Raw transition
guide.

Before you start.

Three things to have on hand:

1. Two days of raw thawed in the fridge. Pull from the freezer 24 hours before your start date. Raw needs to be cold but soft.
2. A scale or measuring cup. Portion math matters more than you think. Most "my dog won't eat raw" stories are actually "my dog is being fed too much."
3. An honest read on your dog's current condition. Body score, energy, coat, stool. You'll want a baseline so you can see what changes in the first 14 days.

Pick your protocol.

There are three valid ways to transition. Pick the one that matches your dog, not the one that sounds easiest.

Protocol A — Cold turkey (recommended for healthy adults)

Most adult dogs handle this fine. Skip the next meal. Offer raw at the meal after that. Dogs are biologically built for raw — their stomach acid pH (1–2) was evolved for exactly this.

Protocol B — Seven day gradual

If you're nervous, or your dog has a sensitive stomach, or your kibble was a low-quality grain-heavy formula, do seven days.

Protocol C — Fourteen day slow roll

For dogs with a documented sensitive stomach, recovering from a recent illness, or transitioning from a prescription kibble (Hill's i/d, Royal Canin GI, etc.).

Same ratios as Protocol B, but each step is two days instead of one. Slower introduction lets the gut microbiome rebuild.

How much to feed.

Feed 2–3% of your dog's ideal body weight per day, split into 1–2 meals.

Adjust up if: working dog, intact male, growing puppy, underweight, or visibly losing condition.
Adjust down if: senior, neutered female, weight gain, or visibly putting on fat.

The first 14 days.

Days 1–3

• Smaller poops. Raw has no fillers, so there's less waste. Sometimes 50–70% smaller volume.
• Possible loose stool. Mild and short-lived. If it lasts past 48 hours or has blood, call a vet.
• Some dogs eat hesitantly the first meal. Normal. They've been eating dust-flavored cereal their whole life. Don't replace it with kibble. Pick the bowl up after 15 minutes, refrigerate, offer at the next mealtime.

Days 4–7

• Hunger reset. Some dogs act hungrier than usual. They aren't. They're processing a calorie-dense food correctly for the first time. Trust the portion math.
• Energy shift. Some dogs get a noticeable energy bump. Working-line dogs especially. This isn't sugar; it's bioavailable protein.
• Stool is firm and dry. White, chalky poop = too much bone. Loose poop = too much organ. Adjust ratios if you're feeding multiple proteins.

Days 8–14

• Coat changes start showing. Less dander, oilier feel, more pigment in fur.
• Breath improves. Raw doesn't produce the bacterial biofilm kibble does.
• Drinking less water. Raw is ~70% moisture. Don't be alarmed.

What not to do.

1. Mixing raw and kibble in the same bowl, long-term.

Kibble's slow digestion holds raw in the stomach longer than it should be. Mild upset is the result. Use the gradual protocol's mixing as a bridge, not a permanent feeding style. If you need budget reasons to mix, feed kibble at one meal and raw at the other — separated by 6+ hours.

2. Feeding cold from the fridge.

Some dogs don't care. Sensitive dogs will refuse it or vomit it back up. Let raw sit 10–15 minutes at room temp before serving, especially for the first week.

3. Skipping organ meat.

Liver, kidney, heart, spleen — these aren't optional. Organ provides B vitamins, copper, vitamin A. Our BLT Blend includes liver and tripe in the right ratio. If you ever feed muscle-meat-only blends, you'll need to supplement organ separately.

4. Adding "boosters" the first month.

Bone broth, raw goat milk, fish oil, kefir — all great, but don't introduce them in the same window as the protein switch. One change at a time so you know what's working.

5. Free-feeding raw.

Raw is calorie-dense. Free-feeding a kibble-fed dog raw is the fastest way to a fat dog. Stick to scheduled meals.

6. Going back to kibble at the first soft stool.

Loose stool in days 1–3 is the gut adapting. Hold the line. Going back to kibble resets the clock and confuses the GI tract.

When to call a vet.

The transition isn't dangerous, but call your vet if any of these happen:

• Vomiting more than twice in 24 hours
• Diarrhea past 72 hours
• Blood in stool (more than a streak)
• Refusing food for more than 36 hours
• Lethargy that doesn't improve after a meal
• Visible discomfort, hunched posture, or whining when touched on the abdomen

Most dogs do not have any of these. But you know your dog. If something feels off, call.

From the kennel.

We feed Revival Raw to our own breeding stock at Donato Kennels. Here's what we've learned in years of switching dogs from kibble to raw:

• Switch when the dog is healthy, not after a vet visit. Don't transition during antibiotic courses or recovery from a procedure.
• Pre-thaw 48 hours of food at a time, no more. Raw stored in the fridge past 72 hours starts to smell off.
• A working dog's portion is not a pet's portion. Active dogs need 3–4% of body weight, split across meals.
• Don't compare to your friend's dog. Every dog runs a different metabolism. Some will lean out fast on raw; others will hold their weight. Adjust by body condition, not by what you read on Reddit.
• Track the first 30 days. A photo a week from the same angle, same light. You'll see changes you'd otherwise miss.

Tear off, stick on the fridge.

• Pulled raw from freezer 24 hr before start
• Calculated daily portion (2–3% of ideal body weight)
• Picked a protocol (Cold Turkey / 7-Day / 14-Day)
• Took a baseline photo
• Day 7 check-in: stool firm? coat? energy?
• Day 14 weigh-in. Compared baseline photo.
• Adjusted portion up or down based on body condition
• Flushed kibble bag from the pantry. Don't tempt yourself.