Puppies and adult dogs have different nutritional needs because their bodies are at different stages of growth and maintenance. Puppy formulas provide extra nutrients to support healthy development, while adult formulas focus on maintaining overall health and vitality. Feeding the right formula at the right time helps your dog stay strong and healthy throughout their life!
Why Puppies and Adults Need Different Nutrition
During their first year of life, puppies grow rapidly, building muscle, developing bones and organs, and expending a great deal of energy in the process. To fuel this transformation, they require a diet that provides more calories, protein, fat, and essential nutrients than adult dogs.
According to AAFCO Guidelines , growing puppies require a minimum of 56.3 g of protein and 21.3 g of fat per 1,000 kcal , along with increased levels of vitamins and minerals to support immune development, bone growth, and cognitive function.
In contrast, adult dogs, whose bodies have fully developed, require fewer calories and lower levels of protein (a minimum of 45 g/1000 kcal) and fat (a minimum of 13.8 g/1000 kcal), as their bodies focus more on maintaining existing tissues than building new ones. Their nutritional needs are tailored to maintain health and prevent obesity.
That’s why it’s so important to feed a formula designed for your dog’s life stage, so they get exactly what their body needs to thrive.
Puppy Formula: Designed for Growth & Development
Growing puppies have unique nutritional needs, and our formula is designed to meet & exceed them at every level. We’ve carefully balanced each ingredient to support healthy growth, development, and long-term well-being.
Here’s what makes our puppy formula stand out:
Immune Support: We’ve increased zinc, sourced from oyster powder, and added beta-glucans from shiitake mushrooms to help strengthen your puppy’s developing immune system.
Bone Health & Growth: Puppies require more Vitamin D than adult dogs, so we’ve increased it to 400 IU per 1,000 kcal to support bone development and enhance calcium and phosphorus absorption.
Digestive Health: With a balanced blend of soluble and insoluble fiber from organic apple fiber, our formula helps maintain healthy digestion and GI function during this critical growth stage.
Brain & Cognitive Development: To support your puppy’s developing brain, we increased omega-3s (from wild-caught fish oil) and choline. These nutrients help maintain the ideal balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids for healthy absorption and cognitive development.
With our puppy formula, you’re giving your dog the nutrition they need to grow strong, stay healthy, and thrive at every stage of puppyhood.
Adult Formula: Tailored for Maintenance & Longevity
Once your pup is fully grown (typically around a year for most sizes), you can switch to maintaining their nutrition with our adult dog formulas. Adult formulas should include quality protein, essential amino acids, and digestible ingredients.
All of our adult formulas are carefully crafted to meet or exceed the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Adult Maintenance. Each recipe provides complete, balanced nutrition with high-quality animal proteins to maintain lean muscle, essential fats for skin and coat health, and a full range of vitamins and minerals to support overall well-being.
We use fiber-rich whole foods, such as organic vegetables and greens, to naturally provide both soluble and insoluble fiber, supporting healthy digestion and regularity. With thoughtfully balanced calcium and phosphorus and optimal omega fatty acids, our adult formulas help your dog stay healthy, active, and thriving throughout adulthood.
When & How to Transition to Adult Formula
As your puppy grows, their nutritional needs change. Most dogs reach adulthood around 1 year of age, which is typically the ideal time to transition from puppy food to adult formula. This transition is important because adult formulas have different nutrient ratios tailored for maintenance rather than growth.
When to Make the Switch
Around the one-year mark, your dog will have reached full physical maturity. Switching to an adult formula at this stage helps support their ongoing health without overfeeding nutrients designed for growing pups.
How to Transition Smoothly
A gradual transition over 7 to 10 days is best. This helps your dog’s digestive system adjust to the new food and reduces the risk of stomach upset. Here’s a simple step-by-step plan:
Days 1–3: Mix 25% adult food with 75% puppy food
Days 4–6: Increase the adult food to 50% and decrease the puppy food to 50%
Days 7–9: Mix 75% adult food with 25% puppy food
Day 10: Feed 100% adult formula
This slow adjustment allows your dog to adapt comfortably to the different ingredients and nutrient levels in the adult formula.
