Switching foods

Hi,

We just got Bailey a few days ago. He is a Staffy cross. He is about 1 1/2 years old. He is slightly "pudgy" and is on Bakers Complete food. Not my choice of food, but his previous owners gave us his food when we picked him up. I realise that we should gradually switch foods for him. What I am wondering is (1) what is a good dry food for him to try, and (2) he needs to lose a little bit of weight so how do we do that with his food?

I appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

Dionne

I would mix in some of his new stuff, gradually increasing ratio of new to old over the course of a week or so.
You are right to get him off bakers - I would say almost anything will be an improvement on that!

For loosing weight, look for the 'lite' or at least something with lower protein in. Alternatively give normal good, but only half to three quarters of recommended feeding amount (if only half, you can add a bit of veg in to bulk it out).

Depending on your budget, Burns High Oats is good for weight loss, but failing that any of the brands which don't have artificial addatives/colours etc should be fine.

If he's only slightly pudgey, simply increasing his exercise (not sure how much he had previously?) may be enough and you can feed him normal food/amounts.

Thanks for that. I will look into some other foods and work to move him onto that. I do worry that he will refuse to eat when I move him to a new food, especially as he doesnt always come rushing in when we put his current food down for him. He is only a little pudgy, nothing too bad, so I am sure he will be back to his correct weight soon enough.

Dionne

Stick to a 'Light' diet, preferably with good quality ingredients if you can afford, which is lowish in protein and fat, and feed to the weight he should be rather than the weight he is - that seems to be the perceived wisdom.