anatess
Well-known member
- Jul 26, 2011
- 1,758
- 398
- Country
- US
- Bulldog(s) Names
- Bullie (RIP) & Angus (RIP)
I've always been told to switch the dog's new food over a period of 3 or 4 weeks. Mixing one quarter of the new food with 3 quarters of the old food the first week. Half old food mixed with and half the new food the second week; and 3/4 new food mixed with 1/4 old food the third week. Making the change this slow allows the dog to adjust without the dreaded runs.
Exactly, [MENTION=3513]sleet[/MENTION]! And for a dog under 20 lbs who only eats 1 cup a day... that's a measly 1/4 cup of new food within the first week!
But, even then, that's not a guarantee you're not going to get soft serve poop. Soft serve within the first week is not a big cause of concern at that point. If you do get the soft serve in the first week, it is always recommended to keep the 1/4 new food for another week. By the end of the 2nd week you should have regular poop. Which is a good time to up to half-and-half.
Okay, a lot of allergic dogs go through food elimination diets (cycling through dog food to see if their dog is allergic to a specific ingredient)... even with this diet, you still have to follow the very slow 3-4 week transition. Which means, you're not going to find out if the dog is allergic to the new food for at least 3 weeks. Once the dog is fully transitioned (3rd or 4th week), then if the condition persists, then start the slow transition to another food. It's a super slow, tedious process that could take several months.