Hi all, Quick feeding question. Does the gradual changeover of food protocol apply where you are trying a different flavour of the same brand and type of food? (eg swapping from Beef to Chicken)
Re: Same food - different flavour I think I would play safe and do a gradul change UB . I switched our two from a salmon based food to a lamb one, same manufacturer and it upset both tums , I didnt do a gradual change so thats a lesson learned
Re: Same food - different flavour When I worked at the kennels the only foods we did gradual changeovers with was when we were weaning off sensitive food after an upset tummy. The test of the time there would be several different brands and flavours all mixed together in the bin which never seemed to have any adverse effects. But my own dog at home... I would do like Kate says and do a gradual change. Maybe not as long as if I were changing brands and food completely but at least a few days.
Re: Same food - different flavour I would do a gradual change over as well. Maybe not as long. Although I wouldn't bother changing flavour. I was told its usually only an increase in protein that needs to be introduced gradually but I wouldn't risk it with my dogs but they are prone to dodgey tummies. :
Re: Same food - different flavour How does one engineer this gradual change? Surely it depends on what the dog finds. Dried banana skins, half eaten sandwiches, windfall apples etc Seriously though, (semi seriously) half the dogs on the site seem to spend their lives eating anything and everything, however unsuitable we deem it, with no adverse effect and the other half appear to have delicate stomachs. I'm lucky enough to have a gut-bucket (family name for dog that eats everything)
Re: Same food - different flavour Me too! The only time Penny had an upset tummy from something she ate was when she discovered cow pats for the first time... That was not a fun day.
Re: Same food - different flavour Not sure it helps but Kenzi went right off JWB kibble/chicken after having it for a couple of months, so I switched JWB kibble and a wet food, I opted for Wainwrights Puppy Variety pack and she gets 1/6th of a tray in with her kibble with each meal. The variety pack is 3 trays lamb, 3 duck, 3 turkey - so every 2 days she switches to a different flavour and I've never had any issues as a result of her food. As with others the only time I tend to have issues is with items she's scavenged like crabs at the beach.
