Puppy Food

Puppy food is specifically formulated to give young dogs the nutrition they need to support their active lifestyle and rapid growth.

Puppy food also contains a balance of healthy fatty acids (like DHA that supports brain and eye development), vitamins, minerals (like calcium and phosphorus), and nutrients that their little bodies need to build strong bones and muscles, as well as supporting a healthy immune system.

Plus, puppy food is usually smaller for easier chewing.

A puppy’s nutritional needs are different from those of adult dogs, so it’s important to feed your young dog a complete and balanced diet for their age.

First, read the front of the dog food packaging and make sure it’s formulated specifically for puppies — not adult or senior dogs.

Make sure your puppy’s food contains the following nutrients:

These ingredients will give your puppy the energy and the nutrition they need to help them grow into a happy, healthy adult dog.

Puppies grow quickly, so they need plenty of high-quality puppy food to support their development. But their little stomach may not be able to handle one or two big meals that might suit an older dog.

That’s why it’s important to feed your puppy at least three small meals every day (sometimes more) until they get bigger and older.

When adjusting your puppy’s portion sizes and number of feedings per day, remember to take into account the calories they need at their specific age and condition. To ensure that your puppy gets just the right amount of food, follow the guidelines on the package by age and weight.

For example, if you’re feeding your four-month-old, five-pound puppy IAMS™ Proactive Health Puppy Chicken & Whole Grain Recipe(open in new tab), they’ll need one cup of kibble total every day. That means that at each meal, you’ll give them ⅓ cup in their bowl (assuming you’re feeding them three times per day).

As a general rule of thumb, start switching from puppy food to adult food when your dog is 80% full-grown.

According to the American Kennel club (AKC)(open in new tab), for small breeds, that’s generally around 7 to 10 months of age, and medium breeds tend to be ready for adult dog food once they’re between 12 and 14 months old. For large breeds, you may want to wait until they’re a bit older (between 14 and 24 months) to introduce adult food into their diet.

Talk to your veterinarian for more details and advice on when to switch.

The key to making the switch from puppy food to adult food is to do so slowly.

Follow these steps to make the transition easy: 

At the IAMS™ Brand, we’re dedicated to providing the best nutrition possible for dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes. All of our wet and dry foods are nutritious and delicious, so you can be confident that you’re giving your puppy the best! 

In fact, we’re so confident that you’ll see a visible difference in your canine companion after regularly feeding them IAMS™ dry food that all of our products carry a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  

With premium ingredients and formulas crafted to support healthy brain development, strong bones, and healthy skin and coat, IAMS™ Puppy Food provides the nutrition your puppy needs to help them grow up happy and healthy.