Kibble Conversion: How to Switch Your Dog’s Food

Mealtime is an especially important part of your furry friend’s day, so it’s important to make any dog food transition as smooth as possible. Let’s break down all you need to know about switching your dog’s food.

When to Transition Your Dog to a New Food

There are certain points in your dog’s life when switching your dog’s food is appropriate. The reason behind that switch in dog food can vary.

• Age – Whether your best friend is going from puppy to adult or entering their golden years, their nutritional needs change. It’s common to switch to adult dog food or senior dog food when they enter a new life stage. Growing puppies tend to need more calories and protein than adult dogs. Senior dogs are less active and don’t need as many calories as they did in their younger years.
• Digestive issues – Dogs can have food sensitivities or intolerance to certain foods. Depending on the situation, switching to a different dog food that is formulated for sensitive dogs could be beneficial.
• Weight management – Sometimes our best friends can enjoy their food a little too much and carry a few extra pounds. Switching to a food that has reduced fat can be helpful in maintaining a healthy weight for your dog.
• Picky eater – Some dogs just aren’t that into their current kibble, which can require a change of dog food to keep your best friend interested in mealtime. If your dog is showing signs of being a picky eater by not eating, transitioning to a different food might help.
• Specific food concerns – Perhaps you're looking for a food rich in Omega 3 & 6 to nourish your dog’s skin and coat, or maybe you would like to give your dog probiotics to help support the immune and digestive system. If you are wanting additional nutritional support, you may want to switch to a food that contains specific ingredients to help with these issues.
• Better quality – Is your dog ready for an upgrade? Sometimes it’s just time to switch your dog to a higher quality dog food with higher quality ingredients and protein to help support your best friend.

Regardless of the reason, it’s important to know why it’s time to make a switch so that you can pick out the right replacement. The reason you are making the switch plays an essential role in choosing the right food for your dog.

Steps to Changing Dog Food

Many brands recommend a gradual transition when changing your dog's food. The timing for these changes depends on your best friend. The American Kennel Club suggests a week-long transition schedule for switching dry dog food. This schedule recommends giving your dog a couple of days to adjust at each step of the transition. However, this process can be much shorter or longer depending on your particular pooch. The general belief is a gradual transition, such as incorporating 25% more of the new food each day with your dog’s current diet, will help your dog’s system get adjusted to their new food.

Some dogs may need some more time, so give them an extra few days to transition if needed. If they have a history of sensitive digestion, make sure to be especially mindful when transitioning. However, if they’re happy to gobble down their new mix, don’t be afraid to move on to the next step in the transition schedule.

Switching to Bil-Jac Dog Food is Easy

If you’re looking for an easier way to transition your dog to a new food without taking 4-7 days to transition your pup, consider switching to Bil-Jac Dry Dog Food. Since Bil-Jac is gently cooked and formulated to support healthy digestion, many dogs can start eating Bil-Jac without taking 4-7 days to change over. Of course, if your dog has a sensitive stomach, you should always mix in the new food over a few days to be sure you don’t upset their sensitive tummy.

Switching Dog Food for Multiple Dogs

Changing your dog’s food isn’t too complicated of a process. However, it can be tricky to manage different foods for multiple dogs. If you have dogs that have different dietary needs because of their age, size, or other factors, you have a couple of options:

• Feed each dog a different dry food that addresses their dietary needs.
• Choose a food made for “All Life Stages” that can be fed to dogs of all ages and sizes.

Regardless of your choice, the transition process would be the same – change the amount of new dog food every few days until your furry friends are switched over to the new formula. The big difference is that one route requires you to manage different dog food formulas and make sure each dog eats the right food during mealtime, while the other allows you some flexibility and can even limit the need to switch foods in the future.

If you’re wondering how All Life Stages formulas work, it’s simple – these pet foods are carefully formulated to meet the nutritional needs of dog from when they are puppies to adulthood, each stage of life. All Life Stages formulas are great for families with several dogs of different ages and or sizes. Bil-Jac offers three dog food formulas made for all life stages:

• Adult Select Formula
• Sensitive Solutions Skin & Stomach Support
• Sensitive Solutions Digestive & Immune Support

Supporting Your Best Friend One Bowl at a Time

Which type of dog food you should choose all depends on what’s best for you and your canine companions – as long as you feed them exceptional nutrition that they love, you can’t go wrong in choosing a specific type of formula or an all-life stages dog food.

Want to learn more about how you can support your best friend? Join our Best Friends Club today to receive exclusive email updates, informative articles, and members-only discounts on Bil-Jac dog food, treats, and other products.

Thinking about switching to Bil-Jac? Take the Two Bowl Challenge to compare us with your dog’s current food to see which kibble your dog prefers!

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