# What age to switch from puppy to adult food?



## jec582 (Jun 17, 2005)

Pixie is 8 1/2 months old and refuses to eat hard puppy food. She will eat some soft puppy food but the only hard food she will eat is adult food. The Royal Canin chihuahua food says to start feeding that at 8 months but I have often heard to wait until they are a year old. I don't want her missing out on essential puppy nutrition but she really prefers the adult stuff for some reason. What do you think is the best age to switch?


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## tazruby (Jan 2, 2006)

i also heard at 1yr old to switch to adult food. Iam not sure about RC too much. (i just switched mine to RC from Bil-jack) Bill jack says at 1yr. I would ask the vet just to be safe :wink:


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## SunnyFLMum (Apr 21, 2005)

I switched Gizmo over to adult food at 8 1/2 months...I read that Little dogs, such as Chi's mature faster then big dogs, I tend to think it is true because my Gizmo lost his teeth at hyper speed compared to my poodle... and my neighbor has a Lab and he was speaking ot me the other day about how their considered puppies till 1 year and a half or so...

Anyways so I asked my vet and he agreed that 9 months was fine as yes little dogs mature faster...so with that My lil man has been on adult food for almost 3 months


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## iluvmyvikin (Aug 24, 2005)

i've even heard as early as 6 months.


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## Krista (Dec 29, 2005)

I know that Royal Canin recommends at least 10 months to switch from the puppy food to the adult formulas.


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## SkyDreamer777 (Jan 6, 2006)

I looked it up in the book for you

It says to switch large breeds at one year and Chihuahua sooner. It says to talk with your vet and that many transition their pups at around the same time as when they get spayed or neutered.

My vet does spaying and neutering at 6 months.

The book also says to transition them gradually.

Sorry I'm a big book reader.


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## jec582 (Jun 17, 2005)

SkyDreamer777 said:


> I looked it up in the book for you
> 
> It says to switch large breeds at one year and Chihuahua sooner. It says to talk with your vet and that many transition their pups at around the same time as when they get spayed or neutered.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info everyone! I appreciate it. And dont worry - my whole family laughs at me because i always seem to start sentences with ...."well the books say...."


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

I had to put all the dogs on puppy food ( a nine year old and a six year old as well) because I couldn't keep the food separate. They all like the puppy food better... (no kidding with the amount of calories in it) Everyone's coats look great though


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