Imagine eating the same meal all day, every day for days, weeks, months, even years. At first, eating your favorite food repeatedly can be awesome and exciting but after a while you’ll grow tired of it. You may even get sick from eating it. The same thing goes for your dog so, don’t be afraid to change things up a bit! Just change the protein source. All this means is that you change the main protein source of your dog’s food periodically. You don’t have to change brands if you have found a formula that you like. You can just go from beef, to fish, to pork and so on.
How does this help? Here are just a couple of reasons.
Helps Prevent Food Allergies
Research has shown that prolonged feeding of the same food for long periods of time can cause allergic reactions manifesting in a variety of symptoms including itchy skin, hot spots, upset stomach and more. There have been cases where a dog that has been fed chicken its entire life suddenly develops an allergy to it. Therefore, it is a good idea to change up protein sources, preferably from a young age, to avoid the development of food allergies in the first place.
How Often Should I Rotate Proteins?
The most common is to rotate every three months. But you can rotate more frequently. If you find that your dog doesn’t have a sensitive stomach when you switch proteins, try changing proteins every time your bag runs out. This is ultimately up to you. Your dog’s stomach will need some time to adjust to the new food so don’t rotate too often. And always keep an eye out for a protein that doesn’t agree with your dog.
Nutritional Balance
The foods we carry are all complete and balanced formulas however, rotating the protein sources will provide a variety of essential proteins and fats that your dog needs. This will promote a nutrient intake that better matches a natural diet. Protein rotation applies to kibble, canned foods and raw foods because rotating proteins offers your pet a varied source of nutrients.
No More Food Boredom
Just like you would get tired of eating the same thing over and over again, so do our pets. Protein rotation adds variety to your dog’s food and keeps them from getting bored with the same old food day after day. Switching up the food will keep your dog interested in their food and ultimately make them less picky.
Every dog is different and some dogs have sensitive stomachs. This means that changing protein sources can upset their tummy. If you are switching the protein source, it’s a safe bet to start gradually by mixing in some of the new food starting at about a 25% ratio and working your way up from there until you are at 100%. This way you can watch and see how your dog is taking the food and if there are any issues.
All of our brands come in a variety of protein sources. It’s okay to try them all!