My pup, Carly, is 6 months old, but a mere 42 lbs (she is a full blooded lab retriever). The bag of Canidae ALS recommends that I should now consider her an adult and feed her half the portions she is currently eating. However, in shopping around prior to Canidae, I recalled that many Puppy foods recommended waiting until a year old to ween them off the generous portions. I suppose that my question then is this: Given that Carly still has some growing to do because she is a slow grower, and she is large breed pup (or considered that anyhow by dog food makers), should I ween her down the small portions @ six months? Also, is that an immediate thing, or do you cut it down over a week or so?

If she isn't overweight then I wouldn't change a thing. If you were to lessen her food you would need to do so slowly, at about 1/4 cup a day.

Let your dogs condition be the determining factor. Some dogs will naturally need to eat more all their lives and others will begin to put on extra weight on a certain amount of food. It's definitely a "know thy dog" situation.

Our rescue uses the ALS formula- I have fostered labs that ate 2 cups daily, 3 cups daily, 4 cups daily, etc... it just depends on the dog and their activity level. We always fed what needed to be fed to maintain ideal body condition.

IMO, its going to be pretty easy for you since you are feeding an ALS food. I'd wait until her body condition becomes a bit heavier than desired to before cutting her back. As long as she's lean and active I believe you'll be fine at the amount you are currently feeding.

My pup, Carly, is 6 months old, but a mere 42 lbs (she is a full blooded lab retriever). The bag of Canidae ALS recommends that I should now consider her an adult and feed her half the portions she is currently eating. However, in shopping around prior to Canidae, I recalled that many Puppy foods recommended waiting until a year old to ween them off the generous portions. I suppose that my question then is this: Given that Carly still has some growing to do because she is a slow grower, and she is large breed pup (or considered that anyhow by dog food makers), should I ween her down the small portions @ six months? Also, is that an immediate thing, or do you cut it down over a week or so?

I don't think I would change the amount I feed her...she is still a growing puppy and needs the proper fat and calories.

Usually, at about 5-6 months old, you can start to do twice a day feedings which means you will take the total amount of food that you are feeding and divide into 2 daily meals instead of three.

You just want your puppy to grow slowly... but you don't want to deprive her of enough calories for proper growth and development.

I personally would not cut back her food until she is around 18- 24 months old when she is finished growing.

Thanks for the lightening fast replies. I will stay the course until she starts to get a little chub.

My Pup Dove is 6months old and is on Canidae and gets 1.5 cups 2 X day. She is a little chunker. My vet cut her back from getting 2 cups 2x day because she is big boned and he does not want her to grow to fast.

Let your dogs condition be the determining factor.

:tup2: The infomation on the bag is a starting point, but it's far better to learn to "read the dog".

I'm mystified by Canidae's suggestion to suddenly reduce feeding by half. :confused: Nothing magical happens at 6 months - the nutritional requirements (calories per pound of body weight) for growing puppies actually slowly decrease from "about" 2-4 times that of adults when they are very young puppies to their maintenance amount as full grown adults. What often happens is that the puppy's growth coincides with decreased need for calories, so the amounts fed actually remain pretty consistent throughout the first year of life. :)

Just started the same food for a 8 mo. old.
I'm feeding 2 cups twice a day and watching.
If she starts getting chunky I'll start cutting back to maintain that girlish figure.
Until then, I'll feed her good.
Probably more active than the average dog and I still consider her "and older puppy". When the feed starts to get reduced because of chunky, then she'll be a younger dog. At least it's my plan.