Changing your dog's diet - what should you bear in mind?

You want to change your four-legged friend's food, but you're not sure how best to proceed?
In order to make the change of food as gentle and compatible as possible for your furry friend, we have collected a few tips and tricks to help your pet's body get used to its new food.

Many dog moms and dads make assumptions about their furry friend and want to offer him variety in his bowl. In principle, however, dogs do not need variety in their diet and can tolerate the same food for years. However, it is crucial that it is a complete food that contains all the important nutrients, vitamins and minerals and is made from high-quality raw materials.

When is it sensible or necessary to change your dog's diet?

A change of food can be useful for various reasons:

Living through the growth phases (switching to puppy, adult or senior food)
Food allergies and intolerances (switching to a hypoallergenic dog food)
Diseases (change to a special feed)
Overweight or underweight (switching to a light or high energy product)
Dog dislikes his food (change to another type)
Feed type (change to wet or dry food)
No longer available feed products

How do I change the food as gently as possible?

Every dog reacts differently to a change of food. Because your dog's intestinal flora first has to get used to the new food composition, you should not change the food abruptly, but introduce it slowly and in stages. Particular attention should be paid to the food changeover phase, especially for sensitive pets.

A period of around 4 - 7 days is recommended for a change of food. Initially, a small portion of the previous food is replaced with the new food. The proportion of the new food is gradually increased each day until a complete meal is fed with it.

For example, the feed could be changed as follows:

1st day: 20 % new feed + 80 % current feed
2nd day: 30 % new feed + 70 % current feed
3rd day: 45 % new feed + 55 % current feed
4th day: 60 % new feed + 40 % current feed
5th day: 75 % new feed + 25 % current feed
6th day: 90 % new feed + 10 % current feed
7th day: 100 % new feed

A change of food is not always without side effects. Even with a slow change of food, it is not uncommon for your dog to experience side effects such as a softer stool consistency, increased defecation, reduced appetite or flatulence. However, this is no cause for concern. These symptoms may occur briefly a few days after a change of food and then subside again.

However, if your furry friend suffers from diarrhea, vomiting or discomfort for several days, this may be an indication of more serious causes if they do not subside. If in doubt, always consult a vet.

Do you have further questions about changing your four-legged friend's food?

Feel free to contact our nutrition experts. They will be happy to help you by e-mail and by telephone via our free hotline.

Phone: +49 (0) 800 333 8 222(free of charge)
E-Mail: expertenteam@bosch-tiernahrung.de

Monday - Thursday: 7.30 - 12 o'clock & 13 - 16 o'clock
Friday: 7.30 - 12 o'clock & 13 - 15 o'clock