• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

Changing to adult food?

murphy's mum

Well-known member
When would be the best time to change to adult food icon_nwunsure
My boy has just turned 9 months old, he weights 19lb, he's 15" at the withers, i'm concered he seems to be gaining weight rapidly over the last month. Is this a normal growth spurt or could it be due to the high protein in puppy food.
He does get treats or fresh(cooked) meat but gets this taken off of his food portion.
 
I think you could definitely switch to a premium adult food any time now. I believe I switched Darby over around 8 months. Many people switch their Cavs over around 6 months.

Although the bags state to keep them on puppy food for a full year, this is more intended for large-breed dogs, who keep growing until about a year. Cavaliers are usually full grown much sooner (aside from the requisite "filling out" that they do).

BTW, if your boy is beginning to get a little "chunky," try tapering off on the amount of food that he gets... usually the bags tell you to feed way too much.

Just my opinion..... anybody else agree or disagree? :flwr:
 
I got the impression from this site and elsewhere that you shouldn't feed puppy food, period. I fed Amber the Royal Canin puppy food for a couple of weeks purely because the bag was included in the 'puppy pack' icon_whistling and I thought I might as well use it. Then I switched to Royal Canin adult on the grounds that it would be unlikely to upset her since there were bound to be many similarities- and now Amber takes the Wainwright's Salmon and Potato I have Holly on. She's not four and a half months yet and she's doing great. It's a hypoallergenic food and they both do well on it. I don't feed normal pedigree treats etc though that are marked as being suitable only for adult dogs- but I tend to prefer natural treats anyway that are high in natural ingredients.

.. and there's always green beans! :badgrin:
 
I too heard, from what i considered credible knowledgeable people who shared my health related values, that puppy food was not healthy for puppies, so i have fed Zack high quality adult food since i got him.

Here is an excerpt from Laura Lang's informative page on cavalier feeding on her website http://www.roycroftcavaliers.com/manualfeeding.htm :

I will NOT feed a Puppy Food either. My dogs get only a quality Adult Food. At one time dog kibble was so poor in quality that if you did not feed a puppy food, the puppy would not get the nourishment it needed. Today the problem as reversed. Puppy foods are so powerful they actually cause the bones of a puppy to grow more quickly than the surrounding tissues are able to. This causes uneven development and may exaggerate any genetic predisposition to skeletal problems such as hip dysplasia or patellar luxation. Feed a high quality adult kibble ONLY. Note: Feeding a Puppy Food will void my warranty.
 
i only used puppy food will they were about 5 months..then switched over to adult food
 
Cheers people (y)
I think I will switch him over to adult food, he should have done the majority of his growing as you say.
Darby's Mom, I will take on board what you said about amounts of food, I am a first time doggy owner so probably have been sticking really closely to what the packet says. Of course it never seems enough to Murphy some days, as he sits expectantly beside 'HIS' cupboard.
Will have to get him motivated on those rainy nights when he wont step foot over the door and get his little bum moving :jump:
 
Cody is almost 5 months old and he is now on the Wellness Venison adult formula. He is massive (17 lbs) and did not need the extra protien. He is doing great on this kibble and has solved all of his tummy issues.
 
Back
Top