Knowing that your large breed dog becomes an adult at 1 year and a mature adult at 5 years is important. Dogs’ needs change as they age. How old do you think your dog is in human years?
Large or giant breed dogs weigh more than 55 pounds as adults and have a more compressed life span. Half of all dogs are considered large breed. Is your dog among them?
Mature adult dogs need food that can maintain and improve their quality of life and decrease the risk of chronic disease. Issues that are more prevalent in older dogs include dental disease, obesity, kidney disease and arthritis.
Knowing the age of your dog is particularly important in large and giant breed dogs because they can be more susceptible than other breeds to developmental bone and joint disease.