How to switch from your current food to FARM FOOD HE

Because your current food is most likely an extruded product (if put in water it floats) and Farm Food HE a pressed product (in water it drops to the bottom), therefore we advise you strongly not to mix Farm Food HE with your current food. The difference between the pressed Farm Food HE product and an extruded product is not only in composition but also in the overall digestion process. The extruded food sucks itself full in the stomach of the dog, floats, expands and falls apart. Farm Food HE however, falls apart slowly and settles at the bottom of the stomach. See Why pressed pellets for an illustration.

Switching to Farm Food HE can be done in 3 different ways, depending on the condition of the intestinal flora of your dog (s).

Note: Farm Food Fresh is not yet available in the UK. Where Farm Food Fresh Complete is mentioned you can change 20% of the Farm Food HE with the double amount of raw unwashed tripe.

1. The most common, the "Farm Food" Method.

This is the most safe and health-enhancing method, which we also advise if the dog often has loose stools or diarrhea. Loose stools is usually a sign that the intestinal flora is in need of a "maintenance" and needs to be rebuilt before Farm Food HE shall be tolerated by the dog. When you finish your current dry food, you can start with giving the dog at least 5 days in succession just Farm Food Fresh, Tripe & Heart Complete. You should give the "fresh meat" (after defrosting) at room temperature. Farm Food Fresh should not be defrosted in the microwave because the microwave destroys all the good ingredients (including the much needed bacteria) of the fresh meat. After these 5 days "fresh meat" you can start giving Farm Food HE to the dog. Then follow directions as described in our dietary-advice.

2. The "boarding house" Method.

This method is often used in dog boarding houses where they serve Farm Food HE to the guests. You can apply this method when your dog has a good, dark stool. The 1st day you give one fourth (25%) of the daily amount Farm Food HE the dog normally should get. Furthermore, you give nothing, except a healthy chew (for example Farm Food Rawhide®). The 2nd day you give half (50%) of the normal daily amount Farm Food HE, the 3rd day you give three-quarters (75%) and the 4th day you give the full daily amount Farm Food HE according to the table in our dietary advice. By this method you allow the dogs stomach to get used to the lower filling, and the intestinal flora to the composition of Farm Food HE. It is recommended when using this method of switching to add, in the beginning, a little Farm Food Fresh Tripe & Heart Complete to the dry food.

3. The "Problem dog" Method.

This method we recommend for dogs that have problems with their digestion. When you finish your current dry food, you can start the first day giving the dog Farm Food Fresh, Tripe & Heart Complete. Defrost the "fresh meat" at room temperature and immerse it a short period in just boiled hot water. Let cool before giving it to the dog! Divide the "fresh meat" in several (at least 4) meals per day. The more small meals the dog gets to eat, the better the digestion and intestinal tolerance. The 2nd or 3rd day you should give the "fresh meat" spread over several meals a day. When the stools have been of good quality for several days you can start with mixing a little Farm Food HE through the "fresh meat". Then you gradually replace more and more "fresh meat" with Farm Food HE. The 7th day you replace half of the "fresh meat" for Farm Food HE and on the 8th day you just provide Farm Food HE to the dog.

If Farm Food Fresh Tripe & Heart Complete is hard to purchase in your area you can also change 25% of each meal (5 times a day) of Farm Food HE with the double amount of raw unwashed tripe. You need to do this until the stools are at least 1 full week of good quality. Once the stools are good for a week you can start to reduce slowly the amount of tripe. However you need to keep adding raw unwashed tripe to the dry food on a regular basis in order to keep the intestinal flora in good condition. The ratio of Farm Food Fresh vs. Farm Food HE is about 2:1. So 200 grams of Farm Food Fresh is approximately equal to 100 grams FARM FOOD HE. This is a directive that applies only to Farm Food Fresh Complete.

Postscript,

When you switch to Farm Food HE and you are not satisfied with the stools of your dog, remember that this is an indication that the intestinal flora is not in the desirable condition. Simply put, it means more help to rebuild the intestinal flora is needed. Replace (at each meal) for a long time 20% of Farm Food HE by Farm Food Fresh Tripe and Heart Complete or give a week-long Farm Fresh Food: Tripe & Heart Complete.

Note: Farm Food Fresh is not yet available in the UK. Where Farm Food Fresh Complete is mentioned you can change 20% of Farm Food HE with the double amount of raw unwashed tripe. 

Since Farm Food Fresh Complete has all the nutrients for a complete and healthy meal the raw unwashed tripe is not complete. Therefore Farm Food HE can be used as a basis to create a 'do it yourself' Farm Food Fresh Complete substitute.

50 grams of Farm Food HE compares to 100 grams Farm Food Fresh. A dog needs at least 75% of the nutrients from Farm Food HE to get a complete meal, the rest of the meal should be substituted with raw unwashed tripe to stimulate the intestinal flora.

So if you would give a dog 100 grams (example!) Farm Food HE per meal (but wanted to feed your dog FF Fresh Complete instead) you can give 80 grams Farm Food HE and 40 grams raw unwashed tripe (you doubled the 20%).