When is it healthy to transition my puppy to adult dog food?

Great question! Mila should be on puppy food until she is 12 months old. After that, she will then be old enough for an adult dog food. Weight doesn't play a factor, age is the determination for the life stage switch. I hope this helps!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question, which is a great one. You should switch Ranger from his puppy food to an adult food when he is 12 months of age. Given that he is a large breed dog, I recommend that when he is 12 months old, you feed him a large breed dog food. Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. When you do make the switch, you will need to transition him slowly to prevent stomach upset. You do this by mixing together the puppy food and adult food, slowly increasing the amount of adult food and decreasing the amount of puppy food until he is eating the adult food only. I hope this helps!

Hi Sofia! Congrats on your new puppy! Given that Luna is six months old, she will need to be given a puppy formulated food. Puppies require higher amounts of protein, calories, and calcium than adult dogs, and a puppy formulated food will provide that for her. Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. Once she is 12 months old, she can be transitioned to an adult dog food. As for her breed, unfortunately without seeing a picture of her, I can't say what breed I think she might be. I do recommend a check up with the vet to discuss vaccines, deworming treatments, flea treatments, and spaying her. While there, the vet can help you identify her breed. I'd make an appointment for her this week. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A pug that is younger than 6 months should eat a puppy diet to help her grow and get the adequate nutrients and vitamins she needs. Puppies and adult dogs have very different requirements in terms of calories, calcium, phosphorous, and other nutrients. As she gets older, ie in the 6-12 month range, it is OK to start mixing in an adult or all-life stages diet in with her food. Just be sure the total amount she is supposed to be eating based on what the bag says is appropriate. Eventually, once she is about 12 months, she should be on an adult dog food, for maintenance. I recommend consulting with Beanie's regular veterinarian to see what specific types of food they recommend for her! Top dog food brands include Purina, Hills Science Diet, and Royal Canin. Beanie should NOT eat a grain-free, vegetarian, or vegan diet, as these are linked with dangerous heart conditions and other growth related diseases. I hope this is helpful!

Large or giant breed puppies should be fed an appropriate large/giant breed puppy diet until about 18 months of age. The reason being that they develop slower than other breeds. Many do not stop growing until around 2 years of age. Most above average and premium brands have a diet for large breed puppies. Brands include Canidae, Orijen, Acana and Taste of the Wild. Choose the diet that is easy to buy, that Sarge will eat and will not cause stomach upset. Personally, I'm not a fan of the BB line. This is my own opinion based on personal experience and in no way reflects the opinion of either Petco or Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

From the picture, it appears that Luna is at an adequate weight for her age. As she grows, her weight will fluctuate. Without examining her it is difficult to say for sure but if her ribs are too prominent, this typically means she is underweight. As long as you are feeding for what the bag of dog food recommends for her age, she should gain weight normally. Again, let me emphasize that at times, while puppy's are growing, they may seem underweight when in actuality they are going through rapid growth which will slow down and the weight will eventually catch up to a normal body weight. Some dogs also have an athletic build making them more lean than most. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are many great diets out there that you may find at your local pet store. I personally prefer the Purina Pro Plan shredded blends for puppies as they are generally inexpensive, are of great quality and dogs seems to love it. For the amount to feed her, I advice you follow the guidelines that you will find in the back of the bag. Keep in mind that you should get the puppy blend. Also, keep in mind that as she grows, you will notice in the back of the bag that it will advice you feed her more. When she becomes a year old, she should be switched to an adult diet. Good luck and have a good night!