Transitioning a Dog to Raw Food

Most healthy adult dogs can move from kibble to raw in 7 to 14 days. Some do it in a single switch. This guide covers both methods, the order to introduce foods, what normal stool looks like along the way and when to slow down.

Updated 31 October 2026
6 min read
Day by day plan, with what to watch for

7 to 14 days for most healthy adult dogs

Before you start

Know the amount. Use the calculator or the feeding guide. For a 20 kg dog at 2.5 percent that is 500 g a day.
Pick one protein. Chicken or turkey are the usual starts: lean, cheap, soft bones. If your dog has a known chicken allergy use turkey or rabbit.
Decide DIY or complete. A complete raw product (80/10/10 mince, or a BARF recipe with veg) removes the ratio maths during the switch. You can go DIY later.
Clear freezer space. A 20 kg dog eats 15 kg a month.
Check with your vet if your dog is a puppy, elderly, pregnant, immune compromised or has pancreatitis, kidney disease or IBD. Some of these can be raw fed, but the plan changes.

Method 1: the gradual switch (7 to 14 days)

Best for dogs over 7, dogs that have only eaten kibble, dogs with sensitive stomachs, and owners who want to see how each new item lands. Feed the raw and kibble as separate meals where you can, morning and evening.

Days	Raw	Kibble	What to feed	What to watch
Day 1 to 3	25%	75%	Plain chicken or turkey mince with bone, or a complete chicken recipe	Stool should firm up within 48 hours. Some extra drinking is normal as the body adjusts.
Day 4 to 6	50%	50%	Same protein. Add a small raw meaty bone (chicken wing or neck) in place of some mince if stools are firm	Pale, crumbly stool means too much bone. Loose stool means too much too fast: hold at this step.
Day 7 to 9	75%	25%	Introduce liver at half the final amount, about 2.5 percent of the raw portion	Liver causes loose stool in some dogs at first. Keep it small and spread across meals.
Day 10 to 14	100%	0%	Full ratios for one protein. Add kidney or another organ. Then rotate in a second protein such as turkey, lamb or beef	Once stable on 100 percent raw for a week, start the second protein at 25 percent of the bowl.

If stools go loose at any step, go back one step for 3 days, then try again. The plan stretching to 3 weeks is not a failure.

Method 2: the straight switch

Finish the kibble one evening, feed raw the next morning. Works for many young, healthy adults and is what most breeders who raw feed do with puppies going to new homes. To give it the best chance:

Leave a 12 hour gap between the last kibble meal and the first raw one.
Feed a single protein with bone for the first 5 to 7 days, no organ.
Feed slightly under the calculated amount, around 2 percent, for the first week.
Add liver and other organ in week 2, a second protein in week 3.

Expect 2 to 3 days of softer stool. If it reaches day 5 and is still loose, drop to the gradual plan.

Complete raw makes the switch simpler

A balanced complete recipe means you only manage the amount during the transition, not the ratios. All three sell a single protein chicken recipe to start with.

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The order to introduce foods

Chicken or turkey with bone (or a complete chicken recipe). Days 1 to 7.
Raw meaty bone as a meal: chicken wing, neck or carcass piece sized so the dog has to chew. From day 4 if stools are firm.
Liver, from day 7, starting at half the final 5 percent.
Kidney or another secreting organ, from day 10.
Second protein (turkey, lamb, beef, pork) after a stable week on 100 percent raw. Start at a quarter of the bowl.
Oily fish (sardines, sprats, mackerel) once or twice a week from week 3.
Richer items such as green tripe, duck and venison from week 4.
Vegetables, if feeding BARF, can go in from day 1 at a small amount or wait until week 3. See BARF vs PMR.

What is normal, and what is not

You see	Likely cause	What to do
Smaller, firmer stool	Normal on raw	Nothing
White, chalky or crumbly stool	Too much bone	Swap some bone-in for boneless meat
Loose, yellow or orange stool	Too much fat, or liver too soon	Leaner cuts, hold off organ for 3 days
Black, tarry stool	Too much organ, or blood in meat	Reduce organ. Vet if it lasts 2 days
Mucus coating	Gut adjusting, common in week 1 to 2	Slow the plan by a step
Drinking less	Food is 70% water	Normal. Keep water down
Vomiting bile in the morning	Empty stomach for too long	Move one meal later, or add a small bedtime snack
Repeated vomiting, lethargy, blood	Not a transition symptom	Vet, same day

Handling raw safely

Treat it like raw chicken for people. Defrost in the fridge, not on the side. Use within 24 hours of defrosting. Wash bowls, surfaces and hands after each meal, and pick up bowls after 20 minutes rather than leaving food down. Keep raw fed dogs from licking faces of very young children, elderly or immune compromised people for a few hours after eating. Freezing wild game and pork for 3 weeks before feeding reduces parasite risk.

Switching a puppy? Read the puppy raw feeding guide first, because the amounts and the pace are different.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Should I fast my dog before switching to raw?

A 12 hour gap before the first raw meal is common and harmless for a healthy adult. It is not needed. Never fast puppies, small breeds prone to low blood sugar, or dogs with a medical condition.

Can I mix raw and kibble in the same bowl?

You can. The idea that they must never be mixed because they digest at different speeds is not supported by evidence, and many dogs are fed both in one meal without problems. That said, keeping them to separate meals makes it easier to tell which food is causing a stool change, which is the reason the plan above splits them.

How long does it take a dog to adjust to raw?

Most healthy adult dogs are fully switched in 7 to 14 days and have settled stools within 3 weeks. Dogs that have eaten kibble for 8 or more years, dogs with a history of pancreatitis and dogs on long term medication often need 3 to 4 weeks and a slower start on lean protein.

Why is my dog drinking less on raw?

Raw food is about 70 percent water, kibble about 10 percent. A 20 kg dog eating 500 g of raw takes in roughly 350 ml of water in the food alone. Less drinking from the bowl is expected. Keep fresh water available and watch for any sign of dehydration anyway.

What does normal raw fed poo look like?

Smaller, firmer and less smelly than on kibble, and it turns pale and crumbly after a day or two in the garden. Chalky white stool straight away means too much bone. Black tarry stool means too much organ or blood in the meat, or something to see the vet about if it continues. Yellow or orange loose stool early on usually means too much fat or liver too soon.

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