How to Switch Your Dog's Food

At some point in your dog’s (hopefully) long and healthy life, you may need to change his diet. It may be due to allergies, weight loss, digestive problems, because your vet recommended it, or even due to a fluctuation in your finances. But suddenly stopping one food and starting another can cause a major case of doggie indigestion, so here’s how to ease your dog onto a new diet…

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A measuring cup
• The old food
• The new food

1. 

   If possible, it's best to transition from wet food to wet, dry to dry, or mixture to mixture. The key is to keep the form of the food the same. If you've got a puppy transitioning to adult food, it's best to keep using the same brand, if he likes it and is doing well with no digestive issues.

2. Switch the food gradually, over a period of a week or so. Start with a mixture of 25% new and 75% old and feed that for two or three days, then step it up to 50-50, and finally end up with a combo of 75% new, 25% old.

3. If you don't detect any changes in their digestion over the week's time, you can start feeding the new food exclusively. Congrats!

4. 

   If his stomach does get upset, a meal of rice and plain cooked chicken is recommended. If he continues to have diarrhea or throw up, discontinue the new food and contact your vet.

Tips & Warnings

• Always have plenty of fresh water on hand for your dog.
• If your dog refuses to eat the new food in any form, repeat Step 2. If he still refuses to eat it, try another brand or ask your vet to recommend another diet.