Changing to adult food

My puppy, Simba, is 12 weeks old today.
I have read various things regarding when to change to adult food, I have read 12 months on some bags of food, then on some websites {I think harringtons} it says 'dog food, suitable from 8weeks old and for adults'

The place we got Flint from never fed puppy food, and my dads friend who has Flints brother never fed puppy food, Shep has been on adult from weaning age and is in great shape.
When we got Flint I fed him puppy food until he was about 10months but he went through a skinny stage and is now alot smaller than his brother, I wonder if this is because of the puppy food???

Anyway, with Simba I want to change him to adult at the correct time and wondered if there is any reason to keep him on puppy food past the age of about 5/6 months?? He will be fed the same as Flint when hes on adult, Kibble, wainwrights trays, and various extras.

Any help appriciated

Nobody, but nobody has more experience with larger breed dogs than the service dog schools or more incentive to produce dogs with the longest possible active lives. It is hard to question the practice of a program that has been breeding hundreds of dogs a year for over 20 years and X-raying every single one at a year old. We have raised puppies for 2 different service dog schools and I know what several other programs do. All of them switch to an all life stages food at ages from 4 to 7 months. They are also very strict about keeping the puppies lean.

Except for the price, puppy chow isn't that much different than an ALS food. I suspect it has much fatter margins, especially the large breed puppy chow which is even closer to the ALS formulas. If that is true, the dog food companies have a lot of incentive to push puppy chow.

Also, the ''get big fast'' agricultural mentality. It puts abundant, affordable meat on our tables. The same science that brings cattle, hogs, chickens, etc. to slaughter weight at younger and younger ages goes into puppy chow. It is difficult for those highly successful at producing fast growth to see the dangers to our large breed puppies.

My local vet is somewhat of a nationally known specialist in dog joint problems. He is in the ALS from weaning school of thought. He also says it make little difference in dogs that are less than 50 pounds as adults.

Labman is talking about the US and has not been able to say which organisation he works for so I'd take his advice with a pinch of salt.

I fed Etta adult from the age of about 5mths and TBH collies were bred to go all day on the cheapest of bad foods that the farmers could afford! Sometimes some foods can be too much for them.

What kibble do you intend using?

rune

Well at the moment he is on Beta puppy, which looking back I should of looked at the ingredients better as it is very high in protein which is probably why he is bouncing off the walls lol.
I intend to change him onto Chappie dry, with wainwrights trays, which is what Flint, my 18month old is goint to be in when hes finished off the last of his bag of kibble

My pup is on the Harringtons food, which, as you mention does not have a puppy version, so I think the only change will be in quantity and frequency he is fed as he gets bigger.

He is still having three meals a day at the moment, and I will keep him on that for a while.

It seems to suit him, and the kibble size means that he can't just hoover it up, he has to chew it - something he didn't always do with other brands which had small sized pieces.

Rune, I think it is quite out of line for you and others to keep bringing that up when I have repeatedly explained that I am protecting them from those that would harass them. No other forum have I ever encountered so many people so convinced the way the way they have always done things is the only acceptable way.

If the fact that I have never mentioned the school is among your better arguments for not making the early switch, you have very little to back your opinion. If you have some real arguments, post them. It seems you, Minihaha, Labradork, Jackbox, and others only counter to what I post is to bring in a bunch of off topic distorted garbage.

Since part of the garbage you preach is to ignore the feeding instructions on kibble you really have very little room to speak!

rune

Labman that is untrue. You have been meeting opposition to your methods and causing trouble on forums for years.
You have also bought other members who have not even posted in this thread into your argument.
I have been looking around the internet and notice you were recently banned from one forum did you miss that?

Do you recognise these posts quoted from another site, they were posted in 2006 Labman you know exactly what you are doing, you are posting in order to cause trouble here just as you have been doing elsewhere for years ,there is actually a name for people who do this.

ETA Apologies to other members for taking the thread off topic, I think it is necessary in this instance and Admin will be informed of the reason why.

As I pointed for lack of real arguments, those dedicated to the way it has always been are dragging in all sorts of off topic garbage.

As it says above the box I am posting in, ''This thread is in one of our more serious sections - so please be -extra- careful not to post any off-topic replies. We aim to archive these sections as a useful resource. Thanks.'' Why are certain people allowed to ignore the rules? Who looking for info on feeding their dog want to read that stuff?

The closest thing to a germane comment is the instructions on the kibble. Put there by manufactures that have a better margin on puppy chow than ALS foods.

We always switch ours over to Adult food around 5/6 months old as I prefer them to grow slowly.