The Colorado kennel was nicer than any I had ever seen. There were 100 indoor runs, four stainless steel sided washrooms, and three whelping rooms that had as many supplies as most Emergency Rooms. Solar panels powered the climate-controlled building. I thought it’d take nearly forever to open the door of each run when it was time to air out the dogs, but it really was simple. The pull of one lever, just like the kind you’d see in movies, simultaneously opened each door. When they all closed, they did so with a bang.
Everything was so Port Outbound Starboard Home posh that I was surprised to see puppies being fed adult formulas. In later chats with a number of breeders I learned that it’s far more common to feed puppies adult food than not. On one level, their reasoning made perfect sense:
Adult performance dog foods are nutritionally dense already. Their higher protein and fat ratios along with other nutrients work fine for a puppy that will have an active life. Plus, it’s healthier than a general, all-life stage formula. Puppy food usually is more expensive than adult formulas. Dog ownership is already expensive, so why add to the L on a P&L? After weaning, puppies eat puppy food for such a short period of time before they transition to an adult food that it’s easier—and usually cheaper—to cut to the chase and roll out the adult kibble. Nutritionists and veterinarians offer a different view of the same subject. Puppies experience significant changes in all of their body systems during their first year to year and a half of life, and their nutrition should contribute to their overall health, not challenge it. You probably wouldn’t feed a baby a steak, would you?
In the beginning of a puppy's life, its nutritional needs are supplied by its mother's milk. (Photo courtesy of Eukanuba Sporting Dog) Why Feed Puppy Formula? A comparison of nutrients on a bag of performance puppy food and performance adult food probably has a lot of similarities. They are there to support each body system. According to Russ Kelley, the Scientific Services Nutritionist for Eukanuba and a leading puppy nutrition authority, “One main difference between adult and puppy foods comes in the amounts of specific nutrients. Those amounts help strengthen developing body systems while helping a puppy arrive at a weight correct with his breed, age, and physicality. Puppies that are fed too rich of a diet can experience rapid growth rates that can become problematic later in life. For instance, too rich a diet can cause bones to lengthen too quickly. Bones that grow too fast may not have the correct density and therefore can be weaker and unable to support the heavy levels of required work. Puppies that are fed too much food can develop more and bigger fat cells and can easily become overweight adults. Puppy formulas are designed to contribute to a puppy’s development and to set him up for success. If you could give your puppy an advantage, would you?”
How Does Puppy Formula Differ from Adult Blend Dog Food? Young puppies grow fast, and their growth requires specific amino acid profiles. Kelley says, “Our research has shown that puppy kibble should contain at least 26 percent protein which often is lower than an adult formula. It also shows that 14 percent crude fat is the correct amount to help puppies maintain a proper growth rate.”
How Dog Food Supports Growth and Activity Physical demands through activity and training place greater demands on sporting breeds than on an average pet. Puppy nutrition is designed to help support those developing bones and joints during outings and introductory training sessions. Kelley says, “It’s important that puppy diets have a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio as that balance supports healthy bone growth rates. You’ll also see that puppy diets contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate to support healthy cartilage as well. The addition of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, can also be beneficial to joints by supporting cartilage.”
How Puppy Nutrition Supports Healthy Brain Function and Learning Sporting breed puppies have a lot to learn which is why their diets include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). “A puppy’s brain and nervous system experience rapid growth during this formative two- to eight-month period. DHA helps support that development,” says Kelley. “DHA is initially supplied by the dam during gestation and lactation. Post weaning, it is important for the puppy to continue to obtain optimal levels of DHA in their diet.”
Kibble can be good to use as "treats" during training sessions with young pups. (Photo courtesy of Kali Parmley) Is Your Puppy Food Supporting Your Puppy’s Digestive Health? Puppies that easily process their foods have increased absorption levels. This means that more nutrients are going to their various body systems. Proper digestion contributes to better health, energy, and recovery. Healthy dogs are able to resist illness, as well as heal from their workloads.
“The amounts and types of nutrients provided in a puppy’s diet are very important for his developing digestive system,” says Kelley. “In particular, fiber plays an important role in supporting and promoting gastrointestinal health. For our Premium Performance Puppy Pro formula, we developed a unique fiber complex including fructooligosaccharide (FOS), mannanoligosaccharide (MOS), dried plain beet pulp, and psyllium. Beet pulp and FOS are excellent prebiotics that help promote digestive health and serve as nutrient sources for the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Psyllium is important in a puppy diet because it helps form a proper stool.”
Dog Foods that Support Immunity Sporting breed puppies don’t just hang out on the couch, they’re running in fields, the woods, and in the water. Selecting a puppy diet with a tailored antioxidant complex can help provide an extra layer of immune support. “Look for a formula that contains a combination of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, beta carotene, lutein, taurine, and beta glucan. This complex helps support the immune system and aids recovery from age-appropriate exercise,” says Kelley.
There’s more to feeding a puppy than just pouring kibble in his bowl.
Many breeders use a gruel to transition puppies from milk to kibble. (Photo courtesy of Mark Atwater) When to Feed Puppy Formulas Weaning typically occurs around the four-week age. Increased activity and growth make pups naturally seek out foods more nutritious than their dam’s milk. In the wild, a canine dam regurgitates partially digested foods for her pups to eat. That transition is modeled by breeders when they feed their pups gruel that’s a 70 to 30 percent liquid to solid ratio. It makes for an easier transition to solid foods, especially because that percentage flips over the next few weeks. When pups are around six to seven weeks of age, they are eating solid food.
The Size and Shape of Puppy Food Kibble size and shape are also important to digestive health. “Puppies with higher energy levels can be rapid eaters,” says Kelley. “To help promote chewing, many companies use kibble that is cylindrical in shape with a hollow center. This unique shape is designed to help promote chewing, thereby slowing the rate of consumption, which helps to optimize intake and digestion. The increased surface area also leads to greater ease of rehydrating the kibble, which can help contribute to water intake.”
To help promote chewing, many companies use kibble that is cylindrical in shape with a hollow center. How Much to Feed a Puppy “Puppy weight gain should be progressive and consistent,” Kelley said. “Overfeeding can compromise bone growth and result in the premature closing of growth plates. It can also result in elongated bone growth which can reduce bone strength. Start with the feeding recommendations found on the manufacturer’s bag. Then, feed smaller portions three to four times a day until the puppy is four months old. At that point, reduce to twice-daily feeding until the puppy is eight months old.”
Some breeds, like Chessies and Labs, power clean their bowls while other breeds are finicky. As dogs are routine oriented, it helps to maintain a consistent feeding schedule. Shifting it to an earlier or later time of day disrupts the transition process.
Some pups will push back on new trends, and that may carry over to a dietary change. Don’t worry about a missed meal or two but do keep an eye on the pup to try and understand his lack of appetite. Try to understand if your pup doesn’t like his new food, and watch his stool to see if it’s making him sick. Adding a splash of water to his bowl brings out the flavor in the kibble and can jumpstart the eating of the new food process. Most of the time the eating boycott resolves itself when the pup gets hungry. If it doesn’t, then reach out to your vet.
Evaluating New Puppy Food It’ll take about two months for the new formula to have an impact on the puppy’s physicality, so that’s a good time to evaluate his overall condition. Start by comparing his physique to the Body Condition Score. If he’s above or below his ideal weight, then you might need to change the amount of kibble he’s being fed. His skin and coat are also good indicators of health. The health of a puppy’s skin and coat is a result of feeding, so if his skin is dry, cracked, or brittle, and if his hair shine is dull then you might need a new food. Stool consistency is a great indicator of health. It should be soft yet firm. If it’s either too fluid or if the pup is straining because it’s too hard then you might need a few tweaks.
At What Age Should a Puppy Transition to Adult Food? According to Kelley, “there are a few rules of thumb, with the most reliable being when the puppy reaches 80 percent of his projected adult weight. The breeder should be able to provide a good estimate on your puppy’s adult weight. However, you can just add the dam and sire weights together and divide by two. The latter is not a perfect system but will provide a ballpark estimate.” In general, medium-sized breeds typically transition at the one-year mark. Large breed puppies can mature more slowly with feeding transitions occurring around the 15-month mark.
Slow and Steady Successful introductions to adult food come through a progressive process that takes about a week. On the first day of the transition, feed your pup a blend of 75 percent puppy food and 25 percent adult food. Over the next several days, gradually reduce the amount of puppy food while increasing the amount of adult formula. By the end of the week, you should be successfully feeding adult food.
Puppy breath, soft bellies, and uncalloused pads are gone before you know it. Though short, the puppy stage is very important. Feeding kibble specifically designed for that particular life stage is crucial. We only go around once in life, but if we do it right then once is enough.
