How to use the pet food transition schedule generator
- Enter the daily amount of food your pet eats now and pick the unit: grams, ounces or cups.
- Enter the number of days for the switch and the number of meals each day.
- Choose whether to round the share of new food to the nearest 5 or 10 percent for easier measuring.
- Read the table of old and new food for every day, and print it for the kitchen.
Formula
New food share on day d of n = d / n (optionally rounded to a step such as 5 percent)
New food = daily amount x new share; old food = daily amount - new food
The last day is always 100 percent new food
Per meal = daily amount / meals per day
The share of new food never goes down from one day to the next, even after rounding. Amounts are shown to 1 decimal for grams and 2 decimals for ounces and cups.
A 7 day switch
With 300 g of food a day over 7 days, day 1 is 1/7 or 14.29 percent new food: 42.9 g of new and 257.1 g of old. Day 4 is 57.14 percent: 171.4 g new and 128.6 g old. Day 7 is all new food, 300.0 g. With 2 meals a day each meal is 150.0 g.
For 3 cups a day over 10 days rounded to 10 percent, day 1 is 0.30 cups of new food and 2.70 cups of old food. For 8 ounces over 14 days rounded to 5 percent, day 1 is 5 percent (0.40 oz new and 7.60 oz old), day 4 is 30 percent (2.40 oz new and 5.60 oz old) and day 14 is 8.00 oz of new food.
Why switch gradually
A slow change gives a pet's digestive system time to adjust to a new food. A schedule with a little more new food each day is a common way to do this. How long to take depends on the animal, so the number of days is yours to choose. If your pet has a health condition, is very young or old, or reacts badly to changes, ask your veterinarian for a plan before you start.
To see how long a bag lasts at the daily amount use the dog food bag calculator. The pet treat calorie calculator helps with treats, and the pet care schedule printable keeps feeding times in one place.
Measuring the amounts
A kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure food, and grams give the cleanest numbers. If you measure by cups, the page rounds to two decimals, so use a measure that has fractions. Rounding the share of new food to 5 or 10 percent makes the amounts simpler, and the last day always ends on the new food alone.
Assumptions and limits
- The daily amount stays the same during the switch, and only the mix changes.
- The share of new food rises in even steps over the days, then is rounded if you chose a step.
- The page does not know the food, the pet or its health, and it gives no feeding advice.
- The units are labels. Grams, ounces and cups are not converted into each other.
Frequently asked questions
How do I switch my dog to a new food?
Many people mix a little new food into the old and raise the share each day until it is all new. This page builds that schedule for the number of days you choose, and your veterinarian can advise on the right length.
How many days should a food transition take?
It varies by animal and by food. Seven days is a common example, and sensitive pets may need longer. Ask your veterinarian.
Can I use cups instead of grams?
Yes. Choose cups and enter the daily amount in cups. The table shows two decimals.
Why round the new share?
Rounding to 5 or 10 percent makes the amounts easier to measure, and the plan still ends with all new food on the last day.