From Kibble to Raw

Transitioning my dog to raw, fresh food.

Feeding whole nutritious food to our dogs does not have to be complicated, but it may require a change in mindset. If you are used to feeding your dogs kibble or other forms of processed food, no judgment here! We found that most people just didn’t know better or there were not any approachable alternatives available.

Even if you are not ready to make the full diet change, any portion of your dog’s diet where you can introduce nutritional diversity with a switch to fresh foods will have a massive impact on improving your dog’s health. Try switching out only your dog’s treats and snacks with fresh food – like yams, sardines, and measured small portions of Feed the Beast dog food. Do what you can and what you feel comfortable with, watch how your dog responds, and go from there!

Anytime you switch your dog’s base meal to a new type of food, it should be done gradually. This is especially the case when transitioning to raw food if your dog is older and you have been feeding them the same brand of food for a while. Raw food and kibble are digested differently – the former digesting more quickly than the later.  

You can start by switching out 10-20% of your dog’s existing food with the new food for a few days. Stick with one new protein (not a variety) before introducing others. Thoroughly mix the old and new food together and add a tablespoon of warm water if your dog prefers a softer texture. Monitor your dog: if your dog’s stool is looser than normal, don’t increase the amount of new food until the stool is firm again. This will allow your dog’s gut to slowly adjust to the food diversification and help rebalance its microbiome. Continue to switch out larger portions of your dog’s food with the new food according to your dog’s tolerance and until you are feeding as much raw as you wish to. We feed 100% raw, but you can still feed a combination of kibble and raw if that works better for you.  

What to Expect During the Transition

Every dog adjusts differently. Some dogs may experience temporary loose stools and changes in appetite. This is simply their digestive system recalibrating. If your dog stools do not become firmer, scale back the raw food and allow a longer period of time for adjustment.

Once your dog has adjusted, you should notice the following:

• Smaller, firmer stools (raw digests more efficiently)
• More stable energy
• Healthier coat