# Switching between RAW brands



## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I am trying Stellas and Chewys. I gave fred it this am but just realized I didn't gradually switch him from the Primal. I guess I will find out soon enough if I was supposed to transition slowly......

Does anyone know???


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

I'm a bit mystified by all this slow transition stuff; if dogs are, from an evolutionary point of view, scavengers and omnivores, one might think they were better adapted to chop and change? I appreciate that they are now a long way from other canids, but my feeling is that the problem actually lies in when we feed them exactly the same thing all the time, and THEN try and make a switch. I can imagine that if you always ate exactly the same thing, and then suddenly had something totally different, that your gut might rebel. I've always switched often, and never had any trouble - I don't switch from raw to kibble, they only have raw, but I've certainly switched between different protein sources, and between suppliers of pre-packaged raw, with the addition of raw bones. I've finally found a company I really like, whose food my dogs really like, so I don't think, unless they disappear (the company, not the dogs!) that I'll change again, and there's plenty of variety in their products.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Probably depends on the dog. Myself, I've never felt the need to transition Emmie slowly to other brands of food - I feed commercial raw. She's had no GI issues when I've suddenly given her something new. -Jeanne-


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## Sharonefinkel (Jan 20, 2013)

Bosco is on raw and I often switch brands and protein. He hasn't had a problem, and my vet encourages mixing it up to make sure he has variety. He's a little over one, so he wasn't on kibble for long and he transitioned seamlessly. )))

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Since I've switched Kodi off Kibble, as long as I stay away from beef (a known intolerance for him, he doesn't seem to need much, if any transition. I usually use HK and organic chicken breast, but I've used turkey sometimes and sometimes Balance-It and sometimes SoJo's and he's been fine on all of them.

There tends to be a LITTLE transition, because I make about 3 weeks worth of food at a time and freeze it, so I often end up using the end of one bag (type/brand) of mixer and the beginning of another. I try to stick with the organic chicken, just because it's usually easier to get organic chicken than turkey. But I just picked up 2 lbs of hormone free antibiotic free 93% fat free turkey, and it's a LOT cheaper than the chicken I usually get. So the next round will be made with that.

…and our training treats are usually whole roasted meats of various sorts, (skipping the beef again, because we KNOW that's a problem) or chess of various sorts (usually deli ends). He never has a problem with any of those either.

Other than beef, most of our "tummy trouble" can be traced back to "indiscretions" on walks in the woods. :laugh:


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Thanks guys! I also called Stella's and Chewys because I needed to know there wasn't anything, even vitamins, from China. They confirm not a single ingredient comes from China. They also said it would be a good idea to transition for a few days. So I'm mixing the Primal with the Stella's and Chewys. 
Primal has more veggies and the S & C has more meat. I'm not sure which one is better for my guys so I guess I will just rotate....


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

I don't transition anymore, my pups seem to have pretty good stomachs and digestive tracts. I actually just switched them from Primal Lamb to Chicken because they were out of lamb. I figured they have never had any issues with chicken so I just gave it to them straight out no problems. Let me know about Stella and Chewy's though.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Actually I don't transition when switching proteins within the same brand. 

I will let you know how things are going when I see you in 2 weeks!!


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## Ruthiec (Jun 18, 2013)

Ran out of Ziwipeak last Weekend and forgot to buy more. The only local retailer shuts over the weekend. So no choice but a hard switch to something else. The only thing I was prepared to buy was pre-prepared raw (Big Dog Barf). Charlie absolutely loves it and dances with excitement whenever it's food time. 

No adverse reactions in any way which I think is because this is a natural diet for a dog; no additives, no filler etc so nothing to upset them.

Now I just need to keep an eye on his weight so I know that I'm feeding him the correct amount.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

I change commercial raw brands and proteins all of the time without problems. I try to keep ziwi peak as a constant in case I have to travel. Lately I have been mixing in some honest kitchen too. Thanks for the info on Stella re. ingredient sources.


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## Dalston (Jan 22, 2014)

krandall said:


> Since I've switched Kodi off Kibble, as long as I stay away from beef (a known intolerance for him, he doesn't seem to need much, if any transition. I usually use HK and organic chicken breast, but I've used turkey sometimes and sometimes Balance-It and sometimes SoJo's and he's been fine on all of them.
> 
> There tends to be a LITTLE transition, because I make about 3 weeks worth of food at a time and freeze it, so I often end up using the end of one bag (type/brand) of mixer and the beginning of another. I try to stick with the organic chicken, just because it's usually easier to get organic chicken than turkey. But I just picked up 2 lbs of hormone free antibiotic free 93% fat free turkey, and it's a LOT cheaper than the chicken I usually get. So the next round will be made with that.
> 
> ...


How do you prepare the chicken? Do you cook it? What do you mix it with?
I am just going thorugh all the millions of feeding options for Dalston, but definitely want to feed him something fresh and unprocessed and natural.
Wouldn't mind home cooking if I can prepare larger portions. Thanks!


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

Dalston said:


> How do you prepare the chicken? Do you cook it? What do you mix it with?
> I am just going thorugh all the millions of feeding options for Dalston, but definitely want to feed him something fresh and unprocessed and natural.
> Wouldn't mind home cooking if I can prepare larger portions. Thanks!


I personally don't think dogs need food to be cooked, but I know the whole issue of raw is too much for some. If you yourself can cope with it, then I'd go for raw, based on the science. If you are interested try "The Science Behind Canine Raw Feeding", not as daunting as it sounds!
Amazon.com: The Science Behind Canine Raw Feeding eBook: H Turner: Kindle Store
That's the link to the electronic version, but you can get it in paperback, too. It's a convincing read!


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## TShot (Jan 16, 2009)

Petunia is mainly on Stella and Chewy "Dandy Lamb" and had no problems with loose stool when I fed her Primal without transistion. She just didn't seem to like the Primal as much as Stella and Chewy's. So when the Primal ran out I switched back to SC.
I just ordered 2 bags of ZiwiPeak Lamb and plan on mixing it in a few times with the SC to transistion over until she gets used to Ziwi.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dalston said:


> How do you prepare the chicken? Do you cook it? What do you mix it with?
> I am just going thorugh all the millions of feeding options for Dalston, but definitely want to feed him something fresh and unprocessed and natural.
> Wouldn't mind home cooking if I can prepare larger portions. Thanks!


I use either Honest Kitchen Preference or Balance-It as the base and add my own meat. I usually use organic chicken breast that I have ground for me at Whole Foods.

Lalla is right that raw is great for dogs. My problem is that due to drugs I have to take, I have a suppressed immune system. So feeding a bearded dog raw meat and then kissing him would not be a good idea. And giving him a thorough face-bath after every meal would probably NOT be appreciated! 

So, for MY sake, not his, I do cook the meat first. I just cook it through, with a little water in the bottom of the pot. I add water to cook it, because chicken breast has VERY little fat, and will, otherwise, stick to the pot quite badly. Then I let it cool slightly, then mix in the HK, which has been soaking for a while. By then it is cool enough that I can put it into muffin tins and freeze it. I pop out the single serving "muffins" and store them in a plastic bag in the freezer, just getting them out as I need them. I can make about 3 weeks worth of meals in under an hour. (not including freezing time)


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

krandall said:


> I use either Honest Kitchen Preference or Balance-It as the base and add my own meat. I usually use organic chicken breast that I have ground for me at Whole Foods.
> 
> Lalla is right that raw is great for dogs. My problem is that due to drugs I have to take, I have a suppressed immune system. So feeding a bearded dog raw meat and then kissing him would not be a good idea. And giving him a thorough face-bath after every meal would probably NOT be appreciated!


And not kissing him would just be impossible, wouldn't it Karen - I can't imagine a life without Tycho/Cuba kisses!! OF COURSE, if there is as good a reason as you have to avoid raw, that's totally right and proper, and lucky Kodi to have an owner who does so much for him - home cooked is great. We can only all do our best by ourselves and our dogs.

I have just bought possibly one of the best investments (for me) ever, which is a vacuum sealer. I simply couldn't get over how hugely longer the storage times are with this - where freezing for 3 months is normally recommended, if you vacuum seal its up to 2 years! And DAYS longer in the fridge. It has totally transformed my life already, and although I balked at the expense of the machine, I KNOW it's going to save me money in the long run. I hate waste, and this just puts an end to it. Next up - I want a food dehydrator so I can make my own dog treats - that, too, will surely save money in the long run. Maybe I'll start a new thread for gadgets and recipes? Probably done already but might bear a repeat performance?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lalla said:


> And not kissing him would just be impossible, wouldn't it Karen - I can't imagine a life without Tycho/Cuba kisses!! OF COURSE, if there is as good a reason as you have to avoid raw, that's totally right and proper, and lucky Kodi to have an owner who does so much for him - home cooked is great. We can only all do our best by ourselves and our dogs.
> 
> I have just bought possibly one of the best investments (for me) ever, which is a vacuum sealer. I simply couldn't get over how hugely longer the storage times are with this - where freezing for 3 months is normally recommended, if you vacuum seal its up to 2 years! And DAYS longer in the fridge. It has totally transformed my life already, and although I balked at the expense of the machine, I KNOW it's going to save me money in the long run. I hate waste, and this just puts an end to it. Next up - I want a food dehydrator so I can make my own dog treats - that, too, will surely save money in the long run. Maybe I'll start a new thread for gadgets and recipes? Probably done already but might bear a repeat performance?


Not kissing him would NOT be possible!!! In fact, I am quite certain that he is a "germ vector" around here&#8230; If Dave gets sick, I try REALLY hard to stay away from him, wash my hands compulsively, run the dish washer on the "sanitize" setting&#8230; Doesn't matter, I still end up getting it. And MY theory is that he can't keep himself from kissing Kodi, who then hands the germs off to me! 

I've seen those vacuum seal things, and think they're pretty nifty, though I try, as much as possible NOT to use plastic to store things because of its impact on the environment. (I even re-use Kodi's food bags several times) But I don't need to extend the life of his food in the freezer, because I don't have a pot big enough to MAKE enough food that it would go bad before I use it, and I don't have the freezer room, even if I had the pot! 

I think there was a thread on dehydrators a LONG time ago, but I bet they've changed since then. The reason I haven't really pursued that is that, in general, dried food treats are too hard to break up and feed effectively as training treats. (they take too long to chew) so I tend to use cut up fresh or cooked foods for training. &#8230;and Kodi gets VERY few treats that aren't in the context of training.

Speaking of a commercial product that DOES work GREAT for training treats, though (besides Ziwi Peaks, which we've already mentioned) I have been buying Nature's Variety Instinct Freeze Dried Raw Meal. It comes in little bite-sized pieces, can be chewed quickly, and holds together well in your pocket. Don't know if you have this brand in the UK, but they make the kibble I feed our cat, and that food has these pieces in it. Since SHE will ONLY eat the kibble, I started to pick them out to use as treats for Kodi&#8230; Then found out I could by the kibble without, and the nuggets separately!


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