Your puppy is becoming an adult
Your puppy is becoming an adult
By one year old, your puppy will be an adult dog. He may
still act like a mischievous puppy, but his needs will have
changed, and now that he's fully-grown, he'll need a grown-up
food to provide him with all the nutrients, vitamins and
minerals he needs.
Adult dogs don't use as much energy as puppies, so
continuing to feed a puppy food could cause him to become
overweight. Your vet will be happy to advise you on
your pet's diet and recommend a suitable
adult food. It's best to change over to the
new food gradually over a 5-7 day period. This way
he'll get used to any change in taste and consistency.
If you do not intend to breed from your dog you should
consider
neutering. Your vet will be happy to talk you through
the advantages neutering has for your dog and will tell you
about the procedure and what to expect after the operation.
At approximately 14 months of age, your vet will also
recommend a booster
vaccination to make sure your dog's immunity from
disease is maintained. This is also a good time to make sure
your dog is protected from parasites by updating his
flea and worming treatments.
Now that your dog is bigger and more muscular, regular
exercise is essential to keep him fit and healthy.
Exercise doesn't just keep his body in shape, it
also keeps his mind active, healthy and happy.