Transition to raw

Switching your dog to raw, the easy way

Take it gradually over 7 to 10 days and most dogs settle in without any tummy trouble. Here is how to do it, what to watch for, and when to bring in treats and bones.

7 to 10 daysto switch over gradually

1 monthbefore adding extra bones

Raw onlyno kibble once you have switched

The short answer

Can I change to raw food immediately?

Some dogs will cope with an overnight switch, but we recommend a gradual change over 7 to 10 days to avoid unnecessary stomach upsets. Raw and processed food are digested very differently, and your dog needs a little time to adapt:

Different enzymesBreaking down raw meat and bone takes different enzymes to breaking down high-carbohydrate kibble. The pancreas has to adjust both the amount and the type it produces.
Gut floraDogs on a meat and bone diet have different gut bacteria to dogs on a starchy diet. These bacteria make key nutrients (and gas), and take several weeks to re-stabilise after a big change.
Stomach acidityDogs fed processed, high-carbohydrate food generally have a less acidic stomach. On a raw, high-protein diet the stomach becomes strongly acidic.
Speed of digestionRaw meat and bone is digested a lot faster than processed food, which is high in carbohydrates.

Step by step

How do I make the transition?

The aim is a trouble-free switch, with no excessive wind, diarrhoea or constipation. The best way to move a dog from a high-carbohydrate processed diet to a low-carbohydrate, high-protein raw meat and bone diet is to build up slowly over 7 to 10 days.

Day 1: the exciting startChoose a spoon to suit your dog or cat, such as a teaspoon for a toy breed and a tablespoon for a large breed. At each mealtime, swap one spoonful of their current food for one spoonful of raw.
Day 2 onwards: build it upKeep adding more spoonfuls of raw and taking away the same amount of current food, a little more each day.
By day 7 to 10: a bowl of rawCarry on until the bowl is full of yummy raw food and the old food is gone.

Good to knowIf your dog has a loose stool at any stage, cut back the raw food for three days to let things settle, then carry on increasing it. For the first month, digestive enzymes and probiotics can help dogs with dietary issues or a history of diarrhoea or constipation. Natural Instinct’s Zoolac Propaste is great for this.

Speak to your vet first if…Your dog is elderly, has a complex chronic disease (for example end-stage cancer), or is on antacids or high levels of immune-suppressive drug therapy. We would not recommend starting the transition without expert help from your vet.

Treats and bones

When can I introduce treats and bones?

If your dog has never eaten raw meat before, give them a month to adjust before adding extra bones. This lets the gut settle and learn to cope with breaking down bone, and too much bone can cause constipation.

Dogs need to learn how to chew bones. If an adult dog has never handled a carcass, start with larger pieces they cannot swallow whole, with sinew and fascia still attached, such as Natural Instinct Duck Carcass.
Done this way, dogs learn to use their back-crushing teeth to break the bone down before swallowing.
Puppies should not have a Natural Instinct play bone until all their adult teeth have come through.

Common worry

My dog seems hungrier on raw. What can I do?

Dogs that have been on a high-carbohydrate diet for a long time can look hungry at first, especially if the switch to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet is made too quickly. Their bodies are used to getting instant calories from carbohydrate. Many kibbles are also fed in large volumes to reach the same calories as raw, so the smaller volume of raw can leave some dogs feeling less full early on.

What helps

Add a small amount of carbohydrate to begin with, in the form of sweet potato.
Soluble fibre helps your dog feel fuller: try butternut squash slices or a few carrot sticks between meals.
Once your dog has settled on raw, raw bones keep them occupied while the stomach adapts.

What to avoid

Grain-based carbohydrates such as rice or pasta.

Is it hunger, or enjoyment?Dogs on many kibble diets do not rush to the bowl. A high-quality natural raw diet like Natural Instinct can look very different, so make sure you are not mistaking a dog who now relishes their food for one who is hungry. Weigh your dog regularly in the early months to check you have the amount right. Our feeding guides are only a guide, as the right amount depends on many factors. Most importantly, enjoy watching your dog love their food!

Mixing diets

Once I have switched, can I feed kibble alongside raw?

We do not recommend feeding kibble with raw, other than during the 7 to 10 day transition.

Raw and kibble are digested in different ways, which can compromise your pet’s digestion.
A high-carbohydrate food alongside a high-protein diet gives excess calories, which are easily converted to fat and can lead to obesity.

Kibble is not necessary in a dog’s diet. In nature, dogs enjoy variety in texture and keep their teeth healthy by crunching and chewing raw meaty bones, just as nature intended. Starchy, grain-based kibble does not do the same job.

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