Is this an indication to feed less?

[Southpaw]

I just switched Juno to Acana a couple weeks ago and her poops are pretty large now. My mom has even said something about it and I wouldn't expect her to notice/care.

She's 50lbs and gets 3 cups a day. She's gotten 3 cups on every food she's been on as an adult (Blue Buffalo, Natures Domain, Fromm, Natures Logic...). I don't know if I should try cutting back a bit and see if that helps? She doesn't gain weight and she's lean enough as it is so it always worries me to try it.... but 3 cups to me has always sounded like a lot of food for a dog her size. It's not even like she's that active.

[Lyzelle]

Zander has bigger poops too. And he's much larger than Juno, probably just as active, and he's only on 1 1/2 cups of food a day. He's also getting fat.

So I'm not sure. I'm debating switching to a different food, though. It's not like I can cut him back anymore.

[Toller_08]

My dogs' stools are really small on Acana. Almost comparable to when I feed them raw meals. Neither one of them eats very much of it either, so I am surprised to hear how much Juno eats. That could definitely be a part of her stool issue.

Ripley is a very active dog and weighs 80lbs and eats 3 1/2 cups per day. Keira is 55lbs, fairly active, and eats 2 cups per day.

Different dogs do digest things differently though, so it might just be the way Juno is. I know Ripley's stools have gotten bigger on certain formulas of Acana, so that might be what's causing it as well. But again, that's probably a digestion thing.

[Fran101]

I would cut down on the food and she how she does. that is A LOT of food, especially if she isn't that active.. and acana is a very quality food. Chances are, it's just too much and her body is just can't use it all so is sending it all through lol

[Southpaw]

Maybe I'll try cutting her back a bit. I'm trying to justify to myself that just because she's not gaining weight, doesn't mean she's not eating too much. Even if I increased her food I don't think she'd gain. According to the guidelines on the bag she is being way overfed, but I never know how much to trust those!

[Fran101]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Maybe I'll try cutting her back a bit. I'm trying to justify to myself that just because she's not gaining weight, doesn't mean she's not eating too much. Even if I increased her food I don't think she'd gain. According to the guidelines on the bag she is being way overfed, but I never know how much to trust those!

If anything the bags say to feed more then you should. (they want you to go through more food usually lol)
so if the bag is saying you are feeding too much..chances are, you are. Other then extreme cases (like very active, pregnant, etc.. dogs)

[Xandra]

That sounds like a ton of food. I'd cut back to what the bag says or less. If she starts getting ribby then add a half a cup or something.

Roman is 97 lbs, very energetic/high strung and right now he's getting 3 cups of Kirkland. You can't see his ribs anymore.

[Southpaw]

omg I am drowning my dog with food

The bag says that an active, 66lb dog should get 3 cups a day. That does not describe my dog lol. I'll try cutting back 1/2 cup and see what happens. Her body condition is perfect IMO and she really has not fluctuated in weight at all over the past year (we are talking at most a change of only +/- 1 or 2 ounces) which makes me so hesitant to change anything! But yeah the poop needs to get under control lol.

I would not be opposed to a bag of food lasting longer, either.

[JessLough]

Rosey gets at least 3 hours of gogogo exercise a day, (except for ice storm or severe snow days), and eats 1 1/2-ish cups of food, depending on who feeds her (if my dad feeds her, all bets are off xD). She's not eating Acana (she's on Fromm), but she weighs ~42lbs, 3 cups seems like A LOT.

[monkeys23]

Holy food batman! lol

When I fed Acana (rotated flavors, mostly pacifica and grasslands) a couple years back Lily at 47lbs ate 1 cup a day and Scout at 58lbs ate 2 cups a day.