Nutrition guide
How to feed fresh
Plan on about ten days to switch foods. Tell us about your dog and we'll lay the whole thing out, day by day, in ounces.
Why go slowly
A new mix of ingredients can upset a stomach that is not used to it. Introducing them gradually gives your dog time to adjust, so the change is easier on their stomach.
Your dog
The plan
The first ten days
transition calculator
Start with 25% Wynwood and increase it every three days.
If their stomach needs more time, stay at the same stage for a few extra days before moving up.
What are they eating now?
Pick the closest match to what is in their bowl now. The kcal per kg is usually found on the food packaging.
| When | Wynwood | Their current food |
|---|
Use this as a starting point, not a number you have to hit exactly. Keep an eye on your dog and adjust as you go. You know them best.
Thawing
Your food arrives frozen and keeps for up to a year in the freezer. Move a packet down to the refrigerator the night before you need it. Once it is thawed and open, use it within five days.
The easy routine
- Move it down the night beforeFreezer to refrigerator, still sealed, and it should be ready by morning. Stand it on a plate or small tray while it thaws.
- Leave it sealed until you serveKeep the packet sealed while it thaws. This helps limit exposure to bacteria and keeps handling simple until you're ready to serve.
- Start the next one before you run outThat is the whole rhythm. There is always one thawing behind the one you are feeding.
Three things to know
- Don't microwave the packet. The food is packaged in plastic and should not be microwaved in the bag.
- Warm is fine. Cooked is not. If you warm the food, keep it below 98°F. Higher temperatures can start to affect the nutrients in the food.
- Counter thawing is fine, just set a timer. About 45 minutes is a good starting point for a 16 oz packet. You want it softened, not sitting out fully thawed for hours.
Three ways to serve it
All three are fine. Which one suits you comes down to how quickly your dog gets through a packet.
Straight from the packet
Cut a small opening across the top, serve what you need, fold it over and clip it. Then put it back in the refrigerator.
- Nothing else to buy and nothing to wash
- Cut a small opening rather than the whole top so it folds shut properly
- Works best when one packet is five days of food or less
Into a container
Empty the packet into an airtight container once it is thawed and scoop from there.
- Easier to scoop and weigh
- Better when more than one person feeds your dog
- Use within five days of opening the packet
Portion it out
While the packet is thawed but still cold, weigh each meal into its own small container.
- Every meal is ready to go
- Makes feeding easy when more than one person is involved
- Best when one packet lasts more than five days
- Anything you will not use within five days can go back in the freezer and should be used within three months
What to expect
Softer stool for a few days
Common early on and usually nothing to worry about. It should firm up as you go. If it does not, stay on the same stage for a few extra days instead of moving up.
A lot more interest in dinner
Most dogs are noticeably keener. It is not a sign they need more food, so keep the portion where the plan puts it.
Possibly less drinking
Fresh food carries far more water than kibble, so some of their water now comes with the meal. Keep the bowl full as normal.
Questions
How long does it keep?
Sealed and frozen, up to a year. Once you thaw a packet and open it, use it within five days.
Thaw in the fridge overnight, or on the counter with a timer. Never in warm water. Three to five days' worth at a time is the sweet spot.
Can I refreeze it?
Yes, if you do it before the food has been sitting thawed for days. Thaw the packet fully, divide it into portions of about three days each, and put all but the one you are using straight back in the freezer. Serve the refrozen portions within three months.
The planner above tells you when your packet size makes this necessary, and when it does not.
Does it need to be warmed up?
No. Straight from the fridge is fine, though some dogs prefer it if you take it out a few minutes before dinner and let the chill come off.
Do not microwave it. It cooks unevenly, it can leave hot spots, and it changes the texture most dogs are there for.
What if their stool goes loose?
Stay where you are rather than moving up. Hold the current stage for a few more days and let things settle, then carry on. Slower is never a problem.
If it does not settle, or you see blood, repeated vomiting, or a dog who is off in themselves, stop and speak to your veterinarian. Our team is on the phone too.
Should I change their treats at the same time?
No. Keep treats exactly as they are through the switch. Changing two things at once means that if something disagrees with your dog, you have no way of knowing which one it was.
Why does each diet have a different portion?
Because the recipes are not equally dense. A cup of one diet does not carry the same calories as a cup of another, so the right amount is worked out per diet rather than from a chart on the side of a bag.
Can I feed Wynwood alongside their current food long term?
Yes. Plenty of people feed us as half the bowl or as a topper. Set that above and the plan adjusts, including how much of their old food to keep.
One thing to know: our Complete and Balanced diets are formulated to be the whole diet, so if they are only part of the bowl, the rest of the bowl still has to be complete on its own.
My dog is refusing it
Common on day one, and usually short lived. Go back a stage, give it a few days, and try again. Our picky eater guide has the rest.
Where do these numbers come from?
The same calculation the rest of the site uses. It starts from your dog's weight, adjusts for life stage and how active they are, then converts calories into ounces using the density of the diet you picked.
It is a starting point, not a prescription. Weigh your dog every few weeks and adjust. If they are on a Fresh Rx diet, your veterinarian's instruction comes first.
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Cooked by us since 2015, and recommended by veterinarians across the country.
