[Case]

What is the real difference here? I assume its in in the vitamin/mineral content, but I’m having trouble locating the specifications on labeling.

[RescueDaneMom]

These articles may shed some light on the topic for you:

/frequently-asked-questions/aafco-nutrient-profiles/

/choosing-dog-food/dog-food-vitamin-mineral-standards/

[Tina]

Look for the AAFCO label on the back of the bag or on the brand website. Some say…

Adult
______________________Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance

All-Life-Stages
_______________________ Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Puppy
________________________Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth and gestation/lactation.

Senior
_________________________Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

There really isn’t a difference between adult and senior but there is a difference between puppy, all-life-stages and adult. Hope this helps!

[RescueDaneMom]

A puppy food has to meet AAFCO standards for growth and reproduction. An “All Life Stages” or “ALS” food meets the standards for Adult Maintenance and Growth & Reproduction so it is also suitable to feed a puppy. Adult Maintenance foods are only appropriate for adults but are generally lower in protein. I personally would only feed an ALS food.

[Case]

What I’m trying to find out is what is in puppy food formulas that isn’t in adult maintenance formulas? And with regard to these mystery ingredients, what is the difference in puppy and all life stage formulas?

[Tina]

A growing puppy needs precise levels of essential nutrients to stay her healthiest. To meet the growth and development requirements of puppies, their bodies require a puppy food with increased amounts of energy, protein and calcium compared to adult dogs’ needs.

Association of Animal Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) statement on a dog food label verifies that the food provides complete and balanced nutrition for either:

puppies or kittens
pregnant or nursing pets
adult pets
all lifestages

Key points
If you see the words ” … for all lifestages” on a package, it means it’s a puppy or kitten food.

The early years

In the early stages of life, young pets need high levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to ensure proper growth.

Therefore, a pet food that claims to be “complete and balanced for all lifestages” must contain nutrient levels that are suitable for growth. Are the nutrient levels in foods for growth too high for older pets? We believe they are.

Too high, too low

The “one size fits all” pet food philosophy may sound attractive, but it goes against everything Hill’s has learned in more than 60 years of clinical nutrition research. A food that’s appropriate for growth will contain levels of fat, sodium, protein and other nutrients that are too high for the older pet. Likewise, a food that contains reduced levels of nutrients for older pets may be inadequate for growing puppies and kittens.

All things to all pets

Today, many pet food manufacturers offer lifestage foods for pets. They often tout the benefits of their foods for puppies and kittens, adults or seniors and how these foods are perfectly balanced for each of these lifestages.

However, many of these same companies also offer brands of pet food that carry the claim “… complete and balanced nutrition for all lifestages”!

Are the companies that manufacture these products truly committed to the lifestage concept? The answer is obvious.

[Tina]

All-life-stage dog food is very unclear to the proper amount of vitamins that they may or may not have in each bag/brand. In fact, most all-life-stage dog foods are created for puppies and by the time the dog gets older, they are over-weight and sometimes very sick. Unless you plan on feeding some sort of Raw Diet to your puppy or a dehydrated dog food, if thats the case then all-life-stages is the way to go.

[Case]

There has to be a definitive answer somewhere…I just can’t locate it

[aquariangt]

If you’re switching your med sized dog, 9 mod and up is fine to go to adult.

Tina-I don’t know what you’re talking about, my dogs are always on ALS foods and they have no weight issues. Don’t overfeed and you won’t have that problem. Foods that are for maintenance are too low in protein (usually) for my liking

[aquariangt]

oh, i just read your posts, you feed hills?

nevermind

[Tina]

WHATS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!!!

[Tina]

AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION!!!!! I copied my posts off the Hill’s Site because when I asked that question online, that answer showed up.

[Tina]

My 5 year old dog Ginger has to be on a prescription diet dog food for her weight. No other dog food that I’ve ever tried worked. In fact it just made her problem worst.

[RescueDaneMom]

Aquariangt- LOL! I didn’t catch the first time around. It makes so much sense now.

[Case]

This is a different thread aquariangt, but thanks

[Tina]

I spend over $80 dollars every 2 weeks for this prescription diet AND IT WORKS!!!

My other dogs are on at least 5 different brands each, NONE OF WHICH INCLUDE HILL’S SCIENCE DIET.

[Tina]

My family and I are going through H*** trying to find a “perfect food” for each of them and because of that they all may end up at a vet!!!

[Case]

And the vet will have them all on Science Diet!

[Tina]

When I said “My family and I are going through H*** trying to find a “perfect food” for each of them and because of that they all may end up at a vet” I mean that they all will end up dead. not on another food.

[Case]

So, at the vet for euthanasia?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Case.

[Tina]

Yes, I’m tired of the dog food Bull S***

[Tina]

My family is poor but any food thats not THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOOD OUT THEIR is not good for them or is to cheap or isn’t from a private pet store

[Case]

Tina, have you read the DFA commenting policy?

/commenting-policy/

[Tina]

Okay…so what do you want a cookie?

[Tina]

Besides, I don’t read rules

[InkedMarie]

holy moly, interesting stuff to read. I’m recuperating so I’ll bite: Tina, what is your dog on prescription food for? We may be able to help with a non prescription food. There are some very good dog foods out there that don’t cost and arm & leg but if your family really is poor, maybe you have too many animals.

Edit: I read via email and missed the post about your dog Ginger. There are dog foods out there that are high quality and cost much less than vet weight loss foods. Try Wellness Core reduced fat or Annamaet Lean. Feed less than the bag says. Exercise the dog more. No table scraps if she gets any, stop the treats. Try a baby carrot for a treat if she needs them but not often.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by InkedMarie.

[Tina]

I’m sorry for my posts last night.

I’ma 26 year old married women who lives with her parents because I can’t afford to move out. My mom is anti-natural dog food and doesn’t believe that it can help with any of the dogs problems at all. I had 2 of my dogs die of cancer in the past and all of my dogs have skin issues. My cats are overweight and are very picky.

I’ve gone and researched my butt off from books to the internet and even going to pet stores and reading the labels of each and every dog food out there. When it came to All Life Stages dog food I found lots of research and most of the answers came out to be both good and bad. My mom says to “ask the vet” he has all the answers but my vet is very old fashioned. Working at Petco for 3 years helped as well because you found out about the truth of these dog food companies and pet stores. They sell you anything that is on sale or has a deal with that company. Please help me and tell me the truth of dog food.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Tina.

[Tina]

and I’m not a troll, I’m just confused like the rest of the world. I ask people all the time “hey what do you feed your dog” and they reply with something low quality. I’ve saw a lady with a 21 year old Golden Retriever Mix and she had a beautiful coat. She had her dog on Pedigree her entire life so what am I supposed to think. My neighbor has 3 dogs on Taste of the Wild and they all look skinny, bad coats and just plain awful. He’s had them on that their entire life and he even cooks for them. He goes to the store and buys real fruit and veggies and meat and cooks for them. So I am really confused, why does a low quality dog food give a beautiful look to on dog but a high quality dog food along with real fruit, veggies and meat give an awful appearance to another dog?

[Tina]

I’m sorry for my posts last night.
I’m a 26 year old married women who lives with her parents because I can’t afford to move out. My mom is anti-natural dog food and doesn’t believe that it can help with any of the dogs problems at all. I had 2 of my dogs die of cancer in the past and all of my dogs have skin issues. My cats are overweight, unhealthy and are very picky.
I’ve gone and researched my butt off from books to the internet and even going to pet stores and reading the labels of each and every dog food out there. When it came to All Life Stages dog food I found lots of research and most of the answers came out to be both good and bad. My mom says to “ask the vet” he has all the answers but my vet is very old fashioned and when I asked him he said the “all life stages dog food is bad for dogs and will end up killing dogs and even cats. So I got really scared and after loosing 2 dogs 2 cancer I wanted no part of it and would do my best to get people off All Life Stages dog food. Working at Petco for 3 years helped as well because you found out about the truth of these dog food companies and pet stores. They sell you anything that is on sale or has a deal with that company. While working there I would convince people to change their dogs all life stage dog food for something else and it worked. Please help me and tell me the truth of dog food.

[Tina]

and I’m not a troll, I’m just confused like the rest of the world. I ask people all the time “hey what do you feed your dog” and they reply with something low quality. I’ve saw a lady with a 21 year old Golden Retriever Mix and she had a beautiful coat. She had her dog on Pedigree her entire life so what am I supposed to think. My neighbor has 3 dogs on Taste of the Wild and they all look skinny, bad coats and just plain awful. He’s had them on that their entire life and he even cooks for them. He goes to the store and buys real fruit and veggies and meat and cooks for them. So I am really confused, why does a low quality dog food give a beautiful look to on dog but a high quality dog food along with real fruit, veggies and meat give an awful appearance to another dog? How come with all the information that I’ve read and researched that I’m still confused and nothing is giving me an exact answer?

[Tina]

After working at Petco for 3 years, I thought I knew everything that there is to know about dog food. I could sell the most expencive dog food in the store to a costumer with a very low income. People listened to me and believed everything that I said and the Petco that I worked at was proud of me.

[Author]

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