Switching of foods... HELP!

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

My almost 5-month-old puppy was eating Acana for the past months and recently she showed NO interest in it at all. We tried a few different flavors of it and Orijen and still no interest. We recently transitioned her to Natural Balance Grain-Free duck and potato kibble. I have never seen my little girl eat so fast and love her food which is great! Only thing is her poops the last 3 days have been somewhat mushy but by no means diarrhea... Also she has woken up the last 3 nights between 2-4am whining having to go outside and poop!!! She has NEVER done that before since day 1 home! She is pooping 3 times a day! Help!!! She loves the food but I am not sure it is agreeing with her tummy.... Any recommendations???

[Dot, Maggie and KoKo]

Finding the right food is a real challenge, mine finally settled on Taste of the Wild.  KoKo is a year old and has always pooped several times each day so I think it may be just the individual dog.  Maggie  poops in the morning and late afternoon.  KoKo is just my little poop machine.

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

My mom feeds her dogs taste of wild too and her dogs are great on it. Maizy was only pooping 2 times a day before but now she's a machine! Haha

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

Forgot to mention her food transition was quicker than normal because se was literally eating te new food and spitting the old food out on the floor or into her bowl

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I have both my dogs on Fromm and they love it and the poops are good. I switch formulas all the time and again, no problems.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Breanne, which Natural Balance is it?  Is it the new Alpha line or the Limited Ingredient Potato and duck?  I ask because the limitied ingredient food has potato listed as the first ingredient so switching from a higher protein food like Orijen or Acana to something that has potato as the first ingredient could make a difference for Maizy. 

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

It is the Limited Ingredient. Is high protein bad for a puppy? It says on the bag good for puppies to adults. The high protein would be the reason for all the poops and being softer right? Should I try something with out potato? Thank you for bringing this to my attention! 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The Limited ingredient formula is too low in protein for most puppies. You made a very radical change, switching from a food with more protein, more fiber and less filler (starchy carbohydrates) to one that is starch (potato) based, which is probably why she is having mushier, more frequent poops. Dogs don't utilize all the carbohydrate so efficiently.

It's natural for dogs to lose interest in their food from time to time. Rotating formulas is a good idea, but you can stay within the same brand. You might have tried a different Acana formula, for example, rather than going to an entirely different food with such extremely different macronutrient content.

If you want to stay with Natural Balance, I'd go with the Alpha line. And you don't have to transition gradually, you can just switch.

Lots more info on all of this in The Food Group...why not join us?

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

I will join. I will get the Alpha line this afternoon. So no transition needed? Thank you for your help!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There's really no point in doing a transition when you're going to have some digestive changes anyway, and the foods are so different. For example, if someone is switching from a food that contains grains to one that doesn't, transitioning just prolongs the adjustment period, because a mixture of the two foods will still contain grains, and not until the dog is on 100% grain-free will the system have a chance to truly adjust. However, with young puppies who have immature digestive systems, transitioning may help. Just as with human babies, you want to limit the introduction of several new ingredients at one time. Ditto, changing foods for a dog who has been eating one formula for an extended period of time. But once a dog is accustomed to eating a variety of different foods, you just switch cold-turkey from one to another. Jackdoodle gets two different Orijen formulas every day, and fresh foods several times a week besides.

The thinking on this has changed in recent years. It used to be believed that you must keep a dog on one type and formula of food, and that feeding a variety could cause upsets. It is now known that variety is just as important in a dog's diet as it is in ours, and the benefits of rotating protein sources include avoiding the development of food allergies, providing varying sources of nutrients, and keeping a dog interested in his meals. Many companies have brought out lines that are designed to be rotated, like Fromm's Four-Star Line.

Regarding choices of grain-free foods, we have a complete list of Recommended Brands in The Food Group, which includes information on which foods are grain-free as well as the companies' websites so you can locate stores in your area that carry them.  

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I agree with Karen. Pooping more will be because the new food is high in carbs (and therefore low in protein). I suggest you go with a higher protein. Cooper gets fussy with her food sometimes, even though I rotate proteins each month. If she doesnt eat it, she doesnt eat it. She will eat her next meal or the next day as shes hungry. I have a cat like that too, she will barely eat for several days, then scoff down so much food its unreal. Just how she is.

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

Karen thank you!!! I was just exploring the food group. Maizy has only been fed grain free since day one. So switching to any other grain free food will require no transition right? Which do you believe is the best besides Acana and Orijen? We have most to all foods available in our area. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

IMO, there is no better kibble on the market today than Orijen. No other dry food comes close to it.