Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food?
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Owners of dogs and puppies are aware of the variety of dog food options available, but the question of whether puppies can eat adult dog food is not straightforward.
It’s essential to be cautious when feeding your dog, as the answer isn’t straightforward.
What’s the Difference Between Puppy Food and Adult Dog Food?
As far as puppies eating adult dog food, there are nutritional differences between puppy food and adult dog food.
Puppies grow like weeds during their first few months, and they need a food that can provide more protein and energy to meet their requirements. Certain amino acids, not just more protein, are especially important for growing puppies. Many puppy foods are also higher in calories than adult dog foods.
Puppies also need some nutrients that adult dogs don’t particularly need, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid that helps with neural development. It’s important for a puppy’s brain and visual development.
Puppies also require specific levels of calcium and phosphorus. These levels have to be precise, especially for large-breed puppies. Large and giant-breed puppies that don’t get the right levels of calcium and phosphorus can be prone to orthopedic diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia.
Adult dogs don’t need many of the extra nutrients that puppies require while they are growing. Most adult dogs are fairly tolerant of a wider range of nutrient levels. Most adult dogs do well eating dog foods with moderate protein and fat levels unless they are very active or involved in performance work, when they would need a food that provides more energy.
In fact, most adult dogs need fewer calories to avoid gaining weight instead of the higher calories required by growing puppies. Adult dogs that eat as many calories as a young puppy usually end up with a weight problem because their metabolism is slower.
Nutrient Requirements for Puppies and Adult Dogs
Puppies have a minimum protein and fat intake of 22%, while adult dogs have an 18% minimum. They also require more calories than adult dogs due to their developing muscles and higher metabolism.
They burn the most energy during play, especially up to four months, as they grow fastest during this time. Between four and 12 months, energy requirements level off as they approach maturity.
Most puppies eat the same calories as adult dogs, even though they have not reached their full size yet. This is because their metabolism slows down as they become adults. Calories can be calculated using online calculators, which include calories for puppies up to four months and between four and 12 months. It is essential to consider the nutrient requirements for your puppy’s age and size.
Or, you can use a chart such as this one, keeping in mind that it only provides a guesstimate for your puppy’s requirements:
Puppy Feeding Chart
| Weight at Maturity | Weight at Maturity | 1-1/2 – 3 Months | 4 – 5 Months | 6 – 8 Months | 9 – 11 Months | 1 – 2 Years |
| (lbs) | (kg) | (cups) | (cups) | (cups) | (cups) | (cups) |
| 3 – 12 | 1.4 – 5.4 | 1/2 – 1 | 2/3 – 1-1/3 | 1/2 – 1-1/2 | Feed as Adult | Feed as Adult |
| 13 – 20 | 5.9 – 9.1 | 1/2 – 1-1/4 | 1-1/8 – 2 | 3/4 – 1-1/3 | 1 – 1-1/2 | Feed as Adult |
| 21 – 50 | 9.5 – 22.7 | 1/2 – 1-1/2 | 1-1/2 – 2-3/4 | 1-1/8 – 2-1/3 | 2 – 3 | 2 – 4-1/4 |
| 51 – 75 | 23.1 – 34.0 | 5/8 – 2-1/3 | 1-1/2 – 4 | 1-1/2 – 3-3/4 | 2-1/2 – 4-3/4 | 2-5/8 – 6-1/4 |
| 76 – 100 | 34.5 – 45.4 | 1 – 2-2/3 | 2-7/8 – 3-3/4 | 2-7/8 – 6-1/3 | 3-7/8 -7 | 5-5/8 – 11 |
| 101 lbs and over | Over 45.4 kg | 2-2/3 cups plus 1/3 cup for each 10 lbs of body weight over 100 lbs | 3-3/4 cups plus 1/3 cup for each 10 lbs of body weight over 100 lbs | 6-1/3 cups plus 1/3 cup for each 10 lbs of body weight over 100 lbs | 7 cups plus 1/3 cup for each 10 lbs of body weight over 100 lbs | 11 cups plus 1/3 cup for each 10 lbs of body weight over 100 lbs |
*These are generic recommendations only. Please check the package for product-specific feeding recommendations.
What Happens if you Feed a Puppy Adult Dog Food?
Puppies can consume two types of dog food: adult dog food and “All Life Stage” formulas. The “Growth and Reproduction” formula is formulated for puppies and can be fed to expectant mother dogs and nursing mothers. It contains all the necessary nutrients for puppies, including calories, protein, fat, DHA, calcium/phosphorus levels. The “All Life Stage” formula is suitable for dogs of all ages, including puppies.
For large-breed puppies, look for a formula that states it is made for puppies that will weigh more than 70 pounds as a mature adult, and smaller-breed puppies for those that will weigh less than 70 pounds as adults.
Adult maintenance dog food is not suitable for puppies as it lacks extra nutrition for brain and vision development, calcium and phosphorus levels for bone development, and other essential nutrients. Inadequate diets at a crucial stage of development can lead to bone and other health problems later in life. It is essential to include this information in any food suitable for a puppy’s age and breed.
Changing Your Puppy’s Food
If you have a new puppy, ideally the puppy’s breeder or the shelter should send home a sample of his food so he can continue to eat what he’s used to eating. They should tell you the name of the food so you can buy some in the short term.
No matter what kind of food you want to feed your puppy in the future, when you first bring him home, it’s a good idea to continue feeding him his regular food. Any sudden changes in diet can lead to an upset stomach. You can change his food slowly later if you want to change foods.
Final Thoughts
Puppies can eat adult dog food as long as the food has a nutritional statement that says it is for “all life stages.” Puppies can also eat foods with a nutritional statement that says the food is for “growth and reproduction.” However, puppies should not eat adult dog food that is made for “adult maintenance.” These foods do not have the extra nutrients that puppies require for their development.
