Throughout the course of a dog's life, their owner almost always has to switch their diet at one time or another.
Reasons for switching a dog's food could be:
- The dog is tired of their old food
- The owner wants to put the dog on a more nutritious diet
- The dog has developed an allergy
- The dog is overweight and has to switch to a calorie reduced diet
- The veterinarian prescribed a diet to treat an illness
- The dog is at a new stage in life ie switching from a puppy formula to an adult diet
Some dogs will suck up any food in front of them like a vacuum, while others are picky and turn up their nose at anything new. In either case, a sudden switch in diets can upset the stomach of a dog, causing diarrhea and/or vomiting. This is especially true if the dog has been eating the same food for a long period of time. These problems can be avoided if the diet of the dog is switched properly.
The steps to switching a dog's food are:
- Make sure you still have 50% of the old food left, or enough for two weeks
- Mix 75% of the old food with 25% of the new food for three to five days
- Mix each together equally (50% of each) for the next three to five days
- Use 25% of the old food with 75% of the new food for the next three to five days
- Feed the new diet exclusively
If at any time the dog exhibits problems during this process, cut the amount of new food back, and make the transition even slower. It can take up to a month for a dog to completely accept a new diet.
Patience is required throughout this process. Many dogs may refuse to eat the new mixture, or eat around the new kibble in their bowl. A dog will not starve itself, though, and will eventually try the new food.
This is especially true if you are switching your dog from a low grade grocery brand food to a more nutritious diet. In this regard, dogs are like children. A child will always want to go to a fast food place over eating a healthy meal, but a child will not be healthy if they eat junk food all the time. The same holds true for pets - feeding a dog only what it likes may not be the healthiest choice for the animal. It can be difficult to deprive your dog the food it loves at first, but in the long run, you are doing what is best for your dog.
Also, do not be alarmed if the dog seems to eat less of a higher quality food, this just means that they are getting more nutrients, and have to eat less to feel full.
Finally, the more often you switch the food of your dog, the more resistant they will become to changes in their diet. Switching the food your dog eats, or mixing a few different ones together, exposes the dog to a variety of nutrients, which prevents food allergies, and keeps the animal healthy.
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