if you have enough food to transition then do it, it's not going to hurt (unless of course the dog is having food allergies with the one your currently using, then I agree, why continue to put that into their system)

I've done both, transition because I have a 1/4 of a bag of the old left..but I've also switched "cold turkey" because I learned the food I was feeding was harmful, etc..

my dogs have always done fine with either transition or switching cold...don't make yourself crazy over it, it's not that big of a deal

i know everyone says transition and i understand the theory behind that advice, however, why prolong the food that isnt working in your dogs system any longer. i have changed Josie Louise's food 3 times now and did it cold turkey. she was fine and this is a dog who has wicked allergies, sensitive stomach, and had horrible skin issues due to alergies. We finally settled on TOTW Salmon and The Missing Link. Her skin issues are now just SFA, and her hair is growing back at an alarming rate!! Woo hoo, but that is just my experience. J &T

If he has already been getting some of the new food, just switch him all the way over to it. I would add a tablespoon of plain, fat free yogurt in each meal to help with stomach issues and gas from the change. When I switch, I seldom do it over more than a few days or a week, then just put them on the new stuff. Mine have always done fine. I do not feed any canned or wet food, just plain dry kibble. Solid poops and clean dishes every day:-)

Amy and Sophia

If you can be a little hard hearted another method of transitioning is to not feed anything for 24 hours and then you put him on the new food by feeding him only 1/4 of his normal amount the first day x 2 feeds then 1/2 his normal amount twice a day for 2 days and then 3/4 of his normal amount twice a day for 2 days and then his full amount. He may lose a little weight--which probably wouldn't hurt most of our Bulldogs. I also feed this way when one has had diarrhea--no food for 24 hours and then a slow return to normal diet. I found a "diarrhea diet"--usually chicken and rice never worked--still needed to get back on to normal food. Giving probiotics or acidophollus during the change also helps.

Miriam Olesen
http://www.omegabulldogs.shutterfly.com/

you would likely have firm poops.
it is really great food
get the lamb and rice and sunflower oil is all that is the lamb and rice formula
love that food for the sensitive stomach, alergies and such.

I would just get try that and see how it goes..

have you bought the new food yet..??

Spike was on California Natural fish formula, did great on it, but I changed him to Nutro because my shar-pei were on it and doing great, so then he started having anal gland issues, so now we are going back to California Natural fish to see if this helps him any. They are (vet) wanting to remove his anal glands, I however am deathly afraid of doing this. So I am giving it another month or two to see if this helps him. Never had issues while on the California Natural.

Thanks for the response, Pat. He was originally on C. Natural lamb puppy exclusively but always had soft stools so I decided a few months back to transition him to Fromm. I eventually transitioned him to all Fromm but the situation didnt' improve. So I ended up mixing the two together with so-so results. I don't think either of those foods is quite right for him. Since I mixed those two foods together, I'm not sure whether to buy a bag of the C. Natural or a bag of the Fromm as I try to transition him to the new food (Wellness..) Another option is to try another flavor of the Fromm...

Kim
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and just mix it half and half for a bit
then little by little put more of the new kibble in for him
until you have a full transition

JUST get a small bag of the old dogfood ..you will not need a big bag

it takes a couple of weeks or longer for a transition for a dog..

California natural has great dry food as well. why did you change foods??

My Mom had Labordoodles on CN and had firm poops on it too! Tuffy probably just has a sensitive tummy. Thanks for all your help, as always!

Kim
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That must be very scary! Let me know what happens...

Kim
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Hi Becky,

I totally remember that and that's been on the forefront of my mind as I continue my internal debate about dog foods. A few days back Wendy had a post polling different dog foods and I believe I even mentioned that someone mentioned hot spots after someone else had a bad reaction to Wellness.It's bizaree how each dog reacts differently. I definitely don't want a hot spot! I was thinking of trying the Wellness large breed puppy formula first but that's on hold because my husband wants me to finish up the half used bag of Canidae before buying yet another food (lol!). Tuffy was on that when we first came home and didn't have any allergic reactions to it. Just soft poop but that was combined with the C. Natural so maybe just the Canidae will be different.

How are Cooper and Pearl doing?

Kim
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it could be the rice that is bothering him too
I seen some of the dogs have the same issue as Tuffy with a reaction to Rice
just something to keep an eye on

I used the CN Lamb and rice and like I said ...Sassy had firm poops right off the start with it..

great to hear about Josie
need some updated pics of her

i'm not sure if i told you my experience with the wellness super 5 large breed, but my cooper got a hot spot & an idc. all dogs are different though- just wanted to let you know to watch for any hair loss, cuz hot spots come on fast! you can actually get a free 5 day trial of it if you go on smartpakcanine.com & on the home page you'll see a little box that says "free 5 day taste trial" or you can call the 800 number (that's what i did) & talk to a person. they have a $7.95 s&h charge, but it's less than buying a whole bag & finding out he doesn't like it. just wanted to let you know. good luck with that handsome guy =)

I totally agree with the theory about it seeming pointless to do a slow transition from an old food that isn't working anyway. I have enough of the old mixture for one more feeding so maybe I'll do half and half and see what happens....

Thanks!!

Kim
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Your suggestion for adding the yogurt with the new food sounds great. Maybe I should just try that and see how it goes! If he has a bad reaction then I can go out and buy more of the old food...

Kim
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Kim
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I've heard great things about and just think it doesn't have enough fiber for my Tuffy... He's been on C.N since I brought him home and the situation hasn't improved. To answer your question I haven't bought the new food yet or a bag of the old stuff yet.

As an aside, we have a half opened bag of Canidate ALS Chicken and Rice formula. When I first brought Tuffster home the breeder wanted me to mix the Canidae with the C. Natural because she doesn't think one particular food is perfect. I ended up stopping the Canidae after a few weeks and just giving the C. Natural to see if the poop situation would improve. It didn't. But I never tried the Canidae by itself. My husband would prefer me to finish off the CANIDAE before going out and buying another food so maybe I should try transferring to that food before going out and getting the Wellness..

Kim
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