LIFE STAGE NUTRITION
LIFE STAGE NUTRITION
Practical information about the nutritional needs of cats and dogs at each life stage, including growth, maintenance, reproduction and aging.
Body Condition Assessment
Puppy Growth Rates
Compared to smaller dogs, large and giant breed puppies have more rapid growth rates and reach full skeletal maturity, i.e., adult life stage, later. In general, by breed size, full skeletal maturity is reached at the following ages:
LIFE STAGE NUTRITION
Puppies should be fed a complete and balanced growth diet (puppy food) until they reach full skeletal maturity. Feeding large and giant breed puppies a less energy-dense growth diet formulated specifically for large and giant breeds can help reduce excessively rapid growth rates, which helps protect against the development of skeletal abnormalities and excess body weight.
Feed all puppies to maintain lean body condition. Purina research has shown that maintaining a lean body condition from puppyhood onward can reduce skeletal problems and extend a dog’s healthy life by up to 15%.
Related Tools and Content:
Large Breed Puppies: Rapid Growth Is Not Optimal Growth
Controlling the growth rate of large and giant breed puppies is critical for their long-term skeletal health.
The Purina Body Condition System
The Purina Body Condition System is an easy and practical tool for assessing a pet's body composition.
How to Perform a Body Condition Assessment - Dog
Assess a dog's Body Condition Score in just 3 simple steps.
To Share With Pet Owner:
Evaluating Your Dog’s Body Condition
Assess your dog's Body Condition in just 3 simple steps.
Additional Resources
Larsen, J. (2010). Feeding large-breed puppies. Compendium: Continuing Education for Veterinarians, 32(5), E1–E4.
Kealy, R. D., Lawler, D. F., Ballam, J. M., Mantz, S. L., Biery, D. N., Greeley, E. H., Lust, G., Segre, M., Smith, G. K., & Stowe, H. D. (2002). Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 220(9), 1315–1320. doi:10.2460/javma.2002.220.1315