What is the best way to introduce a new puppy food without knowing what she...

[casi]

...was eating before we adopted her? We recently adopted a 5 month old puppy from the shelter and are not sure what food she was eating there. I bought some puppy food but don't want to make her sick by starting her fully on the new food. What is the best mixture to use to get her tummy used to the new food without upsetting her?
We recently adopted a 5 month old puppy from the shelter and are not sure what food she was eating there. I bought some puppy food but don't want to make her sick by starting her fully on the new food. What is the best mixture to use to get her tummy used to the new food without upsetting her?


Additional details: I already have a new dog food for her as I would like to have her on the same brand as my other puppies so will definitely be taking her off whatever the shelter was giving her. Thank you for your answers. I am going to make her some bland boiled chicken and brown rice mixture and slowly introduce the puppy food.

 

[Lorraine]

I also would phone the shelter and ask the same question, and also well done for even asking as you are right that it could make her really bad. If you don't get an answer fromt the shelter then do you have a food like we (in UK) called Chappie that is a really good standby for sensitive tummies and is recommended by vets as such. If you have that in the US then buy that and the kibble you want to transfer onto and gradually introduce more of the kibble into the wet food. If not this, then the vets would sell similar, and would just help you out until transitioned onto what you want.

Hope the shelter can help as this would be the best solution.

 

[sol]

You could phone the shelter and I'm sure they wouldn't mind telling you.

If what they were feeding was a good food, and your puppy seems fine, then simply go with that. If you want to use a specific brand you have to slowly transition from one kind of food to the next.

A good way to switch foods is using this formula:

First day: 25% of new food 75% old food
Second day: 50% new food 50% old food
Third day: 75% new food 25% old food
Fourth day: 100% new food.

You can transition slower if you'd like.

If you can't find out what she was eating before then just start her on bland food ( http://k9academy.dogboard.net/dog-nutrition-recipes-f10/after-vomiting-or-diarrhea-t182.htm ) and slowly start adding whatever kibble you want to it.

Hope that helps, and congrats on the new pooch!