How To Switch Dog Food: An Easy Step-By-Step Transition Guide

Did you discover a new dog food brand that looks like a healthier option? Or did your vet ask for a diet change? Maybe your friend recommended a brand their dog has benefitted from? Or did your dog get bored (yes, that can happen) of their current food? Whatever your reasons might be, changing your dog’s diet is not just pouring the new food into their bowl. There is a lot more thought, science, and care behind it!

Why is a Transition Plan Important?

A sudden dog food change can cause gastrointestinal troubles like diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, or a decreased appetite. Your dog needs time to adjust and get used to the change. That is why you should follow the right transition plan to safely and efficiently introduce your dog to new foods.

How to Start Transitioning Dog Food

For most dogs, the ideal food transition plan involves gradually incorporating the new food by mixing it into their current diet over a period of 5-7 days. However, if your dog has a sensitive stomach, unique dietary requirements, gastrointestinal conditions, food allergies, or even very specific food preferences, it can take a little longer—and patience is key! Every dog is unique, and your dog’s individual response to a new food must be closely monitored.

Here’s your extensive guide on how to transition dog food safely:

• Day 1-3: Prepare your dog’s bowl in such a way that it has 25% of the new food and 75% of their current food (which can be home-cooked meals, other brands, wet or dry food, etc.) Be sure to mix them well, or else your dog might just pick out and eat only the parts that they are currently familiar with!
• Day 4-5: It’s time for an upgrade! Start mixing the new food and current food in equal parts, 50% each. By this time, you should also be closely monitoring their response to the new food. Look out for changes in their stools, appetite, energy levels, and any possible allergic reactions.
• In case you see any adverse reactions, please consult your trusted vet and temporarily pause feeding them the new food. Please make sure you follow the standard transition plan, as specified on the new food’s packaging, or the one that your vet advises and customises as per your dog’s needs to avoid these symptoms.
• Day 6: If all goes well up till now, it’s a sign that your dog likes the new food, and so does their body! Now, you can prepare their bowl with 75% of the new food mixed with 25% of the current one.
• Day 7: In most cases, now is the time when your dog’s bowl can have 100% of the new food that you chose for them. Mission successful!

And Now That You Know How to Switch Dog Food…

How Do You Choose a New Dog Food?

There can be many reasons why you might be considering switching to new food for your dog. In addition to discussing your reasons and your dog’s needs with your vet first, here are some questions you should ask yourself that would help you make an informed decision:

• What is my dog’s lifestyle and environment like? The ideal diet should depend on how active your dog is, their size, breed, age and weather conditions you live in.
• What am I hoping to achieve with a new diet for my dog? Depending on whether your dog is trying to lose weight, needs an easier-to-digest food, needs an immunity or energy booster, or a healthy way to support any other health goals they might have, their diet should be able to cater to them.
• What is a suitable recipe or ingredient list my dog needs? Take any food allergies, sensitivities, and even their favourite fruits, veggies or meats into account. Look out for brands that mention real ingredients, no additives or artificial colours, no fillers, no corn or soy—these are some signs of a good, clean label! You must also make sure they are getting a balanced meal, with all the food groups and nutrients that make a dog’s meal complete.

And speaking of complete meals, here’s something that is worth checking out if you are looking to switch your dog’s food - Hearty Oven-Baked Dog Food by HUFT!

Hearty from the House of HUFT is a growing range of balanced dry and wet dog food, formulated by nutrition experts with over 20+ years of experience!

With 60% of the freshest meat, locally-sourced fruits and veggies, and powerful, healing Indian superherbs like Ashwagandha, Moringa, Milk Thistle and more, it is a great choice for dogs of all breeds and with all kinds of needs. There are even options for young, developing puppies to grow into strong, healthy and happy doggies!

It’s worth noting that a dog’s weight and feeding quantity guidelines are going to be different for every new food. For instance, Hearty is rich in protein, so a lesser amount of it is recommended for your dog per serving. Always check the feeding guidelines on the back of packs to calculate the quantity of food to be served, as per your dog’s weight.

From helping build stronger muscles and immunity to aiding skin and coat health, and even digestion, switching to Hearty is something you should consider—as have 50,000+ dog parents like you!

Finding the best food for your dog is a continuous journey of lots of research, observations, permutations and combinations—but always trust your gut (and your vet)! You know what’s best for your dog, and the hard work, love and care that you put in to ensure your dog gets the best nutrition really shows in your actions.

We hope this guide could help you and your dog in this journey, and in making the right decision. Explore the Hearty range before you make the switch!