If you’re in the process of switching your dog to a new food — whether that means an entirely new brand or just a new flavor — it’s a good idea to ease your dog in slowly.
“Dogs tend to be much more sensitive to new foods than we are, and have not evolved to eat as varied of a diet as humans, and as a result, they benefit from a slow transition when introducing a new type or flavor of food,” Dr. Andrea Tu, medical director at Behavior Vets NYC, told The Dodo.
Dr. Tu always recommends that people mix in small amounts of the new food and gradually increase the ratio of the new food to the old food until it’s 100 percent the new food.
“This should occur over 10 days to one month,” Dr. Tu said.
Dr. Tu recommends this schedule as a starting point:
Week 1: Feed 75 percent old food, 25 percent new food
Week 2: Feed 50 percent old food, 50 percent new food
Week 3: Feed 25 percent old food, 75 percent new food
Week 4: Feed 100 percent new food
Finally, it’s not recommended to proceed with the “wait it out” approach if your dog isn’t eating. If you find your dog isn’t taking to the new food at all, reach out to your veterinarian for more individualized advice.