Recommended ammt of time to feed puppy food?

kara_leigh

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Does anyone know what the recommended amount of time is to feed puppy food, and/or what age I should switch to adult food? My dogs are Australian Shepherd mixes (not sure what the mix is, but we are thinking Rott or Pitt based on their fur, haunches and jaws. They will be 6 months old tomorrow.

Thanks!!
 

arlyn

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Generally, the larger the breed, the slower to mature, the longer to feed puppy food.

If you suspect rott or pit in the mix, I would be feeding a large breed puppy food till about 12-14 months.
 

Willowy

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Actually, a lot of large-breed dog people recommend strongly against using puppy food at all. It can make their bones grow too fast, which can cause joint problems. They recommend using an all-life-stages formula. All that conflicting info can make your head spin!
If they're part pit bull, they probably won't get big enough for that to be a huge concern, but if they're part Rott, they might (note: pits and Rotts have very different kinds of coats. Is their fur thin and single-coated or thick and double-coated?)

How big are they now and what brand of food are you feeding them?
 

resqchick

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Originally Posted by kara_leigh

Does anyone know what the recommended amount of time is to feed puppy food, and/or what age I should switch to adult food? My dogs are Australian Shepherd mixes (not sure what the mix is, but we are thinking Rott or Pitt based on their fur, haunches and jaws. They will be 6 months old tomorrow.

Thanks!!
How much do they weigh, and how tall are they? I kept my large breeds on puppy until their adult features developed-the fuller coat, the broader chest. I like the extra fat and protein the puppy food has.

Do remember that even a chihuahua comes in a black and tan coat, so coat colors can be any dog.
If they have the broad jaws of a pit, that would be considered a medium dog mix. I'd stay with the puppy food for a little while longer. The Pits need a high protein food for their incredible muscle potential.

Pics? I love pics, yanno!
 

melesine

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I don't feed puppy food. I'd either feed an all life stages grain free food or raw. I feed raw, even to the puppy. We are currently raising a German Shepherd puppy, my other dogs are adults and all of them are on a prey model raw diet.
 
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