It is a known fact that feeding your pet raw food is one of the best things you can do for him. You may know of all the benefits it brings to your pet. But maybe the only problem is that you are not quite sure how to actually switch from feeding your pet the usual food he is familiar with to raw food as it is very different from the type of food your pet is accustomed to.

There is no need to worry as many other pet owners experience these types of problems when it comes to switching a pet to raw food.

Ways To Make The Switch

There are three common ways to switch your pet to raw food. The first is to go cold Turkey and just make the sudden change. By doing this, it means you do not attempt to transition your pet; you just stop feeding current food and present your pet with raw (new) food.

One thing you should not forget when making this type of change is to ensure there is no commercial pet food around or made available to your pet. If this happens then your pet may not take the food that you are giving him and may just look for more commercial food.

The next approach to switch is a slow introduction of raw foods. Pet owners who use this method usually begin with just one type of ground beef and some vegetables. This is mixed with the current food your pet is taking.

You can reduce the amount of commercial food you give as there will be raw food. You can continue to reduce the amount of kibble and increase the amount of unprocessed food by using mincemeat over ground meat over time. Such a transition will usually last from seven to ten days with your pet successfully eating raw food at the end of this period of time.

The last type of switch is done through fasting. Fasting can help get rid of any commercial food leftover in your pet’s body. To do this you can either decide not to feed your pet for a day or feed him a special diet for about four days.

It begins by giving your pet-less than the amount of commercial food you usually give him plus meat and vegetables. Then give him only broth or water the next day. On the third day, you’ll still want to give him liquids, but add some solid foods like meat and vegetables to that. Finally, on the fourth day, you can give him all raw food.

Go For A Healthy Alternative

You might ask, “Which method is best for my pet? You can decide on any method that you feel comfortable with when you want to make the switch from commercial pet food to raw pet food. The most important thing is to go for a healthy alternative when switching your pet to raw food.

Aside from choosing the method of the switch you are going to use, you will also need to prepare a system of getting your pet’s food. Eating a raw meat diet requires more commitment on your part than with a commercial diet.

Unlike commercial foods, you can’t just purchase a bag of pet food and that’s all. You need to ensure you get the right kind of food to give him a balanced diet.

The hardest part is making the decision, and then sticking to it. It is important to know what may happen and be prepared. A healthy pet may go through the switching process without a twitch, but some may be more sensitive than others, and there may be some minor issues during the initial stages.

In the long run, the feeding regime becomes second nature. Your pet will enjoy the food and most importantly, you will enjoy the pet improved and healthy life.

The following are some tips to make the switch easier on you:

• Even when doing a quick switch, it is suggested that you sprinkle a kibble powder on the raw food to give it a familiar scent. Pets are, in some cases, pickier about their food and may need to be tricked into their new diet. So, the sprinkler method of making raw food smell like the food they are familiar with is recommended.
• Suspicious pets like cats may be more receptive to bite-sized fillet pieces of meat in order to get used to the taste, and texture. Place the pieces on a surface where they can inspect it. The bowl might not be comfortable for that.
• When making the switch and running into any side effects, like diarrhea, for example, you may wonder why? It is a natural reaction if your pet has been feeding many meat types along with various combinations of fruits, vegetables, scraps, treats, and supplements, you might wonder if one of those might be the cause.
• The foods that dogs need are 50-75% raw meaty bone, muscle meat, 25-40% fruits and vegetables and fruits, 10-25% dairy products, offal, and others. Let this be your guide to determine what to serve.
• Create a menu of what you will be serving your pet. This will allow you to plan what you need to buy and when you need to buy, saving you time and money.
• Buy where you buy your meats and food. Pet needs a human-grade food. To ensure you get meat and foods that are safe to eat, buy from reliable sources. Where you buy the food you eat is a good choice.
• Store food properly. Meat should not be left out to spoil and should be kept in the refrigerator to avoid spoilage.
• Introduce new food once at a time. This will help you identify any food allergies your pet may have.