ESSENTIALS feeding guide
How much should I serve?
Magical. One bite at a time
We hope your ESSENTIALS meals are going down a treat. There are many benefits to serving your dog ESSENTIALS. Our meals are based on fresh, wholesome ingredients, which means satiety from smaller servings, healthy digestion and a more balanced dog. But how much to serve?
Don’t worry, we’ve worked it out for you:
How much does your dog weight?
You may have noticed that the result is 15% less than indicated by the feeding chart on the bag. That’s because the chart is based on the industry’s standard recommendations, but as our meals are exceptionally rich in fresh ingredients, we’ve found that a 15% smaller serving provides the same nutritional value.
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No-one should be cheated out of a delicious meal
ESSENTIAL CONTOUR is our specially designed complete meal for dogs with weight issues or for castrated and spayed dogs.
After neutering, your dog’s hormone balance changes. This may result in a slower metabolic rate and increased appetite and lead to weight gain, even if their activity-level stays the same. If that’s the case, your dog will benefit from a lower-calorie meal.
ESSENTIAL CONTOUR is made with fresh ingredients and is filler-free, and with no compromises on either nutrition or palatability. The quality ingredients ensure that your dog benefits from tasty, balanced nutrition that promotes healthy bodyweight and satiety after meals.
Smaller serving sizes
When switching to ESSENTIALS from a different brand of dry dog food, you’ll very likely need to reduce the serving size. If you serve the same amount as before, the result may be loose or increased bowel movements.
Why so?
Because our meals are packed with fresh ingredients, are protein-rich and contain no fillers. All of which means you can meet your dog’s nutritional requirements with smaller servings.
Switching from another kitchen or brand?
When you switch your dog’s dry food, it’s important to do so gradually, especially when transitioning to kibble with high nutritional value and pure ingredients like the ESSENTIALS meal you’re starting on now. By introducing the new kibble slowly, you’ll be giving your dog’s digestion time to adjust to the new ingredients, which promotes gut health and minimises irregular bowel movements.
How to switch gradually:
For a smooth transition, mix the new ESSENTIALS meal with the dog food your dog is used to. Make the switch over 3–7 days, during which time you increase the amount of ESSENTIALS in each serving to allow your dog’s digestive system to slowly adjust to the new nutrient-dense ingredients.
It is completely normal for your dog’s bowel movements to become slightly irregular during the transition – things usually settle down soon.
Still unsure about serving sizes?
Our passionate nutrition advisers are ready to give you personalised recommendations and are happy to help with whatever you need. Try our online chat facility for quick answers to everything from serving sizes to mealtime tips. You’re also welcome to phone us if you need help to understand the feeding chart, or email us if you prefer.
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Grain-free
All our meals are premium quality and carefully composed of ingredients for perfect nutritional balance – and entirely grain-free.
Up to 90% meat
All ESSENTIALS meals contain generous amounts of meat and fish, which top the ingredients list. Our recipes contain up to 90% meat and fish and plenty of greens, berries and herbs.
BOF
One key benefit of our meals is that they are designed to promote stable blood sugar. That is what our proprietary BOF (Behavioural Optimizing Foods) principle is all about.
How much pâté vs. dry food should I serve?
When serving pâté to supplement kibble, it’s important to adjust the amount to avoid over-feeding.
For small dogs, a good rule of thumb is that for each rounded tablespoon of pâté (about 50 g) the kibble serving should be reduced by 15 g.
For medium-sized/large dogs, a good rule of thumb is that for every 100 g of pâté (1/4 of a tin) the kibble serving should be reduced by 30 g.
My dog’s stool is too soft – what should I do?
When switching to a new kibble, bear in mind that your dog’s digestion needs to adjust to the new ingredients. The adjustment time depends on what you were serving your dog before.
If your dog’s stool becomes too firm, try increasing your kibble servings slightly.
If your dog’s stool becomes too soft, try reducing your kibble servings slightly and give your dog’s digestive system some time to adjust.
My dog has just switched to adult kibble. What do I need to consider?
When your dog switches from puppy kibble to adult kibble, there are a few factors to bear in mind.
1. Adjust the serving size
Adult kibble is lower-calorie than puppy kibble, as your dog is no longer growing at the same rate. This means your dog’s energy requirement is lower, so the servings should be adjusted correspondingly.
2. Aim to stabilise body weight
After puppyhood, the aim should be to keep your dog’s weight stable. If your dog gains or loses weight, you should adjust serving sizes as and when needed.
3. Keep an eye out for digestive issues
Your dog’s stool should be firm and regular. By all means use the feeding chart on the back of the bag as a guide to serving sizes, but we do recommend that you start out by reducing the recommended amount by 15%. Gradually increase servings until their stool firms up. If your dog’s stool is too soft, you should reduce the amount again.
4. Switch gradually
If you’ve not already done so: Be sure to switch gradually over 3–7 days by mixing the old dry food in with the new one. This gives your dog’s digestive system time to adjust to the new ingredients, reducing the risk of tummy upset.
I’m switching from another brand – what’s the easiest way?
When switching to ESSENTIALS from a different brand of dry dog food, you’ll very likely need to reduce the serving size. If you serve the same amount as before, the result may be loose or more frequent bowel movements.
Refer to the feeding chart on the back of the bag.
For a smooth transition, mix the new ESSENTIALS meal with the dry food your dog is used to. Make the switch over 3–7 days, during which time you increase the amount of ESSENTIALS in each serving to allow your dog’s digestive system to slowly adjust to the new nutrient-dense ingredients.
It is completely normal if your dog’s bowel movements become slightly irregular during the transition – this should settle down soon.
My dog is a picky eater, what should I do?
Our delicious grain-free pâté varieties are great for making meals even more appetising, especially for picky eaters. Our pâtés can be served as a complete meal, in a 50:50 mix, or as a tasty topper for dry food.
Tip! Remove the feeding bowl after 15-20 minutes, even if your dog hasn’t eaten up. This trains your dog to respect set mealtimes, and that it’s worth eating when dinner’s served.
Can I switch between other ESSENTIALS meals?
Yes, you can offer variation by switching between our 5 delicious flavours. If you are already serving one of our LIVING meals, you can easily ring the changes by offering other delicious varieties in our range and let your dog enjoy the flavours of different protein sources right from lamb and venison to fish and savoury beef. A varied diet is both healthy and enjoyable for your dog. Bon appétit!
In-bag storage
Our airtight bags are designed to allow you to store the kibble in the original bag without having to transfer it to another container.
Store the bag in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Remember to expel the air before resealing the top. That keeps the kibble fresh, ensuring that the last mouthful tastes as good as the first.
ESSENTIAL PÂTÉ
Delicious low-fat topper
Looking for a delicious but low-fat topper?We’ve got you covered!Our range of delicious pâtés is grain-free and packed with fresh meat, fish and berries – and max. 7% fat content. Serve them as a complete meal or a dreamy topper on kibble to tempt even the fussiest eaters.
Dreamy low-fat treats
In addition to our tasty kibble, we offer a large selection of irresistible protein-rich, grain-free treats– prepared and packaged to the same high standard as the rest of the ESSENTIALS assortment.
