Can my 6-month-old puppy eat adult dog food? Is it truly safe?

Growing puppies have specific nutritional requirements that differ from adult dogs, particularly with respect to their calcium and phosphorus balance, and an overall increased calorie demand. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies for a growing puppy can result in a variety of problems, so as a result, a puppy should not eat adult dog food on a regular basis. An occasional bite from their older housemate’s bowl should not pose any problems, but stick with puppy food as their dietary staple.

It is important for puppies to have puppy food or a food labeled for all life stages so they can grow appropriately, so I would recommend exchanging the food. A 6 week old puppy should have all of his baby teeth coming in and should be able to eat kibble, although he may still prefer canned food.

I would not recommend pupy food for adult dogs unless absolutely no alternative is available. Puppy formulas tend to be higher in minerals and proteins for growth and are richer than recommended for regular maintenance diets

That should be OK for one bag. If possible after this bag I would go back to a puppy food for another month or two months depending on how large your puppy is. Some labs will continue to grow for 12 to 18 months of age others plateau around 10 to 12 months. If there's any doubt if your puppy us on the growing stage you can ask your veterinarian.

Yes, puppy food is a "hotter" diet higher in protein and carbs. It is formulated for a growing puppy that needs the extra nutrition. An adult dog may gain excessive weight if fed a puppy formula regularly. The higher protein content may also put undue stress on the older dog's kidneys. If possible, feed then separately or take up the puppy food if you free feed.

Oh dear! I'm afraid that Shaquille really needs a large-breed puppy food - adult dog food doesn't have the correct balance of nutrients for a growing puppy, so I wouldn't recommend feeding this. You can see if the store will accept the adult food back, and get some puppy food instead :)

Ideally, growing dogs should be fed puppy food as their nutritional needs are different, especially for minerals such as calcium. Energy demands and protein levels are generally higher for growing dogs so as long as she has not become significantly overweight or has any lameness/joint pain this diet would be unlikely to have any side effects!