Gourmet Goose

Transitioning your dog from kibble to homemade food should be done gradually to avoid digestive upset, manage any allergic reactions and get your dog used to the new food.

1. Consult Your Vet. Before making any changes to your dog’s diet, it’s essential to consult with your vet. They can provide guidance based on your dog’s specific nutritional needs and health conditions.

2. Understand what a Balanced Recipe is. You will see a lot of reference to “balanced recipes for dogs”. That means that the recipe has all the essential nutrients your dog needs and includes a variety of protein sources, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and vegetables.

3. Start Slowly. Begin by adding homemade food to your dog’s diet. This can be in the form adding it on top of their bowl or feeding it to them separately. You can go as slow as introducing homemade food as a single ingredient each time or by creating a simple meal with a limited set of ingredients. Start with about 5% homemade. Gradually increase the proportion of homemade food over the course of 1 or 2 weeks. As a precaution , I recommend keeping things simple and graduating slowly to more complex means. Also consider introducing new food early on during the day and not at dinner to avoid having you deal with any bad reactions in the middle of the night.

4. Monitor Your Dog. Keep an eye on your dog’s appetite, poop consistency, energy level, and overall well-being during the transition period. If you notice any digestive issues or other concerns, slow down the transition process or consult with your vet.

5. Make Adjustments as Needed. Gradually introduce new ingredients slowly. Depending on your dog’s response to the new diet, you may need to adjust the proportions of homemade food and kibble. Some dogs may require more time to adjust, while others may transition more easily.

6. Ensure Proper Nutrition. The presence of kibble in this process is like an insurance that your dog will still be being the right nutrients. However, as you lessen the amount of kibble and have more and more homemade food (more than 10%), you are taking on the responsibility to ensure that your dog’s diet remains balanced and provides all the essential nutrients. You will need to add supplements and rotate protein sources to ensure nutritional adequacy. To create a balanced diet for your dogs, use these resources:

The Dog Child BASIC home cooking guide : 3 page guide on how to build a balanced diet for your dog.

The Dog Child ADVANCED home cooking guide: more comprehensive and detailed than the basic guide, it comes with starter recipes, lots of tips and more easily followed instructions.

7. Stay Consistent. Once your dog has fully transitioned to homemade food, continue to provide a balanced diet and monitor their health and well-being regularly. Consistency is key to maintaining your dog’s health on a homemade diet.

This is just a suggested approach based on my experience . However, every dog is unique, so the transition process may vary from one dog to another. Be patient and observant, and consult with your vet when necessary.

And lastly, be prepared to run into issues (like your dog reacting to something badly). It’s unavoidable and part of the risk of transitioning. It’s not about the issues you face but how you deal with it. And the first step is to please be kind to yourself and not blame yourself or think of yourself as a bad dog mum. Learn from it and keep pressing on. Believe in yourself and your purpose and you can get through anything.

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