Dog food transition schedule
Pick a start date and plan length, and enter how much your dog eats now. You get a dated day-by-day plan showing how much old and new food goes in each meal, with optional calorie matching when the new food is richer or lighter.
Tim de JongDay 1 of the switch
How long
Standard: the Tufts 7-day plan
All meals of the old food added together
Meals per day
Optional, kcal per cup. Add both to match calories.
Optional, kcal per cup
Day 1 of 7
10%new food
Each meal: ⅞ cup old + ⅛ cup new (2 meals a day).
| Day | New | Old, cups | New, cups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 10% | ⅞ | ⅛ |
| Day 2 | 25% | ¾ | ¼ |
| Day 3 | 50% | ½ | ½ |
| Day 4 | 50% | ½ | ½ |
| Day 5 | 75% | ¼ | ¾ |
| Day 6 | 90% | ⅛ | ⅞ |
| Day 7 | 100% | – | 1 |
Amounts per meal, split by volume. If the two foods differ in calories, add both labels' calories to keep the daily energy the same. Level 8 oz cups, to the nearest ⅛.
General guidance for healthy dogs. If your vet has prescribed a diet or asked you to switch differently, follow their instructions.
How do I switch my dog to a new food?
Slowly. The AKC warns that switching food abruptly can cause vomiting, diarrhea and a drop in appetite, and recommends mixing in the new food over 5 to 7 days so your dog's system has time to adjust. Tufts University's veterinary nutritionists suggest at least a week, raising the share of new food a step at a time while the old food shrinks by the same amount.
The calculator turns that into a dated plan for your dog: what share of each meal is new food on each day, and how much of each food to put in the bowl. Pick a start date, a length, and the amount your dog eats now.
Dog food transition schedules: 7, 10 and 14 days
The 7-day plan follows the Tufts table. The 10- and 14-day plans use the same steps but hold each one for longer, which is what Tufts and the AKC suggest for dogs that need a gentler change.
| Day | 7 days | 10 days | 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 10% new | 10% new | 10% new |
| Day 2 | 25% new | 10% new | 10% new |
| Day 3 | 50% new | 25% new | 25% new |
| Day 4 | 50% new | 25% new | 25% new |
| Day 5 | 75% new | 50% new | 25% new |
| Day 6 | 90% new | 50% new | 50% new |
| Day 7 | 100% new | 75% new | 50% new |
| Day 8 | done | 75% new | 50% new |
| Day 9 | done | 90% new | 75% new |
| Day 10 | done | 100% new | 75% new |
| Day 11 | done | done | 75% new |
| Day 12 | done | done | 90% new |
| Day 13 | done | done | 90% new |
| Day 14 | done | done | 100% new |
Worked example: a dog that eats 2 cups a day in two meals starts the 7-day plan with ⅞ cup of old food and ⅛ cup of new food per meal. By day 3 it is half and half (½ cup of each), and on day 7 it gets 1 cup of the new food alone.
How much new food when the calories differ?
Swapping cup for cup only works if the two foods have similar calories. As Tufts points out, one cup of your dog's old food may hold much more or much less energy than one cup of the new food. If you enter the calories per cup (or per kg) of both foods, the calculator keeps the daily calories the same instead of the volume.
Example: the same dog eats 2 cups a day of a food with 350 kcal per cup, which is 700 kcal. The new food has 420 kcal per cup, so once the switch is complete it needs only 1⅝ cups a day, not 2 cups. Keeping the old 2 cups would add 140 kcal a day without anyone noticing. The dog feeding calculator can check the new amount against your dog's needs.
What if my dog gets an upset stomach during the switch?
Some soft stool can happen during a change. Tufts' advice for minor signs in a dog that is otherwise acting normally: go back to the most recent ratio that didn't cause problems, stay there for another day or two until things settle, then continue more slowly. The 10- and 14-day plans in the calculator are built for exactly that.
Call your vet if your dog has continued vomiting, liquid diarrhea, or seems painful or lethargic. The AKC adds that if problems continue even with a slow change, the new food may not suit your dog and your vet may suggest a different one.
When to go slower
The AKC notes that dogs with sensitive stomachs, food allergies or other gut conditions may need a longer transition, and Tufts has seen pets that need four to six weeks. Start with the 14-day plan for these dogs and stretch it further if needed. If the switch is to a diet your vet has prescribed, ask your vet how fast to make the change. Puppies moving to adult food follow the same principle; the puppy feeding chart shows when that switch is due.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch my dog's food without mixing?
Some dogs cope fine: Tufts University's veterinary nutritionists have seen pets switch from one food at breakfast to another at dinner with no problems. Others need a transition of four to six weeks. As you can't tell in advance which kind your dog is, a gradual switch of at least a week is the safer default.
Is it normal for my dog to have soft stool when changing food?
Some soft stool can happen during a diet change. If your dog is otherwise acting normally, stay at the last ratio that didn't cause problems for another day or two, then carry on more slowly. Continued vomiting, liquid diarrhea, pain or lethargy need a call to your vet.
How long does it take a dog to adjust to a new food?
For most dogs the AKC recommends 5 to 7 days and Tufts at least a week. Dogs with sensitive stomachs, food allergies or gut conditions may need longer, sometimes several weeks.
Do I need to transition when moving from puppy food to adult food?
Yes. Any change of food is a change for the gut, including the move to adult food, which the AKC places at 7 to 9 months for small breeds and 12 to 14 months for larger ones. Use the same gradual mix and adjust the amount for the adult food's calories.
Sources
Related tools
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