Your puppy's growth
How long it takes for a dog to reach adulthood differs
widely. Small breed dogs are classed as adult at 10 months old,
while other breeds can take 18 months or even two years until they
are fully grown.
1st stage of growth
Growth is generally divided into two phases. The first stage of
growth is very fast, and you will almost see your puppy getting
bigger overnight. This is when he is building his skeleton and
bones, his ‘framework’ if you like. During this phase, his food
needs to be ultradigestible – because his digestive system is still
immature – and he needs exactly the right amount of calcium and
phosphorus in his diet to help his bones develop properly. Too much
of either is just as bad as too little. It’s also really important
that your puppy doesn’t gain weight too fast, because that will put
undue stress on his growing bones, so it’s best to choose a food
which is particularly designed for this stage of growth.
2nd stage of growth
The second stage of growth is one of consolidation – his
skeleton is fully developed, and he now needs to build up muscle.
This is when he will fill out, and start to look more like his
eventual adult self, although ‘filling out’ doesn’t mean getting
fat – it’s still really important to control his weight gain, so
that he is developing solid muscle to sustain his energy levels,
rather than layers of fat.
The other factor to bear in mind is that what your puppy eats
during growth will have an effect on his future health. As an
example, bigger dogs are very prone to joint problems in their
later years, and studies have shown that the earlier their food is
supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin, the better the
support for their joints in the long term. Smaller dogs have more
dental problems (because they tend to have rather crowded teeth in
their little jaws), so good oral hygiene via a food which helps
reduce the risk of build-up of tartar and the formation of plaque
will keep their mouths healthier, and their breath sweeter, for
longer.
Although it might sound complicated, the Royal Canin range
available from your local pet specialist has the right food for
your puppy, whatever his age, size or breed, and each one has been
individually formulated to provide the right nutrition for his
phase of growth and life.
Other sections:
Bringing your new puppy home
Feeding your new puppy
Puppy behaviour and training
Oral health for puppies
Socialising your puppy
Neutering your dog
Puppy insurance
Microchipping
Fleas and worming
Dog body condition check