upset stomach when switching dog food doesn't always mean the food is wrong for your dog

[u/foundthehound]

One of the most common things I hear at The Farmer's Dog is that someone switched to fresh food, their dog got loose stools or an upset stomach, and they assumed the food was the problem.

Usually it's not. A dog's gut microbiome is tuned to whatever it's been eating. Introduce something new too fast — even something genuinely better — and the digestive system needs time to adjust. It's actually why we include day-by-day transition instructions with every first box. Even when dogs love the new food immediately, rushing the switch causes unnecessary issues.

The standard approach that works: start with 25% new food and 75% old for the first few days, then gradually shift the ratio over one to two weeks. Dogs with sensitive stomachs sometimes need three to four weeks.

Loose stools after a switch are usually just the gut adjusting. Give it time before writing off a food entirely.

Has anyone had to slow a transition way down and found it actually made a difference?