Switching Foods

[rottiluver]

After educating myself on this site :) I decided to switch Diesel's food to a super premium. I looked around all day for Canibae or Innova which I hear tons about on this site, but came up empty handed. So I decided to go with (Shur-Gain) Canine Plus, Weight Management Formula. I was just wondering what everyone thought about this food specially since my boy has HD. I was also wondering: how long are you suppose to mix it with the old brand? Do I mix it 50/50? and for how long?

Thanks!

~Tan

[RottiMomCT]

You'll want to mix the food slowly over the course of at least 2 weeks.

Days 1-3, mix 20% new, 80% current food
Days 4-6, mix 30% new, 70% current food
Days 7-10, mix 40% new, 60% current food
Days 11-15, mix 50-50...

Slowly increase the amount of new food until the dog is on 100% new food. If the dog has runny poops cut back a little on the new food and add a little more of the stuff they're currently eating.

The ONLY time I've ever switched a dog cold turkey was a foster dog I had that was NOT going to enter my home with a bag of GRAVY TRAIN for meals! Switched him over to the Royal Canin the day he got here.

[JD102175]

When we switched Brodie we did it over the period of about 7 days.
First 2 days 25%new, 75% old
Days 3-5 we did 50/50
Days 6 and 7 we did 75% new, 25% old.

After that it was 100% new food.

Jaime

[rottiluver]

Thanks for the replies it was very helpful because this is the first time switching Diesel's food to something better. Anyone hear of this food? if so, what do you think of it? Cause I'm trying to find the best food for him! :)

[JD102175]

I could not find the Weight Management Formula on their website. All they had listed was a Lite Formula.

Jaime

[brunie's mom]

I just went and did a search about this food. It's made by Maple Leaf Foods.
It's sure not a super premium food....but it's not too bad either. I would put it at about the same level as Nutro Natural.

It does contain 3-4 different grains...and one of them is corn glutten meal.

Since Maple Leaf Foods makes human food products....it's almost a sure bet that anything that is spoiled or unfit for humans is going into this food.

Where in Nova Scotia are you?? I know that in Halifax you can get Canidae, and Innova. Have you looked at their store locators? Go to their website and take a look.... www.canidae.com www.naturapet.com

Often groomers and small private pet stores and feed stores sell the super premium foods.

Also...my daughter lives in a tiny, little town in the middle of the Rockies in B.C. and she can only buy Purina Cat Chow for her cats at the grocery store
She now orders from this Canadian company and has been very pleased.
Go to www.petacular.com and take a look. They do have Canidae and some other super premium foods as well...all in Canadian dollars.

Gina

[mmgy]

Just a quick note.....Canidae is re-doing their store locator, and it's all a mess! If you have any trouble finding a dealer, it wouldn't hurt to call.

[TrishB]

I've always done a 10% change over 10 days. It's never failed.

i.e.
Day 1: 10% new 90% old
Day 2: 20% new 80% old
Day 3: 30% new 70% old
.....

It's slow, it's easy and it works!

[Denise L.]

Originally Posted by RottiMomCT

You'll want to mix the food slowly over the course of at least 2 weeks.

Days 1-3, mix 20% new, 80% current food
Days 4-6, mix 30% new, 70% current food
Days 7-10, mix 40% new, 60% current food
Days 11-15, mix 50-50...

Slowly increase the amount of new food until the dog is on 100% new food. If the dog has runny poops cut back a little on the new food and add a little more of the stuff they're currently eating.

The ONLY time I've ever switched a dog cold turkey was a foster dog I had that was NOT going to enter my home with a bag of GRAVY TRAIN for meals! Switched him over to the Royal Canin the day he got here.

That is pretty much how I switched Cyrus from Solid Gold to Canidae...I waited until I had about a 2 week supply of Solid Gold then I bought the Canidae.

Worked great, no runny poops at all.

[Bruce Lanthier]

I changed over from Wellness to Innova about a month ago. I didn't mix anything, when the Wellness ran out I began feeding Innova. I have never heard a good, logical reason to mix while switching and, not that I have done it much, have never had any problem by just changing the food.

[rms78645]

Thats what I just did with my puppy. Innova Puppy to Canidae Maintnenance. I waited too long to mix (he ran out) so I just gave it to him. He gets a 50/50 raw/kibble diet so his whole diet didnt change. So far so good.

[TrishB]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lanthier

I changed over from Wellness to Innova about a month ago. I didn't mix anything, when the Wellness ran out I began feeding Innova. I have never heard a good, logical reason to mix while switching and, not that I have done it much, have never had any problem by just changing the food.

I chalk switching foods reactions up to the fact that every dog is an individual. Some dogs get the runs from looking sideways at them. Some dogs are as regular as a Rolex watch regardless of what they're fed or what they get into (I had an Aussie Cattle dog that ate a pound of butter and was fine ).

I'd rather give them the opportunity to avoid the possible tummy upset if I can control it. That's why I do the slow switch.

(Ever been to Mexico? Heard of Montizuma's revenge? Wouldn't you want to avoid that if you could? LMAO )

[rms78645]

I was always told to mix food for that same reason but then it occured to me that he gets different raw food everyday and we have no tummy/stool problems. But I do know some dogs arent like that.

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally Posted by TrishB

I chalk switching foods reactions up to the fact that every dog is an individual. Some dogs get the runs from looking sideways at them. Some dogs are as regular as a Rolex watch regardless of what they're fed or what they get into (I had an Aussie Cattle dog that ate a pound of butter and was fine ).

I'd rather give them the opportunity to avoid the possible tummy upset if I can control it. That's why I do the slow switch.

LOL Well if they can lick their own butts, eat cat turds, rabbit turds, deer turds and the like and do just fine, why would I worry about switching from one food to the other. I don't think their little tummys are all that delicate that switching between good quality foods is going to be that bad.

Originally Posted by TrishB

(Ever been to Mexico? Heard of Montizuma's revenge? Wouldn't you want to avoid that if you could? LMAO )

I thought that was because their water isn't processed and cleaned like yours and the bacteria in it causes the problems. I hope ANY food you feed would have better quality controls than that water.

[trackermom]

Originally Posted by rottiluver

Thanks for the replies it was very helpful because this is the first time switching Diesel's food to something better. Anyone hear of this food? if so, what do you think of it? Cause I'm trying to find the best food for him! :)

If you were to go on www Canidae com they do have a store locator, you can enter your location and see if it is sold anywhere near you, also you can go on www naturapet com and it will give you the store locator for Innova, healthwise, and California Natural... ALL excellent foods, as for the one you have decided to feed I will have to let someone else chime in on that as i do not know of the brand.