The Straight SwitchThis method doesn't involve any mixing of the previous food with the new food, so the new food is introduced "cold-turkey". 99% of puppies will be able to swap to raw using this method:
1. Feed the previous diet at the evening meal, and start fresh with raw in the morning (or vice versa if you prefer). 2. Offer the raw and watch them enjoy- it's really that simple! It's best to start with something gentle on the stomach, such as a chicken, turkey or tripe mix. Then introduce something new every few days, building up to beef, lamb and duck. If you're feeding puppy recipes, then this may not be possible as some brands only supply puppy formulas in one or two proteins. When you come to introduce the adult formulas at 14 weeks, use the puppy recipes you introduced previously as a base for introducing new proteins and only add a small amount; this helps to reduce gastrointestinal upset. You're aiming to feed around 4-5 proteins minimum, but as many different ones that you can source is best. Wait until they're established on a few proteins before introducing fish and eggs, if you plan on adding them into the diet. |
The Gradual ApproachSome puppies have sensitive stomachs and suit a graduated approach to introducing raw. This is achieved by gradually mixing the previous food with the new food, until your puppy is eating 100% raw. This may take a few days or a few weeks depending on the individual- but there's no rush:
1. Add a small amount of raw (approximately 1 tsp- 1/2 tbsp.) to the existing food, but remember to take out a little bit of the old food to compensate for the new stuff. 2. Increase this amount a little more over the next few days, ensuring there's no upset stomach. 3. Over time, the raw portion should increase while the portion of the old food decreases. 4. Once they're eating 100% raw, you've done it! As with the other method of switching, introduce new proteins gradually using the same method. You can reduce the number of days between increasing the amount if they are doing well and there's no adverse effects. |