You should feed your puppy specially formulated puppy food until they reach physical maturity, which varies by breed size:
- Small breeds typically reach maturity around 9 to 10 months and can switch to adult food at about 7 to 9 months of age
- Medium breeds mature around 12 months and can switch at about 12 to 15 months
- Large and giant breeds take longer, maturing between 18 months to 2 years, so they should stay on puppy food longer, often until 12 to 14 months or even up to 24 months for the largest breeds
Puppies generally start with four meals a day at weaning (around 6–8 weeks), then reduce to three meals per day by 3 to 6 months, and finally to two meals per day by 6 to 12 months or when switching to adult food
. When transitioning to adult food, do it gradually over about 5 to 10 days by mixing increasing amounts of adult food with decreasing amounts of puppy food to avoid digestive upset
. In summary:
- Feed puppy food from weaning until maturity (breed-dependent).
- Small breeds: switch around 7–9 months.
- Medium breeds: switch around 12–15 months.
- Large breeds: switch around 12–24 months.
- Gradually transition over several days.
- Adjust feeding frequency from 4 to 2 meals per day as puppy grows.
Always monitor your puppy’s weight and body condition and consult your vet for personalized guidance.
