TRANSITIONING YOUR DOG ONTO NEW FOOD

Before you take your new dog home, take time to find out what kind of food they have been eating, and continue with that food initially.

Write down the brand and protein they are eating. Taking a picture of the bag would help, too – the different varieties of dog food available nowadays can be utterly confusing.

Your new dog will be stressed from transitioning from the shelter or rescue to your home. Changing their food too fast can make things worse. It’s best if you can wait a couple of weeks before switching foods.

A slow transition is imperative, so your new dog doesn’t get an upset stomach. Some dogs are more sensitive than others, so be mindful of this and watch for any signs of digestion issues.

When transitioning from dry food to another brand of dry food, start by adding about 10% of the new food to the old food. Every day add a little more of the new food. If possible, do this over a week’s time. If you do not have a week’s worth of old food, do your best to transition as slowly as possible.

For more on pet food, see this: Do you know what you're feeding your pet?