Transitioning from Puppy Food to Adult?

[Gabby]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this question but hope I've chosen the best spot... Our puppy just turned 1 year old and I am wondering if now is the time to start transitioning him over to Adult dog food?  Is it truly necessary?  He does so well on his puppy formula that the idea of changing anything worries me...

 

We feed a combination of Fromm Puppy Gold and Orijen Puppy.  I know this is odd, but we started on Fromm and he was doing ok and then suddenly lost interest in the food.  I purchased a bag of Orijen and noticed that once he was on Orijen 100% his stools were Very loose.  So, I adjusted and feed mostly Fromm with a little bit of Orijen mixed in.  THis keeps his interest in his food and his stools are firm and regular... We've done this for about 8 months or so and it works well.  I would like to keep the Fromm and Orijen combo and was wondering what Adult formulas are the most similar to the puppy ones?  He's doing so well, that I don't want to rock the boat.  Any input is welcome!!!! 

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I'd say you are safe to transition to adult food now. I do know from the research I did on Orijen before bringing Ragley home that lots of dogs get loose stools on Orijen if they are fed too much of it. Maybe try feeding a little less?

[Deborah Brown]

After eight months, I wonder if your pup is used to Orijen now?  Since he seems to prefer it, I'd increase the percentage and see if the stools remain firm.  Then slowly move to the adult Orijen.  I don't think there is any hurry and I agree that you don't want to mess up a good thing.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The nutrient profiles in puppy foods are designed for growing bodies. The calories, fat, and some of the minerals are really too high for an adult dog. 

It is very odd to mix the Fromm Gold with Orijen, mainly because you lose all of the benefits of feeding a high protein grain-free food. But if you're just adding a little Orijen to the Fromm to interest him, that's not much different from adding toppers. 

There's no harm in it, but I would have stayed with the 100% Orijen longer. And I agree with Stephanie that you may have been feeding too much. The calorie content of Orijen is higher and you feed less. Orijen Puppy has 490kcal/cup, which is about 18% higher than the calorie content of Fromm Puppy at 417 kcal/cup. 

At any rate, you really should switch to the adult versions of both foods. They are really very similar to the puppy version, it's not a drastic change so you shouldn't have any digestive issues. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Enzo has just turned 10 months. Last month, I decided to do the transition, from Orijen Puppy to Orijen Adult. Saw no difference in her stool. We went in for her monthly Trifexis dose the other day, and she had lost 2 lbs! Vet recommended putting her back on the puppy again for at least another 2 months. Enz is NOT food motivated in the least, so over eating is never an issue.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Thanks for sharing this, Ro. Ragley is the same way- not very food motivated and such a little skinny-mini that I never have to worry about her getting too many calories. I was planning on doin gthe switch at 10 months, but I will wait to switch her until later.

[Brittney & Cally]

On the note of your pup not being interested in food because like Karen said mixing them is pretty much just like using toppers. But both Orijen and Fromm have lines of food to help with this. Orijen does not have many options but it does have a couple that I think you can rotate ( do not quote me on this, I do not feed this line). Fromm has a great 4 star line ( this is the line I will be switching Cally to once she is off the Gold Puppy Food from Fromm) that has a lot of options (both Grain Free and Healthy Grain) that you can switch as often or as little as your like. This might be a good idea when looking at what to switch for adult food.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Orijen has three different formulas for adults that can be rotated: Adult (poultry based), 6 Fish, and Regional Red (red meat based). 

[Brittney & Cally]

That is what I thought but I did not want to make any claims not having had experience with it.  Thanks!

[Rose Coward]

It was recommended to me to switch off adult dog food at around 6 months, because the extra fat and protein in puppy food (or maybe it was just fat), would contribute to too quick of growth which could proved detrimental to her hips.  Of course like so many things, I believe the jury is still out on that one.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Neither fat nor protein nor any other nutrient can cause a dog to grow more quickly than they are meant to grow. The caution may have been in reference too gaining too much weight too fast, which can be detrimental to the joints.  This applies mainly to the large breeds which do not reach full skeletal growth until well into their second year. Puppy foods are generally higher in calories per cup than adult formulas, and it is generally recommended to switch to an adult formula when the skeletal growth is complete, which in doodles can be as early as 6 months for the minis and around 12 months for the standards. It is true that there are no hard and fast rules for this; many people use ALS formulas for both puppies and adults. 

[Gabby]

Thanks everyone for your replies!  I will start the transition this next week!   Karen, we tried 100% Orijen for only 3 weeks and his stools got so watery that dehydration concerned me.. As soon as we went back to Fromm, he went back to normal. I know it's not a long time, but since Fromm is also highly recommended, I figured we would stick with that line.  However, I am always open to suggestions from the group!  Wish me luck on the transition!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Nothing wrong with Fromm, it's a good food made by a good company. I hope the transition goes well.