Is it safe to feed my picky adult dog a mix of puppy and adult food?

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!

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.

The young puppy should be on puppy food in order to provide the balanced nutrition she requires for healthy growth and development, a large breed puppy food is recommended for optimal joint health. It is not ideal for adult dogs to be on puppy food as they may continue to 'grow' and become overwieght so you will have to monitor very closely if he has access to puppy food that he does not become obese

Dogs are lucky in that if they don't eat for a day or two there's no harm done. Cats will suffer liver damage after a few days, dogs just get hungry. As long as she is otherwise healthy, I wouldn't worry about it too much if she has a picky day here or there. Keep an eye on the behavior, to be safe, and see if there seems to be anything that seems to trigger the event, so you can keep your vet informed. If you do decide to change her food, don't do it abruptly. Make sure you have enough of the old food for about a week. You can change her over a couple of different ways. One method is to mix the two foods, 75% old, 25% new in a single bowl for 23 days, then 50% of each for a few days, then 25% old food, 75% new for 2-3 days or until you run out of the old food. Alternatively, you can offer two bowls of food, old food in one, new in the other. Gradually decrease the amount of new food until she is completely transitioned onto the new food. This will minimize and hopefully prevent any intestinal upset because of the new food. Feed the best food you can afford to as this will support optimal health which will, in turn, lead to fewer health problems later in life.

If your puppy is doing well on this food, I would certainly recommend not switching at this point. If you are concerned about the calorie content for your adult dog, you can calculate her testing energy requirement (body weight in Kg times 30 plus 70) and then divide by the number of kCals per cup of the food to determine how much you should be feeding.

Decreasing her eating amount after a growth spurt is normal. They probably recommended large breed puppy so she wouldn’t grow to fast which can cause bone problems. Once she’s full grown I recommend regular adult food. No reason to do either large breed or small breed since she will be medium size. I don’t think grain free food is worth it. I like a well balanced dog food such as Hills. They do research on their food and include the optimum amount of nutrients, rather than excess. Your breed could become overweight so please adjust the quantity of food to keep her on the lean side. Hills does have some Natural foods, and many speciality foods such as those for sensitive skin and stomach, joints, weight management, and for medical problems also. My dogs start on Hills and stay on for life, changing the specific food as they grow, and even into their senior years, or with medical problems. There is a lot of advertising to sell different dog foods but I like to base my choice on scientific research, not hype. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bella.

What a cute puppy! With him being 7 months old and a small breed dog, I think that Lucas is slowing down on his growing. This can cause a reduction in his appetite. I find that the more that we change a dog's food- the more pickier they become. I would stick with one brand, offer 1/3 of slightly less than the daily recommended amount (they sell dog food, so the more he eats the more you buy) three times daily. Give him a set amount of time and then pick up the bowl. This will create some urgency. He will eat if he is hungry. The more we change and add things, the more he will wait to eat to see what good stuff will be added. I would keep track of his body condition score- you should be able to feel his ribs with a little bit of fat cover, but not see them. As long as he is in good body condition, I would not worry. Some dogs are not food motivated and will just eat what they need. If you have any questions about his weight or body condition score, you can ask your veterinarian. I don't think that grain free food are necessary. Dogs are omnivores.