Adult Maintenance (AAFCO Life Stage)

Adult maintenance is the AAFCO life stage covering healthy adult dogs that are no longer growing and are not pregnant or lactating. The nutrient profile is less demanding than growth: lower minimums for protein, fat, calcium, and several vitamins. Adult maintenance is the right life stage for the typical 1-7 year old healthy dog. Note that there is no AAFCO senior or geriatric life stage. Foods marketed to senior dogs are formulated to adult maintenance standards with brand-specific tweaks for older dogs (lower calorie density, joint support, sometimes lower protein).