Here are the top 5 ways to transition your pet to Raw
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Cold Turkey Approach
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Best for Young Pets
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How doe it work?
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No Instructions needed, just start feeding raw!
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Pros
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Your dogs health will drastically change right way
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Cons
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Changing your dogs diet too quickly can result in diarrhea. Diarrhea or GI issues are just caused from the sudden change in diet.
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Treat First Approach
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Best for healthy pets and young pets
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How does it work?
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Day 1: use the raw food as a treat
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Keep an eye on your pets stool
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Day 2-4: Increase the amount of raw food treats
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Day 5: if the stool is normal, replace one whole meal of old food with new food.
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Day 5-7: Do this for the next several days. If the stool remains normal, stop the old food and feed raw from now on.
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Pros
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Still a rapid switch to raw
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Cons
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Still potential for stomach upset
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Combined Approach
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Best for all pets, senior pets and pets with sensitive digestive systems
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How does it work?
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Each day you feed less dry food
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Day 1: Feed 1/8th raw, 7/8 dry
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Day 2: feed 1/4th raw, 3/4 dry
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Day 3: feed 1/2 raw, 1/2 dry
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Day 4: feed 3/4th raw, 1/4th dry
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Day 5: feed 7/8th raw, 1/8th dry
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Day 6: feed 100% raw
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Pros
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Good choice for reducing stomach upset. Works well for pets who are weirded out by raw food.
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Cons
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Requires lots of work & can be inconvenient.
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Separate Meals Approach
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Best for all pets, senior pets, pets with sensitive digestive systems
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How does it work?
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Follow the same guide as the combined approach, just feed the raw in a separate bowls and at separate times.
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Pros
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Great for reducing stomach upset.
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Great for people who do not want to feed raw food and dry food together.
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Cons
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Requires work
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Cooked Foods Before Raw Approach
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Best for senior pets, pets already eating home made diets, picky eaters, pets with chronic illness and pets with impaired immune systems.
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How does it work?
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Day 1: Introduce raw food cooked
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Day 2: Cook the raw food 3/4 of the way
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Day 3: Cook the food 1/2 of the way
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Day 4: Cook the food 1/4 of the way
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Day 5: Feed raw
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Pros
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Safe option for pets that are sick.
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Provides the best protection against digestive upset system.
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Cons
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Required prep time.
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Tips to Transitioning your pet
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Please feel free to take as long as you need to transition your pet to raw, it can take from 1 day to up to 6 months.
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Understand that some pets have sensitive GI tracts and changing from one type of food to another may cause GI upset.
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Remember your pet has been eating artificial dry food for a long time & it is quite different then feeding real, fresh raw food.
For a more in depth guide on how to transition check out Primal Pooch.