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How Do I Transition my Dog to a New Food?

Are you wanting to switch your dog to a new food but you're a little anxious about taking those next steps? Are you unsure of how to switch your dog to a new food without upsetting their tummy? It's easier than you think. We share our top tips for transitioning your dog to a new meal.

Why you should switch your dog to a new food

There are a variety of different factors involved as to why a pet owner would need to switch their dog over to new food.

Whatever the reason, it is important to take your time during this transition and to choose a food that is compatible with your dog’s needs.

How long does it take to transition a dog to a new food?

Here at Grub Club we always recommend introducing our All-Day Buffet insect-based protein dog food over the course of 7-10 days.

Start with around 20-25% Grub Club mixed with the existing food and gradually increase this over the course of a week or so until your dog is eventually 100% on the Grub Club train!

If you’d prefer to take a bit longer to transition, that’s also completely fine – every dog is different so feel free to approach the transition time as you see fit.

What happens if I don’t transition my dog slowly?

If you try to rush your dog onto their new food it could well lead to issues such as:

  • Sickness
  • Diarrhoea
  • Food refusal.

They need time to adjust to those new ingredients and nutrients so in this case slow and steady definitely wins the race!

When do I make the switch from puppy to dog food?

Transitioning your puppy to adult food should coincide with maturity, which does vary amongst breeds.

In general, small and medium dogs reach maturity at around 9-12 months, larger dogs mature more slowly so you’ll be looking at around 12-15 months for that food change and giant breeds will be even later at 18-24 months.

At Grub Club, our food is a fully balanced food for all adult breeds. If your large breed dog is over 15 months then they should be absolutely fine, for smaller breeds anytime after 9 months should be good too.

And the good news is that our puppy range will be ready soon so please keep an eye out. Join the waitlist here. 

How to encourage your dog to eat their food

Changing your dog over to a new food may well trigger a little reluctance in eating but these problems can be easily overcome by:

  • Sticking to set meal times
  • Choosing a quiet spot for meals
  • Choosing the correct bowl style and height
  • Reducing treats
  • Ensuring they get enough exercise
  • Using your voice as a positive reinforcement
  • Hand feeding if needed
Good luck with your dog food transition and if you need any further feeding or pet parenting tips check out our other blogs.
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