Dry, hard poop

[Sabrina and Bentley]

We just changed Bentley's food last week to Pioneer Naturals Venison. We were looking for a new food and the store said they just started carrying it. Ingredients looked good, so we tried it out. We didn't have any of his old food left, so we started him without the transition.

Almost immediately, his poops were really dry and hard and he has to go 2-3 times during one walk. Typically they are firm and he only goes once. I would think that means he's dehydrated, but his water intake his normal.

He's never been on a grain free food, so I don't know if it's affecting him. Also this one is higher in protein than what we have given him. It's 28%. It said the max for an active dog for his weight is 2 3/4 cups per day, so that's what we've been giving him. I'm wondering if he's getting too much and that's upsetting his stomach? While he gets some exercise he sleeps most of the day, so I wouldn't quite call him an active dog. I'm thinking of decreasing to 2 cups a day.

It's been like this for about a week. Sometimes the second poop is a little more wet. Two days ago he had a large amount of loose stool, not watery, but thick diarrhea. But then it went right back to really dry and hard. we bought him yogurt and gave it with his dinner tonight. But he didn't eat breakfast and didn't want dinner until we added yogurt.

Everything I see online says it's dehydration, but I'm thinking it's something with the food.

Thoughts??

Thanks,
Sabrina

[Julie and Charlie]

I wonder if you should consider adding some fiber- pumpkin or sweet potato would be the first thing I would try.

[Sabrina and Bentley]

I was torn between yogurt and pumpkin, because we give him pumpkin when he has diarrhea. I didn't want to harden his stool anymore than it already is. Does pumpkin work for both symptoms, diarrhea or constipation ?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yes it can.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

What was he eating before the switch, and why did you want a new food if there were no digestive problems? 

Increased stool volume is not a sign of dehydration, to my knowledge. Dehydration can cause constipation, but 3 stools in one walk is not constipation, lol. The fact that the stool is drier is not a sign of dehydration. 

It doesn't sound like this is the right food for him, in any case.