Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > General Forum for cats and dogs

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 13th, 2009, 02:25 PM
stellasmama's Avatar
stellasmama stellasmama is offline
Proud Schnoodle Mama!!
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Portland, Maine
Posts: 21
How long is a puppy still a puppy?

Our Stella is now 10 months old. How long is she still considered a puppy???? We recently boarded her and when I told the owner of the kennel we were feeding her a puppy food she kind of looked at me funny.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old August 13th, 2009, 02:48 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
We fed ours puppy food for a full year. Physically, unless it's a large breed pup, they're usually full-grown by a year, give or take some filling out. Mentally, of course, they can be puppies much longer!
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old August 13th, 2009, 04:41 PM
kara1 kara1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: edmonton,alberta,canada
Posts: 116
sorry thread jacking here but when you switch over do you still do it slowly or can you just switch with the same brand but adult instead of puppy
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old August 13th, 2009, 04:51 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
Normally, we kept them on puppy food till they were a full year, then did the gradual switchover to the adult food. Sometimes there's just enough change in the formulas between the puppy food and the adult food to cause some GI distress if you make the switch too quickly.
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old August 13th, 2009, 05:02 PM
kara1 kara1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: edmonton,alberta,canada
Posts: 116
thanks hazel
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old August 13th, 2009, 05:44 PM
Chaser's Avatar
Chaser Chaser is offline
Now I'm Mrs. Chaser!
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Hamilton, ON
Posts: 2,407
You can take a pup off of puppy food in between 10 -12 months. My guess is with the mix your dog is you could probably go to an adult food now, but there would also be no harm in waiting until 12 months. There's no hard and fast rule really.
__________________
Chase (Friendly Resident Wigglebum) - Border Collie/Lab/Shepherd X
Kailey (Misunderstood Gentle Beauty) - GSD & foster failure #1
Rupert (Gold-Medal Winner of the 3 a.m. Kitty Destruction Olympics )

Heidi - RIP my sweet baby girl
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old August 14th, 2009, 08:33 AM
xNicolex's Avatar
xNicolex xNicolex is offline
wanna have fun
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: deepest darkest wales uk
Posts: 4
Talking

the food i buy my puppy says "suitable for puppies 6 weeks to 2 years" completley baffled by that one
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old August 14th, 2009, 08:56 AM
BenMax BenMax is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 10,187
I agree with Hazelpackrun. Keep them on for 12 months. After that, you gradually make the change.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old August 14th, 2009, 10:01 AM
maneater's Avatar
maneater maneater is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ontario
Posts: 191
I switched my puppy at around 10/11 months. At the advice of the vet. She is very very very active and she wasn't getting all that she needed and was loosing weight and for a chi that is only 3.5 pounds to start with loosing weight is bad. I kept her on the same brand but i just switched from the puppy food to the chihuahua 28 formula. (royal canin) I also feed them wellness wet food as a treat once or twice a week.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old August 14th, 2009, 02:22 PM
dlorusso dlorusso is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2
Sexual maturity marks the beginning of the adult stage and
occurs at six to nine months of age. Physical maturity and
mental maturity arrive at approximately 18 to 24 months old,
or in some breeds, about three years of age.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:03 AM.