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- Choosing the right transition method for your dog
- Choose & prepare high-quality ingredients
- Understanding different raw food types
You’ve heard all about a raw diet for your pet, and now you’re eying up the Raw Store! But where do you even begin? Don’t panic – we’ve got you.
Changing your dog’s diet can feel daunting, (let alone swapping it to raw food) but it doesn’t need to be. Most issues that come from diet swaps are simply due to swapping foods too quickly. Like most things, your dog’s stomach needs time to adjust, so loose stools and a change in appetite can happen no matter the speed you swap. But, these bodily changes are temporary, and your dog should soon reap the benefits that come along with a raw diet. Most importantly, just remember: slow, structured changes equals happier tummies!
Before diving straight into the deep end, it’s important you determine your dog’s specific nutritional needs based on their age, weight, and activity level. Adult dogs typically require 2–3% of their ideal body weight daily. Puppies need significantly more, starting at roughly 8–10% of their body weight at weaning and decreasing as they grow. If you’re looking for more information about portioning raw food, read our Raw Feeding Guide blog here.
Keep reading for information on how to transition your dog’s diet and the types of raw food available to introduce to your dog.
Please note: if your dog has any medical conditions, please speak to your local vet first before swapping their diet.
Choosing the right transition method for your dog
There are two methods you can follow for transitioning your dog’s diet onto raw. As mentioned earlier, slow and steady is always best, so the general recommendation is:
1. A Gradual Transition
This is recommended for most dogs and involves slowly introducing raw alongside your pooch’s current plateful. Eventually your dog’s bowl should be all raw! A steady introduction helps reduce the digestive upset your dog may experience, and is typically suited to dogs with sensitive stomachs, of an older age or those with cautious parents!
2. Straight Swap
This isn’t generally recommended but may be trialled by parents who are confident that dog’s digestive system can handle it. Simply serve their new raw diet in the morning (this is so their stomach has chance to settle overnight from their previous diet). A straight swap can cause “transitional sickness” like loose stools or vomiting, which is why a gradual approach is considered the best.
Gradual transition: “The 10 Day Switch”
Days 1–3: Feed 25% raw mixed with 75% of their old food.
Days 4–6: Feed a 50/50 mixture.
Days 7–9: Feed 75% raw and 25% old food.
Day 10+: Move to 100% raw.
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Pro-Tip: Some experts recommend feeding raw and kibble in separate meals (e.g. raw in the morning, kibble in the evening) because they digest at different rates.
Please note: This information is provided as a guide. All dogs are different and transition may take longer, depending on factors such as age, sensitivity, and previous diet.
Choose & prepare high-quality ingredients
The key to success in introducing a raw diet, is to pick one single protein to start their swap with (usually chicken or turkey). It’s also important that your dog feels as comfortable and familiar in their routine as possible, so stick to their usual feeding times! You want to do as much as you can to make this feel safe for your furry friend. So, if your dog has dinner at 5.30pm on the dot every day, that mustn’t change.
Before you stock up your trolley with Lifestage Raw or Raw & Simple (to name just a couple), make sure you have enough freezer space ready. In terms of preparing your canine’s new food, and to prevent cross-contamination, ensure you have separate chopping boards, knives and containers. Basically, anything you will use to prepare, serve and store your pet’s food needs to be used just for their raw food to prevent contamination, as that is the main risk when feeding this diet.
Make sure you know how you want to defrost your pet’s food, and to keep it separate from human food! Having a plan for all the above will make your everyday raw journey much easier, and most importantly, much safer.
Ensure nutritional balance
Rotate proteins: Don't stick to just one meat. Rotate between at least 3–5 different protein sources (e.g., beef, chicken, lamb, duck) over a month to ensure a full spectrum of vitamins and amino acids is in your dog’s bowl.
Add "superfoods": While not strictly required by some models, adding 5–10% pureed vegetables, berries, or supplements like omega-3 fish oil can provide essential antioxidants and fibre to their raw meal.
Monitor & maintain hygiene
It’s crucial during the transition onto a raw diet, that you continue to observe and monitor your dog. Noticing any drastic changes in your dog means you may need to alter the transition or swap the proteins you’re offering.
The easiest way to see how your dog’s digestive system is handling the transition onto raw is by inspecting their stools. Monitor changes in appearance, as stools on a raw diet are typically smaller, firmer and less frequent. If your dog’s stools are too loose, you need to slow down the transition or reduce the organ meat in their food bowl.
Maintaining hygiene in storing and handling raw food is super important during the transition, and for the entire duration you feed raw food to your dog.
Safe storage: Raw food must be kept frozen until needed. To prevent cross-contamination, thaw their food in a sealed container on the lowest shelf in your fridge.
Sanitization: Ensure you always wash your hands and sanitise all surfaces after handling raw meat. Once defrosted, raw meat should be consumed within 24 hours.
Understanding different raw food types
There are 3 types of diet structures that raw food typically falls under, so you can choose what works best for your dog and your lifestyle.
80/10/10
An 80/10/10 diet is made up of 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal (usually organ meat), so you know exactly what your pooch is eating. This diet features a variety of proteins that are nutritionally balanced, without vegetables.
80% muscle meat is the primary component, providing your pooch with essential protein and energy. Raw diets typically include meat such as chicken, beef or turkey.
10% offal (or organ meat) includes nutrient-rich liver or kidneys which provides essential vitamins and minerals.
10% bone which are uncooked and meaty to offer calcium and phosphorus which support bone health and dental hygiene.
Look to Raw & Simple for a range of 80/10/10 raw food. Read more about Raw & Simple here.
Best for: Beginner feeders or those who like clear guidance.
Our experts say: Add fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkins, spinach, kale or apples, to provide additional vitamins & minerals.
Feeding an 80/10/10 diet
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Complete & Balanced
It’s in the name – it has everything your pet needs for a nutritionally balanced diet! A complete and balanced raw diet contains meat, vegetables or supplements and bone or calcium alternatives. You don’t need to add anything to a complete and balanced diet.
Look to Lifestage Raw for easy-to-serve complete and balanced raw meals. Read more about Lifestage Raw here.
Best for: Beginners or busy pet parents who need a quick-serve diet.
Our experts say: Convenient, quick and complete, this is a nutritionally balanced diet that requires little effort!
Feeding a Complete & Balanced diet
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Freeflow /Ready to mix
A freeflow raw diet has no fixed percentages! It’s simply natural, raw ingredients which a versatile form of raw food as it allows parents to add variety to their dog’s diet, as well as controlling what they consume. This diet is designed to be mixed with fruit, vegetables, bones and offal of your choice. For more information about what you can add to a raw diet, read this blog here.
Best for: Experience feeders or those who want more control of their dog’s diet.
Our experts say: Add a quality vitamin and mineral supplement to your dog’s diet for a nutritional boost.
Look to Nature’s Menu for freeflow and ready to mix raw meals.
If you’d like to know more about the benefits of a raw diet, read more from our blog here.
Feeding a Freeflow / Ready to Mix diet
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Now you’re ready to explore our Raw Store and start transitioning your dog onto a raw diet. Speak to a member of our store team for more insight, or scroll through our selection of raw blogs to really sink your teeth into the subject! Find your nearest Jollyes Pets superstore here, or shop online today.