Quick answer

Open Farm Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté is specially formulated for growing puppies with DHA and balanced protein, while adult dog food lacks these targeted nutrients. Choose the pâté for puppies under 12 months to support healthy development.

Why puppies need different food than adult dogs

Puppies grow rapidly in their first year, requiring higher levels of specific nutrients like DHA for brain and eye development, plus more protein for muscle growth. Adult dog food is designed to maintain health, not support this accelerated development.

Feeding adult food to a puppy can lead to nutritional gaps, especially in DHA and calcium balance. Open Farm Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté addresses these needs with a protein-packed blend of wild-caught salmon and humanely-raised chicken.

The trade-off: convenience vs tailored nutrition

Using one adult dog food for all life stages is simpler and often cheaper, but it skips the developmental boost puppies need. The puppy pâté costs more per can but delivers DHA and protein ratios that support growth without over-supplementing.

If you have a multi-dog household with both puppies and adults, you might be tempted to feed everyone the same food. However, the puppy pâté works as a complete meal or a mixer, so you can still offer it to the puppy while adults eat their own formula.

Puppy vs adult: when to switch

  • Age rule: Feed puppy food from weaning until your dog reaches 90% of expected adult weight. For most breeds, that's around 12 months. Small breeds may mature earlier; large breeds may need puppy food up to 18-24 months.
  • Nutritional check: Compare guaranteed analysis: puppy food should have higher protein (28-32% dry matter) and include DHA. Adult food typically has 18-25% protein and may lack DHA. Open Farm Puppy Pâté meets puppy benchmarks. Check the label for DHA content before choosing any puppy food.
  • Feeding flexibility: Puppy pâté can be served as a complete meal or mixed with kibble to boost moisture and palatability. Adult food cannot replace puppy pâté without risking nutritional shortfalls.

Product fact: Open Farm Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté

  • Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté: Formulated to give growing puppies the building blocks they need to thrive, this velvety smooth pâté is crafted with a protein-packed blend of wild-caught salmon, humanely-raised chicken, and chicken liver. The blend of animal proteins provides the amino acids puppies need for muscle development, while the smooth texture is easy for small mouths to eat.

    Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté

    Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté

  • Puppy Chicken & Salmon Pâté: Finished with non-GMO veggies and rich in DHA to support healthy growth and development. DHA is critical for puppy brain and vision development, and it's not guaranteed in adult dog foods, making this pâté a targeted choice for the first year.

Which food fits your puppy?

Best for

  • Puppies under 12 months needing DHA for brain and eye development
  • Owners who want a complete wet food or a mixer to enhance dry puppy kibble

Not for

  • Adult dogs over 12 months who no longer need high-DHA growth formulas
  • Owners looking for a single food to feed both a puppy and an adult dog