So, you have decided that raw is best and you want to transition, but the big question now is how?
With the team at Raw Pet Food Pantry to help, guide and advise you, we will simplify the process and ensure it is not as complicated as you may think.
We will answer all your questions: how to start, what to feed and when, how much to feed and how often, and how much your dog's new diet is likely to cost too.
The key to getting started is knowing your dog's breed, weight and age, and a little bit about his lifestyle too; activity levels and whether treats need to feature in his diet and daily routine. From this information we can advise on daily amount to feed. See our feeding guide for more information.
Some dogs can transition straight to raw, but some dogs have more sensitive tummies, which demand a slower and more gentle transition. Our advice is to err on the side of caution and adopt a gradual process.
Week 1
The first point to make is that we advise you do not mix kibble and raw together during transition as both foods digest at different rates, which may cause upset. Simply start with plain lamb or beef tripe mince for a week. Raw fed dogs have a much higher stomach acidity than kibble-fed dogs; tripe promotes a gradual increase in the stomach's acidity to enable the digestion of meat and bone. Tripe also helps a dog’s digestive system to slowly adjust.
Week 2
After the first week, it is time to introduce a new protein. We suggest chicken or beef, but as a complete so that bone and offal are now included. Maintain presence of tripe in the bowl too so the food remains familiar. We offer chicken and tripe as an 80/10/10* complete, and beef and tripe too, which are perfect at this stage.
*80/10/10 completes are 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal.
"Impressed with the knowledge"
"On my first visit to the shop I was impressed with the knowledge of the member of staff working that day. She answered my many questions patiently and spent more than half an hour talking with me. The shop was well presented with plenty of choice."
Week 3
As with week 2, you can introduce another protein to the diet providief you are confident your dog has not presented any problems with the new diet. Lamb or duck are good to add at this stage. If any issues have come to light, delay this next stage for a few days to be sure things have a chance to settle down.
Week 4
And finally, in week 4, you can introduce another new protein, perhaps pork, duck or game, so that by the end of the 4 weeks, you'll have tried and tested the majority of the main proteins meaning the new diet is now well established.
Throughout the process, monitor your dogs reaction to the new diet. Is he enjoying the food? Is there anything he hasn't liked? Have their been any adverse reactions to any of the proteins as they have been introduced? What are his poos like? We like to talk poo at Raw Pet Food Pantry because it tells you a lot about the gut health of your pet, and in this instance, allows you to monitor his adjustment to the new regime.
