Switch your dog to dry food from natural food: 10 tips to train a puppy

The debate about whether it is worth feeding a dog with industrial food has not subsided for many years. One way or another, after assessing all the pros and cons, the choice is made only by the owner of the animal. If a positive decision is made, you need to know how to properly accustom your dog to dry food. Not all animals are happy to accept the initiative of their owners. In addition, if the process of switching to a different type of food is carried out incorrectly, the animal will find itself in a stressful situation, and the dog’s body will receive a colossal load.

How to accustom a dog to dry food

Basic Rules

Since changing a dog’s diet is stressful for the body, it is important to follow the recommendations:

Do not rush. This can lead to digestive problems - constipation, diarrhea, vomiting. It is preferable to gradually transfer the dog to a different diet over at least 10 days.
It is advisable to choose premium and super premium food. Cheap types are addictive to the animal (due to the addition of flavorings and taste enhancers).
Nutrition must be appropriate for the breed and age of the pet. Be sure to take into account the size of the dog and recommendations for the number of pellets per weight of the animal.
It is extremely important to provide your pet with free access to a bowl of water. Pieces of dry food quickly absorb liquid. If the dog doesn’t have enough of it, digestion will be disrupted. Increased water consumption can lead to "little surprises" on the floor. Therefore, for starters, it is advisable to walk with your pet more often. This way the owner will protect himself from the smell of urine in the house.
It is better to switch your dog to dry food from the age of three months. Unsoaked granules should be offered to puppies whose baby teeth have already been replaced.

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It is not advisable to switch dogs over 5 years old to a different diet, as it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, for them to adjust.

By following these recommendations, you will be able to transition your animal to “drying” from natural food as comfortably as possible.

When to do it

The owner, as a rule, is puzzled by the issue of accustoming a new family member to dry food already when the puppy appears in the house. Many dog breeders choose ready-made industrial food to feed their four-legged friends. This choice is due to several factors. First of all, dry mixes are convenient. You can take the food with you on the road, it does not spoil, and you do not need to waste time preparing the next portion.

Premium and super-premium food is a complete diet and does not require the use of multivitamin supplements. In the lines of well-known manufacturers there are a variety of foods intended for a specific age, breed, and physiological state. Medicinal specialized dry mixtures are also available for sale.

When deciding to feed a puppy dry food, the owner should know a few things. Experienced dog breeders recommend that during the first two weeks of your baby’s stay in a new home, you should not attempt to change his diet. During this period, the new family member is fed with foods familiar to him. Such a competent approach will allow the puppy to quickly adapt to new conditions without harm to health.

After the baby gets used to its environment, the owner can gradually begin accustoming him to dry food. Veterinary experts recommend using only high-quality premium and super-premium food for feeding puppies, designed specifically for young animals.

We recommend reading about how to train your dog to use a leash. From the article you will learn about the age at which a dog should be taught to use a leash, and the owner’s rules of behavior during training.

And here is more information about how to play with a dog.

Translation scheme

You need to gradually accustom your puppy to unusual food. Veterinarians and leading dog lovers have developed a single universal scheme that takes into account the physiological characteristics of pets:

Do not give your dog dry kibble right away. It is advisable to pre-soak them in water for one hour.
For the first feeding, you need to thoroughly mix the softened industrial dried food with the animal’s usual food in a ratio of 1/2.
Then, over the course of a week, increase the proportion of granules every two days.

At this time, you need to closely monitor the condition of the puppy’s coat, his mood, well-being, and the presence of allergic reactions. If deterioration is noticed, feeding should be stopped and the baby should be introduced to a different type of food.

This is interesting: Is it necessary to soak dry food for a puppy?

How to prevent boycotts in the future: rules for feeding dogs

How to prevent a boycott in the future: what rules of feeding dogs are important to follow? You can feed your dog in any way convenient for you, but some tricks will allow your pet to develop clear conditioned reflexes.

Developing a feeding schedule is one of the surest ways to avoid a boycott. If your dog is an adult, he needs to be taught to eat after walks. While accustoming to the schedule, it is necessary to refrain from treats that the dog receives on the street.

Make sure your pet does not have access to food during breaks. When the dog has moved away from the bowl, remove any leftovers and hide the bowl until the next meal. If there is food left in the bowl, the pet will bite. Such strict rules must be followed for only 2-3 days.

To achieve results faster, adult dogs are given a break between meals of up to 12 hours. All family members must follow the established rules and refrain from giving treats to the dog outside of the schedule, even if it looks hungry.

Pros of feeding dry food

Keeping a dog dry has undeniable advantages.

These include:
ease of use, no need to prepare, mix, etc.;
granules do not deteriorate much longer than natural granules;
industrial food contains the daily norm of nutrients necessary for a dog, a balanced vitamin and mineral complex;
sometimes “drying” can solve digestive problems (veterinarians specifically prescribe a commercial diet if the puppy is intolerant to certain foods).

There are also negative sides. It is not always possible to correctly translate a dog. Especially if the owner relies on advertised brands of economy-class dry food. The additives they contain are addictive in dogs. At the same time, the transition to higher quality food is perceived negatively by animals. This is because the premium class differs from the cheap “drying” in its naturalness - they do not contain unnecessary flavorings or flavor enhancers.

After eating economy class, the dog may refuse healthier food.

Let's understand the terminology: force or train?

Dogs are naturally conservative in their taste preferences. Puppies seek a variety of tastes while exploring the outside world. The older the dog gets, the more picky it becomes in choosing food.

Important! Most pets would prefer to eat the same food every day rather than change their diet frequently.

Let's look at the terminology: force or train to eat dry food?

If your dog has been eating natural or soft food and refuses dry food, it needs to be accustomed to a new diet.
If a dog ate dry food well and abruptly refused it, most likely the reason is the state of its health.

Theoretically, a dog can be forced to eat anything, but is this method correct? When dogs become picky eaters, they are guided by their instincts and their sense of well-being. The pet does not eat food that can harm it, has an unattractive taste, etc.

Note! Active eating of food may be due to deception of taste buds, so carefully read the composition of the food before purchasing it. Dogs enjoy eating economy class food because it contains flavor enhancers and flavoring agents.

Feeding standards

It will be possible to finally transfer a healthy puppy from natural food to dry industrial food in a few months. During the first 30 days, you must remember to soak the granules.

It is preferable to divide the food into several times at the rate of 100 g of feed per 10 kg of body. Gradually increase the daily volume by 50 g per day. The share of natural food should not exceed 10% of the total food.

Transferring a dog from one food to another

Switching a dog from one food to another usually happens without problems if the owner is not in a hurry. When changing food, health problems and indigestion may begin. At this time, the dog’s body adapts to the new food.

When transferring from one dry food to another, it is advisable to avoid the stage of feeding wet food.

Most dogs will prefer wet food over dry food. Mix new food, gradually increasing its mass fraction from 10% to 75%. After 2-3 days, the old food can be completely removed.

Features of transferring puppies

To accustom your puppy to dry food, you need to choose the right brand. It must meet the needs of a growing organism, contain minerals, vitamins, microelements, and nutrients.

The baby’s body changes quickly, its growth increases, which requires a lot of effort, which is replenished with energy received through nutrition. Food for puppies differs from food for mature individuals in the abundance of proteins and fats (30, 20%).

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Such proportions are not suitable for adult dogs (the norm for them is 25, 13%). This category has the widest selection of flavors. The type of food will depend on the activity of the animal.

As dogs age, their mobility decreases and their metabolism slows down. Pets require a more gentle low-calorie diet, which protects them from excess weight and additional stress on internal organs. The vitamin and mineral complex in food for older animals also changes.

Treats for dogs

Dog snacks, which are exactly the same as chips, are a different story.

Types of dog snacks

Treats for encouragement. Small dry pieces, made in the form of bones, paws or rings, which are given to the dog during training for correctly performed actions. These snacks have a reduced fat content. In order to maintain your pet’s interest in rewarding treats, it is recommended to change them periodically.
Medicinal treats. Essentially, these are vitamins that contain flavoring additives so that the dog takes them on his own and voluntarily. They contain vitamins and nutrients that have a healing effect. Under no circumstances should you increase the rate of consumption of such treats.
Oral treats. Just like people, dogs need to maintain their oral hygiene. But brushing an animal’s teeth is not always convenient or safe, so manufacturers of industrial feeds often include in their production a line of snacks that support oral cavity prevention. They massage the gums, remove plaque and improve the functioning of the digestive system.
Edible toys. These treats are designed for puppies and hyperactive dogs that have a tendency to damage furniture and interior items.

What to do if your dog doesn't want to eat dry food

Some dogs find it difficult to switch to a different diet. In this case, the owners resort to extreme measures - depriving the pet of any food other than dry food for several days. The amount of water is not limited.

But there are particularly persistent specimens that do not respond even to this method. For example, it is not always easy to cope with a small Yorkie, whose character is as independent as it is cheerful.

In particularly difficult cases, it is better to calmly abandon the idea of switching to industrial food and continue to feed the pet what it is accustomed to.

Useful video

To learn about what dry food is made from, watch this video:

General recommendations

If the dog owner has firmly decided to change the pet’s natural food to dry food, he must take the process responsibly and adhere to a number of recommendations from leading dog breeders.

You need to think carefully about whether a switch to dry food is necessary, because the changes will greatly affect the animal’s body. It is advisable not to make such a decision without consulting a veterinarian. Only he will be able to assess the dog’s health and recommend the appropriate option.
It is important to be patient during the transition from natural food to dry food. A quick change can have a bad effect on the physical and psychological condition of the pet.
It is useful to walk your dog more so that the new food is easier to digest.
It is better to give preference to more expensive, natural types (holistic, super premium class). They contain ingredients that are beneficial for the development of the animal.
It is advisable to start using “drying” with high-quality granules, since after economy class the dog may completely refuse good food.
It is important to choose food that matches the age and breed of the dog.
Do not forget that during the process of changing food, free access to water is important for the puppy.
It is necessary to carefully monitor changes in the dog’s mood and well-being during the first time after trying the granules. If the new food causes allergic reactions - redness of the skin, itching, hair loss, it needs to be changed.
Careful attention to the information on the packaging of industrial feeds will help you correctly calculate the portion depending on the breed, age and weight.
If a dog categorically refuses to “dry”, despite the owner’s efforts, it is worth leaving it on its usual diet. This applies to animals after five years of age. It is difficult for them to adapt to new conditions of detention.

Switching a dog to dry food from a natural diet is not that difficult. The main thing is to carefully monitor changes in her well-being and mood. To make the process safer, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian.

Advantages and disadvantages of industrial feeds

It’s not for nothing that industrial food is so popular among pet owners. High competition between manufacturers forces them to work over and over again to improve the quality of their products.

Industrial dog food

The result is the fact that it is now possible to select dry food that ideally meets all the needs of a particular breed, age and physical condition of the dog.

Some dog owners do not know or do not want to understand that their pets are not omnivores, and feed them inappropriate and sometimes harmful foods. This approach to feeding a dog sooner or later leads to disastrous health consequences, and in advanced cases can be fatal. Find out what you should not feed your dog in our separate article.

Convenience

One of the main advantages of dry food. Owners with busy schedules free up a lot of time that was previously spent on preparing healthy, natural food. Besides:

There is no need for cooking.
Dry food can simply be poured into a bowl.
It takes no more than 15 minutes to feed your pet.

Reference! During this time, the dog manages to completely eat the prescribed portion of the treat.

Purity

Often, when feeding natural food, the dog is not too careful. The owner has to spend effort to clean up around the bowl, collecting pieces of food, and wash the pet. Residues of porridge or other products may end up not only on the dog’s face, but also on the ears and paws. This is especially true for animals with long hair.

When feeding dry food, the dog remains clean, and the cracker that falls out of the bowl does not stain the floor.

The food does not stain the dog’s fur or the floor around the bowl.

Benefit

Every responsible owner tries to make their pet’s food as healthy as possible. To do this, it is extremely important to calculate the ideal ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and other components for the dog. In industrial feeds, all this is already contained in the quantity necessary for the life and health of the animal. No additional feeding is required.

Recommended composition of quality feed

These foods are formulated based on the dog's age, weight, and age. Some manufacturers produce food aimed at strengthening the immune system or solving certain animal health problems.

Reference! All of the above qualities refer to high-quality, high-class dry food. Cheap analogues most often do not have these qualities. They mainly consist of cereals and meat waste. Poor quality food will do more harm than good.

The disadvantages include the rather high cost of good dry food. Difficulties will also arise if the owner decides to change the brand and switch the dog to food from another manufacturer. A sudden transition may not have the best effect on your pet’s well-being.

Drinking regime when using dry diets

As soon as you start giving your dog dry food (without soaking), he will begin to drink more. This is completely normal, because now she no longer receives moisture with food. Keep a bowl of fresh, clean water constantly filled within the animal's reach.

If the water becomes cloudy from dog saliva, the contents of the bowl should be renewed. For those who are away from home for a long time, an automatic waterer will be an indispensable device: it replenishes itself as the pet drinks water.