Transitioning your dog to a new food should be done gradually to avoid digestive upset. Sudden changes in diet can lead to stomach upset, diarrhoea, and other gastrointestinal issues. Here’s a general guideline on how to transition your dogs’ food:
1. Choose New Food
Select a high-quality dog food that meets your dogs’ nutritional needs. If you are looking at dry foods, you should try to find one that fits in the ‘80/20’ bracket, or the best you can find within your budget. This means that a minimum of 80% of the content is made up of animal ingredient. These dry foods are the closest to matching the quality of a dogs’ natural diet.
2. Start Slow:
Begin by mixing a small amount of the new food with the current food. Start with a ratio of about 80% old food to 20% new food. This method is the same if you are switching from raw or wet to dry food. You may hear some stories about how you should not mix these foods because of varied digestion rates. This information is flawed when you consider that a proper raw diet or natural diet is made up of various products such as lean meat, offal and bone – all which digest at different rates. Continue with this 80/20 ratio for the first few days as an introductory period to ensure there is no immediate reaction to the change in diet.
3. Gradual Increase:
There is no set time period as to how long your transition should take. This should come down to how well your dog is adjusting to the new food. If you are transitioning from a poor-quality food, to a premium quality, nutrient dense food, you should aim to transition as slowly as possible. Gradually increase the new food while decreasing the old food. For example:
Days 1-4: 80% old food, 20% new food
Days 5-7: 60% old food, 40% new food
Days 8-10: 40% old food, 60% new food
Day 11-12: 20% old food, 80% new food
Day 14: 100% new food
4. Observe and Adjust:
Pay attention to your dogs’ overall health and any changes in their digestion. If your dog experiences digestive issues, consider slowing down the transition, maintaining a certain ratio for a longer period or adjusting the overall feeding quantities. Symptoms of a sensitive stomach could be loose stools, vomiting or behavioural indicators such as eating faeces or grass. The most common observation when transitioning to a high-quality food is loose stools, as this is often caused by overfeeding. If you know you are changing to a more premium food you should contact the manufacturer to see what quantity they recommend feeding; as feeding guidelines can often be misleading especially when every dog has different nutritional needs based on their lifestyle.
5. Hydration:
Ensure that your dog stays well-hydrated during the transition. This is especially the case when transitioning from raw or wet food to dry food, due to their lower intake of water/moisture. Always make sure fresh water is available and accessible for your dog at all times.
6. Special Considerations:
Some dogs may have specific dietary needs or health conditions that require a more tailored approach to transitioning. Consult with the manufacturer of your new food if you have concerns or if your dog has special dietary requirements.
Remember that individual dogs may react differently to dietary changes and the transition period may need to be adjusted, based on your dogs’ response. You are always welcome to contact us at Bentley’s for unbiased nutritional advice, we will be honest if we feel our food would not be suitable for you and your dog. Our philosophy is simply to see more dogs on a healthier diet.
