Feeding Transition
 

I want to change my doggies' food. Do I change them "cold turkey" or gradually? Can I feed all methods at the same time - raw, cooked, and store bought - or is it best to feel only one method? Should I contact my vet first before changing?

If you want to change foods, it's important to do it gradually. Slowly start adding the new food to the old food, until after a week, you are completely switched over. Otherwise, your dog may get diarrhea and even bloody stool...

So, I can gradually introduce raw with the current kibble and then add cooked from time to time OR should I only feed one method? Do I need to consult my vet before I change?

I hope you don't mind, but I'm cutting and pasting (below) something I posted from another post from a few weeks ago, here was the thread: (http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho....php?t=115609). As for checking w/ your vet, well...keep in mind that many vets had a total of 1 hour of nutrition education in vet school. So, while it certainly is wise to consult w/ them - it may not go the way you expect or HOPE... :rolleyes: ...especially when discussing raw/homecooking. Keep in mind most vets still sell (and blindly believe in) crap kibble food. Here's what I posted a few weeks back regarding "combining":

"I have yet to find a vet that *gets* raw, it's so frustrating.

So here's the low-down on kibble/raw: there is a super conservative school of thought that says never feed together and that you should feed kibble and raw 8 hours apart. A more moderate school of thought says one should feed kibble and raw 4-5 hours apart.

The thought is that the body digests raw food and non-raw food differently and in different amounts of time.

There is another school of thought that thinks the above statement is hogwash (I kinda reside there). The thing is, the body doesn't know if food is raw, 1/4 cooked, 1/2 cooked, or non-raw - the tummy differentiates things as carb, fat, protein, toxin etc. - and releases enzymes accordingly. It's the same for us - we eat sushi - part raw, part non-raw - and our body digests it as carb, protein, fat.

Now, there may be some truth that it takes longer to digest processed kibble than the raw - but I don't agree with the opinion out there that the kibble then halts the raw from proceeding to digest (causing fermentation); the stomach is a "churner" - and those items that are ready to move on into the intestine go ahead and do so; it's not like the entire contents must all go together as one meal. The stomach and intestines are dynamic and elastic places - and they move stuff along when the "stuff" is ready.

If you want to play it moderate, however, just feed every 4 hours - and alternate the raw feedings with the kibble feedings. You have to do what makes you comfortable. There are a lot of opinions out there - so read a bunch of them, educate yourself, and do what's best for your baby."

Gradually.:)

I switched Lucy over cold turkey and didn't have a problem but I think she is the exception rather than the rule.

By all means, go very slowly with any new food or treat. The transition should take between 7-10 days. Some may tolerate it quicker and some may need a little more time if they have sensitive tummies.

Good luck with your food switch. Please read the ingredients on what you are feeding and make sure there is no corn, wheat or by-products.:thumbdown

BTW..are you coming to the Houston Meetup?? It is this Saturday! Come on out and meet some fellow YT"ers!! :)
Here is the thread:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=117041

Hope to see you Saturday!! :D
HUGS! XOXO
Linda & PACK

I'm going out-of-town, to visit my Mom, this weekend. I'd love to meet you all. Please take lots of pictures.

The one thing you do have to be careful about is feeding homecooking. If you are making homecooking more than about 20% of the diet, it is best to supplement.