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  1. #1
    Puppy marc515's Avatar
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    When to switch puppy to adult kibble?

    Our boy is 6-1/2 months old now and is still on "Earthborn Puppy Vantage" kibble, and I'm thinking about switching him over to adult food when he's 8 months old. When did you guys switch your Labs to adult food?

    While he really likes Earthborn, I don't like the fact that for his age and weight we have to feed him 5-1/2 cups a day, and that seems like too much, especially since an adult dog averages 3-1/2 cups a day.

    I was looking at some other good kibble, and might switch him to "Verus", which was what our last Lab was on.

    However, a friend feeds his Lab "Flint River Ranch" kibble, and while it looks to be good kibble, an adult only gets about 2 to 2-1/2 cups a day, which seems like too little to be feeding a big Lab. I would feel bad only giving him a cup in the morning and a cup in the evening!

    Confusing to say the least, and your thoughts would be appreciated.

    Thank you

  2. #2
    Real Retriever
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    When Rivers ate kibble, even as an adult, he was eating 6 cups a day - did not matter which food I fed him.

    Right now, the young girl I have, who's 13mnths old, if she were eating kibble, she too would still be around 5 cups a day for her energy needs.

    Some dogs just have fast metabolisms.

    You could try a food that has a higher calorie per cup; but I'd still be cautious of the calcium level percentage until your pup is over 18mnths of age.

    When Rivers was on kibble, I was feeding him 3 meals so that he didn't have so much in his stomach at one time. However, I hated knowing that he had that much in his system constantly.

    I switched both my dogs to fresh food, as the cost of dry food for what their requirements were, was killing the bank. They're actually eating less food now, overall, because they're using and digesting all of it, and the cost of feeding them has gone way down.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    What does your breeder say? Did you not receive guidelines on what, how much to feed and when to switch? If it was me I'd ask the breeder for help.

    Your food is higher in calories and you are feeding more than any I ever fed my pup. However if he is doing well on 5.5 cups a day, passes the rib test, then he needs that. I think several here have fed growing pups the amount yours seems to need.

    You didn't say which Flint River food but the original is higher in kcal/cup but lower in Protein and fat than your food. Your friend's dog is an adult and yours is actively growing. Dogs have different needs and metabolic rates just like we do so your friend's dog may be no indication of how your pup will do.

  4. #4
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    If you got him from a good breeder, I agree your breeder would be a good person to ask about when to switch and foods and all that info.

    If your breeder did not or cannot give you that info, for whatever reason, I will just say the 2 lab breeders with whom I've dealt suggested switching the puppy to adult or maintenance food at 4-6 months of age. If your pup's adult teeth have all come in, I think it's probably OK to switch now. You could also consider looking for a food that is labeled "All Life Stages", which can usually be fed to either adults or puppies, it meets the nutritional requirements for growth and development. The only thing most people recommend is to make sure the calcium level is on the lower side, under about 1.5%, for a growing puppy. Some of the lamb or other red meat varieties of food seem to have calcium levels on the high side- the Verus adult lamb formula has 1.94% calcium, which you would not want at this stage, but the chicken or fish has more like 1.1% calcium, which should be fine.

    The guidelines on the side of bags are not always fact- they are really more like guidelines, a good place to start. As Snowshoe said, you need to judge by your own dog's needs whether he's getting enough or too much food. Many labs will pretty much eat how ever much is put before them- so while I'm pretty sure mine would be ecstatic to get 5 cups of food per day, the recommendation on the bag for their weight is 3 to 3 1/2 cups per day. If I fed them that much, they'd be porch-busters for certain, their metabolism and activity just won't support that amount of food. There are a fair number of labs on here eating only 2 to 2 1/2 cups of food per day, some even less, and they are big, healthy labs but probably older than your guy is. My older dog maintains his weight between 85 to 90 pounds on about 2 1/4 cups of food per day with some treats, such as a sweet potato chip or a few of the tiny *gasp* Milk Bones. It depends on the dog.
    Sue

    Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
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    “Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

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