Raw Revelation: A Guide to Transitioning Your Dog to a Raw Diet

Are you looking to transition your pup to a raw or fresh diet but aren’t sure where to start?The thought of switching your dog from the common kibble diet to a raw or fresh one can be overwhelming. What kinds of proteins can you use? How do you complete and balance their meals to make sure they are getting the proper nutrition?

The good news is that there are products that make this transition a lot easier to navigate! Dr. Harvey’s base mixes, for example, allow you to easily switch over to a natural diet. Making the switch from kibble to a fresh diet will help your pup live a longer, healthier life.

We are going to provide a simple guide that anyone can follow to transition your pup from kibble to a raw or fresh diet.

Steps

• We always suggest doing your own research as you are the one who is responsible for ensuring your dog has a balanced and complete meal. There are resources and products, like Dr. Harvey’s base mixes, that help take the guesswork out of the equation. Raw Vibrance (link) in particular is a great base for raw feeders! When in doubt, always consult a professional nutritionist.

• We advise gradually transitioning over a 5-7 day period. This is to help lessen the chance of your pup having any digestive upset. If your pup suffers from GI issues, you might want to transition over a longer period of time.

• We recommend starting your transition off with a single protein source. The transition from kibble to a fresh diet may be a shock to your dog’s system, so sticking to one protein will help them adjust.

• For the first few days you will want to start with 20% of their new raw or fresh food and 80% of their old food. Next, you will want to feed 50% of the new food with 50% of the old food. If they are continuing to adjust well to the new food, you can feed 80% new food and 20% old food. The final step is to transition your dog 100% to the new food.

• Once you have fully transitioned the new food, you can start trying new and exciting proteins for your pup! When introducing new proteins you will want to do so slowly and one at a time for about 1-1.5 weeks per protein. This allows for your dog to get used to the switch in protein.

Now that you have transitioned your dog to a healthier diet, you will start to see the changes and why so many people prefer to feed this way! Feeding fresh will eliminate harmful chemicals from their diet, alleviate ailments naturally, and help your dog live a happier and healthier life. Your pup will thank you for feeding them a more specific appropriate diet!