Your puppy is now 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. Now 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, mixing it with the old puppy food in increasing daily amounts. 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 de-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.