Transitioning to Fresh Food
Learn how to safely switch your dog to fresh food: the 10-day feeding schedule, daily ratios, and what to do if your dog has digestive upset during the switch. Most dogs can safely be transitioned from kibble to fresh, whole food by gradually replacing their current food in 25% increments.
We recommend 10 days to successfully transition your dog to fresh food. Whether you switch from kibble or another fresh food brand, we always recommend a gradual change over using the schedule below. Senior dogs, dogs with sensitive stomachs, and dogs coming off a very different diet may need closer to 10–14 days. Our FAQs can help you avoid common mistakes and slow things down if your dog needs extra time.
Days 1-3
25% JustFoodforDogs new food
75% current kibble
Replace 25% of your dog’s current food with JustFoodForDogs whole food.
Days 4-7
50% JustFoodforDogs new food
50% current kibble
Replace 50% of your dog’s current food with JustFoodForDogs whole food.
Days 8-10
75% JustFoodforDogs new food
25% current kibble
Replace 75% of your dog’s current food with JustFoodForDogs whole food.
Day 11+
100% justfoodfordogs
Transition is complete.
Days 1-3
25% JustFoodforDogs new food
75% current kibble
Replace 25% of your dog’s current food with JustFoodForDogs whole food.
Days 4-7
50% JustFoodforDogs new food
50% current kibble
Replace 50% of your dog’s current food with JustFoodForDogs whole food.
Days 8-10
75% JustFoodforDogs new food
25% current kibble
Replace 75% of your dog’s current food with JustFoodForDogs whole food.
Day 11+
100% justfoodfordogs
Transition is complete.
Once the 10 days are up, every recipe becomes fair game. Mealtimes get easier, dogs get happier, everybody wins. (Puppies should stick to our Chicken & Rice Recipe or Fish & Sweet Potato Recipe.)
Signs your dog has successfully transitioned
Once your dog has fully acclimated, you'll likely start noticing the difference. Pet parents often report several positive changes in their dogs:
Abundant energy
Healthy digestion
Healthy skin & coat
Overall vitality
We recommend a gradual transition rather than a sudden switch, moving too fast can lead to digestive upset like soft stool. Our 10-day schedule above walks you through exactly how to do it gradually.
It's not something we'd recommend. Mixing your dog's current food with their new food in gradually increasing amounts is what gives their digestive system time to adjust. Skipping straight to 100% new food raises the risk of an upset stomach.
Great to hear it! We still recommend following through with the 10-day transition to help your dog's digestive system acclimate. This is especially important for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
That's completely normal early on as their gut is adjusting. You can always slow down the transition, or reach out to a vet if it persists or worsens in any way.
This is common in the first few meals. Try warming or lightly moistening the food to bring out the aroma, most dogs come around within a few meals.
If your dog has food allergies or a sensitive stomach, stretch the standard transition out a bit longer, closer to 10–14 days instead of the usual 5–10, and move through each ratio more slowly. A pet-safe probiotic can also help support digestion during the switch. If you notice loose stool, gas, or belly discomfort at any point, go back to the last ratio that worked and hold there for a few extra days before increasing the new food again.
The biggest one is moving too fast, a sudden diet change is the most common cause of gas, loose stool, or belly upset. Watch for those signs (or your dog refusing to eat) as your cue to slow down rather than push through the schedule. Puppies also need extra care here: their digestive systems are more sensitive than an adult dog's, so plan on 10 to 14 days instead of the standard timeline.
