# Feeding Adult Dog Food to Puppies??



## NelsensMG (Nov 14, 2010)

I know it sounds crazy, but a handler that I'm being trained by to show my havanese told me that puppy food is really not that much better than adult food, and that the bone-growth-promoting ingredients in puppy food can actually cause the bones to grow faster than the soft tissue, causing things like "Easty/Westy" with the feet. He said he's even asked nutritionists about it, and has advised me to put my 12 week old puppies on an adult dog food for small breed dogs (such as Royal Canin). Has anyone here ever heard this before? Is it true? 

Would it be bad to feed them a high-quality adult dog food just as a precaution? Because my Havanese, Ritzy, already seems to have the "Easty/Westy" problem starting with her feet.


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

I feed Fromm Chicken ala Veg, and it's an all ages food. I started him off on Solid Gold Wee Bits (also an all ages food), and then when he got tired of that, we switched to Fromm's. I think it's pretty common with better quality foods that you can feed to puppies and adults.


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Depends on how old the puppy is - I wouldn't feed adult or all ages food until at least 4 months old. Roscoe is allergic to poultry, so he had to eat adult food because I couldn't find a puppy food without poultry in it! However, we did supplement his diet with some boiled egg and yogurt.

Just keep in mind that a handler is neither a vet nor a nutritionist.


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

galaxie said:


> Depends on how old the puppy is - I wouldn't feed adult or all ages food until at least 4 months old. Roscoe is allergic to poultry, so he had to eat adult food because I couldn't find a puppy food without poultry in it! However, we did supplement his diet with some boiled egg and yogurt.
> 
> Just keep in mind that a handler is neither a vet nor a nutritionist.


Yeah, you may be right about that. Santos was 5 months when we got him, so I wasn't really thinking of a new new puppy.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

When I got Fred 5 years ago, there was question about feeding too much protein to puppies. I was told to avoid too much protein. I think my breeder was just being careful. At that time, there was a lot of question about too much protein. 
How that my guys are adults, they get the raw diet which contains a lot of protein.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

There's nothing wrong with feeding adult food to puppies. This is one of the myths at The Dog Food Project. 
Myth...
Dogs need a food product appropriate for their life stage 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.

Further, puppy food can cause large and giant breed puppies to grow at maximum rate, which is not healthy for them. A slower, more even growth results in far less risk of orthopedic problems and a healthier adult dog

Here's an article on feeding puppies http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=feeding_puppies


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## SOPHIES-MOM (Oct 4, 2010)

Thank you so much, Dave, for that article. I was getting really worried because I have been mixing Fromm's all stages with breeder recommended Eukanuba, which I would like to eliminate. I get angry when I look at a food like Eukanuba that says all natural, no fillers on the front and when you read the ingredients, it has fillers and by-products.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

What about the added DHA in puppy food ? I picked out food that the added DHA is free zed dried so the vitamins are not cooked out . Is that the only difference now that she is 5mo old she can start eating regular food.? What about the all life brands? I do not mind spending more . She does not eat that much. I feed Maddie Blue Buffalo small bite chicken based puppy food. I hope I have not promoted to much bone growth. I really do not know what the DHA is. Package says cognitive development.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I just read the articles Dave gave us a link for. It says too much protein can be bad for a larger breed dog. And it is the type of protein in the diet. It was interesting about dry food requiring a dog to have to drink more water. The article recommended adding water to the dry. Well I have a new $20.00 6LB bag of her blue buffallo that she only eats about 1/2 to 3/4 cup a day. I am not going to worrie about her bones growing to fast.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

SOPHIES-MOM said:


> Thank you so much, Dave, for that article. I was getting really worried because I have been mixing Fromm's all stages with breeder recommended Eukanuba, which I would like to eliminate. I get angry when I look at a food like Eukanuba that says all natural, no fillers on the front and when you read the ingredients, it has fillers and by-products.


Yeah FRomms is better. You shouldn't mix different kibbles.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Suzi said:


> What about the added DHA in puppy food ? I picked out food that the added DHA is free zed dried so the vitamins are not cooked out . Is that the only difference now that she is 5mo old she can start eating regular food.? What about the all life brands? I do not mind spending more . She does not eat that much. I feed Maddie Blue Buffalo small bite chicken based puppy food. I hope I have not promoted to much bone growth. I really do not know what the DHA is. Package says cognitive development.


Blue Buffalo is fine, I wouldn't be too concerned with feeding puppy version. It's more of a problem for large breeds.


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## SOPHIES-MOM (Oct 4, 2010)

I was mixing to gradually get her used to the new, but I think she's fine with it now.


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