Do You Rotate Your Dog’s Food?

No matter what type of food you feed your dog — kibble, canned, raw, etc. — you should consider a rotational diet.

There’s no standard way of doing it, just whatever is easiest for you! Some people opt to change the food every time additional food is needed, others mix many types together, and some people buy smaller quantities of different foods and feed them on different days. You can also mix types of food, such as a kibble base with a raw food topping. Whatever you do, it’s recommended that you rotate both the brand and the protein/formula.

Why is it important to rotate? A few reasons!

🍖  Every brand and protein offers something different.

🚫  You can avoid food sensitivities if you start early.

💪  Having a digestively flexible dog is handy — you never know what life will throw at you (or what food will be discontinued).

🙅  Who wants to eat the same thing every day?

If you have an adult dog, the easiest way to introduce rotation feeding is by rotating the formula or type within the same brand. However, if your dog does not have any food sensitivities you can often switch foods cold turkey or transition over just a few days.

There are some brands of foods, such as Farmina, OpenFarm, and Zignature, that are meant to be rotated and do not need a transition period between proteins. You could also introduce a canned food from the same brand. Tons of options!