Heres How To Change Your Dogs Food Quickly
We often hear that you should not change a dogs food too quickly as it could cause their stomach upset and temporary diarrhoea. But sometimes due to extenuating circumstances you cant change it as gradually as you may wish.
People change dog food for many reasons. Often when you first bring your puppy home you will want to change the dog food they were being given before to a brand that suits you.
Other reasons include switching to a cheaper brand, you might want to include more nutrients into your dogs diet, you also might be trying to encourage a fussy dog to eat more by mixing up their diet or your regular dog food might have gotten discontinued.
Whatever your reasons, were here to provide some help and advice on how to change dog food quickly!
How To Implement Rotational Feeding
Since the process of changing your dogs diet should been done over the course of a week, you dont have to necessarily change his food on daily or weekly basis . I recommend doing it every month to three months, or plan it around the time you usually replenish your dog food supplies. During the transitional period, youll feed your dog increasing amounts of the new food, and decreased amounts of the old food, until you have completely switched to the new food. Take note of the serving sizes and calorie countdifferent brands and formulas suggest variants on how much of the food you should be serving at each meal.
Rotational feeding is an optimal time to try out a new brand or dog food type. For example, if you usually give your dog dry kibble, you can slowly rotate a homemade recipe or dehydrated formula in the mix. Im a fervent believer in rotational feeding and my dog, Oscar, enjoys the change of menu. I usually change it up when I notice the lack of excitement around meal times. Ive changed him from dry kibble, to homemade, to Honest Kitchens dehydrated food .
I love to see him eating with gusto which is sorely lacking with a dry kibble menu. A rotational feeding plan allows me to try to foods to see which ones keep him active, healthy and licking his lips.
Switching Dog Food: Should You Do It
There are a few situations in a dogs life that may justify a food change.
These include:
- A transition from puppy food to dog food
- A transition from dog food to a senior dog food
- A transition from kibble to a canned version
- A transition to a veterinary-recommended prescription diet
Many pet owners will switch from a puppy-specific formula to an adult dog food formula as their puppies grow up. A food change may also be recommended when dogs enter the senior phase of their lives as nutrient and calorie needs change.
If your dog was born with a medical condition, or develops one during their life, a change in diet prescribed to address the condition may help your pet to feel better and even live longer. For instance, if your dog has digestive problems, your veterinarian may recommend switching to a dog food for sensitive stomachs.
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Why Do Dogs Lick You
Affection: Theres a pretty good chance that your dog is licking you because it loves you! Its why many people call them kisses. Dogs show affection by licking people and sometimes even other dogs. Licking is a natural action for dogs. They learned it from the grooming and affection given to them as.
Switching Bowls: How To Change Dog Food
The nutritional needs of dogs change as they go through the stages of life just like humans. Remember in your late teens and early 20s how you could down a large cheeselovers pizza in one sitting and not put on a pound. Now, well, its a different story, huh? Diet and nutrition are very important and ensure dogs live long and happy lives. For example, puppy formulas are high in protein and carbs, which are great for a growing dog. But a high-protein diet can be detrimental for older dogs.
Whether youre happy with your current dog food or are looking to make a change, here are a few factors to keep in mind.
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Adverse Food Reactions In Dogs
An adverse food reaction is a blanket term used to describe a number of different food-related illnesses in dogs such as food allergies, food intolerance, and other gastrointestinal diseases. Many people will describe their dogs as having food allergies but this is not always accurate. True allergies involve a very specific response from the dogs immune system and this is not definitively diagnosed in many cases. Thus, it is more accurate to refer to these events as adverse food reactions.
Adverse food reactions can present with gastrointestinal symptoms, cutaneous symptoms, or a combination of the two. Gastrointestinal signs of an adverse food reaction include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and changes in appetite. Cutaneous symptoms include a wide range of signs such as itching, skin inflammation, hair loss, and many different types of rashes. There are many other illnesses that can cause similar symptoms, so it is important to have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian if these symptoms occur.
Food Intolerances And Allergies
It is actually not variety but subjecting your dog to the same food all the time that causes food allergies. Your dog gets sensitized to the ingredients in the formula, and his body develops a reaction. Senior dogs that have eaten the same food all their lives are seriously prone to allergic reactions.
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What To Do When You Need To Switch Your Dogs Diet
If you are uncomfortable or unable to locate dog food that is safe in the same variety, you may want to cook a meal for your pet to substitute as your regular dog diet until you can. At this time, you simply may just have to switch varieties or brands of dog food.
As mentioned before, a sudden switch in your dogs diet is not typically recommended. But in the interest of your dogs health, it may be necessary. Should this be the case, try to locate another type of dog food that is similar to your dogs diet in quality. This will help to reduce any digestive issues.
Your vet will best be able to advise you, but expect some digestive trouble such as gas or diarrhea during a sudden diet change. Of course, you will want to keep an eye on this situation, but it is not necessarily a sign of poor quality food. Your dogs digestive tract is not used to significant changes, so it will take a period of time to adjust to the new diet.
A sudden switch or cease of your dogs diet is not typically recommended as the way to go. But in some instances, it is for the best. Always talk to your vet about any change to your dogs diet and follow the advice. Your dogs safety is the utmost concern.
Switching To Raw Dog Food
Changing your dogs diet to raw dog food shouldnt be difficult, so we wrote this guide to make it as easy as possible for you.
Most dogs transition to raw dog food very easily. Whether you are switching from kibble, wet food or cooked food, you should see a clean plate within seconds.
A straight swap
99% of dogs switch seamlessly to Bella & Duke, so we suggest keeping things simple with a straight swap. Just finish off your dogs old food and start serving up raw meals.
A gradual transition
It all depends on your dogs current state of health. If you want to make the change more slowly, you can use a phased approach, working your way up from ¼ raw to an all-raw meal over four days.
If your dog is particularly apprehensive about the new food, or is an anxious dog in general, then gradual transition may be more suited for them. It will give them the time to get used to the new flavours and textures while still eating something that feels familiar.
A final piece of advice when switching up your dogs diet is to always consult a fully trained and certified dog nutritionist. They will provide you with in-depth information relevant to your situation and your dog.
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How To Change Dog Food
This article was co-authored by Beatrice Tavakoli. Beatrice Tavakoli is a Professional Dog Trainer and the Founder/Owner of TAKA Dog Walk in New Jersey. A lifetime dog lover and enthusiast, Beatrice is committed to providing animals with hands-on service dedicated to daily love, adventure, and socialization. As insured and bonded dog walkers, Beatrice, and her staff provide a multitude of services including doggie social hour, day hikes, training, puppy care, canine special events, in-home pet care, boarding, cat care, and customized dog walks. This article has been viewed 25,415 times.
It might appear very simple to change a dogs food. Buy a bag of dog food and offer servings to your dog. In reality, if you dont want a sick or unhealthy dog on your hands you will need to make a gradual change and be cautious when you do. Use some wise decisions when you change your dogs food and your dog won’t experience any negative effects.
How Long Can You Leave Wet Dog Food Out: Quick Tips Keep Wet Dog Food Fresh
From medieval times, the relationship between dogs and humans has been so strong enough in several ways. Both have sympathetic feelings towards each other. Predominantly, in some developed countries dogs are recognized as a family member and they are getting proper attention like a human. The feeding plans are so illustrious for dogs and personal veterinary doctors scheduling their food charts, so as to, enhance their physical and mental stability as well as the food safety that describes food is contaminated with lots of ingredients and protein and free from any kind of bacterias and insects. In the United States of America, the dog food markets are rising their levels every year and making billions of dollars through these food products. The big concern among people is that how many hours a dogs food could be placed outside without getting lid, and to store the dog food into the plastic cans would be a safer option or not alongside, what are the ways that help to dog food fresh and preserved.
Nowadays, there is an enormous number of dog food available on the market. The pet parents can feed their dogs with various food categories such as an amalgamated of beef, lamb, chicken, and nutritious vegetables and grains that plays a beneficial role in the dogs life and for health too. dry food has numerous and paramount benefits for the dogs, however, wet food is also a good option for them.
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When Switching Dog Food Is Not Recommended
There are situations where changing a dogs diet is not recommended. One such situation is switching a dogs food to prevent food allergies. Currently, there is no evidence to support this concept.
Since food allergies develop because of a dogs genes, and not because of the number of foods they have been exposed to, it is best to keep your dog on the one food they do well on and manage any allergies if/when they become prevalent in your dogs life.
The Proof Is In The Poop
The best way to monitor your dogs digestive health is to pay attention to the quality of the stool. While minor variations in stool color and consistency are normal, any major changes can indicate a problem that needs to be addressed. A great way to evaluate your dogs stool is to use a Fecal Scoring Chart. An ideal fecal score is 34. Lower numbers may indicate dehydration or constipation, while higher numbers are indicative of gastrointestinal upset, which can be due to a variety of factors. If your dogs stool is consistently outside of the normal range, it is recommended that you consult your veterinarian regarding your dogs digestive health.
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Signs That You Need To Change Your Dogs Food
If your dog is eating a good quality, nutritious diet, then he is more likely to feel great and look healthy on the outside too. There are some obvious signs that your dog might show that can be linked to a poor diet. If your dog is showing any of these signs, it may be time to change your dogs food!
Here are six common signs that your dog needs a new diet
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How Long Does It Take For Dogs To Adjust To A New Food
Each dog is different and so is its ability to adjust to a new diet. In general, canines will take around a week to transition to a new food product.
However, those with sensitive digestion and picky appetite may need more time to adjust. This involves replacing their meals with the new food product little by little.
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A Guide To Changing Your Dogs Food: How To Transition To Wet Or Dry Foods
10/30/2020
When it comes to our pups, we want to make them happy just like they do for us, but sometimes health or other restrictions get in the way. When these situations occur, it usually means a change in food. No matter the reason for this change, here are a few ways to make the shift easier on you and dog.
Is It Safe To Mix Two Dog Food Brands
Mixing dog food brands like Canidae or Orijen are common practice by many pet owners. If done right, it can be beneficial for the canine.
Most of the time, dog owners mix food products to encourage their rescue pets to eat. Aside from flavor, mixing food brands also add variety to the dogs nutrition.
However, mixing two different food brands can be a tricky task. Each brand has its own formulation, which is based on the dogs age, health status, and other needs.
While most pet food brands adhere to regulatory guidelines like those from AAFCO, their formulations vary widely. Each brand uses different ingredients, methods of preparation, and overall nutritional profile.
Each dog food brand designs its products based on its own matrix system. Pet food manufacturers have their own understanding of pet nutrition, which makes it difficult to balance when mixing two brands.
With this, the biggest problem with mixing two dog food brands is the risk of having deficiencies or excesses on your pets diet.
Aside from that, you risk disrupting your dogs digestion, which can lead to diarrhea and vomiting.
Mixing two dog food brands is riskier for growing puppies. Its easy to tip the balance of your pups diet if you haphazardly mix food products that dont go well.
Nevertheless, it doesnt mean that mixing food brands are totally evil. You can still do so after a consultation with your dogs veterinarian.
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How Do I Choose A New Dog Food
We recommend that you read food labels to make sure your dog is getting the appropriate ingredients and nutrition levels for whatever his unique health needs are. And if you want some ideas on the various types of foods available, check out these dog food delivery options, which include both kibble and fresh foods. The human-grade fresh food options even make it easy to customize your dogs diet based on age, weight and health issues and you can have these delivered right to your door. We also have a guide to vegan dog food.
What problems have you run into when switching dog food?
Changing Your Pet Food: Why And How
Thursday, November 3, 2016 | HealthNutrition
There are many reasons to consider switching pet food flavors, types or brands. But how do you go about changing your pet food, and how do you know its really time?
Your pet may eagerly devour a new type of pet food. But your pets digestive tract may not be as enthusiastic: Vomiting, diarrhea and gas are just a few of the potential consequences to a sudden food switch. Thats why food transitions should be made gradually, over the course of a week or more, to give your pets digestive tract a chance to adjust.
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When Should One Switch Dog Foods
- Puppies become adults at 12 months of age and should transition to an adult dog food to ensure they are receiving proper nutrient levels for adult dogs.
- Large breed puppies should switch to a large breed adult dog food to ensure that their unique needs are met.
- Pregnant or nursing dogs need energy-dense foods with increased calcium content, so be sure to transition them during this particular time to puppy food. However, during pregnancy or nursing, large breed dogs should be switched to regular puppy food, not a large breed puppy food.
- Anytime you plan to switch from kibble to a raw or freeze-dried diet. Adding canned food to kibble is an effortless transition, but if youre making a switch to a raw diet, youll want to take it slower.
Long Dog Food Transition Timeline
| Week 1 | |
| 25% current food + 75% new food | |
| Week 4+ | 100% new food |
The percentages in the timelines above refer to the quantity of food fed. For example, if before the transition you were feeding 2 cups of the current food, then day 1 of the transition you would feed 75% of the current food which is 1½ cup. This leaves ½ cups of the new food to fill the bowl.
Regardless of which diet transition schedule is used, it is generally recommended to give your dog a pet-specific probiotic during the transition to help your dogs stomach break down and digest the new ingredients in a healthy way. Consult your veterinarian to find the best probiotic that is recommended for your dog.
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