February 02, 2022

When should I switch from puppy food to adult food?

petgood currently offers two insect-based complete foods for dogs - a variant for adult dogs and one developed for the puppy's and pregnant/lactating female's nutritional needs. Here we explain in more detail what distinguishes these feeds, and when it is time to change to adult food for your puppy.

What is the difference between our puppy food and adult food?

For puppies, growing dogs and pregnant or lactating female dogs, we recommend our puppy food, which has been designed specifically for the puppy's growth and development. It differs from the adult food in the way that the puppy food has:

higher levels of a specific omega-3 fatty acid called Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is a requirement for a healthy development of the puppy's brain, retina and nervous system.
a higher fat and protein level for growth and development.
higher calcium and phosphorus levels for the development of the puppy's skeleton, joints and teeth.

On this page you can read more about what ingredients our puppy food contains, as well as the nutritional content. In this article you can also find our feed recommendation for puppies.

When should I switch from puppy food to adult food?

We recommend that you switch from puppy food to adult food when your puppy has finished growing. For most dogs, it occurs around the age of one year. Small breeds can change slightly earlier, and large breeds can change slightly later. Remember to make a gradual transition, as with all feed changes.

Are there any risks associated with eating puppy food as an adult?

There are several reasons to change from puppy food to adult food when the dog has finished growing. Puppy food contains higher levels of protein and fat. As an adult dog does not have the same need for fat and protein, there is a risk that the dog will instead become overweight due to the excess. The dog's need for minerals also changes as the dog no longer grows - when the skeleton and joints have finished growing, the dog no longer has a higher need for calcium. To keep the dog's mineral balance healthy, you should switch from puppy food to adult food when the dog has stopped growing. It is worth noting that muscle growth can continue to occur in adulthood, and a complete and balanced adult feed meets the protein needs an adult dog has to be able to build muscle.