How to Switch Your Dog to Bully Max: The Complete Onboarding Guide
You just switched your dog to Bully Max. To get the best results, do four things: mix it into the old food over seven days, feed by the chart on the bag instead of your old scoop, keep the food in its resealable bag, and give it six to twelve weeks before you judge weight and muscle. This guide covers each step, plus how long a bag lasts, what it costs per day, chicken-free options for sensitive dogs and how to manage deliveries in the Bully Max app.
Your first 30 days on Bully Max at a glance
- Days 1–7: mix 25%, 50%, 75%, then 100% Bully Max. Stretch it to 10 days for a sensitive stomach.
- Feed less than before: 30/20 Chicken has 535 calories per cup. Many foods have about 350. The scoop gets smaller.
- Store it in the bag: zip the original bag shut after every meal. No bins, no containers.
- Expect results in order: appetite and stool first, then coat, then weight and muscle with exercise.
- Sensitive to chicken? 30/20 Beef and 25/11 Lamb are chicken-free.
- Never run out: the Bully Max app lets you adjust, skip, pause or swap deliveries and saves 10%.
Step 1: Transition From the Old Food Over 7 Days
A dog’s gut is tuned to whatever it ate yesterday. Switch everything in one meal and you can get loose stool, gas or a skipped dinner. Mixing the two foods over a week lets the digestive system adjust and lets you catch any problem while Bully Max is still a small part of the bowl. This is the same schedule printed in the Feeding & Care Guide that ships with new orders.
| Days | Old food | Bully Max | What to check before moving on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–2 | 75% | 25% | Dog eats the mix. Stool stays normal. |
| Days 3–4 | 50% | 50% | Stool still firm. No gas or skipped meals. |
| Days 5–6 | 25% | 75% | Total portion is now close to the Bully Max chart amount. |
| Day 7 | 0% | 100% | Feeding the full chart amount, split into two meals. |
Percentages are by volume. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, or stool softens at any step, hold that step an extra day or two and extend the switch to 10 days.
Work out the day’s total from the Bully Max feeding chart first, then split it. If the chart says 2 cups a day, on days 1 and 2 you feed about ½ cup of Bully Max and 1½ cups of the old food. Do not add ½ cup of Bully Max on top of the old 2 cups. Mix the two foods in the same bowl so the dog cannot pick one out and leave the other. Two meals a day, morning and evening, works for most adult dogs.
Elista from the Bully Max team walks through the whole first week in under three minutes: the mix schedule, how much to feed, why the portion shrinks and what to expect. It is the same video new subscribers see.
The video uses 30/20 High Protein Chicken, the formula most new customers start on.
START WITH BULLY MAX 30/20 HIGH PROTEIN CHICKEN
The food Elista feeds in the video: 30% protein, 20% fat and 535 calories per cup, with TruMune to support digestion and immune health.
Switching a puppy
Puppies switch on the same 7-day schedule, on 24/14 High Protein & Growth Puppy Food. Feed three meals a day until about six months, and do not rush the steps. Every Bully Max food is suitable for large-breed dogs, including large-breed puppies, under AAFCO guidelines. When your puppy is ready for adult food, read when to switch to adult dog food.
If your dog is picky
A dog that sniffs the new mix and walks away is usually reacting to change, not the food. Hold the mix at 25% for a few extra days, feed at set times, and pick the bowl up after 15 to 20 minutes. Most dogs come around within a few days. In our post-purchase survey, 14% of buyers chose Bully Max because their dog loves the taste or a picky dog finally eats. More tactics are in our guide to dog food for picky eaters.
“My dog likes it better and digests it better”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Step 2: Store It in the Resealable Bully Max Bag
Always keep Bully Max in its original bag and zip it fully closed after every meal. The bag is built to be airtight. Do not pour the food into a plastic bin or any other container. Most containers are not airtight, and once the fat in a meat-based food is exposed to air it starts to go stale. Stale kibble loses flavor and nutritional value, and loss of freshness is one of the most common reasons a dog that loved a food on day one starts leaving it in the bowl three weeks later.
- Zip it shut after every scoop. Press the air out first.
- Keep it cool and dry. Not a hot garage floor, not direct sun.
- Keep the bag off the floor if you can, and keep the scoop clean.
- Buy the size you will finish in about a month so the last cup is as fresh as the first. The bag-life table below helps you pick.
- If you must use a bin, drop the whole sealed bag inside it rather than pouring the kibble loose.
Our guide on how to store dry dog food goes deeper on freshness and shelf life.
Step 3: Calories and Serving Size (The Scoop Gets Smaller)
A Bully Max serving looks smaller than what you fed before. That is correct, not a mistake. Most dog foods run about 325 to 400 calories per cup. Bully Max 30/20 Chicken has 535, 30/20 Beef has 530 and PRO Series 31/25 has 600. More calories in every cup means fewer cups per day. If you keep using the old scoop, you can overfeed by 30% or more without noticing, and overfeeding on its own causes soft stool and unwanted fat. The feeding chart on the bag is built for that formula’s calories. Follow it, then adjust in small steps to your dog’s body condition.
A worked example (estimate)
Take a 50 lb moderately active adult dog. A standard maintenance formula (resting energy 70 × body weight in kg0.75, multiplied by 1.6 for a typical adult pet) puts its daily need at about 1,160 calories. Here is what that looks like in the bowl:
| Food | Calories per cup | Cups per day (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical dry food | about 350 | about 3⅓ cups |
| Bully Max 30/20 Chicken | 535 | about 2¼ cups |
| Bully Max 30/20 Beef | 530 | about 2¼ cups |
| Bully Max 25/11 Lamb | 415 | about 2¾ cups |
| Bully Max PRO 31/25 | 600 | about 2 cups |
Estimates only. Age, activity, weather, coat and metabolism all move the real number. Working and sport dogs need more; easy gainers need less. Puppies on 24/14 Puppy (419 kcal/cup) need roughly twice the calories per pound of an adult, so use the puppy chart on the bag. Start from the bag chart and adjust to body condition.
Two rules of thumb. If you can see ribs and hip bones, add about 10%. If the waist disappears, take about 10% off. Wait a week between changes. For a number built for your dog’s weight and activity, use the Bully Max dog food calculator, and for the full method read how much should I feed my dog.
Step 4: How Long a Bag Lasts and What It Costs Per Day
Because you feed fewer cups, a bag of Bully Max lasts longer than its weight suggests. The table below estimates how long the 15 lb and 40 lb bags of 30/20 Chicken last for three dog sizes, using the same maintenance formula as above and about 3¾ cups of kibble per pound (roughly 56 cups in a 15 lb bag and 150 cups in a 40 lb bag).
| Dog | Est. daily need | 30/20 Chicken per day | 15 lb bag lasts | 40 lb bag lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small, 20 lb adult | about 585 kcal | about 1 cup | about 7 weeks | about 4½ months |
| Medium, 50 lb adult | about 1,160 kcal | about 2¼ cups | about 3½ weeks | about 10 weeks |
| Large, 80 lb adult | about 1,660 kcal | about 3 cups | about 2½ weeks | about 7 weeks |
Estimates for a typical adult at normal activity. Cups per pound vary a little by formula and batch. 25/11 Lamb has fewer calories per cup, so a bag lasts a bit less time at the same body weight. Use these to pick a bag size and a delivery schedule, then adjust once you see how fast the first bag goes.
Cost per feeding day
Bag price is the wrong number to compare. What matters is what it costs to feed your dog for a day. For the 50 lb dog above, at today’s prices on shop.bullymax.com:
| Option | Price | Approx. cost per cup | Cost per day (50 lb dog) | With Subscribe & Save 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/20 Chicken, 15 lb | $55.97 | about $1.00 | about $2.18 | about $1.96 |
| 30/20 Chicken, 40 lb | $129.99 | about $0.87 | about $1.89 | about $1.70 |
| Typical 350 kcal/cup dry food (assumption) | $2.00–$3.00 per lb | about $0.53–$0.80 | about $1.78–$2.66 | — |
Bully Max prices are current 15 lb and 40 lb prices for 30/20 Chicken; Beef is priced the same. The “typical food” row is an assumption, not a quote for any brand: a mid-range dry food at $2.00 to $3.00 per pound, 350 calories per cup and the same 3¾ cups per pound. Your numbers will differ with your dog’s size and the food you are comparing.
The point: once you count cups instead of pounds, a premium meat-based food lands in the same range as a mid-range kibble, and the 40 lb bag on subscription comes in under it. For a full breakdown of how calorie density changes real cost, read why Bully Max costs less. Every food and supplement is eligible for Subscribe & Save, which takes 10% off every delivery, and you set the frequency from the bag-life table so the next bag lands before this one runs out.
Step 5: What Results to Expect, and When
Customers tell us in our post-purchase survey that they chose Bully Max for visible results: coat, digestion, weight and muscle. Those changes do not all arrive at once. Here is the rough order owners typically report, with the caveat that every dog is different and size, age, activity and starting condition all change the timeline.
| Timeframe | What owners typically notice | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Appetite settles in. Stool gets smaller and firmer once the switch is done, because there is less bulk going in. Energy often picks up. | Finish the transition. Check the portion against the chart if stool is soft. |
| Weeks 3–6 | Coat and skin changes start to show as new hair grows in: more shine, less dryness. | Keep the portion steady. Add Omega-3 Salmon Oil if coat is your main goal. |
| Weeks 6–12 | Weight settles where it should be. With regular exercise, muscle definition becomes visible. | Weigh your dog every two weeks and adjust food by about 10% at a time. |
Based on what customers report, not a clinical study. Dogs that start underweight, puppies and working dogs move faster or slower than this.
“I tried out a month supply to see how my dog would take to it and he loves the food definitely more active and healthy”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Food supplies the calories and protein. Exercise decides whether they become muscle or fat. Walks, flirt pole, tug, weight pull or treadmill work, done consistently, is what turns a higher-calorie food into the build people post about. Our 30-day dog muscle building guide lays out a simple routine. If your goal is to put weight on a thin dog or a rescue, see how to help your dog gain weight the healthy way.
If your dog is already on a training program, Muscle Builder tablets add daily support on top of the food.
ADD MUSCLE BUILDER TO YOUR TRAINING PLAN
Daily tablets that support muscle growth, strength and recovery in dogs of all breeds and ages. Feed with meals alongside regular exercise.
When to call the vet
- Diarrhea that lasts more than 24 to 48 hours, or any blood in the stool.
- Repeated vomiting, or vomiting with lethargy.
- Refusing all food for more than a day.
- Itching, hives or ear problems that start with the new food.
- A puppy with loose stool for more than a day. Puppies dehydrate fast.
Pause the transition and go back to the old food until you have spoken to your vet. For general guidance, see how to firm up your dog’s stool and our upset stomach guide.
Step 6: Allergies and Food Sensitivities
Some dogs are sensitive to chicken. The usual signs are itchy skin, paw licking, recurring ear trouble or loose stool that does not settle after the transition. If that sounds like your dog, the first move is to change the protein. The main adult formulas come in three proteins, chicken, beef and lamb, and two of them are completely chicken-free.
| Formula | Protein / fat | Calories per cup | Chicken-free? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/20 High Protein Chicken | 30% / 20% | 535 | No | Most adult dogs. Weight, muscle, active dogs. Includes TruMune. |
| 30/20 High Protein Beef | 30% / 20% | 530 | Yes | Dogs sensitive to chicken that still need high calories. Beef meal first. |
| 25/11 Lamb, 45% less fat | 25% / 11% | 415 | Yes | Sensitive dogs that gain weight easily, less active dogs, small breeds and Frenchies. |
Switch proteins the same way you switched foods: mix the new formula in over 7 to 10 days. Give it six to eight weeks, because skin and coat take that long to respond to any diet change. If symptoms persist after a protein change, or your dog has hives, swelling or vomiting, see your vet. Food is one possible cause of itching among several, and your vet can rule out the others.
For a chicken-sensitive dog that still needs serious calories, Beef keeps the 30/20 ratio.
GO CHICKEN-FREE WITH BULLY MAX 30/20 BEEF
Chicken-free, meat-based nutrition with 30% protein, 20% fat and 530 calories per cup, with beef meal as the first ingredient.
For a sensitive dog that gains easily, or a small breed, Lamb is the leaner chicken-free option.
TRY BULLY MAX 25/11 LAMB, 45% LESS FAT
Chicken-free lamb recipe with 25% protein, 11% fat and 415 calories per cup, for dogs that need a leaner bowl.
Feeding Lamb to a dog that needs the calories
25/11 Lamb has 415 calories per cup against 535 in Chicken, so a dog that moves to Lamb for its stomach or skin but still needs to hold weight will either eat more cups or need calories added back. The easy fix is a topper or supplement on top of the Lamb: Omega-3 Salmon Oil adds healthy fat and supports skin and coat at the same time, freeze-dried raw beef topper adds meat protein without chicken, and Power Chews for Weight Gain add 1,800 calories per bag. Our chicken-free dog food guide covers label reading and when to involve your vet.
The simplest add-on for a Lamb feeder: a daily pour of salmon oil for calories, skin and coat.
ADD CALORIES BACK WITH OMEGA-3 SALMON OIL
Wild-caught Alaskan salmon oil with omega-3, 6 and 9 plus EPA and DHA. An easy daily pour over 25/11 Lamb for skin, coat and extra healthy fat.
Step 7: The Bully Max Promise
You are feeding this food every day, so it is worth knowing what stands behind it. Bully Max is a family-owned U.S. company founded in 2009, and every food is made in the USA. These are the standards every bag is held to:
- Zero recalls, ever.
- Triple tested: three-stage testing on every batch, with batch inspections before anything ships.
- Meat-based nutrition: high-performance nutrition built around real meat.
- Proof from owners: over 50,000 5/5 customer reviews and a 5/5 rating from Dog Food Advisor.
In our post-purchase survey, 14% of buyers said they chose Bully Max for quality, trust, made in USA and the recall record, and another 14% for the protein, calories and ingredients. In the second onboarding video, Elista goes through the ingredients across the lineup and what each one does: the protein sources, the fats and carbohydrates that fuel active dogs, fish oil and flaxseed for omega-3 and omega-6, amino acids, probiotics and the whole-food extras like sweet potato, pumpkin and kelp.
The same ingredient standards apply to every formula, including the puppy food, which adds real lamb and TruMune for growing dogs.
RAISING A PUPPY? START ON 24/14 PUPPY
24% protein and 14% fat with real lamb, 419 calories per cup and TruMune to support digestion and immune health. Suitable for large-breed puppies under AAFCO guidelines.
TruMune, the postbiotic in 30/20 Chicken and 24/14 Puppy, is explained in our TruMune guide.
“I began to notice the positive change in their coats, build, and digestion”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Step 8: Manage Everything in the Bully Max App
The fastest way to make sure your dog never runs out is to put the food on a subscription and manage it from your phone. The Bully Max app is free on the App Store and Google Play, or search “Bully Max” in either store. In the app you can:
- Subscribe to save 10% on every delivery of food, supplements and treats.
- Adjust delivery frequency to match the bag-life table above. A 50 lb dog on a 40 lb bag is roughly every 10 weeks; on a 15 lb bag, roughly every 3 to 4 weeks.
- Skip a shipment if you are ahead, or pause while you travel.
- Swap products, for example moving from Chicken to Beef, or from Puppy to 30/20 when your dog grows up, without cancelling and restarting.
- Add products like salmon oil, chews or toppers to the next box.
- Track orders and see what is on the way.
Set the first delivery a few days before you expect the bag to run out, then fine-tune after you see how fast your dog goes through it. You can also manage subscriptions on the website at shop.bullymax.com/pages/app.
FAQ
How long does it take to switch a dog to Bully Max?
Seven days for most dogs, in four steps of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Extend to 10 days if your dog has a sensitive stomach or stool softens at any step.
Why does my dog eat less Bully Max than the old food?
Because each cup has more calories. 30/20 Chicken has 535 calories per cup and PRO Series has 600, compared with roughly 325 to 400 in many foods. Your dog gets the same energy from a smaller scoop, which is also why a bag lasts longer than its weight suggests.
Can I keep Bully Max in a storage bin?
Keep it in the original resealable bag, zipped shut. Bins expose the food to air, and the fat in a meat-based food goes stale faster. If you want a bin for tidiness, put the whole sealed bag inside it.
How long does a 15 lb bag of Bully Max last?
As an estimate, about seven weeks for a 20 lb dog, three and a half weeks for a 50 lb dog and two and a half weeks for an 80 lb dog on 30/20 Chicken. A 40 lb bag lasts roughly two and a half to three times as long. Larger, more active or working dogs go through it faster.
My dog has loose stool after switching. What should I do?
Check the portion against the chart first, since overfeeding is the usual cause. Then hold at the current mix, or go back one step, until stool firms up. If diarrhea lasts more than a day or two, or you see blood, vomiting or lethargy, call your vet.
Which Bully Max food is chicken-free?
30/20 High Protein Beef and 25/11 Lamb are both chicken-free. Beef keeps the high-calorie 30/20 ratio; Lamb is 45% lower in fat at 415 calories per cup, so add a topper or supplement if your dog needs the calories.
Get the Most Out of Your First Bag
Mix it in over seven days, feed by the chart, keep the bag zipped and give it six to twelve weeks with regular exercise. That is the whole method. Start with 30/20 High Protein Chicken, choose 30/20 Beef or 25/11 Lamb for a chicken-sensitive dog, or 24/14 Puppy for a puppy, and put it on Subscribe & Save for 10% off every delivery. Download the Bully Max app to adjust, skip, pause or swap any time. Questions? The Bully Max Help Center has answers.
