DDD - defrost, a golden retriever dog helps their owner take food out of the freezer.

Getting started

You can start feeding your Nutriment diet food at breakfast or dinner - there's no special protocol to follow with our food.

The recipes in our Core range are all complete so you don't need to add anything extra to make sure your dog or cat is getting everything they need.

We've made transitioning even easier with our Starter Packs which include a variety of our recipes to use in the first few weeks until you work out their favourite recipes.

Shop starter packs
Golden retriever taking a treat from their owners hand whilst lying in front of a green velvet sofa.

Introducing treats

Once your dog or cat has become accustomed to their delicious new diet, you can go ahead and introduce raw treats and bones, to keep them satisfied outside of mealtimes.

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Making the switch for dogs FAQ

Switching to raw doesn’t need to be difficult at all but how you go about it can make a big difference. We suggest you make a straight switch from their normal food to raw. This method works for over 90% of dogs!

If you are combining processed foods with raw keep them in separate meals as the digestion times differ between diets. Remember, Nutriment is a complete recipe and does not require any supplementation. 

My dog doesn't drink as much...

This is normal! Raw contains a lot of moisture – it’s totally normal to see a reduction in water intake in your pet.

It should only be a worry if your dog is for example not urinating – this would require professional veterinary investigation.

My dog is struggling with poos...

A change in poo (i.e. sloppy, mucous-y etc) initially is quite normal and to be expected. Not all dogs would have this but some do. As a one-off it shouldn’t be a concern. It can help however, especially those with sensitive digestive systems or on medications, to provide probiotics alongside your switch initially for a smoother transition.

If you dog is struggling with poo it might be that your dog has a lower than average bone tolerance; mix in some of our beef formula (which doesn’t contain bone) with the meals to reduce the overall bone intake.

The poo should be pellet like, firm and formed, not rock hard or soft. Because you will be feeding a variety of meats it is totally normal for poo to have different colours.

My dog doesn't seem keen...

We find most dogs LOVE their raw food from day one, however most processed foods contain salt and a variety of other additives to make it extremely tasty, almost addictive… It’s a little like being used to eating pizza and then deciding a rocket salad with pine nuts and feta is better… you might also need some persuasion.

Don’t be disheartened, and persevere. If needs be mix some of the flavours up, few dogs will turn up their nose to something mixed with the beef recipe!

There is no crunch to the food, how is this going to keep their teeth clean?

Most of complete recipes do contain bone and is abrasive enough to clean teeth. Raw also doesn’t stick to teeth like starchy processed food does (the cause of much tartar and teeth issues). Once you have gained your confidence with the raw diet you can of course start introducing meaty bones (although not a requirement!). In the meantime, if you are missing the crunching sounds, then a healthy treat like pizzles will give that crunchy chewing action.

My dog is eating too quick and seems hungry...

Commonly, dogs who do really take straight away to this scrumptious raw diet become gobblers, they eat faster than before and then can sometimes regurgitate the food as it went down too quickly. Try and slow down your dog, get a slow feeder or feed partially frozen for example.

If your dog seems hungry, this is part of the adjustment process; instead of having an expanding mass of food sitting in their stomachs struggling to be digested, raw is digested faster due to it being more natural to the digestive system. Play around with your dinner times, perhaps give a mid-day or just before bed (but substantial) snack.

Making the switch for cats

Cats are notoriously a little tricker to switch to a raw diet compared to dogs! In the wild they are designed, and learn from their mother, to eat a specific diet, so introducing a new food to them can make them suspicious as to whether it is safe or not.

Don't worry though! We're not going to suggest you have a few spoonfuls to show them it's safe, instead we have a few tips and tricks up our sleeve to help get your cat devouring our recipes. Just remember that a little time and patience are key when making the switch for your beloved feline friend.

What are you currently feeding your cat?

If they are on a predominantly dry diet, switch this to mostly wet food. If they are already on a mix, take out the dry completely.

If they are only on wet food, then you've already completed the first step!

Is your cat a grazer?

If they are, you'll need to change their eating schedule to eating at set mealtimes. If they leave anything in their bowl, you'll need to take it away. This will get your cat used to eating a meal at a specific time which is essential for raw as it cannot be left down for them to pick at.

If you have a cat which is ready and waiting to scoff their breakfast and dinner at their usual time, then you've already completed step 2!

Introducing raw

This is the bit where we start introducing raw recipes into their diet.

Choose a meal, dinner or breakfast, and switch this food to raw food. This may take some time but it's important to keep trying. You can start with a smaller portion so as not to waste any food.

To entice them a little more, you can add some gently warmed Bone Broth to the food which will release delicious aromas and may encourage them to have a little taste.

Once they have started eating their raw food, you're ready to continue.

Increasing raw

If your cat has been eating their daily raw meal happily, you're ready to switch the remaining meal to raw food and cut out their original diet.