How to properly switch to dry food for your dog. Where to start and how to properly switch your dog to natural food. Abrupt transitions from one food to another

With the advent of ready-made dry dog ​​food on the market, almost every owner of a four-legged pet thought about replacing natural food for their pet with crispy, aromatic granules. Of course, it makes life much easier for owners and saves time, but is this food healthy for dogs? And how to properly switch a dog from natural food to ready-made dog food without causing harm to his digestive system?

Pros and cons of ready-made dry food

Before finally making a choice in favor of dry food, the owner should study all the advantages and disadvantages of such nutrition and only then decide whether it is worth doing. After all, in comparison with natural food dry granules have as close positive qualities, and several negative properties.

What are the advantages of ready-made food:

• Dry granules are not required additional preparation. To feed your pet you should just pour the food from the bag into the dog's bowl and the animal does not have to wait until the boiled meat or porridge cools down.
• On packages quality feed the norms and volume of nutrition are indicated for dogs different sizes, so the owner does not need to calculate how much food the pet needs for one meal.
• The owner has the opportunity to choose the right food for a sterile pet or for an elderly dog. In addition, there are special dry food for dogs suffering from a particular product.
• Regular consumption of dry granules cleans the animal’s teeth, thereby prevent the formation of tartar and plaque.
• Manufacturers of premium and holistic class ready-made feeds add all essential vitamins and minerals for the health and full development of the dog. Therefore, the owner does not need to buy additional vitamins and mix them into food.
• You can stock up on bags of dry food for future use, as the crispy granules do not spoil and can be stored for a long time in a cool, dark place.
• In some cases, even veterinarians prescribe dry dog ​​food if animals require special diet in the treatment of certain diseases or during the rehabilitation period.

The advantage of dry food is that it does not need to be prepared.

What are the disadvantages of ready-made food:

• The owner does not know exactly what ingredients were used in the preparation of such food and how much they were high quality and fresh. And when feeding a dog natural food The owner is always confident in the quality of the products.
• Often added to dry granules components harmful to animal health, this is especially true for cheap feed.
• High class and quality food are quite expensive, so not every owner can afford such food for their beloved friend.
• Dry food causes addiction and dependence in dogs and often animals after such a diet turn their nose up at natural and once beloved food.
• Dry kibble is very salty and spicy and the owner must take care that the dog I could always drink clean, fresh water after eating.

It is not difficult to switch a pet from natural food to dry food; it is much more difficult to do the opposite, because often after eating crunchy granules, dogs flatly refuse to eat meat and vegetable dishes. Therefore, when giving preference to ready-made food, the owner must remember that it will be almost impossible to retrain the dog back to natural food.

If the owner has firmly decided to transfer his four-legged pet to dry food, then he should adhere to several rules so as not to harm the health of the animal.

There are four rules for switching a dog to dry food.

Rule one: gradual translation

For the first three days, the dog should be given natural food.

Some owners are greatly mistaken in believing that dogs have a very strong digestive system and they are capable of poisoning any food. In fact, even changing your usual diet can lead to To. There are frequent cases after a new dish is introduced into a dog’s menu.

In order for a dog’s body to adapt normally to a new type of food, it is necessary to retrain it from natural to dry food in several stages. In the first two to three days, the dog is fed food that is familiar to it, replacing 10–15% of natural food with dry granules. After some time, part of the dry food should already make up 25–30% of the dog’s daily menu. If the pet’s digestive system reacts normally to the new menu, and there is no vomiting or diarrhea, then on the fifth day you can replace half of the animal’s diet with dry food.

On the tenth to twelfth day natural food is already completely replaced with dry granules.

Rule two: use probiotics

If you feed a dog the same food for a long time, its stomach produces special beneficial bacteria, helping to poison this food.

It is advisable to give probiotics to prevent digestive problems.

When transferring your pet to a new diet, the owner must understand that this process is a real test for the animal's digestive system and the body may react negatively to this. To ensure that your pet does not have digestive problems and does not experience constipation, it is advisable to give him probiotics who will help settle gastrointestinal tract dog with new beneficial bacteria.

Rule three: only 100% quality

Dog food must be of high quality.

When deciding to switch a pet to dry food, the owner should remember that saving is inappropriate here and cheap food will only harm the pet’s health.

You need to choose only high-quality food from trusted manufacturers for your four-legged friend. If the owner is not sure about the correctness of his choice, you can consult a veterinarian about this. A specialist will always tell you which food will be most optimal for the animal, taking into account its breed, size and health condition.

Rule four: 24/7 access to water

In natural foods (porridge, vegetables, meat, fermented milk products) contains a considerable amount of water, so the dog with this diet does not feel particularly thirsty, receiving the necessary moisture from food.

The situation is completely different with ready-made food. There is no liquid at all in dry crispy granules, in addition, they are quite salty, so in the process of switching to new food the dog will be thirsty all the time.

Place a bowl of water next to the dry food.

In order for your pet to satisfy its thirst, there should always be a plate of clean boiled water near the bowl of food.

In some cases, the animal may be individually intolerant to certain components that are necessarily present in dry food. If the owner notices that the dog has become apathetic and lethargic, his hair has begun to fall out or he is suffering from eating disorder, feeding such food should be stopped immediately.

Features and general rules for transferring a dog to dry food

It is much easier to switch small puppies to dry food, since their bodies are not yet fully accustomed to natural food.

But adults should be carefully accustomed to a new type of food, making sure that the dog feels good after eating.

It is not advisable to switch dogs over seven years old to dry food. For the body of adult pets, changing their usual food to strange dry granules can become a real stress, both psychologically and physically.

Most dogs are happy to eat dry flavored kibble as soon as the owner fills a bowl with them, so they do not experience any discomfort about the new food. But some animals flatly refuse to eat dry food and can go on a real hunger strike for their owner. What to do in such a situation?

Cunning will help to cope with such a problem, but not coercion or physical punishment. You can offer your picky pet food of several brands and with different tastes, so that he can choose the food that he likes.

If your dog refuses to eat, you can offer him several brands of food.

Instead of your favorite treat, you can reward your dog for successfully completing a command with a handful of dry granules.

In any case, the owner should be patient and not force the pet to eat dry food. If the dog still refuses prepared food, you should return to your previous natural diet.

At the first stages of transferring a dog to dry food, some owners mix dry granules with porridge or meat, believing that the pet will get used to the new diet faster. Experts do not recommend doing this, because mixed types of feed can create additional stress for the animal’s digestive system.

conclusions

At proper diet nutrition the dog will be healthy and active.

A proper diet is the key to a healthy and active dog. Therefore, it is so important to choose food for your pet that will satisfy all its needs. You should be especially careful when choosing dry food and feed your beloved four-legged friend only the highest quality and balanced food, and then the dog will long years will please the owner feeling good and irrepressible energy.

Video about switching a dog to dry food

Often, owners, having enthusiastically begun to feed their pet according to the principle - everything that is good for me is good for my four-legged friend, encounter some problems, since dogs often get sick while receiving food from the owner’s table. There are other situations when the owner gets tired of cooking large volumes of food for his once tiny pet, which has grown to the size of a calf. Whatever the reason, the owners come to a common opinion and begin to select the most healthy dry diets for their pets. How to transfer a dog to so that the changes do not negatively affect the well-being of the ward?

Before radically changing the menu of your tailed (or tailless) friend, it is worth familiarizing yourself with some of the postulates underlying the transfer of a dog to dry food:

• Important do not rush. Any changes in a dog’s diet are stressful for its body, let alone replacing natural products for industrial dry food. If you do this abruptly, the animal often develops various kinds of health problems. As a result, the pet may suffer from defecation disorders - constipation or diarrhea, he may develop vomiting, increased gas formation and other disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. This is a good reason to gradually transition your dog to a new diet.
• Better give preference to high-quality feed quality. Saving on dog food is a thankless task. Firstly, the stress from switching to “drying” will increase several times. Secondly, having tried granules with flavorings and enhancers, the dog will subsequently refuse higher quality diets. Thirdly, when choosing low-quality, economical feed, you should take into account that their consumption is significantly higher than that of high-quality feed. This is especially noticeable if the pet is a member of large or giant breeds. Ideally, before changing your diet, you need to contact veterinarian, who will offer the best option just for your dog. If this is not possible, you should familiarize yourself with the ratings the best feed, and choose from those that belong to the premium and holistic classes that are most suitable. But even following this recommendation, no one is immune from the fact that the food is not suitable. Therefore, it is worth preparing and choosing several alternative diets to replace.
• Very important compliance water balance . By receiving natural food, the dog also receives some moisture. But this will not happen in the case of dry diets. Now food and water for your pet are separate components. Therefore, it is worth making sure that your dog has 24/7 access to clean drinking water. And if the dog often turns over the bowl, you need to make sure that this does not happen to the water container, and the pet is not left without the necessary drink. The dog will be especially thirsty in the first days after switching to dry food, and will drink very often. This normal phenomenon and the needs of the pet must be satisfied. Another nuance - the dog begins to drink more, which means he will go to the toilet more often. Until the body has fully adapted to the new feeding regimen, it is worth walking your dog more often. four-legged friend. This will not only rid the house of foul-smelling puddles, but will also help better absorption food, since during movement the work of the gastrointestinal tract is more intense.

By the way, having chosen the appropriate menu based on the age and size of the dog, you should always feed it with this food, without changing the brand, unless there is a good reason for this.

Step-by-step transition of a dog to dry food

As already noted, when transferring a dog to ready-made rations there is no need to rush. Moreover, this must be done when the pet has no health problems and feels great.

The entire transfer period can take from a week to a week and a half. Every day you should methodically increase the amount of dry food, and make a smaller portion of natural food:

• The first two days, the ratio of natural products and dry diet is 3:1.
• 3, 4, 5 days - the amount of “drying” and “natural” is balanced and is 50:50%.
• The end of the first week - only 1/4 of the total daily food received by the pet is previously familiar food, the rest is a ready-made diet.
• 9, 10,11, 12th day - natural food is still present in the dog’s menu, but its share does not exceed 15% of the total diet. IN further dog can be fed exclusively with prepared food.

It is worth considering that with this type of feeding, the break between feedings should be at least 12 hours, in as a last resort- 10 hours.

Read also:

How to understand that the food is suitable

This question interests many novice dog breeders or owners who have just decided to change the type of feeding their pets. Naturally, the main indicator is the health and well-being of the pet itself. Among the warning signs that indicate that the food is not suitable for him, the following phenomena can be noted:

• gagging, difficulty defecating or diarrhea;
• increased hair loss not associated with seasonal shedding;
• redness of the ears;
• sour eyes;
• The dog has become lethargic, apathetic, and sleeps more than usual.

In this case, it is important to consult a veterinarian without thinking that this phenomenon will go away over time. An excellent, beautiful coat is a “mirror” of the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. And if there is a failure in this system, then the dog may experience the formation of dandruff, itching, bald spots and other phenomena that indicate negative changes.

Food allergies are a problem that many dog ​​owners face. And when transferring a pet from natural food to dry food, it often manifests itself, so it is worth familiarizing yourself with the symptoms of allergic manifestations in advance:

This symptomatology requires elimination of the causative agent of the allergy and treatment that eliminates unpleasant symptoms. Naturally, this must be done under the supervision of a veterinarian.

If the dog calmly tolerated the transition to a new diet, he does not have the above symptoms, he is cheerful and cheerful, then the chosen food is what is needed. But still, at first, the owner should take a closer look at the quality of the pet’s stool, evaluate how often he goes to the toilet and whether there are any changes in behavior.

There are often cases when it is necessary to transfer a four-legged pet from natural food to dry food. Often this need is resorted to if regular food has a detrimental effect on the dog’s health. Human products cause complications in the liver, kidneys, and heart muscles. The lifespan of a pet with such a diet is greatly reduced. Therefore, experienced veterinarians urgently advise making a translation. Today we will consider how to carry out manipulations without harm to the dog.

Pros and cons of dry food

Dry food, like other foods, has its positive and negative qualities. Let's talk about them in more detail.

Pros:

• the owner saves time by eliminating the need to prepare food for the dog;
• dry food includes all the necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids;
• The dosage is indicated on the package taking into account the age of the animal;
• components that are difficult to “obtain” in everyday life are added to dry food;
• has therapeutic effect, supports the work vitally important organs and systems;
• used in therapeutic and prophylactic diets;
• does not burden the liver.

Minuses:

• cheap food is not beneficial;
• addictive;
• a quality product is expensive;
• the transition is carried out with stress for the dog;
• burdens the pet’s gastrointestinal tract;
• Some types have chemical ingredients added.

When should a dog be switched to dry food?

1. The translation procedure requires special attention by the dog owner. If an animal develops diseases directly related to natural food, switching to dry food is necessary!
2. Visit a specialist; the veterinarian should examine the dog and give his recommendations. It is highly undesirable to switch to dry food if the dog is over 6 years old.
3. At this age, the animal’s body is already so accustomed to homemade food that when consuming dry food, problems may begin. serious problems. You will stress the dog psychologically and physically.
4. As for puppies, they can be switched to dry food after 5 months of age. At this age, the gastrointestinal tract is partially formed, so you will not put a colossal load on it.
5. Be sure to take into account the animal’s age, breed, and weight. Any transition should only be carried out on the orders of a veterinarian. You can’t do these things on your own! Because a dog may have an individual intolerance to one or another component.

How to switch your dog to dry food

1. As practice shows, after poor quality homemade food The dog quickly gets used to dry food. All manipulations take from 8 to 14 days. This period cannot be shortened because the body is not ready yet.
2. How is the translation carried out? On the first day, mix 85% regular homemade food with 15% dry food soaked in water. Every day, reduce the amount of natural food by 5-10%, increasing the amount of dry food.
3. After about 4 days, you should feed the animal in a 50-50 ratio, continuing to increase the proportions of dry food. Continue until your pet begins to consume 100% high quality dog ​​food.
4. These are the basic principles, but there is one more important thing to know. Make sure you have clean drinking water in the animal's bowl. Change it every 3-4 hours. Food can be given dry if the dog has good teeth, or soaked (elderly pets).
5. After a certain time, the dog’s intestines form their own microflora. Digestive tract will work correctly, the condition of the coat, claws, teeth will improve, they will disappear skin rashes, which often appear from natural food.
6. To ease the work of the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, soak dry food in water at room temperature for the first month. Soaking usually takes from 30 to 60 minutes, it all depends on the specific food.
7. Monitor the dog's condition very carefully in the first 10 days after the end of the transfer. If you notice the slightest discomfort, stop the procedure and go to the veterinarian on the same day. Explain the situation to him and get step by step guide by translation.

1. The most important thing to consider is that the transition must be systematic. You cannot change an animal’s preferences in a couple of days; manipulations are carried out very slowly.
2. A smooth transition will allow your dog to transition to a new diet without stress. In this way, not only is it prepared nervous system animal, but also the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and liver.
3. You cannot change the chosen food, because in the process of eating the dog gets used to it, and its own environment is formed in the intestines. If you buy another product, dysbiosis may develop.
4. If your pet does not like the option you have chosen, switch from one dry food to another and at the same time give the dog probiotics.
5. It is worth mentioning separately the quality of dry food. Immediately exclude such options as Pedigree, Chappie, etc. Choose only premium food that is as balanced and natural as possible.
6. Carefully monitor your dog's health during the transition to dry food. If the animal’s coat has deteriorated, strange rashes have appeared on the stomach or back, the frequency of bowel movements has changed (constipation), the food is not suitable.

What to do if your dog doesn’t want to eat dry food

1. There are often cases when, due to habit, an animal completely refuses to eat the food you have chosen. A dog can fast for a day or two and still feel depressed. Don't worry, there is a way out!
2. Try mixing dry food with your dog's favorite treat. Or treat the animal one grain at a time “from your hands.” Sometimes the owners start a game, and as a reward they slowly feed the pet its portion of food.
3. An animal may not eat food because it simply has no appetite. Make it a habit to walk your dog every time before meals. Go for a run to work up an appetite.
4. If your dog has no restrictions on eating dry food along with natural food, mix in some of his favorite chicken, turkey or other treats. Gradually remove natural foods from your diet completely.
5. There is another option. Pour food (dry or soaked) into the dog’s bowl, stand nearby and say “Give it back!”, “I’ll take it!” The animal eats everything out of greed. Dogs usually become greedy when there is another pet in the house.
6. If you come across an overly obstinate dog who happily eats human food, but refuses purchased feed, do it differently. In the future, do not treat him with natural food. Wait until the animal gets hungry to eat “its own.”

It is quite difficult to transfer a dog to dry food if you do not know where to start. Remember the main rule - all manipulations should be carried out slowly without stress for the animal. Be sure to consult a veterinarian before transferring, choose only high-quality food.

Video: how to feed your dog dry food

Proper nutrition for dogs is very important and is related to the health of the animal. The animal must receive certain vitamins and minerals from food per day. Poor nutrition leads to the most various diseases digestive organs.

Food must be present in the diet plant and animal origin.

Unhealthy diets for male and female dogs can affect their offspring. The task of every owner of a four-legged friend is to choose one for his pet balanced diet, in which the animal will receive the required amount of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and minerals.

The best and most correct will be choose dry food that suits your friend. Switching the dog to food will save the owner a lot of time; there is no need to stand at the stove and think about what to cook for him so that it is healthy, balanced and tasty. It is necessary to begin transferring the animal to natural food with a selection of food. When choosing, take into account age, breed, weight and composition. Let's try to superficially understand food and its varieties.

Production of dry food and its varieties

Special industrial dry food for dogs is a ready-made, balanced food containing everything essential for the health and energy of the animal. Each brand of food is produced in specialized laboratories. Everything happens in stages:

• The necessary ingredients are selected for each type of food.
• The selected ingredients, and this is necessary, both dry and wet components, are mixed into one whole.
• Pressing into a layer.
• The layer undergoes steam treatment and is released ready-made food, consisting of various figures.
• Drying.
• Application of fats, vitamins and minerals.
• Feed packaging.

Feed by class:

• Best variety: super premium.
• Medium grade: premium.
• Low grade: economy.

In the feed class holistic Manufacturers describe the entire composition of the feed in great detail. Such food is considered the best for animals; people can also eat it. The composition is completely natural without dyes or flavor enhancers. Approximate feed ingredients:

• Turkey, lamb meat.
• Chicory.
• Dried apple.
• Natural antioxidants.
• Orange extract.

Thanks to your natural ingredients These foods are very rich in beneficial properties that are very important for health:

• Healthy immunity.
• Healthy coat and skin.
• Strengthening vision.
• Correct metabolism, and accordingly correct weight.
• Healthy heart.

In feed super premium And premium contains:

1. Meat of various poultry or lamb, fish.
2. Various cereal crops.
3. Vitamins and minerals.
4. High protein and carbohydrate content.
5. Useful nutritional supplements.
6. Cereals.

Stern super premium And premium class are very good, do not contain harmful components, taste enhancers and odor enhancers. The price varies only on the amount of fresh meat and the quality of the cereals. When choosing food, you need to study the composition very carefully and make sure that all components are described in detail; there are unscrupulous manufacturers.

In the feed class economy contains:

1. Meat waste (ears, tails, head, udder, trachea, esophagus meat.
2. Food production waste.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that in economy class feed not contained vitamin supplements . If you feed your animal such food, then you must take care of the purchase vitamin complex. Feeding such foods is not correct and can lead to illness. internal organs animal. Often the animal suffers from such food constant diarrhea and allergic reactions.

Manufacturers of economy class feed generously add strong odor and taste enhancing components to their feed. With constant feeding of economy class food healthy dog turns into a sick person, so you shouldn’t skimp on your dog.

Step-by-step transition of a dog to dry food

It should be noted that if the dog is elderly and has lived its entire life on natural feeding, That You shouldn’t torment her body and it’s better to leave her usual food.

You cannot suddenly switch your pet to food. There must be a transition gradual, smooth and will take ten days.

During the period of smooth transition to food, and the next month you need soak food. We determine the proportions as follows: soak the handful of food we need for feeding with approximately two of the same portions of water. The animal must now have constant access to water, around the clock. At first, you will have to take the dog out for walks more often than usual. Your friend will now drink a lot more and naturally go to the toilet more often.

• Days 1 - 2: 75% natural food and 25% softened food.
• Days 3 - 4: 50% natural food and 50% softened food.
• Days 5 - 6: 25% natural food and 75% softened food.
• 7 - 8 days: 15% natural food and 85 softened food.
• Day 9 - softened food.

The dog is fed three times a day; the required daily amount of food is divided into three parts.

Experts believe that it is best to leave 20% of natural food on an ongoing basis, in the form of treats or meat, but do not mix it with food at one time. The feeding regime between natural food and food must be at least 10 hours; food cannot be given simultaneously with natural food. Not recommended for dogs cat food, they are not designed for dogs, they may cause digestive problems. Sometimes food is not suitable for a dog, in which case you need to try giving others.

The food is not suitable if:

• The dog has diarrhea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Itchy skin.
• Appeared dark discharge from the ears.
• Sudden hair loss.
• Constipation.

If your pet does not have such symptoms, he is as cheerful as always, then the food is suitable for him.