If you’re here reading this blog, it may be because you have finally decided to start feeding your pet raw food. This is an amazing move that will make a huge difference to your pet’s, and your own, life. Better health, a longer life, softer coat, less smell, and cheaper vet bills, just to name a few! However, if you’ve been researching, you might have heard that the transition from commercial kibble to raw food has its ups and downs, that’s true! To make the transition as easy as possible for you and your pet, you need to make the change at a gradual pace. In this blog, we will guide you through five essential steps to help you transition your pet to a raw diet for the best results.
Step 1: Educate Yourself about Raw Feeding
Understanding the how, what and why of raw feeding is important for motivation and deciding what is best for your pet. Doing your own independent research about raw models (such as Pawganic’s favourite, BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)) is a great step towards raw food. You can also consult with your veterinarian so that you're armed with the knowledge to provide a balanced and complete diet. If that seems like a lot, don't stress! You can find easily condensed information from us and our pet nutritionist friend, Ruth Hatten, right here on our website!
Deciding which kind of raw food (or which pet meal from Pawganics)you want to feed your pet is based on a few things: whether they're a cat or dog, young or old, their breed and the breed's predisposition to health concerns, as well as their current diet and any medications etc.
Step 2: Introduce Raw Bones and Treats
Either before or during your pet's slow introduction to raw food, start incorporating raw bones and treats if you haven't already. Introducing raw bones and treats such as chicken feet or necks alongside small portions of raw food can help your pet's gut and sense of taste to adjust to the (much better) raw food. Ensure you choose appropriate-sized bones that match your pet's size and chewing habits.
We also find introducing bone broth alongside the raw food helps with digestion. You can buy organic bone broth without any onion, garlic or additives from our sister company, Sunshine Coast Organic Meats.
Step 3: Gradually Increase Raw Food Portions
For the best success, slowly increase the portion of raw food in your pet's meals while reducing the amount of their previous diet. Monitor your pet's reaction to the new food and make adjustments as needed. You can identify how they're going by observing their digestion, stool consistency, energy levels and body shape (ensure they're eating enough and not rapidly gaining weight by checking their hips, ribs and rump). You can see our suggestion for portions on our website.
Step 4: Ensure you've chosen quality
We're being humble when we say Pawganics is one of the best raw pet foods out there. Our ingredients are human-grade, high quality, organic and formulated with the help of a pet nutritionist to ensure you're feeding your pet the best. You can check out the nutrition information on our website, as well as read our blogs about different aspects of Pawganic pet meals (such as how we use vegetables).
Step 5: Keep it up!
Just like human diets, sustainable is best! Keep it up to optimise your pet’s health. Make a raw food diet work for you and your pet in a way that will allow it to continue for the rest of their life. Experiment with different pet meals and combinations of food and snacks to keep things interesting and nutritionally diverse.
So…
Transitioning your pet to a raw diet requires patience, careful monitoring, and proper nutrition. By following these five steps, you can help your pet make a successful transition to a raw diet, unlocking the benefits of improved health, enhanced vitality, and a happier pet.
Join the pet nutrition revolution and feed your pet an evolutionary diet, order online or in-store.
