Have you been feeding grain-free dog food to your dog?
This is a common decision made by dog owners. However, there will come a time when you might not want to feed this type of food to your dog.
This is why it’s important to figure out how to go about switching from grain-free dog food to regular.
The best way to switch from grain-free dog food to regular is by doing it gradually. This includes mixing the regular food with the grain-free dog food before slowly transitioning over to an all-regular dog food diet.
If you attempt to make an abrupt change, it might cause an upset stomach. This is the last thing you want when it comes to changing to regular dog food.
This article will explain what you need to think about when switching from grain-free dog food to regular along with what not to do.
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Tips For Switching From Grain-Free Dog Food To Regular
1. Don’t Rush
It’s important not to rush when it comes to switching from grain-free dog food to regular.
The reason is your dog’s digestive system will not respond well to such a rapid switch. Instead, you have to be methodical with how you go about doing this to keep the dog happy. Otherwise, it is possible for the dog to fall ill and/or have an upset stomach.
To keep the dog healthy and safe, you will want to stay patient.
This includes taking the time to assess how the dog is doing as soon as the change is started. You don’t want a situation where you make a rapid change and the dog stops eating. There will be an adjustment period and you have to respect it as a dog owner.
The best approach is to start by taking a little bit of the regular dog food and mixing it with the grain-free dog food. This will be explained below for those who want to do this properly.
2. Mix Small Amounts of Regular Food With Grain-Free Dog Food
The goal here is to start with a simple schedule.
On day one, you are going to take a little bit of the regular dog food and mix it in the grain-free dog food serving. You can replace approximately 10-20% of the food with regular dog food.
This will continue for the day and then you will move onto a higher percentage (i.e. 30%).
Just continue to make small adjustments throughout the week until you get to the point where it is 100% regular dog food. Of course, you want to keep an eye on how the dog is responding throughout the week as you do this.
In a situation such as this, you should always remain calm.
The goal is to make sure you are as patient as possible and looking at how the dog is doing. Focus on understanding what the dog needs and make small adjustments along the way. This is a must to keep the dog happy.
3. Track the Dog’s Response
When switching from grain-free dog food to regular, you will want to look at how the dog is doing.
There are specific signs to look out for that will let you know the dog is unhappy. For example, some dogs start to whine, have an upset stomach, and/or stop eating.
This shows they are not to happy with what you are feeding them and it might be leading to an upset stomach.
When this happens, you might have to cut down on the percentage being mixed in.
Just settle at a lower amount until the dog adjusts. Over time, the dog is going to get used to the change and will develop the ability to eat regular dog food easily.
Related Questions
1. Should I Switch My Dog Off Grain-Free Food?
Yes, you can switch your dog off grain-free dog food. The process has to be slow and methodical. This includes mixing a small amount of regular dog food with grain-free food. Continue to increase the percentage until the dog is only eating regular dog food.
2. What is Better Dog Food With Grain Or Grain-Free?
Each dog is unique. In general, grain-free dog food isn’t ideal for dogs and can cause an upset stomach. However, 10% of all dogs will struggle to digest grains, which makes it mandatory to give them grain-free dog food. Figure out what works best for your dog before deciding.
Final Thoughts
Follow these tips on switching from grain-free dog food to regular.
Whether it is being slow during the process of paying attention to the dog’s response, you have to be vigilant. This is a must when it comes to this type of transition.
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