How to transfer the dog to another dry food

Changing your dog’s dry food can be a difficult undertaking. Whether you’re trying a new brand for cosmetic or health-related reasons, you must proceed with caution to prevent upset stomach syndrome in pets. To ensure the happiness and well-being of your pet, a gradual transition is essential.

The first step is to select a premium food that is tailored to your dog’s individual requirements. Read the labels carefully, and if you have any questions concerning the ingredients or special dietary needs, speak with your veterinarian. You can help make sure your dog receives the nutrition they require by making an informed decision.

Once you’re eating the new food, ease yourself into the change. It will take several days for your dog to get used to the new food if you mix it with the old one in increasing amounts. By taking it gradually, you and your pet can make the transition more seamless and reduce the possibility of digestive problems.

Throughout the procedure, keep an eye on your dog’s health and behavior. Keep an eye out for symptoms of allergies or upset stomach, and don’t be afraid to contact your veterinarian if something doesn’t seem right. Your dog will quickly become accustomed to their new dry food with some patience and care.

Why transfer the dog to another food

A veterinarian or a self-reliant, conscientious dog breeder can decide when to alter the diet.

• Suspicions of allergies, which can be testified by constant scratching, skin problems;
• Excess or weight deficiency (subject to the optimal size of portions and normal motor activity);
• loss of shine of wool, its slight loss;
• lethargy, lack of interest in games, long walks;
• diarrhea and vomiting, constantly or with regular frequency occurring shortly after feeding;
• Features of physiology: age, illness.

If you are unsure of your dietetics skills, consult a veterinarian to develop a menu.

When transitioning your dog to dry food, it’s best to follow the directions exactly and seek veterinary supervision when creating a feeding schedule. The veterinarian can determine the causes of your pet’s illness. Depending on the health and issue of the pet, he will suggest the best kind of food, which may be dry, canned, or natural.

Transferring a dog from one type of food to another

The days of saying that natural food is better than dry food are long gone. Naturally, nothing can take the place of a sugar bone or a piece of beef tenderloin. However, nobody has called them off. Even with dry feeding, a good owner gives his pet a holiday once in a while, treating him to some fresh meat or a tasty bone.

Making the switch to dry food does not mean giving up on other products entirely.

• gradualness, which should last from one to two weeks;
• persistence, if the animal categorically refuses unfamiliar food;
• the most important thing in how to accustom your pet to dry food is to make the right choice of a new product: this can be provided by a veterinarian"s recommendation or an independent painstaking study of all the features of different brands of "dry" and canned food, calculation of nutritional value and vitamin-mineral composition with natural nutrition.

Food changes should be made gradually rather than all at once.

Transferring an animal from one dry food to another is the most frequent scenario. This process should be "stretched" out over a minimum of one week. The table below illustrates a dietary modification plan that is reasonably simple for the owner and kind for a four-legged friend.

Table 1: A dog’s feeding schedule when switching meals

Period/days	Old food	New food
1st and 2nd	75%	25%
3rd and 4th	50%	50%
5th and 6th	25%	75%
7th and subsequent	0%	100%

The daily amount of old and new "drying" needs to be measured out, thoroughly mixed, and divided into two portions for feeding in the morning and evening. Daily completion of this is required. Additionally, you can safely switch to a different brand as of the seventh.

The dog won’t be prepared to finally switch to the old diet until after a week.

After the food has been added to the diet for no less than 1.5 to 2 months, you can determine that the dog is ready for it. It indicates that the new food is absorbed by the body and does not harm it if there is no negative reaction to it during this period.

Video – Transferring a dog to a new dry food

What food to switch a dog to

• will the budget withstand the regular purchase of industrial food or can you save money by daily offering the dog food cooked from inexpensive offal and trimmings;
• do the owners have enough time to regularly buy food, and then cook dog soup or porridge;
• how the dog"s body reacts to different types of food: if something is categorically unsuitable, causing negative reactions, you will have to refuse this food.

The health of the pet and the owner’s financial situation determine the best feeding schedule.

By the way, when a puppy grows into an adult and needs adjustments to its diet in terms of both quantity and quality, these same considerations should be made when selecting food for the dog.

Every food type has advantages and disadvantages.

Dry food

Incredibly practical to use. It has every nutrient, vitamin, and microelement that is required. You can select a brand meant for well-maintained dogs of various ages and breeds. There are specific product brands available for pets with medical issues.

It is not advised to limit your selection of dry food to inexpensive options.

It keeps well even in an unpacked paper bag, so you can store it at room temperature without worrying about needing special containers because of its long shelf life. This allows you to purchase in bulk or in bags.

This is a waste-free product; any food that remains in the bowl after eating will not spoil and can be safely served at the following meal. A pricey drawback is something to consider. The quality of food increases with price. Not every dog owner has access to high-end products. If this is the first time you are introducing dry food to your pet, you can read our portal’s suggestions and guidance on the subject.

High-quality food can provide the body of the pet with all the nutrients it needs.

Canned food

Offered in jars or portioned bags. Ideal for feeding dwarf breeds with four legs when the dog can handle the contents of the bag or a tiny jar in a single meal. This product is well-balanced and considers the requirements of the breed.

Because the large cans weigh a considerable amount, this type of food is not very practical for feeding medium and large breed dogs. You must find a transportation solution when buying a solid batch.

The primary drawback of canned food is its overpowering, distinctive odor.

You must take action to preserve any leftovers if the dog hasn’t consumed all of them. Tightly seal the can and store it somewhere cold to prevent spoilage. When feeding the pet in the kitchen of a small apartment, family members may become irritated by the strong odor of food from large cans.

Natural food

These typically consist of thick soups or meaty porridges that are simmered for a day or two in a big saucepan. Confidence in the product’s freshness, safety, and the advantages of the ingredients it contains are among its benefits.

Natural food should consider the physical attributes of the dog in order to prevent problems.

Keep in mind that preparing natural products requires a lot of time. Furthermore, even the most well-mannered medium- and large-sized dogs tend to splatter food when they eat it. Consequently, if feeding occurs at home, the area the pet just ate needs to be wet cleaned after each feeding.

Never forget that the feeding plan needs to be carefully considered in relation to the food’s chemical composition. You must research your pet’s requirements based on its breed and age in order to accomplish this.

How to transfer a puppy to dry food

It is only acceptable to fully transition to "dry" after the permanent teeth have replaced the milk teeth. This occurs in puppies between four and six months of age. Once a few teeth have erupt, you can begin introducing small amounts of dry food that has been thoroughly soaked in water. After that, the water content can be lowered to just "dry" until the teeth have changed entirely.

When puppies have grown all of their permanent teeth, they will be able to chew dry food.

Clean water must always be available for dry feeding. The granules the puppy ate won’t pass through its digestive system and will cause discomfort until it drinks.

The mass of dry food consumed and the body’s requirements determine how much water is consumed. The owner can trust his puppy’s instincts and let him drink as much as he pleases as long as there is always water in the bowl.

The degree to which the owner selects the brand correctly will determine the puppy’s growth and overall health. Producers create four categories of "drying":

1. Holistics. These are natural high-quality products, among which meat predominates. Being crushed, they are dried and formed into granules. Finished granules contain the optimal percentage of vitamins and all the necessary microelements;

Holistic dog chow

Extremely high-quality dog food

High-quality dog chow

Cheap dog food

• with a sensitive digestive system;
• with a special type of coat;
• with high/low motor activity;
• recommended for individual breeds.

Individual breed-specific food lines begin in the premium segment.

Tips for buying dry food

• purchases should be made only in reliable stores where there are conditions for long-term storage;
• it is better to refuse cheap brands;
• when buying loose products, there is a risk of purchasing a product with an expired shelf life, so it is better to buy food in unpacked form;

Dogs are not drawn to loose food because it frequently evaporates in the store.

Table 2: How often to feed puppies

Age of the puppy	Number of meals per day
From 4 to 6 months	4 times
From 6 to 12 months	3 times

Sudden transitions from one food to another

A cruel joke can be played on the owner and his four-legged companion by jumping between foods. Forums abound with depressing tales of the agonizing outcomes that pets of owners who persistently experiment while disobeying veterinary advice had to endure.

The dog’s digestive system may become severely damaged by abrupt dietary changes.

Eating the same food for a while causes the pancreas to "tune" itself to produce a particular kind of enzyme. A sudden and drastic change in diet, involving previously unavailable ingredients, can be extremely damaging to this delicate organ and the overall health of the pet.

Older dogs (adult and older) who have been fed the same brand and type of food for a long time need special attention. They require more cautious switching to a new diet, and the owners must keep an eye on how they are responding to the new food.

It is typically difficult for mature and older dogs to switch their diet.

1. Redness and itching of the ears;
2. Regular loose stools;
3. Allergic reactions, which at best begin to manifest themselves immediately, at worst – allergens accumulate in the body and literally fall upon the poor animal after 1-2 months in the form of a painful rash. A rash consisting of blisters with wet contents covers the entire body, including the paw pads. The blisters burst, then dry up, the skin in their places becomes covered with a scab, which falls off along with the fur.

The red areas on the dog’s body represent the areas where an allergic rash is present.

It is necessary to seek expert advice in these circumstances.

The dog"s reaction to new food

• how the new product is absorbed by the body;
• whether it causes unwanted reactions;
• did the pet like the taste.

The first two guidelines are crucial, and dog owners typically abide by them. However, the owners’ perspectives differ from the third’s. The owners frequently exhibit unwavering persistence in getting the dog to "love" the new food.

Pay attention to your dog’s needs if you notice that it is hesitant to eat the new food.

1. When the diet changes for the better, for example, from cheap dry or canned food to expensive. The dog may not be particularly enthusiastic about the unusual contents of the bowl. There are explanations for this: cheap foods often contain strong artificial flavors and flavor enhancers. While the natural components of expensive food are less pronounced. In such a situation, you should show firmness of character and the goal will be achieved;
2. When a change of food is recommended by a veterinarian and is intended to improve the health of the pet. In this case, the owner"s persistence will be directed exclusively for the benefit of the animal.

The lack of flavors in new food is frequently linked to reluctance to adapt to it.

However, not all pet owners are able to ignore their whims and occasionally give in to their dog’s requests when it is obvious that the dog preferred the previous food. This group of proprietors only needs to peruse the advice of experts regarding the appropriate transition from one food to another. Also, the issue will be resolved.

• excellent health;
• great appearance – shiny coat, clean ears and eyes;
• willingness to play, walk, follow the owner"s commands;
• if the norm is observed, the weight is maintained stably.

A pet that is content with its diet is less likely to get sick or have vitamin deficiencies.

The pet’s body may malfunction if the instructions for switching to a different diet are not followed; this is typically brought on by a vitamin deficiency. The way the dog behaves can help you determine whether it is lacking a certain substance. Further information regarding the connection between the animal’s health and deficiency in vitamins is provided below.

Indices that a dog is deficient in vitamins

Step	Description
1	Choose a new dry food gradually.
2	Mix the new food with the old food.
3	Start with a small amount of new food.
4	Gradually increase the new food over a week.
5	Monitor your dog"s reaction and adjust as needed.
6	Consult your vet if any issues arise.

If done carefully, switching your dog to a new dry food can be a simple process. For the first week or two, start by combining the new food with the existing one, then progressively increase the amount of the new food. This aids in your dog’s adjustment to the new flavor and texture without aggravating their digestive system.

During the shift, pay attention to your dog’s reaction. Keep an eye out for any symptoms of discomfort, such as altered appetite or stool consistency. Slow down the transition process if you observe any problems so that your dog’s system has more time to adjust.

Once your dog is eating the new food with comfort, keep an eye on their general well-being and level of energy. In addition to promoting physical health, a balanced diet will improve their behavior and mood. Your dog will soon happily savor their new meals with a little patience and care.

It’s crucial to introduce a new dry food to your dog gradually to prevent upset stomach. Gradually increase the amount of new food over approximately a week, starting with a small amount of the old food. This gradual process ensures a smooth and healthy transition by assisting your dog in acclimating to the new flavors and ingredients. Always keep an eye on your dog’s reaction, and contact your veterinarian if you see any problems.

Video on the topic

How to switch a dog from one food to another

How to switch to another food

How to painlessly switch a dog from one food to another | Changing a dog"s food

How to Switch a Dog to Dry Food & What to Feed a Dog. Bio-Vet Veterinary Clinic

How to switch a dog to dry food? What to do if a dog refuses food?

HOW TO CORRECTLY TRANSFER AN ANIMAL FROM NATURAL FOOD TO DRY FOOD. Advice from a Veterinarian