The 5 Best Puppy Foods of 2023

“Although breed size and the individual dog’s needs differ, a good general rule is to keep puppies on puppy food for a full 12 months," board-certified veterinary nutritionist Megan Shepherd told The Spruce Pets.

However, this guidance varies slightly, depending on breed, since small dogs typically are done growing within a year, while large breeds may continue to grow.

“Generally, there’s probably more harm taking your puppy off puppy food too soon rather than leaving him or her on too long,” says Dr. Shepherd.

Although feeding puppy food for one year is a good general rule for most puppies, it’s better to evaluate your individual dog and transition to adult food when they reach their adult body weight, says Shepherd. That’s based on a couple of criteria: your dog’s expected adult weight and body condition score.

First, evaluate your dog’s body condition score (BCS). Looking at your pup from above, you should see a “waistline,” or an indentation between the end of the ribs and the hips; it will be more pronounced on certain breeds such as a whippet versus less pronounced on breeds such as a bulldog. If your dog is fluffy, use your hands to feel the contour of the waist instead. You should be able to feel the ribs with light pressure, like the amount of effort you’d use to slide a piece of paper across a tabletop, Shepherd advised.

Next, from a side view, get down on your dog’s level and look for the abdominal tuck, which should swoop up from the end of the sternum to the front of the back legs. That means the tummy is tucked up when viewed from the side.

Finally, you should consider your dog’s anticipated adult body weight if you know the breed. When your dog has reached their adult weight and has a healthy BCS, it’s time to slowly transition to adult food. For mixed breeds for which you aren’t sure about the mature weight, weigh your dog, and if your pup is no longer gaining weight and has a healthy BCS, they likely reached adult body weight and can be transitioned to adult food.

According to Shepherd, large-breed puppy food is formulated to be less calorie-dense per cup and contains different calcium to phosphorous ratio than adult food since overfeeding calcium can have a deleterious effect on healthy growth for large breeds.

A healthy adult dog can eat puppy food, especially if your dog is a working or sporting dog who is very active and burns a lot of calories. But keep in mind you don’t want your dog to become overweight, so keep an eye on his or her BCS. As with people, obesity can negatively affect your dog’s health and lifespan.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, raw food is not recommended for any dog, no matter what age. Although many advocates say they’ve had positive experiences with raw food diets, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest raw pet food is better than any other kind.

“You should also be aware that there’s a high risk that raw food can contain pathogens, such as listeria and salmonella, which can make both pets and people sick,” Shepherd told The Spruce Pets. In addition, nutritional imbalances are another risk with either commercial or homemade raw food diets.