Puppy food for older dogs
This search usually means one of two different things, so it's worth separating them first: feeding puppy food to an adult or senior dog, which is generally not recommended, or feeding an older puppy who is getting close to adulthood, which is really about knowing when to switch off puppy food rather than staying on it.
If you're asking about an adult or senior dog eating puppy food
Puppy food is formulated with higher calorie density and different mineral levels to support rapid growth, which is not what a fully grown or senior dog needs day to day. Feeding it long-term to an adult dog risks unnecessary weight gain, and for a senior dog it does not provide the joint or organ support that a proper senior formula is built around.
If an adult or senior dog has ended up on puppy food by accident — a multi-dog household sharing bowls, for instance — switching to an age-appropriate food is the sensible move, done gradually over several days rather than overnight.
If you're asking about an older puppy
An 'older puppy' nearing their adult size is a genuinely different question: the issue isn't whether puppy food suits them, but when to transition off it. Smaller breeds typically move to adult food from around 9-12 months, while larger and giant breeds often stay on a large-breed puppy or junior formula for longer, sometimes to 18-24 months, because their skeletal growth takes longer to complete.
Your vet or the specific food's guidance is the best source for timing this switch for your individual dog, since it depends on breed size and growth rate rather than a single age that applies to every puppy.
Making either switch safely
Whichever direction you're moving — off puppy food onto adult, or an accidental adult onto puppy food being corrected — a gradual transition over seven to ten days, mixing increasing amounts of the new food with the old, gives a dog's digestive system time to adjust and reduces the chance of an upset stomach.
Watch your dog's weight, energy and stool quality through the transition rather than assuming it has gone smoothly just because the food has changed. A dog who seems unsettled, gains weight unexpectedly, or loses condition during or after a food switch is worth discussing with your vet rather than persisting on guesswork.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Pedigree Tasty Minis Puppy Treats Chewy Cubes with Chicken
Soft chewy puppy training treats with 13% chicken and added calcium, 125g
£2.25
Forthglade Complete Puppy Chicken with Liver Grain Free — 18 x 395g Trays
Sold as a case: 18 x 395g trays. A complete grain-free wet food for puppies, built on 71% chicken and 4% chicken liver
£35.89
Bakers Puppy Superfoods Chicken with Vegetables
Bakers Puppy Chicken & Vegetables dry dog food, 12.5kg, complete food for puppies from 6 weeks to 24 months
£39.15
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Puppy/Junior Dry Dog Food Turkey & Veg
Grain-free turkey and potato kibble for puppies and junior dogs, evenly balanced recipe
£12.75
Wagg Puppy Treats
Puppy Treats in a 120G pack, with 23.2% protein and 7% fat and full label detail
£1.49
Burns Puppy Junior Original Chicken Rice
A complete puppy and junior food with dried chicken 31% and controlled fat at 15%
From£14.99
Lily's Kitchen Puppy Chicken Recipe — 6 x 400g Tins
Sold as a case: 6 x 400g tins. Complete 400G wet puppy chicken recipe with 67% fresh chicken
£22.79
Pooch & Mutt Puppy Bite Size Beef Jerky
Bite-size beef jerky training treats for puppies, scaled by dog size
£3.99
Whimzees Puppy
Softer dental chews for puppies over three months old, grain free and gluten free
£7.99
Burns Grain Free Puppy Duck Potato
Grain-free duck and potato puppy food with a prebiotic, for starting a new litter on a novel protein
From£16.49
Common questions
- Is it bad to feed puppy food to an adult dog?
- Regularly feeding puppy food to a fully grown adult dog is not recommended, since the higher calorie and mineral levels are formulated for growth rather than adult maintenance, and can contribute to unnecessary weight gain over time. An age-appropriate food is the better long-term choice.
- When should a large-breed puppy switch to adult food?
- Large and giant breeds often stay on a large-breed puppy or junior formula until 18 to 24 months, since their skeletal growth takes longer to complete than smaller breeds. Check the specific food's guidance or ask your vet for advice suited to your individual dog.
- Can senior dogs eat puppy food if they need extra calories?
- A senior dog who needs more calories, for example due to weight loss, is better served by a food chosen for that specific reason under veterinary guidance rather than switched to puppy food, which is not formulated with a senior dog's joint and organ needs in mind.
- How quickly should I switch my dog from puppy to adult food?
- Gradually, over seven to ten days, mixing in more of the new food each day rather than swapping in one go. This slower approach gives the digestive system time to adjust and generally causes far less stomach upset than an abrupt change.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.