[manj]

Hi,

My male doberman has just turned a year old. He is approximately 35kg (75 pounds). Is that a healthy weight for him at this age?

He is currently still on puppy food. People have different views on when to switch him to adult food. I am a bit confused because most people are saying i should switch to adult food now, however if my dog is still growing then should i not switch to adult food when he is 2 years old? Any help with be appreciated.

Thanks,
Manj.

 

[Chaz]

They told me to switch at six months, so right now would be your best bet.

 

[alwayshadpets]

He can go on adult food.

 

[Acooper]

I switched Orson around 7 months.......I was told I probably could/should have done it sooner, something to do with protein levels with dobes. Not sure of all the technical reasons.

Go ahead and switch to a good adult formula now

 

[dalefuller]

Manj...

I think that whether his weight is good depends on how he looks to you. Can you see a definite waist on him? If you feel around his ribcage can you feel his ribs? If so, then he's probably OK at that weight. If you can't feel his ribs or he doesn't have a good waist when you look down on him, then I'd get some weight off of him. At any rate, I'd get him off of a puppy food and either start a high quality raw diet or get him onto a premium "all life stages" food from a company like Natura or Solid Gold or Timberwolf Organics

Molly is almost 16 months now and she's around 68-70 lbs, but she's also lean for her height (27.5 inches). We raised her on a "all life stages" food instead of puppy food, so switching foods because of her age was never an issue. We're starting to rotate her onto a grainless food now, but that's just to get her started into a regular rotation of foods, not because of her age.

HTH
-Dale

 

[Okie-dobie]

Some people never put their dogs on puppy food only adult food. And by doing this their puppy does not grow super fast, just slow and steady. So switching now is not a concern at all.

 

[Liza]

My vet recommended to switch trin at about 5-6 months as well.

 

[Dobesanddragons]

http://www.dobermantalk.com/showthread.php?t=2206&highlight=puppy+food

 

[Burns]

Usually pet food companies will tell you to switch to adult food a 1 year of age, but for most animals, this is too long - especially if the dog is already spayed or neutered by then.

After spaying/neutering, the animal's metabolism slows down and they will gain excess weight if fed too much or a high-fat food (which puppy food contains lots of fat and calories).

It wouldn't necessarily hurt the dog to be on puppy food until a year of age, just as long as he is not overweight. But yeah, I agree with what the others said, you should go ahead and switch him over.

 

[tjmom]

Some people never put their dogs on puppy food only adult food. And by doing this their puppy does not grow super fast, just slow and steady. So switching now is not a concern at all.

We had Jada on Puppy food for one bag. Once she went thru that on to adult food. We felt that she might be growing too quickly. She has been on adult food for some time and is doing just great. She turned 5 months old. I think switching your dog to adult food now is quite acceptable.

 

[Dobesanddragons]

After spaying/neutering, the animal's metabolism slows down and they will gain excess weight if fed too much or a high-fat food (which puppy food contains lots of fat and calories).

Not exercising & eating too much food makes them fat! <vbg>
My neutered adult male is very thin, he has a naturally high metabolism regardless of the amount of food fed, he just never gets fat.
Our family Lab was never spayed until late age, and she was always rather chunky.
I know many dogs at our dog club, relatives & friends, and doggie daycare that are spayed/neutered and are def. far from having excess weight, and some show dogs (intact) that are pudgy.
Weight has to do with many factors, not just spaying/neutering.