# Switching to INNOVA Adult Food from Puppy Food at 6 months old too soon?



## Turbo22 (Jun 16, 2008)

So I thought it was a good idea to slowly switch Turbo's food (currently INNOVA Puppy for Large Breeds) to INNOVA Adult food for large breeds since she just turned 6 months yesterday! I went to the nearby feed store to pick up the new food and one of the ladies working there gave me samples of other food to try. She seemed really knowledable from all the information she was providing me on each brand so it got me worried when she voiced her concerns on me getting Turbo adult dog food too soon. She said it would be ok if I switched her to a brand like Canidae since theirs are made for all life stages but with INNOVA adult food, she would be missing important nutrients needed for a puppy. I stuck with my decision and bought the food anyways but kept regretting it as soon as I walked out the door. Should I keep her on puppy food like she said? Is Turbo really too young for the adult food?


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Hope some of the breeders chime in..... I believe many of them switch at 4-6 months.


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

Many breeders don't ever use puppy food. Tucker's breeder started the puppies on adult Proplan. Although I did use Innova large breed puppy for about 6months. Now he is on large breed adult Innova.


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## Turbo22 (Jun 16, 2008)

It seems the nutrient analysis is fairly similar for the two. The ingredients list differs slightly where the adult large breed food has Glucosamine Hydrochloride and Chondroitin Sulfate for their joints and the puppy food has calcium carbonate listed that the adult food doesn't. I'm assuming it should be ok because of that and since it seems many forum members don't even use puppy food. Hopefully I'm making the right choice..afterall I don't know much about nutrition.


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## SKH (Feb 21, 2008)

Let me know how Turbo's bowels do on the adult formula. Hondo had constant loose stools with the adult formula, and now I am wondering if he should have still been on the puppy formula, as according to some threads here, the puppy formula is up to two years of age. Prior to Innova he was on Candidae life stages, but bowels didn't like the formula change.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I switch mine at around 18 weeks old usually. But depending on the puppy 6 month is the latest I would switch.


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## mamamia (Jan 8, 2008)

My Teddy is 5-1/2 months old, and I'm thinking about switching him to adult food soon. Right now he eats Artemis Fresh Mix for Medium/Large Breed Puppies, and I probably have less than 2 weeks supply left. I'm trying to decide between regular adult Innova or the large breed formula, but I'm also worried about switching him off of puppy food too soon.

Also, I still feed him 3 times a day.  When should I switch to two? I've read other posts where people say their dogs kind of gave up the mid-day feeding, but I'm pretty sure that will never be Teddy.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

mamamia said:


> My Teddy is 5-1/2 months old, and I'm thinking about switching him to adult food soon. Right now he eats Artemis Fresh Mix for Medium/Large Breed Puppies, and I probably have less than 2 weeks supply left. I'm trying to decide between regular adult Innova or the large breed formula, but I'm also worried about switching him off of puppy food too soon.
> 
> Also, I still feed him 3 times a day. When should I switch to two? I've read other posts where people say their dogs kind of gave up the mid-day feeding, but I'm pretty sure that will never be Teddy.


I switched Maddie sometime between 4-5 months to 2 meals a day ... I can't remember exactly when. She's doing great on the Innova adult.


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## GramercyLily (Aug 19, 2008)

We switched Lily to Innova adult at 6.5 months or so, and she is doing great!


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

My Shelley has been feed adult food since a young puppy and she is doing great.


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## Turbo22 (Jun 16, 2008)

SKH said:


> Let me know how Turbo's bowels do on the adult formula. Hondo had constant loose stools with the adult formula, and now I am wondering if he should have still been on the puppy formula, as according to some threads here, the puppy formula is up to two years of age. Prior to Innova he was on Candidae life stages, but bowels didn't like the formula change.


Turbo seemed to do fine on the puppy formula (always firm stools) but as I gradually swithed her to the adult one her stools became really loose and sometimes watery! She stopped eating the food eventually and I couldn't figure out why (even when I put yummy toppings on it like yogurt, pumpkin). So I just gradually switched her back to the puppy formula this past week. She still has loose stools but I'm going to wait another week or so to see if they get better. She's back to inhaling her food now so at least I know she likes it :

I talked to INNOVA and they said the puppy LB formula was made for LB dogs up to 2 years of age and that the formula takes into account that larger breeds like goldens need the slow growth to maintain a healthy life...


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