[lexilu]

I am about to get an 8 month old pom who has been on Purina puppy and I dont know how to feed a small dog. I feed Wellness Core to my Golden and Cockapoo. I would like to feed the new pup a better quality food, but I;m not sure about such a small breed. So I have a list of questions.
1. Can I feed grain-free to a "toy" breed pup?
2.Do they need smaller kibble?
3. How long should he stay on puppy food?
4. Does he need vitamin supplements?

He's about 6 lbs. (I have fur balls in my slicker brush from my Golden that are bigger than that!).

[Labsnothers]

I would go ahead with a slow switch to the Wellness. I am a big believer on an early switch for large breeds, and although puppy chow shouldn't hurt a small dog, at 8 months it should have most of its growth and do fine on an adult chow. even if it is high in calcium, it should have the adult ability to excrete the excess. You might give the puppy a couple of weeks to adjust to its new home before starting the switch. Rehomed dogs sometimes won't eat anything.

A grain free still should have the amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. in it that dogs need. I fully agree with those that say dogs don't need grains. I do insist that grains can be a source of carbohydrates they can burn for energy as long as the food has everything else the dog needs.

A smaller kibble should be easier for a small dog to eat. On the other hand, feeding it larger kibble should force it to chew its food exercising its jaws and maybe even helping clean the teeth. There is divided opinion on that.

If your other dogs are getting the vitamins and minerals out of the Wellness they need, it should too. If Wellness doesn't have what dogs need, you need to find another brand.