When To Switch Puppy To Dog Food
Most puppies need to transition to adult food around 1-year-old, though age and breed may be factors here. Larger breeds may grow up to 18-24 months, so they can stay on a large breed puppy food longer than smaller breeds.
The best way to tell when your dog is ready to transition from puppy food to adult is to monitor their weight. Dogs tend to reach full height and length before reaching their adult weight range, so monitor their weight and muscle development using the dog body conditioning score.
This can help determine if your puppy is ready to switch to adult food. Adult dogs fed puppy food can gain excess weight and maybe consume higher levels of nutrients, like calcium, than they require, which could lead to problems as they age.
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Help My Dog Doesnt Like The New Food
There are many reasons you might decide to switch your dogs food.
Sometimes a change of life stage requires a change of food. Or you may wish to switch from a dry food to a fresh dog food. Or perhaps the dog has a medical condition requiring a special prescription food.
If your dog turns up their nose at the new ration, the following suggestions may help.
- Take it slow: A fussy eater may object not only to a new taste, but also to a new texture or smell. Transition them very slowly so they become accustomed to the different sensory experience of the new food.
- Warm the food up: This can work for wet or canned foods. Warming it gently can make it more appealing and release some of the tempting food smells to stimulate your dogs appetite. For dry food, you may wish to add a little gravy or the water from some boiled fish.
- Give a fresh portion each meal: If the dog refuses the food, reduce the portion size, but offer fresh each meal. Also, pick the food bowl up between meals. This helps them realize that if they dont eat the food, it disappears until the next mealtime.
- Sprinkle a probiotic over the food: Again, FortiFlora is tasty stuff for dogs and will tempt some fussy eaters to tuck in.
- Dont make a fuss: Dont stand and watch, biting your nails, waiting for your pup to eat. Instead, leave the room. To do so removes the potential for your concern to accidentally reward the dog for not eating.
Every Pup Needs Spoiled
One of the ways that we show our love to our dogs, Jeb, Molly, Tink, and Bailey Mae, is with homemade dog treats.
They are incredibly simple to make, and they love these tasty dog treats so much!
I love that I can make a different size bone to accommodate their size .
I make smaller round shapes to use as training treats.
These homemade dog treat recipes are sure to be the most requested homemade dog biscuits request from your favorite furry friend!
As pet owners, we want whats best for our pets.
After all, we considered many things when picking out a pet, and we want to ensure pooch and family are happy!
Treats are a great reward system and can help teach a pet trick, behavior, or just be an offering of love!
Briana shares her dog treats recipe made with just five ingredients.
Its easy to make and her dogs, Loki and Leo, absolutely LOVE them, so do Bailey Mae and Jeb.
This easy recipe makes around 3 dozen dog treats.
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Some Common Possible Side Effects Of Switching Dog Foods
Switching the foods for dog is not that easy. That is what the people often experience. However, commonly the impacts may be varied. Thus, it means the impacts may be different from one dog to another. That is because of some factors including the condition of the dogs physic and even its habit. However, there are some Side-Effects of Switching Dog Food which you may need to be aware of before you start your step to switch the dogs food. Some possible side effects are:
- The appetite decrease
- Some problems of the digestions which may be varied, as like providing excessive gas, diarrhea, upset stomach, and so on.
Those are some common problems which often happen to the dog when they experience the dog food switching. Why it happens? It may be varied, but mostly that is because of the difference of the ingredients in the dog foods. One of the common conditions is when the dog is previous enjoying the meat based foods and then it is switched into the carbohydrate based one. Sure, the intestine will show some problems since good bacteria there has been set into the food which is meat based.
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Why Is My Dog Having Digestive Issues
Your dogs health is influenced by his microbiome . Switching food can cause a temporary destruction to that microbiome, even if youre switching to a food that will be much better for your dog in the long run.
We recommend making the shift to new food slowly, rather than having your dog go off his old food cold turkey. After your dog has had time to adjust, you should begin to see positive changes.
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What Happens If I Change My Dogs Food Too Fast
Switching your dogs food abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Any time you decide to change your dogs food, you should transition to the new diet gradually in order to give your dogs system time to adjust to the change.
Food Sensitivities And Other Adverse Reactions In Dogs
The gradual approach to switching dog food also gives you an opportunity to detect food sensitivities your dog might have. But first, we should make clear the different reactions to food a dog might have.
Related: Sensitive Stomach Dog Food Review.
Adverse reactions to food is a term that covers all the problems and reactions a dog might have to any type of food. When switching dog food, temporary symptoms named above are completely normal. However, if the symptoms persist, your dog might have a food intolerance or food allergies.
In general, food intolerance can have similar symptoms to those that appear when switching dog food too fast:
A food intolerance is different from an allergy in that the symptoms are not caused by an immune reaction. In dogs, food intolerances typically cause tummy troubles they may vomit or have diarrhea, be seriously gassy, or have a poor appetite. – Jennifer Coates, DVM, for PetMD
Therefore, if the symptoms persist, the real cause might be intolerance to some ingredient in the new food.
Food allergies, on the other hand, are more likely to show up on the skin – in the form of itchy and irritated skin, loss of hair, and similar symptoms.
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S For Changing Dog Food
You cannot change your dog’s food overnight. Routine is critical to your pet’s development, and many canines are creatures of habit. Not only does changing their food suddenly disrupt their day, but it can leave them feeling unwell, too.
1. Choose a New Food
Trust matters when changing dog food. Look for ingredients with scientific backing. For example, research shows the benefits of L-carnitine on muscle growth. You dont need to guess whether the ingredients in your dog’s chow will help or harm them when there’s science behind it and youve done a bit of research.
Think about your dog’s specific dietary needs. Canines do well on limited-ingredient foods with little to no filler. Filler can cause animals to get insufficient nutrients and gain weight. In addition to choosing food based on nutrients, think about the taste. While some dogs may eat anything you put in front of them, others have flavor preferences. Most love the taste of meat-flavored foods, like chicken or salmon.
2. Make the Change Gradually
Do not think about changing dog food suddenly. Too abrupt changes in diet can lead to stomach upset, decreased appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Only cut the food off short if your dog has a severe allergic reaction.
3. Monitor Your Dog for Changes
Some common reactions to food include:
- Gastrointestinal upset
When Do I Need To Take My Dog To The Vet
If your pet is vomiting or has diarrhea for more than three days, or has symptoms accompanied by lethargy, you should talk to your vet about the transition.
If your dog suffers from a serious medical condition, such as advanced kidney disease or pancreatitis, they may require a more stringent diet, and Nom Nom may not be the right fit. Remember to consult your veterinarian before changing his diet.
The Nom Nom R& D team is on the lookout for dogs that experience regular diarrhea to participate in their new GI microbiome study. Sound like someone in your house? See if your dog qualifies for this paid research study here.
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Possible Symptoms Of Changing Dog Food Too Quickly
Unlike us humans, dogs are accustomed to eating the same diet for several years, and when you introduce sudden changes to their diet, it can cause a number of issues
Some of the symptoms that can occur when you change out your dogs food cold turkey are
- loss of appetite
If your dog experiences any of these symptoms as you transition his or her food, but sure to contact a vet for guidance
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Problems When Switching Dog Food
No matter how gradually you switch your dogs food over, sometimes they still get stomach upset. The most common problem when switching food is loose stool, and sometimes diarrhea.
Hardening your dogs stool back up is pretty easy there are two things you can do and one or the other may work better for your dog.
- Cook up some plain rice, , and even brown up some plain hamburger and mix the two together. Give this mixture with a little kibble mixed in with it for a day or two until your dogs stool starts to harden back up, then gradually over a couple of meals feed more kibble than rice and hamburger mixture.
- Another option for stool hardening is adding some canned pumpkin to your dogs food. Its the same principal as the rice & hamburger mixture. Just add a generous amount to each meal and as your dogs stool starts to harden, back the pumpkin off over a few meals.
Some thoughts to ponder. . . .
Hopefully your food transition goes smoothly, and hopefully youre switching dog food because you want your best friend to be eating high quality food. High price does not necessarily mean high quality by the way.
One the most important things to remember is that not all foods work for all dogs even quality foods. If your dogs food is not agreeing with his stomach, then you should consider a switch.
A couple of ingredients that dogs can be sensitive to are grains and protein content. For dogs with highly sensitive stomachs, lamb is usually the best protein source.
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Do Dogs Poop More When Changing Food
A pet parent may notice a change in their dogs poop consistency after transitioning to fresh food for the first few days. Many people may experience firmer stools, diarrhea, or need to go more frequently, which is another symptom of an probiotic-over adjusting microbiome.
There are several reasons why your dog may be pooping after eating a new brand of dog food. You should poop more if you notice that your dog isnt getting the same food. The first few days are critical in determining whether you will notice a negative effect on his poop if you change from a regular meal to a more healthy homemade food. You may be able to provide your dog with more fiber with the new food. Fibers help the body digest more water and bulk up the stool. Fiber is beneficial, so you dont have to be concerned. You should be fine as long as your dog is getting enough nutrients and water.
If your dogs stool is hard and dry, you may want to switch to a different type of food. You can serve your dog chicken and rice because its bland and wont upset his digestive system.
Is Your Dog’s Food Healthy
Many pet parents do not know how healthy their dog food is. Owners may just purchase the same foods repeatedly at the supermarket and do not question the nutrient content or how healthy the food is for their specific animal.
You dont have to feed your pet fresh or raw food but healthy dog food does not contain fillers, is safe to eat and is produced under sanitary conditions.
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Choosing The Right Diet For Your Dog
Nutrition is arguably the most important component in maintaining your dogs health. The health and optimal function of almost all organs in the body will ultimately depend on the diet your dog is eating, from puppyhood until they are adults. Its therefore very important to choose the best and appropriate diet for your dog.
There is no one perfect diet for a dog. Their nutritional needs change as they go through different changes in their lives. Nutritional requirements are also dependent on the type and breed of the dog and the environment theyre in. Components in a dogs diet such as protein and fat content should be carefully considered in choosing a diet for your dog, as these can greatly affect the dogs health in the long run.
The requirements for these nutrients will change as the animal gets older. As such, there will be instances where youll need to change from one type of diet to another. However, changing a dogs diet is not as simple as it seems. If not done correctly, a dog may develop adverse food reactions that lead to gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhea.
How Do You Reset A Dogs Stomach
Your pets sensitive digestive system can be easily upset when you switch foods too quickly. Fortunately, there are ways to reset your dogs digestion and make him happy again. The first step is to stop feeding him the new food for 12-24 hours. While your dog should not be hungry, give him plenty of fresh water and keep his meals consistent. If the diarrhea continues, consult your vet to rule out any underlying medical condition and recommend a new diet.
The next step is to slowly introduce the new food to your dog. This means offering small portions every 6-8 hours until your dog has adjusted to the new food. Its important to remember not to fuss over feeding your dog or you could accidentally reward it. If your dogs behavior persists after three to four days, consult a veterinarian. Its important not to force the issue.
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What Happens If You Dont Slowly Change Dog Food
To avoid causing your pet an allergic reaction, make sure you slow-change your dogs diet. Do not switch to a new food quickly. If your dog reacts badly to the new food, switch back to the old food and start over. It might be that new food contains ingredients that your pet is allergic to or intolerable to. If this happens, you should consult with your vet.
When your dog is trying a new food, you should monitor the feces for any sign of trouble. It should be normal, but if the feces are runny, it could be a sign of dehydration or diarrhea. Slowly changing your dogs diet should prevent most stomach upsets. If you cant keep your dog from re-entering the old food, try FortiFlora instead.
There are many reasons to change your dogs diet. Your dog might have grown into an adult and require a lower-calorie food. Or, it could have certain allergies or health conditions that require a change. Either way, giving your pet no time to adjust will cause a wide range of problems. If youre not sure what to do, consult your veterinarian to see if this diet change is right for your dog.
Something In The Air Tonight
And then there are farts.
Theyre never going to smell great. We accept that. But farts that make you throw your head in the opposite direction as you fumble to pull your T-shirt over your nose as a makeshift gas mask are the sign of a problem.
Changing dog food too quickly upsets their stomachs and causes those silent but deadlies. But it can also cause excessive gas too.
Vomiting is another common side effect of changing diet too quickly. Their little stomachs cant handle such a change. They need time to adjust. This can then affect how much they eat. Your pooch may go on a hunger strike or eat less than they should. This is because the rapid change is making them feel sick. Fair play if our food made us feel sick, wed probably go on a hunger strike too.
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How To Transition Your Dog To Raw Food
Changing your dogs food can be even tougher when you change between different diet formats, and switching your dog to raw food can be one of the toughest. This is because mixing raw and cooked foods can lead to digestive issues, meaning the typical 7-day transition is likely not the best idea.
When it comes to raw diets, the cold turkey method might actually be one of the better options. This can be done by fasting your dog for 12 hours and switching them to a complete and balanced raw diet. Digestive aids, like goats milk or pumpkin, can be a useful tool to support this quick transition.
For sensitive dogs and dogs with a history of digestive issues, dipping your toes in the water, so to speak, is possible. You can start the process by feeding your dog small treat-sized pieces of his new raw diet, separate from meals.
Over the course of a few days, this can help your dog adjust to digesting raw meat. Then you can fast your dog for 12 hours and switch to the raw diet.
Even though a slower transition to a raw dog food diet is an option, its not always the best way. Sometimes a slow transition to a raw diet just prolongs the digestive issues. Ripping off the band-aid may be the easiest solution.