Switch to Raw Guide

We recommend a straight switch to raw, there is no need to gradually introduce. Pick your day and make the switch to a totally healthy and natural raw dog food diet!

However, if you wish to add raw in increasing amounts, while decreasing the old food over 3-5 days, that is fine too. There are no hard and fast rules here, so do what you feel is right for your dog and his or her needs. The most important thing is that you have chosen to make the switch, and whether you do right away or over a few days, you will be doing the best thing you could do for your doggo!

The Easy Switch 4 Week Plan

Week 1: Classic Turkey or Classic Lamb Tripe and Turkey

Week 2: Classic Beef Tripe and Chicken or Classic Beef Tripe and Duck

Week 3: Classic Beef and Duck or Classic Beef, Rabbit and Duck

Week 4: Paleo Plus Lamb & Mint complete or Paleo Plus Tukey & Fish complete

Week 5: Try some more flavours from our Classic 80-10-10 or Paleo Plus ranges of complete feeds. We also do some great hampers.

Now your dog is fully transitioned, you should be seeing the many benefits of raw feeding. Excitement at mealtimes, less upsets and/or allergies, softer coat, cleaner teeth, healthier with more vitality and happy and fulfilled, to mention a few!

Remember Variety is Key

When raw feeding, variety is essential. Dogs will gain different levels of nutrients from different animals so, the more variety the better.

You should be aiming to feed at least 5-6 different species i.e. lamb, beef, duck, chicken, fish, pork, venison, turkey, kangaroo etc over a 2-month period. Once fully transitioned to raw, you can add a raw egg (including the shell) or whole fish once or twice per week. Bone broth is a great addition too!

To ensure your dog is getting everything they need after you have fully transitioned to raw dog food, we recommend choosing a variety of complete feeds from our Classic Range of 80-10-10 complete meals and our Paleo Plus complete meals.


Fruit & Veg

Many people like to add vegetables and/or fruit to their dog’s raw diet. For those that want to feed raw with additions, our Berrygood offers an incredible superfoods boost. Our Paleo Plus range also includes this mix of superfoods. You can also add Berrygood to any of our Classic Range to give a superfood boost.

For those who do not wish to feed fruit or veg, our Classic Range 80-10-10 meals and DIY range are perfect.

Dogs do not possess the stomach enzymes capable of breaking down vegetable matter, so mostly is just passes through. This is why blitzing, pulping or grinding is always recommended.

A raw fruit or vegetable treat like a carrot or banana, goes down well with many dogs and is certainly better than a processed treat. Blueberries are excellent for training, not only are they delicious, they are packed with antioxidants.

Bones

Chewing on bones offers a great source of mental and physical enrichment for your dog. Bone should be fed sparingly and should always be supervised. Too much bone will cause constipation and could lead to impaction.

Dogs that are given bone too early when switching, often vomit it back up a few hours later (some don’t and that's fine too). This is because the stomach acids have not increased sufficiently to properly digest bones. Don’t panic! If they are sick and seem fine in every other way, they may just need a little more time for their stomach to adjust. We recommend waiting until you have finished the 4-week plan.

Raw fed dogs have much higher stomach acidity than kibble fed dogs. This is perfectly natural and is important in helping dogs to digest meat and bone.

Water Intake

Raw fed dogs obtain a lot of moisture from their food so you will notice your dog drinking less. If you are switching from kibble, there can be a very noticeable reduction in water intake. This is perfectly normal.

Dogs should always have unlimited access to fresh water.

Stools

Raw fed dogs poop much less. When switching to raw, dogs can often go a day or two without pooping at all. Raw is totally natural and as such is moisture rich and highly digestible. Waste is minimal as the body utilises all the moisture and goodness.

Raw fed dogs produce stools that are much smaller, and pellet-like. Often only passing stools once a day, sometimes skipping a day. This is totally normal. As long your dog is happy and comfortable, this is fine.

If you have any concerns at all, please do not hesitate to contact us on:

info@paleoridge.co.uk

02394 210800

FAQ's

For further information, please see FAQ's - How Can We Help?