For as long as he’s lived with you, your dog has loved kibble. But lately, you’ve been reading about the benefits of raw pet food diet and have decided it’s time for a change.

However, just as you wouldn’t make drastic, overnight changes to your own diet, you shouldn’t expect your dog to be ok with going cold turkey with his or her new meal plan.

With that in mind, here are a few strategies for getting your dog used to a raw pet food diet.

Go Slow

Most experts suggest introducing raw pet food to dogs a little at a time:

For the first few days, use a mix of mostly kibble with maybe 20 percent raw pet food.
If your dog does well with this mixture — produces healthy, mostly-firm stool, that is — you can change the ratio, going to half kibble and half raw pet food for three to five days.
From there, spend another three to five days giving your dog a mix of 80 percent raw pet food and 20 percent kibble before transitioning to an all-raw diet.

Give your dog all the time he or she needs to become acclimated to their new diet. Older dogs who’ve spent their entire lives eating kibble might take several weeks to get used to raw pet food, while puppies may adapt much faster.

If you’ve tried to introduce your dog to raw pet food before without much luck or if they have a weaker immune system or a history of digestive problems, you may want to start them out on raw treats before switching to raw pet food.

What If My Dog Won’t Go For It?

Just like people, dogs can be picky and unsure of new things. If the switch to raw pet food has your dog dubious, try these tactics:

Give your dog their new natural pet food on an empty stomach, after they’ve gone 12-24 hours without eating. They’ll be more likely to be less picky. (Note that this approach will only work for adult dogs, as puppies need to eat more frequently.)
Let them see their new food. Serve it in a shallower bowl or on a plate so they can see there’s no need to fear.
It might also help to serve raw pet food at room temperature. Allowing it to sit for 30 minutes will enhance the smell and make it more appetizing for your dog.
Finally, stay calm if your dog doesn’t go for his or her raw diet right away. Pets can sense our anxiety, so remain upbeat. Sooner or later, your dog will realize that this is their new food.

Healthy Natural Pet Food

Are you ready to make the switch to raw pet food? Happy Critters can help. Everything we sell is curated so no matter what you select, you rest assured you’re your pet a healthy natural pet food that meets the Association of American Feed Control Officials standards.

We provide a number of options for pet owners, including mixes for new puppies, bone-in or boneless, and a wide range of meats including chicken, beef, lamb, and venison. Contact us today to place your first raw pet food order.