The Expert Guide to Transitioning from Kibble Feed to a Prey Model Raw Diet

 The Rapid Switch Method

To do a Rapid Switch, you do not feed their evening meal (fasting 8 to 12 hours), then introduce their new raw food in the morning. Please note this may cause stomach upset with diarrhea, some stomach upset can be normal when transitioning to a raw diet for the first few weeks.

We suggest starting with a simple and lean protein like our La Casa or Turkey Blends for the first three to four days.  Once you have completed the 3 days, we recommend introducing red meats such as our Beef Blend or our Power Blend for another three days. 

This process allows your dog to adjust and build a tolerance to a variety of proteins. You will now be able to mix and rotate proteins daily or weekly.  

NOTE: Doing a rapid switch with a cold meal early in the transitioning stage may cause some dogs to vomit or have diarrhea. We recommend bringing it close to room temperature by allowing the food to sit out for 20 to 25 minutes. After four days, you'll be able to feed straight from the refrigerator without stomach upset.

GRADUAL TRANSITION

The most successful gradual transition method is to begin switching your dog gradually over seven days. You may find your dog may need anywhere from three days to two weeks to make the full transition, depending on age, weight, and activity level. 

Start the process by separating each meal into two parts: 75% original diet, 25% raw, for two days. Be sure to keep each feeding separate as both products are consumed and processed at different rates and should never be mixed.

Over the course of a few days, gradually decrease the amount of dry food and increase the amount of raw until your pet's diet consists of 100% raw food. 

Note: If you notice loose stools early in the process, cut back on the amount of raw food being fed and increase it at a slower rate. The result should be small and firm stool consistency, which results from better nutrient absorption.  

Not all dogs will need the full seven days. Once you see a nice firm poop, you can completely transition them to the raw food. To help you switch your pets over, you can follow the seven day wean chart below.  

• Day 1 & 2– 25% Raw, 75% Original Diet
• Day 3 & 4 – 50% Raw, 50% Original Diet
• Day 5 & 6 – 75% Raw, 25% Original Diet
• Day 7 & on– 100% Raw

FACTORS TO EVALUATE PRIOR TO INITIATING THE PROCESS

Considering that your pet has been on a commercial diet most of their lives, we suggest adding a probiotic and a digestive enzyme to help with the transition and ease tummy upset.

When switching to a raw diet, your pet may experience some loose stools, or mucous in their stool. The enzymes required to break down a high-quality protein diet vs. a commercial-based diet are very different. The pancreas needs time to adapt to both types of enzymes. Adding raw green tripe or goats' milk can ease the transition. 

The amount of bile to break down raw food is substantially less because it contains 75% moisture. Kibble-based diets expand over 3 times their size during digestion, stretching the gut and giving the pet a "full" sensation. Raw food is a nutrient-dense diet with less volume. Your pet may look at you like they are hungry as a raw diet digests faster than a kibble diet. This behavior is part of the adjustment period, and by the 7th day will reduce.