So you’re thinking about switching your dog to a fresh, raw diet but don’t know where to start? Let us show you how easy and simple it can be.
How do I introduce raw food to my dog?
We always recommend a slow introduction to our food over 2 weeks. This is to minimise any potential for stomach upsets which can happen if a change in diet is sudden. A slow introduction can also help with dogs that aren’t particularly fond of change or if the change in diet is a big difference. Imagine going from eating processed fast foods all your life then being presented a meal with fresh, unprocessed, uncooked ingredients… it may take a bit of getting used to in the beginning. So keep a close eye on them while they are eating their meals, and monitor their stools during the transitioning period.
If your pet is prone to tummy upsets and has a sensitive tummy, we recommend you use our Soothe & Support probiotic supplement during the transition period to reduce the likelihood of digestive discomfort (for them and you).
Here is what you should do over the next two weeks broken down into percentages:
Day 1-3: 20% New 80% Old
Day 4-6: 40% New 60% Old
Day 7-9: 60% New 40% Old
Day 10-12: 80% New 20% Old
Day 12+: 100% New Diet
This is just a guide, don’t stress about percentages too much. Your dog definitely won’t be pulling you up if you serve them 22% and 78%. Just work towards slowly swapping your dog’s food over 2 weeks.
How much do I feed my dog?
It is important to remember that our feeding guidelines are just a guide and your pets’ metabolism, breed, size, age and activity level (do you have a couch potato or a zoomie machine?) may affect their overall nutritional requirements.
The important thing to focus on is that your pet is within a healthy weight range. Here is a quick guide:
Which Big Dog recipe is best for MY dog?
There are so many options! Our Core range of diets are flavour based, mixed protein diets that provide all the macro and micronutrients your dog needs to be healthy and happy. The predominant protein source in each of our core diet range represents the flavour of that product. Our core range consists of Beef, Chicken, Combo, Tassie Salmon and Lamb.
Our Single Protein Allergy range is formulated for dogs with food intolerances to certain meats, most commonly being beef and chicken. As a single protein diet, our Kanga, Turkey and Goat diets contain only muscle meat, offal and bone of these species.
Our Scientific Range contains two recipes which have been formulated to address dogs with health conditions, assisting from the inside out.
The Sensitive Skin diet contains an abundance of natural anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids designed to promote healthy skin, coat and a stronger immune system, as well as long term healing and reduction of potential future skin issues.
Our Wellbeing diet has been specifically formulated for overweight dogs and dogs with common chronic health conditions including arthritis, pancreatic issues, liver problems, renal conditions and some cancers. It is lower in fat with a mixture of traditional healing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and health-promoting herbs. Our Wellbeing Diet is also recommended for senior dogs.
If you are still looking for more information, we have a long list of answers to frequently asked questions on our FAQ page and we also try to be incredibly helpful, so if you still have questions please get in touch.
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If you're still feeling overwhelmed, here's our Beginner's Guide to Raw Dog Food.
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