Would you continue feeding a food if....

[JacksonsMom]

.... the dog absolutely LOVES it, is doing well in all regards (nice weight, nice shiny coat, no eye goop, great energy, etc) buuttt poop is always a *bit* soft.

Jackson just finished a small bag of Fromm Beef. I cannot believe how much he still loves it - he never has eaten a dry food the moment I pour it in his bowl like he has this one. He's been doing tricks for it STILL. So yeah needless to say he reallllyyy loves it. He looks great too. but I know some things you can't really tell after a 4lb bag of food but typically with Jackson, I can tell when a food is going to do well with him pretty quickly. There's been other foods we've switched cold turkey to and within a day or two, poops are where they are going to be if you know what I mean.

But, on this food, his poops are still a bit soft. Not runny at all, and formed, but just ... more soft. Not any more frequent tho, typically 2x a day. When he was eating Acana lamb & apple, they were always much harder.

Sooo I am unsure if I should feed a food a bit higher in fiber, or continue on the Fromm Beef and maybe add some kind of probiotic or something like this?: http://www.cycles-of-life.com/ProductGenefloraPets.html

[Fran101]

I would stick with the food for a bit.. his body just might be adjusting to the new beef protein. It's a bit richer then chicken I believe.

but if the poop didn't firm up after a while I would probably switch.. purely selfishly because sometimes my dog would have to "go" on sidewalks and regardless I always have to pick up after him/her soo... I'd rather not pick up soft poo lol

[Emily]

I'd try a little bit of plain yogurt and a dollop of canned pumpkin with each meal before switching. The yogurt is your pro-bio and pumpkin is fiber. And dogs usually love both.

Is it the Beef Frittata? LOL We sell that at work and dogs go apeshit for it, it's sooo funny. We can bribe anxious boarders into eating with it. My friend's Frenchie prefers it to real meat for bait when she shows him! I think it must be because there's a tiny bit of cheese in it, or something.

[naturalfeddogs]

Sounds like he is doing fine on it. I wouldn't change at all. If the poops don't firm up, you can always give a supplement, or even something like a raw chicken drumstick or something as a supplement. I just wouldn't change this food for him, unless something drastic changes down the road.

[Greenmagick]

Can you try cutting the amount back just a bit to start and see if that helps? Was he on a beef food before? It is a bit richer so maybe cutting back will help it firm....then you can slowly move it back up if needed?

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

Can you try cutting the amount back just a bit to start and see if that helps? Was he on a beef food before? It is a bit richer so maybe cutting back will help it firm....then you can slowly move it back up if needed?

I can't cut back anymore, definitely. He's about 17lbs and eats 1/2 cup per day, can't imagine giving him any less, I think he'd starve lol. I do give him more (2/3 cup or so) if he's very active on a day, and if he still seems hungry. He also gets a tiny bit of wet food (Weruva).

No, he was eating Acana lamb & apple and Acana duck & pear before.... but he doesn't seem to have any issues with different meat proteins, except chicken always gave him soft poo in the past so I've always tended to avoid chicken just in case. In general, he doesn't have a sensitive stomach.

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Emily

I'd try a little bit of plain yogurt and a dollop of canned pumpkin with each meal before switching. The yogurt is your pro-bio and pumpkin is fiber. And dogs usually love both.

Is it the Beef Frittata? LOL We sell that at work and dogs go apeshit for it, it's sooo funny. We can bribe anxious boarders into eating with it. My friend's Frenchie prefers it to real meat for bait when she shows him! I think it must be because there's a tiny bit of cheese in it, or something.

Yup, Beef Fritta, lol... he seriously DEVOURS it. Fromm is the only food (other flavors) that he's not done so well on in the past (a bit of gas- this dog NEVER has gas, and itchy, etc) but they were the grain inclusive Fromm's. I love the company so much though so wanted to try the grain-free and the Beef flavor is the only one without ANY form of chicken in it. So that's why we tried it. But I'm wondering if it's maybe something else in the Fromm foods.... flaxseed maybe or something, I dunno.

But yeah I might try some yogurt first!

[Greenmagick]

I meant cut back by even just a tablespoon or so just for a couple days to see if there is any difference. Talking tiny amounts since he is a small dog

I just know many people have to cut back a bit to get firm stool on richer foods, at least to start.

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

I meant cut back by even just a tablespoon or so just for a couple days to see if there is any difference. Talking tiny amounts since he is a small dog

I just know many people have to cut back a bit to get firm stool on richer foods, at least to start.

I gotcha!!

Yeah I am not sure, because he's always eaten "rich" foods. At one point he was even eating 3/4 cup of Acana grain-free's and still had solid poop. So I don't know. I could definitely try though and see if it makes a difference!

[Greenmagick]

But yes, if it's just a bit soft and he seems otherwise great, a tiny bit of pumpkin should help firm it too