend to adore heated dog beds.

Working harder essentially means burning more calories in their internal furnaces, to offset the body heat that they continually radiate into the environment. This means puppies need more calories per pound of body weight than non-pregnant, non-lactating adults do.

Additionally, puppies grow rapidly; dogs complete the bulk of their growth in the first two or three years of life. This growth requires different resources than simply living does. Specifically, it means that puppies require more amino acids the building blocks of proteins, and therefore tissues than adults do.

Differences Between Puppy Food vsAdult Dog Food

As youd expect, the differences between the biology of puppies and that of adults manifest as different nutritional requirements.

Perhaps not surprisingly, puppies and lactating mothers both have relatively similar nutritional needs. This has led the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) the primary regulatory body for dog food to develop two different categories for food: adult maintenance versus growth and reproduction. Well call them adult and puppy for short just know that dog food fur puppies is also good for lactating dogs.

The biggest primary difference between puppy food (growth and reproduction recipes) and adult (maintenance) food relates to protein. Puppy food should derive 22.5% of their calories from protein sources, while adult foods need only 18% of their calories from protein.

Adults can certainly tolerate the higher protein levels of puppy food, but it may lead to weight gain, due to the higher amount of protein calories.

However, puppies will often suffer from developmental problems if fed an adult food and deprived of the proteins they require.

Remember: protein really refers to a soup of different amino acids. Because not all amino acids are created equally, the AAFCO recommends differing amino acid compositions for adult and puppy dog foods.

Some of the starkest contrasts of amino acid compositions include:

• Argine
• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Phenylalanine
• Ohenylalaline-tyrosine
• Thereorine

The AAFCO requires nearly 2xthe amount of each of these amino acids in puppy foods than it does in adult dog foods. That is because these amino acids are intrinsic to the growth process.

The AAFCO also requires puppy foods to contain a bit more fat than adult foods do. Per the guidelines, adult food need only derive 5.5% of their calories from fat, while puppy food must derive 8.5% of their calories from fat. This is primarily to ensure that puppy foods are energy dense.

Fats contain more calories per pound than either proteins or carbohydrates do, which ensures that puppy food is packed with energy for stoking their internal fires.

Adult maintenance formulations, by contrast, are designed to be leaner, so they contain less fat, and therefore fewer calories in every bite.

The mineral content of puppy foods also differs from those of adult dog foods. For example, per AAFCO guidelines, puppy foods must be 1% calcium, while adult foods need only be 0.6% calcium. Similarly, puppy foods must be 0.8% phosphorus, while most adult dog foods are only 0.5% phosphorus.

What about Foods for All Life Stages? Are They Safe for Puppies?

In addition to foods that are labelled as being appropriate for growth and reproduction or adult maintenance, you may also see foods bearing a label that indicates they are appropriate for all life stages.

These foods are appropriate for most healthy dogs (they may not be good for some senior canines), so you can go ahead and feed them to your puppy.

These foods are designed to meet the requirements for growth and reproduction and adult maintenance. But because the nutritional requirements for puppy foods exceed those of typical adult foods, it means these are essentially puppy food.

Because they have higher protein and fat content than many adult foods, you will want to keep an eye on the body weight of adult dogs fed such recipes.

But as long as your pooch stays nice and svelte, theyre fine for adults too. This extra protein also makes puppy food or all life stages food a great dog food for weight gain if youre trying to get a thin dog to a healthier weight.

Transitioning Your Puppy to Adult Dog Food

As your puppy ages, the difference in her nutritional needs will change. Shell need fewer of the resources in her food to contribute to growth, but shell need more to support maintenance. As a result, youll need to switch her to a new dog food for adults as she completes these changes.

When to Transition to Adult Food

Consult with your vet to help determine the best time to change from puppy food to big-girl food, but most dogs are ready to change foods between 18 and 24 months of age. The exact age at which your puppy becomes a dog varies from one individual to the next, but most small breeds mature at relatively young ages, while most giant breeds require 2 years or more to fully mature.

Make the Change Gradually

Regardless of your pups age at the time of the food transition, it is important to make said transition gradually.

Start by mixing in a little adult dog food with your pups typical puppy food diet. About 10% 20% is of the new food is ideal. If your pup tolerates that well (translation: no intestinal disturbances), you can double the amount of new food the next day. Always try to minimize intestinal distress, and dont be afraid to slow down the transition if necessary.

It should usually take about a week or so to make the full transition from 100% puppy food to 100% adult food.

Things to Look for in Foods for Dogs (Regardless of Age)

While puppy foods and dog foods differ in their precise nutritional requirements, there are a number of characteristics that you should look for in any food that you offer your precious family member. Some of the most important traits of good foods include:

• Good foods feature a protein as the primary protein source. Dogs and puppies of all ages are best supported by a meat-based diet, so look for things like deboned chicken, duck, beef, pork or salmon as the first listed ingredient.
• Good foods dont include unnecessary additives, including dyes or flavors. Artificial colors and other additives do not add anything important to your puppys diet, and they may trigger food allergies. Fortunately, most high-quality puppy foods now leave these types of ingredients out of their recipes.
• The very best foods are made in a country with high food-safety protocols. Countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those of Western Europe typically have sufficient regulations in place to help ensure your puppys food does not contain any harmful ingredients, while those made in other countries often lack such regulations.
• Good foods may include by-products and meat-meals, but they must be specifically identified. By-products and meat-meals sound thoroughly disgusting to most people, but they often represent a viable and perfectly acceptable ingredient for your pups food; but they must be identified by species so that you know what your dog is getting.

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As you can see, it is important to give your puppy a food that is designed for her needs, but its also OK tooffer your dog a meal or two of adult dog food if you are in a bind. Although any new food can upset her tummy, a small amount of adult food shouldntmake her sick.

Have you ever found it necessary to feed your puppy some adult food? How did she handle it? Let us know about your experiences in the comments below.

Can a Puppy Eat Adult Dog Food? Vet Approved Facts & FAQ

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting experience. There is so much cuddling and playing involved! Plenty of responsibilities are involved, like ensuring your new pup gets proper nutrition for a long, happy, and healthy life. But what exactly should you be feeding your puppy? Is it okay to give adult dog food to your new furry family member? The short answer to these questions is that your puppy should stick to puppy food. Here is the lowdown.

Why Puppies Should Eat Puppy Food

Simply put, the commercial foods out there that cater to puppies are designed specifically to meet the nutritional needs of dogs during their fastest and most intense growing phase. The nutritional needs of puppies are different from those of adult dogs because their bodies must be supported during their growth. Adult dog foods dont have the same nutritional profiles as puppy foods do. Therefore, its best to stick with puppy food until your pooch is considered an adult.

The Difference Between Puppy and Adult Dog Food

The biggest difference between puppy and adult dog food is protein content. Puppies use more energy throughout the day and night than adult dogs do, and its not just because they are so rambunctious. Young pooches expel more energy than older dogs to maintain their body heat as their bodies stay busy trying to support strong bones, ligaments, and organs during the bulk of their growth.

All the energy being used up requires plenty of protein, so puppy food tends to have a higher percentage of it than adult food. Another difference between puppy and adult dog food is the kibble size. Puppy food tends to be smaller, so its easier for small mouths and teeth to chew. Adult dog food also typically contains higher levels of calcium and phosphorus, which are known to cause problems like hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis in growing puppies that are getting too much of these minerals.

What About Dog Food That Is Designed for All Life Stages?

Dog food that is labeled as being suitable for all life stages means its higher in nutrients than adult food but not so much so that the food would cause problems in adult dogs, like weight gain. The nutrients are also enough to support proper growth in puppies. It is important to note that while it is generally safe for puppies to eat food that is suitable for all life stages, the food could be too calorie-dense and rich for senior dogs that dont move around much anymore.

When to Transition a Puppy to Adult Food

A puppy should not start eating adult dog food until they have stopped growing, which can be anywhere between 12 months and 2 years of age, depending on the size and breed of the dog. The best way to determine when you should transition your pup to adult dog food is to consult your veterinarian and follow their recommendations. When you start transitioning your puppy to adult dog food, do it slowly so as not to upset their digestive system.

Start by replacing about a quarter of the puppy food with adult food during each meal. Once it is clear that your pooch can tolerate that change, offer half puppy and half adult food at each meal. If that goes well, it should be safe to completely switch to adult dog food. This process should occur anytime you switch from one type of dog food to another, even if its just another brand.

Make sure youre feeding your dog the right type of food for their lifestyle, check out our dog food calculator here:

The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. This tool is meant to be used only as a guideline for healthy individuals and does not substitute veterinary advice

A Final Recap

Your puppy should be eating puppy food until they stop growing, which can be anywhere from 1 to 2 years old. Your veterinarian should be able to tell you when its time to start the transition. Food that is meant for all stages of life should be suitable, but keep in mind that it isnt formulated solely with puppies in mind.

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Featured Image Credit: litthouse, Pixabay