How to change your dog’s food brand

It is always a challenging task to get your pet used to a new brand of dog food. There are innumerable reasons for you to change their food. It could be the onset of digestive illness, a switch from puppy to adult food or just the fact that you were not too keen that the present choice of food supplied your pet with adequate nourishment.

Whatever maybe the reason, the fact is that your pet is going to take some time to adapt and like the new food. It takes roughly about a week for your pet to adjust to the new diet. You need to mix small portions of new food to the old one and each day the portion of the new food should increase and the old one must decrease gradually until your pet has started to relish the new food.

But if you need to quickly change your dog’s diet due to a dietary illness then follow these steps!

• Find a similar dog food – Choose a new dog food that resembles the older one. For instance, if you were previously giving your pet a chicken and rice meal and if your pet is recalling it then choose another brand that offers the same formulation of chicken and rice meal. You must look carefully at the label and ensure that there are no major changes in the percentages of protein, fat and fiber.
• Offer small meals slowly – Once you bring home the new product, give a smaller portion of it to your pet. If they eat it and there are no digestive problems then offer them another smaller portion after few hours. Gradually increase the portion and decrease the number of servings until you are back to their normal feeding schedule. If your dog is not too keen on the new food then pick it up and do not feed them for another 8 hours, It is alright if they go a little hungry. Continue offering them new food every 8 hours and do so for the next 48 hours. If they show no interest in eating it then you may need to change the brand and consult your vet for their recommendation. Try not to change the flavor of the meal too much or you will be raising a finicky eater!
• Go for easily digestible food – If your pet has a sensitive stomach and are compelled to change their diet then you need to feed them an easily digestible formula and then gradually mix the new food later after a couple of days. It is also a good idea to feed them probiotics supplements that will lessen the chances of them developing diarrhea that usually occurs when there is a change in their diet.
• Consult your vet – If you are still clueless and rather helpless in finding an appropriate brand for your pet and if they are still suffering from gastrointestinal upsets then it is best you contact your vet for their professional advice and recommendation in choosing a new food brand for your pet.