When Should I Switch My Dog From Puppy Food to Adult Food?

In this article:

• Does my puppy need to eat puppy food?
• How long should I feed my dog puppy food?
• When should I switch my dog from puppy food to adult food?
• How should I transition my dog from puppy food to adult food?

Puppies require food that meets their nutritional requirements and supports their steady growth. These requirements are different from those of adult dogs. But how long do dogs need to eat food that’s right for puppies—what veterinarians and nutritionists would call a growth food?

“Puppies require more of certain nutrients such as protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorus,” said Renee Streeter, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition), senior director of animal nutrition at The Farmer’s Dog and one of our on-staff, board-certified nutritionists. “They need energy to support growth, but large-breed puppies should have controlled intake so they don’t grow too quickly.”

“To make it simple, I would like puppies to be on a growth food for the first year,” said Julie Churchill, DVM, PhD, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition), a professor of small animal clinical nutrition at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. “Unless they’re large or giant breeds, and then it may be 14 to 16 months.” Giant breeds can eat puppy food until they’re 2 years old, she said.

This answer can vary further depending on your puppy’s breed and sex. Learn why below.

Does my puppy need to eat puppy food?

Your puppy should eat a food that’s complete and balanced for their specific needs. That can be a puppy food, or a food that’s suitable for all life stages.

This is because puppies have distinct nutritional needs from adult dogs.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which sets standards for pet food, has two nutrient profiles for dogs in different stages of life:

• Adult maintenance
• Growth and reproduction

Dog-food manufacturers can also develop and market products that meet both nutrient profiles, and are suitable for all life stages.

The Farmer’s Dog offers recipes that meet puppies’ nutritional needs. These recipes contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals that puppies need for healthy growth, which makes them a great choice even if you’re switching from a food labeled as a “puppy formula.”

Complete and balanced foods for puppies include particular ratios of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fats for healthy growth and development. If you have a large- or giant-breed puppy, make sure that their food meets AAFCO guidelines for large- and giant-breed puppies; The Farmer’s Dog has recipes that meet these requirements. For more details, check out our week-by-week guide to feeding your puppy.

How long should I feed my dog puppy food?

Depending on your dog’s breed, feed them a food formulated for puppies’ needs until they’re approximately 1 year old. If you have a large or giant breed, make sure they eat that food for their first 14 to 16 months. If they’re eating a puppy food, you can switch them to an adult-maintenance food after that. If they’re eating a food suitable for dogs in all stages of life, you won’t necessarily have to make that switch.

In general, puppy food provides the protein and fat necessary to fuel steady daily growth—healthy puppies should gain weight consistently until adulthood, though initial weight gain is faster than when they are approaching their adult body weight. 

It’s crucial that puppies eat a diet that supports development at a healthy rate. How long this developmental period lasts depends on factors such as breed size, sex, and spay/neuter status. Calories determine the rate of growth, Dr. Churchill said—so if a puppy eats more than they need, they’ll grow too fast or become overweight. 

For large and giant breeds, too-fast growth can increase the risk of developmental orthopedic diseases like hip dysplasia and limb deformities—so a diet that ensures steady skeletal development is critical.

When should I switch my dog from puppy food to adult food?

Veterinarians say it’s generally safe for dogs to switch to adult food when they’ve reached at least 80% of their full adult weight.

The challenge, Dr. Churchill said, is figuring out when a dog has reached that point. “There isn’t, like, a turkey button that says ‘I’m done,’” she said. 

A useful tool for estimating when your dog has reached the 80% mark is growth charts. These charts project a puppy’s growth over weeks, offering estimated milestones by breed and sex. When growth tapers to a flat line, that means a puppy is almost done growing.

Dr. Churchill said that 80% is the minimum threshold for when to switch to adult food. She recommended switching at between 80% and 100% of a dog’s full size, preferring to err on the side of caution to make sure that a puppy reaps all the growth benefits they can from a puppy diet. 

Transitioning foods too soon may put them at risk for the aforementioned orthopedic diseases, while transitioning later comes only with the minor risk of unwanted weight gain, Dr. Churchill said. As long as you’re keeping your puppy in a healthy body condition, there’s no reason for concern.

How should I transition my dog from puppy food to adult food?

Gradually transition your dog to a new food by replacing their old food with their new food little by little. This stepwise process helps prevent digestive upset from sudden change.

Let’s say your transition takes a week. On Day One, your dog’s bowl should mostly contain their old food with a little bit of their new food. By Day Seven, they should only be eating their new food. You can also take longer to transition.

Our food comes pre-portioned based on factors like age, breed, sex, spay/neuter status, and more, making it easy to support healthy growth and body condition in a puppy.

And our Customer Care team will work with you as your puppy grows and their health needs change. This way, once your puppy reaches their full size, they’ll be eating just the right amount of food. Consult your veterinarian for guidance on the best food for your puppy and how long they should be eating puppy food.