If you've just discovered Pip Eats — or your first order is on its way — this is everything you need to know about switching your dog to fresh food and what to expect along the way.
Fresh whole food is a genuine upgrade from anything heavily processed. Real ingredients, no fillers, nothing your dog doesn't need. And the results tend to show up faster than most owners expect.
What you're about to notice
Owners switching to Pip Eats often tell us the same things — usually within the first few weeks:
- A better coat. Fresh whole ingredients — quality proteins, real vegetables — tend to show up in the skin and coat fairly quickly. Softer, shinier, less scratchy.
- More energy. Real food fuels dogs differently. Less sluggishness, more of that bright-eyed enthusiasm you want to see.
- Less mess in the garden. This one surprises people. A dog eating wholefood with no fillers or excess carbohydrates produces less waste — smaller, firmer, far less smelly. Their gut is simply using more of what goes in.
- A dog who knows what dinnertime means. Most dogs become visibly excited about mealtimes once they've made the switch. Real food tastes like real food.
Why fresh food works differently
Your dog's gut is home to trillions of bacteria. We call this community the microbiome — and it's one of the most important factors in your dog's overall health.
Here's the thing about microbiomes: they specialise. A dog that's eaten the same dry food for months or years has a microbiome that's become very efficient at processing exactly that food. It's adapted, narrowed, and optimised.
Switch to fresh whole food — varied proteins, real vegetables, no fillers — and the microbiome broadens again. New bacterial strains establish themselves. The community diversifies. This is unequivocally a good thing.
The adjustment is temporary. A healthier gut isn't.
Research from the University of Illinois confirms this microbial shift can begin within just days of a diet change, with the gut reaching its new state quickly.1 And that wider, richer microbiome? It's consistently associated with better digestion, stronger immunity, and healthier skin and coat.
The first week or two — what's normal
As the microbiome makes its shift, you may notice a little softening of stools in the first week. This is completely normal and settles on its own — but if stools become very loose, it's usually a simple sign you're moving a little too fast. Just slow down and give your dog more time at the current ratio.
Fresh food also tastes genuinely different to processed food. Some dogs take to it immediately. Others need a few days to work out what to make of it. Try serving it raw one day and gently warmed the next — most dogs have a clear preference once they've tried both.
If something feels genuinely off, slow the transition down and check in with your vet.
How long will it take?
Every dog's gut is different — shaped by what they've been eating. Here's how to approach the switch based on your dog's current diet:
Already on raw or fresh food? Their microbiome is already in good shape. Transition to Pip Eats meals over 3–5 days. You may barely notice any disruption at all.
Currently home-cooking? A solid gut foundation. Gradually swap in Pip Eats over 5–7 days, reducing the home-cooked portion as you go.
On dry kibble? This is the most common starting point — and the one that benefits most from a slow, steady approach. Up to 14 days is completely normal. Follow this plan:
| Days | Ratio |
|---|---|
| Days 1–4 | 20% Pip Eats / 80% old food |
| Days 5–7 | 40% Pip Eats / 60% old food |
| Days 8–10 | 60% Pip Eats / 40% old food |
| Days 11–13 | 80% Pip Eats / 20% old food |
| Day 14 | 100% Pip Eats |
Go at your dog's pace. If they're flying through it, feel free to move faster. If they need the full fortnight, that's completely fine.
How to serve Pip Eats meals
Defrost overnight in the fridge, then serve however your dog enjoys it most:
- Raw — all enzymes intact; the purist's approach and a perfectly complete meal
- Air fried — a warm, lightly textured patty; most dogs are absolutely beside themselves for this
- Gently heated in a pan with water — a broth-style bowl; brilliant for picky eaters and great for hydration
- Gently microwaved — 20–30 seconds on low; just warm it through, never hot
Whichever method you choose, the most important thing is consistency. Give it three to four weeks — and watch their coat, their energy, and their enthusiasm at mealtimes do the convincing.
What the research says about fresh food
A 2026 University of Sydney study — one of the first peer-reviewed comparisons of its kind conducted in Australia — looked at what happens when dogs switch from extruded kibble to a minimally processed fresh food diet. The results were clear:2
- Dogs on fresh food had measurably better stool consistency
- Fresh food produced a significantly lower blood glucose response after meals
- Fresh food was linked to higher gut microbiome diversity
The headline finding: diet was the single strongest predictor of gut health — more than any individual difference between the dogs themselves. What goes in the bowl shapes almost everything else.
You've made a genuinely good call for your dog
Some dogs take to it immediately. Others need a week to come around. Either way, by week four most owners tell us they wish they'd switched sooner. Stick with it.
Any questions along the way — our team is always happy to help. Find us on Instagram @PipPets.au, or head to our Contact Us page and we'll get back to you.
References
1. Lin, C.Y., Jha, A.R., Oba, P.M., et al. (2022). Longitudinal fecal microbiome and metabolite data demonstrate rapid shifts and subsequent stabilization after an abrupt dietary change in healthy adult dogs. Animal Microbiome, 4(46). DOI: 10.1186/s42523-022-00194-9
2. Campbell, L., Thompson, M., Muir, M., Raubenheimer, D., & Holmes, A. (2026). Diet-induced metabolic and faecal microbiome responses in pet dogs fed a minimally processed versus extruded kibble diet. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 13. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1734572
