How do you get your dog to accept and tolerate change well? We tell you everything in the following lines
Understand the importance of transition
In a dog's life, there are many circumstances where you need to change the type of kibble. This can be when a dog finishes growing, becomes senior, is sterilized, no longer digests his old kibble well, is allergic to an ingredient, needs to lose weight, or on the contrary to receive more energy between many other other reasons! Just consult the wide range of kibbles offered by Animalis to realize the many possibilities that a dog owner has to find the food best suited to the needs of his animal.And, as you will have understood, these needs are not fixed and change many times during his life!
Whether you decide to completely change the brand of croquettes or simply change references within the same range of foods, it is then essential to respect a transition stage to help your dog to switch from his old food to his new diet.
Dogs fed with kibble have an intestinal flora adapted to the food they ingest daily. When you change food, it takes some time for the bacteria present in the dog's intestine to renew themselves and adjust to their new diet. It is therefore necessary to introduce the new food very gradually into your dog's bowl to allow time for his digestive microbiota to change accordingly. Without this precaution, your animal could then suffer from digestive disorders and diarrhea linked to a too sudden change in its diet.
Choose your new diet wisely
The decision to change your dog's kibble can be motivated by reasons related to preferences, the specific needs of your animal (growth, gestation, breastfeeding, food allergies, diet, sensitive digestion, etc.) but also to reasons that are specific to you, such as your desire to offer him "organic" food or even to find new croquettes more suited to your budget.
In any case, you will first need to select dog food adapted to the particular physiological and dietary needs of your animal. Indeed, each dog has specific dietary needs depending on its breed, age, weight, activity level and current state of he alth.
Do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian for advice, who will be able to guide you among the many brands, ranges and references available.
Start Transition
As a general rule, the transition between two types of kibble should last about a fortnight. Depending on your dog's digestive sensitivity, however, it can be more or less long.
The transition is simply mixing a small amount of the new feed with the old feed. Start with a proportion of 1/15th of the new food with 14/15th of the old food on the first day then gradually increase the proportion of the new food day after day until the new croquettes completely replace the old ones on the 15th day.
For example, if your dog receives 150g of kibble per day, offer him 10g of new kibble in 140g of old on the first day, 20g of new in 130g of old on the second day, 30g of new kibble in 120g of old on the third day and so on.
Watch your dog's digestion
During the transition period, it is important to carefully monitor your dog's digestion to adapt the duration of the transition if necessary.
If your dog has digestive disorders such as rumbling, flatulence, diarrhea or, on the contrary, constipation, slow down the pace of the transition even further. This is a sign that your dog's body has not yet adapted well to the quantities of new kibble in his ration and that he needs to be given a little more time.
If, on the contrary, his stools are regular and well formed, it means that he is digesting his new diet well and that the transition has been made at the right pace for him.
Keep in mind that each animal is different and will adapt in different times to a change of kibble.While some will adapt very well to new croquettes in a week, others will need 15 days or more to get there without worrying.
On the other hand, if your dog loses weight, has severe digestive problems, no longer has an appetite or appears dejected, consult your veterinarian without delay.
A few more tips to ease the transition
You will have understood that making a transition between two types of kibble therefore requires you to anticipate a little the change in your pet's diet. No question of waiting for the end of the bag of old croquettes to start the new one! You will then have to anticipate the purchase of your new food a little and choose a small packaging to start with. This precaution will allow you, on the one hand, to test your dog's appetite for its new croquettes and, on the other hand, not to waste it if it turns out that your dog does not tolerate them well at the end. of transition.
During the transition, also avoid giving your dog too many treats. They could upset his digestion and reduce his appetite for his new kibble, especially if your dog is fussy or naturally has a small appetite.
Finally, you can support your pet's change in diet by giving it probiotics or prebiotics suitable for dogs to help its intestinal flora renew itself more quickly.
In summary
- It is always necessary to practice a transition when changing kibble brand or simply reference within the same brand. For example, when switching from beef dog kibble to chicken kibble or from classic dog kibble to grain-free dog kibble.
- Introduce the new food slowly by mixing the new croquettes with the old ones and very gradually increasing the proportion of the new ones among the old ones.
- Avoid sweets during the transition period.
- Pay particular attention to your dog's digestion during the transition period in order to adapt the duration if necessary.