? about puppy growth & food

[Elvis Lee Mommy]

good morning,

Elvis Lee is my first dog & I have questions about puppy growth. He is 8 months old & weighs almost 8 lbs. His mother (poodle) weighs about 10-11 lbs, his father (maltese) weighs 5 lbs.

At what age do puppies stop growing? He looks very much like a maltese (except for his hair, he has poodle hair) so I was thinking he would be small like his dad but his current size blows that theory. He is not overweight at all, he is muscular & very active.

Also, at what age do I change over from puppy formula dry food to adult formula dry food?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

[tcannon7721]

I would think at 2 years old to start giving adult food. I have a English bulldog and its recommended for her at 2 years. Cute pup.

[Scarlette]

I've always switched my dogs over to adult dog food right around their first birthday. The vet recommended that Sydnee start eating adult dog food when she was 8 months old. Ask your vet and see what he/she recommends.

As far as when they stop growing, that depends on the dog. Mirra seemed to keep right on growing past her first birthday. Sydnee seemed to stop growing at 9 months old.

[DVM12]

Puppys stop growing 12-13 months of age. At that point you should switch them to an adult diet, at 7 years of age for both large and small dogs they should be switched onto senior food. VET Reccomended Science Diet or Eukanuba.

[Leo]

Small breed stop somewhere between 6 months and a year (Leo stopped growing at 6 months)
Medium breeds around a year (Gunner & Ed stopped growing around 1)
Larger breeds somewhere between 1 year and 2 years (like Rotties they grow up for the first year and then out during their second)

It depends on the size & breed of dog for example some recommend switching to adult food at around 4 months for labs and larger breeds or somewhere around 1 year for others... in general it is best to ask your vet what they recommend only they know any health concerns your dog may have (I asked the vet about Leo and they said it was OK to put him on adult food so that is what he is eating).

[Elvis Lee Mommy]

Thanks everyone. I was starting to freak out a little. We've got a Vet appointment this week & I'll speak with them about the growing & food issues.

When I brush him, I noticed he has some very loose skin at his flanks & chest. Is this an indication that he has more growing to do?