Food & NutritionShould I switch my overweight dog from Merrick to Royal Canin?
Royal Canin is an excellent food, and I highly recommend it. I strongly urge the switch especially if the Merricks is grain free. There is a suspected link between grain free diets and an increase in dilated cardiomyopathy. The FDA is now investigating this link, and it looks like grain free diets are not good for dogs. Grains are good for dogs, and the grain free food is a fad. If you do switch food, you have to do it slowly to avoid GI upset. Start by mixing together 75% old food and 25% new food, and feed that for a couple of days. Then do 50% old and 50% new. Again feed for a couple of days, and then feed them 25% old and 75% old. After feeding that for another couple of days, you can feed them the new food only. In terms of your dog being overweight, feed according to the package instructions on the bag of food, no treats, and exercise daily. Best of luck, I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Become a credit card member today!
