WHAT IS ROTATIONAL FEEDING?
Rotational feeding refers to a diet rotation that provides pets with regular dietary changes.
Rotational feeding can be as simple as changing a dog’s food very other bag or changing it meal to meal. How often, how quickly and how drastically to switch a dog’s food depends on his stomach’s sensitivity to change and types of proteins, as well as a Pet Lover’s lifestyle. We recommend taking about a week to change bags so 100% old bag, 2-3 days 75 % old bag 25% new bag, 2-3 days 50/50%, 2-3 days 25% old bag 75% new and than 100% new.
There are many different reasons to adopt a rotational feeding Program, ranging from adding interest to meal times or adding nutritional variety.
BENEFITS OF ROTATIONAL FEEDING
ROUND OUT NUTRIENT INTAKE
Each food in the ACANA Singles product line features a single animal protein and a perfectly paired fruit or vegetable to appease dogs with food sensitivities or flavour preferences. Different animal proteins have different amino acid and fatty acid profiles, as well as various minerals and vitamins. For example, beef contains significant amounts of iron but is lower in omega-3 fatty acids than pork. Amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, differ slightly across different animal protein sources as well. Turkey meat contains higher amounts of the amino acid tryptophan than pork meat.
Although all of our ACANA Singles recipes are balanced to be
fed alone and meet the requirements as set out by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), rotational feeding adds variety. The dietary variation that dogs and cats’ wild cousins would experience is typically lost in regular feeding. Through rotational feeding, our pets gain diversity in their nourishment.
PROTEIN EXPOSURE
Food sensitivities exist in dogs but are often misdiagnosed or confused with food allergies. Food allergies cause an immune mediated response, whereas food sensitivities are much more common and traditionally manifest as poor food reactions, including soft stools, excess gas, itchy dry skin and itchy paws and ears. Just like humans, exposure to different proteins at a young age may decrease the chances of developing food sensitivities. Feeding a rotational diet to a dog exposes them to a broader range of proteins and helps to prevent sensitivities.
FLAVOUR FATIGUE
Often, pets experience flavour fatigue from eating the same diet every day, just as we would. Rotational feeding keeps dogs and cats interested in the food and prevents flavour fatigue. Rotational feeding also offers the novelty of new foods. This can help boost intake for picky eaters or animals with a reduced appetite.
OPTIONS FOR ROTATIONAL FEEDING
The Biologically Appropriate recipes in the ACANA Singles line are ideal for rotational feeding. All diets are completely balanced to be fed alone and offer the unique opportunity to rotate between diets within the product line. Our ACANA Singles recipes are specifically designed to contain only five macro-ingredient classes with the same botanicals and low-glycemic carbohydrates allowing Pet Lovers to add the dietary variation traditionally seen in the wild, with minimal chance of gastrointestinal upset.
Ones we use all the time: Wild Coast, Pacifica, Classic red (has grain it in OATS), Lamb and Apple, Ranchlands, Grasslands, Adult… lots within this brand to choose:)
Freeze Dried Raw options:
Stella and Chewie
K9 Naturals
Zeal
Raw food Proteins
Rotate these with no issues. I would do 2-3 days of one protein and than switch. Lots of options but these we have found to be great
Pork 80/10/10
Turkey 80/10/10
Beef/turkey 45/45/10 (richer so would do this one no more than 2 x a week as it has tripe in it)
Beef, Bison, Rabbit
Rhoadies Mix (richer so would do this one no more than 2 x a week as it has tripe in it)
BPS (richer so would do this one no more than 2 x a week as it has tripe in it)
Feeding
Until 6 Months of Age - Feed your pup 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Recommend around 4 months to be on an all life stages food from Acana.
6 Months to Adult - 2 times per day (breakfast and dinner)
Raw food calculator:
2-3 months old: 8-10% of their current weight in pounds per day
4-5 months old: 6-8% of their current weight in pounds per day
6-8 months old: 4-6% of their current weight in pounds per day
9-12 months old: 3-4% of their current weight in pounds per day
Here are some general guidelines for feeding your adult dog raw food:
Active, underweight adult dogs should eat 3% of their current weight in pounds per day.
Senior, less active, overweight adult dogs should eat 1.5% of their current weight in pounds per day.
Adult dogs at an ideal weight should eat 2-3% of their current weight in pounds per day.
FOR KIBBLE
At 8 weeks is around 1/4-1/3 of a cup per meal. As they grow there is a food amount on the side of the bag based on weight and activity level.
Adult dogs are around 0.5 cup per meal to 1 cup per meal depending on size and activity level.
Best Grain Free Dog Foods
As recommended by: www.dogfoodadvisor.com
Grain free dog foods have become a favourite for those wishing to more closely mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet and to lessen the risk of food allergies.
Compared to the typical kibble or canned food, the best grain free recipes contain more meat based protein as well as easy-to-digest animal fats and usually fewer carbohydrates, too. Not only are grains like corn and wheat a frequent cause of canine allergies they can also be more difficult for a dog to digest.
Why Grains Can Be More Difficult to Digest
That’s because many plant-eating animals (known as herbivores) possess one powerful weapon many carnivores (like dogs) usually lack salivary amylase. Amylase is a special enzyme most herbivores and omnivores (like us humans) produce in their saliva. It’s needed to begin the breakdown of starchy carbohydrates into simple sugars, before they enter the stomach.
Now, dogs also produce amylase. But the enzyme is added further down the digestive tract; in the dog’s small intestine. Because a carnivore’s saliva is mostly amylase-free, carbohydrates can be more difficult for a dog to digest. What actually does make corn and other grains more digestible for a dog is the cooking process itself.
Why Kibbles Can Be Grain Free, But Never Carbohydrate Free
Compared to canned dog foods, kibbles cannot be made with just meat. That’s because the process used for making kibble requires a notable amount of carbohydrates to create a dough-like binder to hold everything together.
Since there can be no corn, wheat, barley, rice (or any other cereal grains, for that matter), novel carbohydrates must be used in their place to make grain-free kibbles possible. Usually, vegetables (like potatoes) appear to be the most common source of carbohydrates found in “non-grain” recipes, remember it’s not gluten-free, it’s grain free.
The Bottom Line
Supporters of grain-free dog foods claim these products provide at least two important benefits;
They’re considered hypoallergenic
They attempt to mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet
…so, how can you find a quality grain-free dog food?
How We Selected the Best!
If you’re looking for a quality grain free dog food, we’ve prepared two lists; one for dry dog foods and the other for wet. To be selected, these products must meet two basic requirements.
First, they must have been rated at least four stars or five stars by the Advisor. (http:// www.dogfoodadvisor.com/)
Finally, the recipes (of course) must be grain free!
Best Grain Free Dog Foods
The following is a list of our best dog food brands… each known to include at least one dry grain free dog food.
To qualify, each dry kibble must have been rated four or five stars by the Advisor.
And of course, it must be grain free.
The following is a list of our top-rated dry dog food brands, each found to contain at least one grain free dog food;
Acana Grain-Free (Dry)
Addiction Dog Food (Dry)
American Natural Premium (Dry)
Amicus Dog Food (Dry) Annamaet Grain Free (Dry)
Artemis Fresh Mix Maximal Dog (Dry)
Back to Basics Dog Food (Dry)
Before Grain Dog Food (Dry)
Blackwood Special Diet (Dry)
Born Free Dog Food (Dry)
Brothers Complete Allergy Formula (Dry)
Brothers Complete Grain Free (Dry)
California Natural Grain Free (Dry)
Canidae Grain Free Pure (Dry)
Canine Caviar Grain Free (Dry)
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free (Dry)
Castor and Pollux Organix Grain-Free (Dry)
Darford Zero/G Dog Food (Dry)
DNA Dog Food (Dry)
Dogswell Nutrisca (Dry)
Earthborn Holistic Grain Free (Dry)
Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural (Dry)
EVO Dog Food (Dry)
FirstMate Grain-Free (Dry)
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals (Dry)
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Grain-Free (Dry)
Go! Fit and Free (Dry)
Great Life Grain Free (Dry)
Hi-Tek Naturals Grain Free (Dry)
Holistic Blend Grain Free (Dry)
Horizon Legacy (Dry)
Infinia Dog Food (Dry)
Innova Prime Grain Free (Dry)
Lotus Dog Food (Dry)
Natural Balance (Dry)
Nature’s Select Grain Free (Dry)
Nature’s Variety Instinct (Dry)
Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet (Dry)
Now Grain Free Dog Food (Dry)
Nutri Life Grain Free (Dry)
NutriSource Grain Free (Dry)
Orijen Adult (Dry)
Orijen Puppy (Dry)
Pelican Bay Dog Food (Dry)
Pinnacle Grain Free (Dry)
Pinnacle Peak Protein Formula (Dry)
Premium Edge Healthy Weight Reduction (Dry)
Pronature Holistic Grain Free (Dry)
Pulsar Dog Food (Dry)
Solid Gold Barking at the Moon (Dry)
Solid Gold Sun Dancer (Dry)
Taste of the Wild (Dry)
TimberWolf Wild and Natural (Dry)
Vet Preferred Grain Free (Dry)
Victor Grain Free Dog Food (Dry)
Wellness Core Dog Food (Dry)