There are many reasons that you may be considering switching your Boston Terrier to a new dog food. It could be you are transitioning your Boston from puppy to adult food. Maybe you just need to switch your Boston’s food because they don’t really enjoy eating their dog food anymore.

Whatever the reason, you need to be sure you are doing it safely.

Transitioning your Boston to a new dog food should be done gradually over 1 to 2 weeks.

A slow transition is important to prevent vomiting and diarrhea from a food switch.

What Is The Best Way To Transition My Boston To A New Diet?

When transitioning to a new diet, you should consider doing it gradually. This step-by-step guide will tell you exactly how to safely transition your dog to a new food over one week.

If at any point along the way, your dog starts vomiting or has diarrhea, stop adding in new food, continue to feed the original diet, and consult with your veterinarian.

It is possible that your Boston may be sensitive to the new food.

Want to know what to feed your Boston? Check out this article to see what other owners feed their Boston, How Much & How Often To Feed A Boston Terrier.

Dr. Reinhard’s Video Explanation On How To Transition Your Dog’s Food

In this video, veterinarian Dr. Addie Reinhard (author of this article) talks about how to choose the right dog food for your Boston Terrier and transition your dog to the new food.

How To Choose The Right Food & Transition Into It.

Transition Your Boston Terriers Food In 4 Easy Steps

Step 1: Days 1 – 2: 25% New Food, 75% Old Food

For the first few days, you should feed mostly the old food with a small amount of the new food mixed in.

By starting with just a small amount of the new food, this helps reduce the risk of stomach upset.

Step 2: Days 3 – 4: 50% New Food, 50% Old Food

By days 3 and 4, you can start feeding half new food and half old food.

At this point, your Boston’s intestinal tract should be able to handle an increase in the amount of new food that they receive.

Step 3: Days 5 – 6: 75% New Food, 25% Old Food

You are almost there! On days 5 and 6, you can now feed mostly new food and phase out the old food.

At this point, your Boston should mostly be adjusted to the new food.

Step 4: Day 7: 100% New Food

On day 7, you can now feed entirely the new diet.

Since you followed the directions for the first 6 days, you should now be able to safely feed only the new food.

What If My Boston Has a Very Sensitive Stomach?

If your Boston has a sensitive stomach, you should consider lengthening the diet change process to 2 weeks. You can follow the same instructions above except double the time for each stage.

This will allow your dog even more time to adjust to the new food especially if they are prone to getting an upset stomach.

Can You Just Switch Your Dog’s Food? What Could Happen?

It is not recommended to switch your dog’s diet suddenly without transitioning gradually. The main concern of switching the food without a gradual transition is stomach upset.

A dog’s digestive system becomes accustomed to eating the same food, and if you suddenly switch to a new food, this could put stress on the GI tract.

Many dogs that are transitioned suddenly to a new food will have diarrhea. Some dogs may even vomit or stop wanting to eat.

If your dog starts having vomiting, diarrhea, or does not want to eat after a sudden diet change, I recommend speaking with a veterinarian.

Why Should You Slowly Introduce Your Boston To A New Food?

You should slowly introduce your Boston to the new food because this will give their body time to adjust to the new diet.

Because dogs typically eat the same food every day for long periods, their bodies grow accustomed to the ingredients in the food and the protein and fat levels of the food. Different diets contain different levels of fat and proteins.

When switching from one diet to another, you must do so slowly to give your Boston’s digestive tract time to adapt to the new food.

Should You Change Your Dog’s Food Periodically?

If your dog enjoys eating the food that you are giving, and it is high-quality dog food, there is typically no need to change dog foods.

There are appropriate times to change your dog’s food. The following are four circumstances where it would be recommended to gradually transition to a new diet.

Reason #1 – Your Boston Doesn’t Like The Food You Are Giving Them

Sometimes your dog may grow tired of the food that you are feeding. In this case, it can be appropriate to try a different dog food.

As long as you follow the steps above to gradually transition to a new dog food, it is safe to periodically change the food you are feeding your dog.

To reduce the risk of stomach upset, I don’t recommend switching dog foods more than a few times per year.

Reason #2 – Transitioning Your Boston Terrier From Puppy Food To Adult Food

I recommend switching your dog’s diet from puppy food to adult food at 1 year of age.

In the first 12 months of life, Boston Terrier puppies need extra calories as they are growing. Puppy food is specially formulated to have the extra calories and nutrition necessary for growth.

Once your Boston reaches 1 year of age, you should transition to an adult dog food using the steps described above.

Feeding puppy food to an adult dog may cause weight gain and obesity.

The adult dog food typically has fewer calories per cup than the puppy food which will make sure that your Boston Terrier does not get overweight.

Reason #3 – Transitioning Your Boston Terrier From Adult Food To Senior Food

At around 7 years of age, I recommend switching your Boston from an adult dog food to a senior dog food using the gradual transition described above.

Senior dogs need fewer calories than adult dogs because they are usually less active. Senior dog foods are specially formulated to meet the needs of elderly dogs.

Certain high-quality senior dog foods may contain ingredients that help support the joints and brain as your dog ages.

Reason #4 – Transitioning To A Prescription Veterinary Diet

Your veterinarian may recommend a special prescription diet for your Boston. Prescription diets are prescribed for a variety of medical conditions including:

Kidney Disease
Bladder Stones
Diabetes
Obesity
Allergies
Arthritis

It is important when switching your dog to a veterinary prescription diet to get specific instructions from your veterinarian on how to safely transition to the new dog food.

Is It Ok To Eat The Same Dog Food For Years?

It is ok for dogs to eat the same dog food for years. As long as the diet is a high-quality diet, and it is appropriate for the age of your pet, you can feed the same dog food for years without any issues.

I have been feeding my dog the same dog food for 5 years without an issue.

Interested in feeding your Boston Terrier a raw diet? Check out this playlist I created on YouTube, Boston Terrier Raw Diet Playlist.

Is It Ok To Mix Two Different Dog Foods?

It is fine to temporarily mix two different dog foods when switching from one food to another. Typically, you will be mixing the two different foods for 1 to 2 weeks, and this does not cause any problems.

Long-term, it may not be a problem to mix two different dog foods as long as they are both high-quality dog foods, but I would consult with your veterinarian first prior to mixing two dog foods together long-term.

In my experience, it is usually more trouble than it is worth to feed two different dog foods mixed together.

Remember, Gradual Food Transition Is Essential

There are many reasons that you may need to transition your dog to a new diet including age-related changes or health reasons.

When transitioning to a new dog food, be sure that you do so gradually over a 1 to 2 week period to ensure that your Boston Terrier has time to adapt to the new food.

It is important to slowly transition your Boston to a new diet to avoid upsetting their stomach.

References

How to Properly Transition Your Dog’s Food. Hill’s Pet.

How To Transition Your Boston Terrier To A New Food | 7 Days

How To Transition A Boston Terrier To A New Food