Transitioning to a New Food

[eightiesix]

The breeder I am getting Riley (a Papillon) from has him eating Science Diet Original Puppy for Small and Medium Breeds. After doing my research, I would really like to feed Riley Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken and Rice formula.

How would I go about changing him from one food to the next? The breeder is giving me a small bag of his food so I can transition him if I would like...

Also, do you all think this will be good food for him? Eagle Pack does not have a 'Puppy' formula for smaller breeds, so is the regular Holistic Chicken and Rice formula okay for him?

Thanks so much for any input you can give me!!

 

[Mordy]

I would recommend switching without a transition from the SD puppy food, but not to the EP Holistic Chicken, but instead to the Regular Small/Medium Puppy food. My reasoning behind this is that it would be less of a shock to the puppy's digestive system, since the ingredients are a little more alike than the EP Holistic Chicken.

Keep some canned pumpkin on hand in case the puppy gets loose stools, a teaspoon full per meal until things normalize is plenty.

Just buy a small bag of the regular EP puppy and once that's almost gone, transition to the Holistic Chicken (which is the Holistic Line's food that's especially suitable for small and medium breed puppies).

 

[papillon806]

I agree with what Mordy said, although you can always try a switch to the EP holistic chicken and see if maybe he doesn't have a sensitive stomach.

I know my Papillon has a stomach of steel and did a cold-turkey switch from Science Diet (what the breeder fed him) to Solid Gold Puppy.

I guess it just depends on the individual dog.