When to change to adult feed

[spaniels ears]

Hi

Was just wondering when you all changed your pups on to adult food, mine were 12 months old yesterday, and I have kept them on puppy food because one of them is quite slim, and he has also had a few problems with his tummy, it took a while to find a food that suited him and am a bit weary of changing again!!

Thanks Helen

[Nicola]

Which food do you use? Most of them have guidelines about when to change although that said I tend to ignore these and change mine to adult food at 5-6 months old. I don't see the need to keep them on puppy food past the age of 6 months.

[*Lucy*]

Yes - both mine were on Adult food at 6 months!

[LurcherGirl]

Jesse was moved to adult food at 4 1/2 months old. I don't like keeping pups on puppy food for too long. 

[emderpenguin]

Pepper was on royal canin junior till 6 months, the CSJ command performance (with herbs for digestion and joint suppliments) till recently and now is on a mix of this and CSJ that'll do. I think once they're a year old/done most of their growing that a 'cheaper, less good' food is ok (mine also get plenty of raw meat/chicken wings etc as seperate meals)

[spaniels ears]

There on Bakers puppy food at the moment, they have a mixture of tinned and dry because Bodie doesnt do well on just dry and he gets the runs if he is just on tinned, so have found that the mix works well for him, where as Doyle is fine on anything you give him never had any problems with him, but bodie's tummy seems to be really sensitive, I will have to try and change them very gradually on to adult food!

Thanks for all your help

[emderpenguin]

Barkers food is really high in colourents/addatives and various other things that are not good for dogs. They can result in upset tummys, along with skin conditions and hyper behaviour etc... it's like feeding kida macdonalds every day!

A list of what i'd class as GOOD foods (to give you some search options)

Royal Canin* (esp good range for growing dogs, my pup had this for 1st 6 months, and my friend who breeds german sheps uses this for all her dogs)
Arden Grange*
Burns
Nutro*
James Wellbeloved
CSJ*

Less 'good brands' (still better than pedigree/bakers)

Burgess Supadog*
Alpha
Skinners
Vitalin*

* = Foods I've had my own dogs on. I currently use CSJ foods

All the others listed I either know someone who uses or have been recommended on dog forums.

[spaniels ears]

Hi

Thanks for that, I didn't know that, I will do some research tonight, and start to gradually change them on to one of your suggested foods from tomorrow!

[Joules]

I changed Coco onto adult food at about 6 months too 

I would def try and introduce a better food for the long term (just have a look at the list of ingredients on the pack and see how many things are on there that you don't know!)  Don't be misled by the cost argument either - the good quality foods recommend feeding smaller quantities as there is less "filler" in it.  It is a bit more expensive but not as much as it may at first seem. 

That is a good list to get you started - Coco is on raw food now but before that she had Burns, Arden Grange or James Wellbeloved - they are all excellent dry foods.  If you want to use some wet food too, then Naturediet is very good - http://www.naturediet.co.uk/

Coco used to have a mix of ND with one of the dry foods and she loved it and did well on it. 

[spaniels ears]

Thanks, was just trying to find a good wet food to mix with it, that one sounds good!!

[Toni-UK]

I changed Ruby over from Burns puppy to Burns adult at 8 months,she does have a tiny bit of sensitive tum especially when eating pigs ears or paddywack,but she has been doing great on Burns though i know this doesn't suit all,you have to see what suits your babies.

Dont want to hijack the thread but.........
I could be wrong,but isnt there more nutritional value in pups food than adults,higher in calorie etc to build them up iyswim 

[Joules]

I could be wrong,but isnt there more nutritional value in pups food than adults,higher in calorie etc to build them up iyswim 

Yes, higher in protein etc to help them grow.  That is why it is not a good idea to carry on too long with puppy food - you can end up with a fat puddin' for a dog! 

[theshrew]

I was thinking that i should be changing now and was gonna ask this question so cheers.

Also whats up with Pedigree ? Ive not used it for a good while but she did have some when she was a pup

[Nicola]

I was thinking that i should be changing now and was gonna ask this question so cheers.

Also whats up with Pedigree ? Ive not used it for a good while but she did have some when she was a pup

Similar to Bakers really in that it's full of artificial additives, colourings and sugars etc. and doesn't have a high meat content or use high quality ingredients.

[bibathediva]

Both of mine went on to adult food at about 6/7 months....agree with other that Bakers and Pedigree are not the best food and not really that good value for money.....really don't like Bakers colours....when you buy a good quality food you will see that it is all one blandish looking colour unlike Bakers which is a rainbow mixture of colourings and does come out a similar colour the other end  , If you read the ingredients on the pack there are lots of thing listed that your dog really doesn't need in its system and could actually be upsetting there system
Mine are on Orijen with a forkfull of naturediet mixed in... both good quality foods as are the others that have been recommended

Have a look on this thread http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=53399.15 it will show you that you can still feed you dog good food without going bankrupt