# Adult food for a puppy



## NeilB (Feb 8, 2012)

I recently posted a thread about which food to give my beagle with soft stools. After much heated debate the general concensus was that Orijen and Acana were probably two of the best foods on the market (I had previously been using Royal Canin Junior).
However, I was still concerned about the ingredients for a 'sensitive' stomach. My vet had previously suggested that I change her over to a hypoallergenic diet.
I have bought (but have not given) Acana Lamb and Apple. It is a hypoallergenic food (with just 1 grain and 1 protein source)... but it is for dogs over 1 year.
I got some response on this site that it should not be a problem to give a 7.5 month old puppy adult dog food but now I am a bit unsure and need some reassurance that I am doing the right thing.
Basically I wanted a good quality hypoallergenic food - this seemed to be the best to try. I would like to know what you think.

Questions.
1. Is it OK to give my dog this food?
2. If yes, how much should I give her (Acana Puppy food suggests 260g for a 11kg dog. Acana Lamb and Apple suggests 150g for a 11kg dog.)

Here is a breakdown of the analysis between the puppy food (first list) and the adult Lamb and Apple food (second list). It isn't REALLY very different.
Protein 33% 27%
Fat 19% 15%
Fibre 3% 3%
Calcium 1.3% 1.8%
Phosphorus 1.1% 1.2%
Omega-6 2.7% 2.5%
Omega-3 0.4% 0.5%
Glucosamine 800mg/kg 700mg/kg
Condroitin 500mg/kg 500mg/kg
Carbohydrates 26% 30%

Thanks for your advice in advance. Neil


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## greyshadows (Jan 30, 2012)

I have a 7 month old puppy and I feed him Acana Adult Grasslands. I just started this and my vet said it's not a problem as long as they are healthy and of good weight. I haven't adjusted my amount yet, but most here say to feed less than the bag says.


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## DogLuver (Oct 19, 2011)

I know for large breeds it's important to watch the calciumhosphorus ratio, as if it's too high it can cause growth problems. A beagle is not a large breed, but it looks like this food is fine to feed a puppy (7mths is sort of an "older" puppy anyway).

I have a great dane puppy, and would not feed Acana Grasslands, Ranchlands, or Lamb and Apple due to the high calciumhosphorus levels until he's a year old, or maybe even older, because he will be growing for the first 2 years of his life compared to other breeds that stop growing after about 8-9 months.

Hopefully someone else will chime in here, but I don't think for your 7mth old Beagle pup will have a problem with the calciumhosphorus ratio in either food, for my giant breed I wouldn't feed the adult one until he's older, but I think it's fine for your beagle....is this correct??? Someone??? Don't take this advice until someone with a better understanding confirms it.


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## Javadoo (May 23, 2011)

I started my lab on adult food at 5 months old. 
That food looks fine to feed to your pup.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

When we fed kibble my shelties and collies never ate puppy food. They always did well on quality adult food. This is a good food.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

Our GSP pup, who will be 10 months old at the end of Feb, has been on the same adult formula EVO as our 4 yr old GSP since before we brought him home; we dropped off a bag for him about 2 weeks prior to picking him up.


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## Jenny (Dec 7, 2010)

DogLuver said:


> I know for large breeds it's important to watch the calciumhosphorus ratio, as if it's too high it can cause growth problems. A beagle is not a large breed, but it looks like this food is fine to feed a puppy (7mths is sort of an "older" puppy anyway).
> 
> I have a great dane puppy, and would not feed Acana Grasslands, Ranchlands, or Lamb and Apple due to the high calciumhosphorus levels until he's a year old, or maybe even older, because he will be growing for the first 2 years of his life compared to other breeds that stop growing after about 8-9 months.
> 
> Hopefully someone else will chime in here, but I don't think for your 7mth old Beagle pup will have a problem with the calciumhosphorus ratio in either food, for my giant breed I wouldn't feed the adult one until he's older, but I think it's fine for your beagle....is this correct??? Someone??? Don't take this advice until someone with a better understanding confirms it.


I think the same way! 

Generally I think, that not every puppy food is suitable for all puppies. And not every adult food is suitable for all puppies. (Or even for all adults.) But if food has a suitable amount of i.e. protein, fat, calcium and phosporus, it should be suitable also for puppies. So the ingredients and analysis are more important for me than the words "puppy, adult, active or als".


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## DogLuver (Oct 19, 2011)

Jenny said:


> the ingredients and analysis are more important for me than the words "puppy, adult, active or als".


This is important to note! I think the labels of "puppy, adult, performance, weight management" are all guidelines, but are sometimes sales gimmicks. Some of the foods with these labels do actually contain the contents that can perform well for "performance" or "weight management" but you have to carefully check the ingredients and analysis to make sure it's what your dog needs. There are "puppy" foods with inappropriate calciumhosphorus levels, "performance" foods with not enough protein/meat, and so forth...the ingredients and analysis need attention for sure!


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## NeilB (Feb 8, 2012)

Well I appreciate all your input into this. 
I have been feeding Sunday Acana Lamb and Apple for about 8 days, gradually mixing it with the Royal Canine Junior that she has always eaten. We are at about 50/50 at the moment.
One problem... gas.
She (and us) is suffering from quite a lot of gas. Does this mean that this food isn't suitable or is her body just getting used to the change? Sheould I continue with the food? 
The reason for the change was firmer stools, and that has pretty much been achieved. They are sometimes soft, but are generally better than before.
Thanks again. Neil


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## DogLuver (Oct 19, 2011)

NeilB said:


> Well I appreciate all your input into this.
> I have been feeding Sunday Acana Lamb and Apple for about 8 days, gradually mixing it with the Royal Canine Junior that she has always eaten. We are at about 50/50 at the moment.
> One problem... gas.
> She (and us) is suffering from quite a lot of gas. Does this mean that this food isn't suitable or is her body just getting used to the change? Sheould I continue with the food?
> ...


8 days is just the beginning of the transition, so just hang in there, if you're seeing improvements already that's a very good sign. It could take a good month or more for her body to adjust. As long as things aren't getting worse during the transition, that's all good stuff. Gas could just be the adjustment as well, I know my Golden Retriever used to have the WORST gas EVER until I switched him over to Acana, and the gas is gone...really it is! (unless I add stuff to his food, he'll sometimes get gas from the stuff I add) 

Good luck, and just give it some time


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

My dog had gas every time I switched foods! I put a tablespoon of plain yogurt on her food and that seemed to help with the gas. Or maybe not! In any case the gas only lasted for a short time.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

I've been through many food transitions with my dogs and it can take a while for the digestive system to adapt to a new food. Glad to hear the stools are better already.

Steamed oats is the first listed carb source on the Acana Lamb and oats have a tendency to produce gas in some dogs. I also think a spoonful of plain live-active cultures yogurt with each meal could help promote beneficial gut flora for adapting. But don't go too overboard with it because the formula already has significant calcium levels. I always add half a cup of warm water to kibble also.

Hopefully, everything will even out in another week; but, if not, there are stronger pro-biotics you can add to the food for a while.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

Most puppy foods are chicken based, and they do not agree with Brodie's sensitive tummy (home made chicken and rice, given to him to help settle his stomach, exited very quickly, looking the same as it went in - blecchhh!). Potatoes, don't either, since none of the grain-free foods seem to agree with him (different proteins, but they all had potato in them). After being on an Rx food from the vet for awhile, I'm now transitioning Brodie over (very slowly) to Holistic Select Lamb and Rice, which is an adult food. It may not be the best food, but the richer, "better" foods seem to be too rich for my puppy. I also give him a human grade probiotic, which is helping. At this point, a decent food that agrees with Brodie's tummy is my goal. Maybe when he gets older, I can try and switch him over to a better food.


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## aria2712 (Mar 12, 2012)

I have 2 female golden retrievers.. the first one is an adult dog (2 year n 3 months) the second one is still 9 months old puppy. Both of them were fed with Acana Puppy Large Breed and I'm happy with the result


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## ajcstr (May 24, 2010)

Per the Dog Food Advisor site:

AAFCO only recognizes two dog food nutrient profiles…

Adult maintenance
Growth and reproduction

However, manufacturers are permitted to market a dog food as suitable for “all life stages” so long as it meets the more stringent guidelines for “growth and reproduction”.
In other words, any dog food suitable for “all life stages” is also suitable for puppies, too.


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