at what age is a puppy no longer a puppy? - Paw Talk

Elvis Lee Mommy · #1 10-16-2006, 02:32 PM

hi y'all,

My sweet boy will be 1 yr old on Sunday Oct 22. I was wondering, when is a puppy no loger considered a puppy? Is there a generally accepted age for all dogs or is it more breed specific?

You know I'll still call him "my sweet puppy". I'd just like to know when he is considered an adult dog.

Thanks Paw Talk Pals.

Elvis a week or so ago, up on his hind legs, smiling & bouncing up & down. He's tooo funny. Dawn got him to wear a denim jacket for about an hour, then he tugged it off. LOL

ratty_ratkins · #2 10-16-2006, 03:34 PM

i think after a year they are adult.
being a puppy or not i dont think is related to the breeds, but mental maturity is

Elvis Lee Mommy · #3 10-16-2006, 03:38 PM

Elvis still acts like a rebel, rascal kid...and I have a feeling he'll Always be this way. LOL

CHERYL2121 · #4 10-16-2006, 03:44 PM

On this subject..when do you stop feeding them 3x a day??

Leo · #5 10-16-2006, 03:46 PM

Some breeds (Rotts, Mastiffs Danes etc) don't even gain full adult size until around 2
Labs are still mentally puppies until 2-3 (I

Labs)
Small breed dogs tend to reach adulthood faster than larger ones both in size and mentality.
Overall I would consider a dog an adult once they are past the challenging teenage attitude, have calmed down a bit and are at their full size.
So that could be anywhere between 1-3

!!!!
or you could have dogs like mine... since switching foods, my almost 6 year old dogs have the same energy that they did as puppies

I still call them puppies even though they are going to be 6 on Friday.

**Sasami** · #6 10-16-2006, 06:54 PM

I usually consider dogs to be adults when they're 2-3 years old but it depends on the individual dog and breed

. You should start feeding adult food at a year old, though.

Jodi · #7 10-16-2006, 07:25 PM

IMO, it depends on the type of dog but in general I would say 1-2 years.

Elvis Lee Mommy · #8 10-16-2006, 08:40 PM

Vet had us switch him to adult food at 10 months, just remembered.

**Scarlette** · #9 10-17-2006, 12:52 AM

Like everyone else said, I think it depends on the dog and their mental maturity. I don't think my Bull Terriers will ever grow up and I still call my 7 year old dobe my puppy even though she acts like an old grandma.

That pic is absolutely ADORABLE!!!

HappyDancer · #10 10-17-2006, 08:48 AM

mine are 6,7 and 12 and I still think of them as puppies lol...Elvis looks adorable in the picture...and our vet told us 1-2 years of age as well

Elvis Lee Mommy · #11 10-17-2006, 09:09 AM

Thanks

corgimom · #12 10-17-2006, 11:39 AM

I switched Ein to adult food at 10 months, as well. Mainly because he needed to be put on a lite food.

I would agree that it depends on the breed. Ein had his puppy moments, but overall was very calm, lazy and not your typical corgi puppy. Tucker was a year and a half when we got him, and didn't act at all like a puppy. Never has since we got him. Colleen's age is estimated at a year to a year and a half (we just think of it as sometime in the summer of 2005) and she still acts very puppy-ish.

Leo · #13 10-17-2006, 12:12 PM

When to switch to adult food depends on the breed... puppy food is extremely high in protein and can cause a dog to grow much faster than they should, which will cause problems down the road for them with their joints/bones. I would be very hesitant to keep a dog like a Lab, Rott, Golden on puppy food until they were 1 unless they were underweight/sized, everything I have read points to them being switched much younger than a year over to adult food (some say 4-5 months).... we switched Leo at about 6 months of age after talking with our vet and getting the ok.

Cleggy · #14 10-17-2006, 07:22 PM

Having Labs ourself we class 2-3yrs as moving from puppy to adult but it does depend on each breed as to when. But we also change to adult food at 6mths as puppy food does have a high protien which can make your dog too active from this point on for its own good.
If i had a wee dog like yours i think id always look on him as a puppy he is so cute.

sara8 · #15 10-18-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo


	Some breeds (Rotts, Mastiffs Danes etc) don't even gain full adult size until around 2 Labs are still mentally puppies until 2-3 (I Labs) Small breed dogs tend to reach adulthood faster than larger ones both in size and mentality. Overall I would consider a dog an adult once they are past the challenging teenage attitude, have calmed down a bit and are at their full size. So that could be anywhere between 1-3 !!!! or you could have dogs like mine... since switching foods, my almost 6 year old dogs have the same energy that they did as puppies I still call them puppies even though they are going to be 6 on Friday.

man that scares me, we just adopted a lab/border collie mix about 6mo ago and he just never stops and we walk a minimum of 1mile a day and usually 2. that is just to keep him sort of well behaved. we had my parents over and he was sooo hyper and jumping everywhere i had to crate him. i love him sooooo much though i can't imagine my life without him (even if nobody ever comes to visit again) lol