# Puppy to Adult food?



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

When do you start making the change for a Havenese? Cey is 10 months old, and I heard that you're supposed to make the change sometime between 6 and 12 months, and others say to start making the transition when they reach close to their adult size. Cey's withers are about 10 inches, and he has remained at slightly over 10 lbs (10 lbs 3 oz) for at least a month or two now. From what I've heard, I can probably expect him to grow just a little bit more but I am not expecting too much more growth (his mom was I think 13 lbs full-grown, and his dad was 10 lbs). According the the 4x8 weeks formula, I was expecting him to end up closer to his mom's size than his dad's, but he really slowed down a few months ago.

And on a related note, when can I begin to expect him to start blowing his coat?


----------



## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Cey is turning into a gorgeous dog! I imagine he will start blowing coat any time now, especially if it is inconvenient for you to have to spend extra time grooming. 

I transitioned Buster from puppy to adult food at about a year. I kept him on puppy food until then because he used up soooo much energy every day running and playing.


----------



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

StarrLhasa said:


> Cey is turning into a gorgeous dog! I imagine he will start blowing coat any time now, especially if it is inconvenient for you to have to spend extra time grooming.
> 
> I transitioned Buster from puppy to adult food at about a year. I kept him on puppy food until then because he used up soooo much energy every day running and playing.


Thanks Starr, I am quite in love with his looks as well .

Ceylon doesn't run around much, he is usually pretty lazy. On the other hand, he is not a big eater (though he loves treats) and I have always been able to easily feel his ribs and upper spine so I am not too too worried about him getting overweight any time soon...


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I transitioned Kodi to adult food at just about a year. I'm not sure the timing is critical.

As far as blowing coat is concerned, I agree, any time now, but preferably when it is least convenient!ound:

Seriously, he looks like he has a very silk coat, and A FEW of the really silky ones have little to no serious coat blow. MAYBE you'll be lucky!!!:biggrin1:


----------



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

krandall said:


> I transitioned Kodi to adult food at just about a year. I'm not sure the timing is critical.
> 
> As far as blowing coat is concerned, I agree, any time now, but preferably when it is least convenient!ound:
> 
> Seriously, he looks like he has a very silk coat, and A FEW of the really silky ones have little to no serious coat blow. MAYBE you'll be lucky!!!:biggrin1:


Don't say that, you will jinx it!


----------



## lkwilson (Mar 6, 2011)

Hey Heather. I've been wondering the same thing too. Coach is the same age as Cey and has stopped at 6.8 lbs. Vet said maybe 8 at the most. And same here no sign of coat blowing yet but I know it'scoming

Our new year babies sure are growing up fast. Although in Coach's case he's' so tiny he still looks like a puppy.


----------



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

lkwilson said:


> Hey Heather. I've been wondering the same thing too. Coach is the same age as Cey and has stopped at 6.8 lbs. Vet said maybe 8 at the most. And same here no sign of coat blowing yet but I know it'scoming
> 
> Our new year babies sure are growing up fast. Although in Coach's case he's' so tiny he still looks like a puppy.


I didn't realize Coach was so small! I bet he really does look like a puppy, especially if you keep him in a puppy cut! Were his parents small?

I don't mind Cey's size at all, he is sturdy and healthy, but it seems like having a smaller dog would have its advantages as well


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

puppy food is a gimmick. Here is Sabines views on it. 
"Dogs need a food product appropriate for their life stage 
Myth.
This is what pet food manufacturers want you to believe, but it is just a way to secure their customer base early on and increase sales. The more items in a particular line of food, the higher the visibility of their product on a store shelf - an of course the more likely people are to buy and stick with the brand through the whole life of the animal. Fact is that a food declared as suitable "for all lifestages" will feed a growing puppy just as well as a lactating bitch, an adult or a senior dog - just the amounts you have to feed will change. Puppy and senior food is often more expensive than the regular type of food of the same brand, yet does not differ much in nutritional value. Compare the guaranteed analysis and ingredient list".

Same reason why there are two thousand types of hair shampoos and conditioners. Crock of you know what. Same reason there are twenty types of Tylenol. We are Suckers with a capital S.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

heatherk said:


> I didn't realize Coach was so small! I bet he really does look like a puppy, especially if you keep him in a puppy cut! Were his parents small?
> 
> I don't mind Cey's size at all, he is sturdy and healthy, but it seems like having a smaller dog would have its advantages as well


If Cey stays at 10 lbs, he'll STILL be on the small end of the Hav spectrum!


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie was always on "regular food" TOTW until she had to get switched to home cooked at 11 months old. She tips the scales at 8.6 lbs and has been that weight since May... I'm thinking she is done growing. Her breeder knew she was going to be tiny (NOT why we picked her AT.ALL.) and the only reason she still HAD Tillie at 14 weeks old was because her breeder did NOT want her going to a breeding home knowing she was going to be so small.


----------



## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

Cey is very cute.

Oreo eats Now! Small breed dog food made by petcurean.

They do make a puppy formula dog food but this is what the breeder gave me. 

Thanks again Dave. I was scared that small dog breed food wasn't good for him and was going to switch to puppy formula.

one thing that got me was that the salesman at the store told me there's no difference in small breed and regular and large breed except the kibble size.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

narci said:


> Cey is very cute.
> 
> Oreo eats Now! Small breed dog food made by petcurean.
> 
> ...


 He was probably right. Petcurean is a good brand Molly's on it, canned though. and it's Canadian made LOL. Even the good companies use this diplomacy, LOL.


----------



## Narwyn (Jan 24, 2010)

krandall said:


> If Cey stays at 10 lbs, he'll STILL be on the small end of the Hav spectrum!


10 lbs wouldn't be the small end, IMO - pretty middle-of-the-road! Of course we have a breed with a big size variation, but that 10-12 pounds is pretty middle. There are 6 pounds and 16 pounds, too, of course 

In regard to food - I do all life stages too - but even if you do that, you get to a point where you'd need to cut back a goodly bit because they are done most of their growing. It's the same time as when you'd switch from puppy to adult if you went that route. And yes, that will be at some point between 6 and 14 months of age!

I switch them when they suddenly get fat on puppy food. LOL. I check their weight weekly (rib check). Truly, one week, Will was suddenly a bit extra chubby. So I cut back on the food to his adult ration. I would transition from puppy to adult food at that point.

Purina actually has a pretty good description of thin/healthy/over weight. You can also talk to your vet, too, of course. 
http://www.purina.com/dog/weight-and-exercise/bodycondition.aspx


----------



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Narwyn said:


> 10 lbs wouldn't be the small end, IMO - pretty middle-of-the-road! Of course we have a breed with a big size variation, but that 10-12 pounds is pretty middle. There are 6 pounds and 16 pounds, too, of course
> 
> In regard to food - I do all life stages too - but even if you do that, you get to a point where you'd need to cut back a goodly bit because they are done most of their growing. It's the same time as when you'd switch from puppy to adult if you went that route. And yes, that will be at some point between 6 and 14 months of age!
> 
> ...


Thanks Kat. I free-feed Ceylon, and as I said before, he is just not a big eater - never has been (except for treats, which he loves!). But - - even though a month or so ago, I was worried that he was actually too skinny, and eating too little, now, he has sort of 'fleshed out' a bit. I.e., he is not just skin and bones everywhere under his fur, finally - I can feel some muscles and such growing in in certain places, such as his chest and his thighs. *How* he is *still *the same weight as a month or so ago when I couldn't feel anything but skin and bones at those places, stumps me lol! -I know that a lot of people on this forum don't advocate free-feeding, but I felt (knew) it was right for Cey, as long it continued to be right for him. I.e., I know I can't free-feed him forever, but, I didn't want him to become too food- or meal-focused, and, so far, it has worked for both of us. I can still feel his ribs and bony projections (tops of hips, spine at the top of his back, etc.), and the fleshed-out parts that I feel seem almost all muscle rather than fat to me. In fact, I still think that he needs to 'flesh out' a bit more, and that if he did/does, he would be healthier still. But, I certainly don't want him to start getting overweight. Right now, all the weight/muscle/etc. that he puts on, seems to be healthy muscle/growing-up growth. But I know that that won't continue forever 

I guess I am feeling that I should keep him on free-feeding puppy food for at least a few more weeks, so that he can continue fleshing out the areas which I think are too skinny, and then, transition him to adult food, and then, depending on how he does, consider limiting his meals if necessary. Well, that is what I am thinking, but I wanted to see what other Hav owners recommend, first  -it's definitely time to start thinking about changing, if not now, then pretty soon, I think...


----------

