At certain points throughout their lives, a dog’s diet may need to be adjusted. When starting a new diet, how do you ease your dog into it? Taking things slowly and following the simple guidance offered here will be helpful. So how to change dog food? Here we will tell you that.
The method used to alter your dog’s dietary routine.
The following is a sample transition schedule to a diet that is more age-appropriate, however the actual time it takes will vary depending on a variety of factors, such as:
If your dog has a history of gastrointestinal issues or if this is the first time their food has been changed, a gradual transition is recommended.
What do you think the differences will be between the old meal and the new cuisine? Are you, for instance, shifting from a wet (or raw) to a dry diet? Will each bag of food have its own flavour, or will they all taste the same? Is this a new product line, a diet designed for certain ages, or one that needs a medical professional’s supervision? The greater the difference between them, the longer the proposed transition period.
It is best to make the switch to a prescription diet or a life stage-appropriate diet modification gradually, over the period of around 14 days.
Days 1 – 3
Serve the dog a little amount of the new food in a separate dish. Depending on the size of your dog, this might be as little as a teaspoonful or a little more. It’s OK if your dog shows little enthusiasm for the new meal at first; they may just need some more time to adjust. It’s best to wait until kids express satisfaction with the new food before increasing their serving amount.
Days 4 – 6
If your dog appears to like the new taste, you may gradually transition him to it by mixing the recommended amount of the new food (as stated on the packaging) with 75 percent of the dog’s old food in the same dish. Separate the components into individual plates if one of the diets requires raw food.
Days 7 – 9
Allow patrons to choose between the previous portion size and the new one recommended by the diet plan.
You should be consuming 75% new meals and 25% old ones after day 10.
Days 14
Take your dog off of the old diet and give him or her the new food exclusively from now on.
Watch your dog’s behaviour while he eats the new food
Expect that it may take a few months and some trial and error to figure out whether or not a new food is good for your dog. When your dog is eating well, you can expect them to have a shiny coat, clear eyes, and pleasant breath (if their gums and teeth are in good shape, of course). No flatulence or loose stools should be present in their system.
Adjusting your dog’s food intake may be necessary to keep their weight within an ideal range or to keep them at a BCS that is consistent with good health.
Conclusion
Members of your veterinary team will also be happy to help you assess how healthy you currently are. Every two to four weeks, you should check your dog’s body condition score (BCS) and modify his food intake as needed until his BCS is back to normal.
