Transition dog food
If you've found yourself needing to switch your dog's diet from puppy food to
adult dog food then you may be wondering how to transition dog food safely with
minimal digestive upset.
To transition your dog's food, gradually mix the new food in with their current
food over a period of 5-7 days. This helps their digestive system adjust to the
new ingredients and minimizes the risk of an upset stomach.
How to transition
As a general rule of thumb, most dogs can be transitioned to a different diet
using this schedule:
Day 1-2:
Start by introducing just a sprinkle of the new dog food mixed with your dog's
current food, around 10%. If your dog is very small, this may literally be a few
pieces of kibble. You want to start as small as possible while still giving your
dog enough to chew on.
Day 3-4:
If everything goes smoothly, you can increase their portion size. Gradually bump
up the new food to around 35-50% of the mix, decreasing their usual kibble
proportionally. In the meantime, keep watching them for symptoms of digestive
upset.
Day 5-7:
Assuming your dog is adjusting well, it's time to give them more of the new food
than the old. Bump up the portion of new food to 75% of the mix, leaving just
25% of the old kibble.
Day 8 and beyond:
Once you've reached this final stage, your dog should be well-adjusted! It
should be safe enough for you to start feeding only the new kibble. If your
dog's stomach is particularly sensitive, it may take longer than eight days to
change your dog's food. During the transition phase, if your dog experiences any
digestive upset, you might be changing dog foods too fast. Decrease the amount
of new food and wait another couple of days before increasing it again.
Smooth transition
Even the most well-thought-out plan, like the one mentioned above, will likely
require some adjustments. Here are some tips and tricks to assist you in
troubleshooting the transition process:
Schedule is key!
Consistency is your best friend when transitioning your dog's food. Stick to a
regular feeding schedule so that you can better monitor your dog for symptoms
and adjust their kibble mix accordingly.
Stay patient:
While most dogs can transition to a new food within a week, many dogs may need a
few extra days or even have the process spread out over a month! This isn't
necessarily a sign that your dog's digestive health is poor. It just means that
their stomach is a bit more sensitive.
Longer durations:
The more different the new food is, the more likely your dog is to have problems
transitioning. If you're switching to a very different formula, like a fresh dog
food, consider spreading the process out over a longer period of time.
Allow them to use a dog walking service
For those of us who are away regularly, or have nine-to-five jobs, we may have
to enlist a dog walking service to help our pets get enough exercise and human
contact during the daytime. Using dogwalking services London to help get your
dog used to socialising and being around other dogs. This, in turn, will help
them be far more willing to behave when taking them out yourself in social
situations. Searching for dogwalkers London will help you find local dog-sitters
in your area. These places also offer doggy day care, which could be ideal for
dogs that get shy or nervous in the presence of other dogs.
Adopting a shy and nervous dog might seem like an uphill challenge to begin
with. Giving them small tasks and increasing the challenge over time will
eventually show your pup that there's nothing to really worry about. Remember to
always be patient, however, as throwing them in the deep end can be more stress
than it's really worth.