Confused, could use some guidance

[Carol B & Pilot]

My doodle is a 4.5 year old male, about 85lbs.  I've switched and switched his food, and wonder if I might have to again.  We got him at 9 weeks, and I changed him from whatever the breeder was giving him to Nutro.  Then began to pay more attention to what was in the food. Around 1-1.5 years old,  I noticed soft poops, and the occasional vomiting &/or food avoidance, and I put him on Blue Buffalo chicken, and that seemed to work for a long time.  When the soft poop or avoidance happened, in coincided with a change in the Buffalo's source for chicken.  I switched him to Orijen, which again seemed to agree with him for a long time, but with Orijen's switch to a US plant, I'm again noticing avoidance (probably the source for ingredients).  I also have to say that I notice these issues with my guy in the summer when it's really hot in my DC area, and we go on vacation (leaving him at home with a house sitter).  I'm not sure if it's the stress of us leaving, the heat, the food, or some combination that cause this problem.  Any advice/guidance?  Any food you can recommend for a "sensitive" stomach?  Is there another issue I should consider?  I definitely think he does better with a grain-free, corn-free food, and he should stay away from peanut butter.  And if I give him yogurt, not cow's milk, but sheep's milk seems to agree with him (as it does me, that's why I get it).  Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I doubt very much that this has anything to do with allergies. Believe me, when a dog has seasonal allergies, there's no mistaking it. They are absolutely miserable, and intensely itchy all the time. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

One of my dogs - the more picky one- seems to have noticed the difference in Orijen.  He used to LOVE it, now he eats because he gets nothing else.  He will skip a meal.

[Bonnie Barber]

I didn't know about the Origen move to the US. Is there any change in quality? What would be the next best choice if not Origen? I know there are several products on the 'acceptable' list, but which one should I change to if I decide I should do it?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Champion (maker of Orijen and Acana) has not moved. They have opened a new facility here in the U.S., in addition to their current facility in Canada. There is no change in the quality of the products. In keeping with Champion's policies of using only locally sourced ingredients, some of the ingredients in the formulas made in the U.S. have changed. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

And fussy puppies notice the difference in US made Orijen.  Unfussy puppies, just gobble away and don't care. 

[Carol B & Pilot]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far.  Today, he ate his breakfast about 2pm.  I guess I'll give it another couple of weeks to see how things work out.

Yes, Orijen opened a facility in the US.  They have a policy of getting ingredients from within 100 miles of their facility (something like that), so no Canadian fish, only what is closer to the plant.  I was worried because when Buffalo changed their source for chicken a while ago, Pilot did the 'don't want to eat this stuff' thing.  I am hoping it's not the case again.

On a related note, do your doodles like chicken/turkey over fish or beef?  My guy seems to like fish, and he'd be happy eating our red meat if we have it.  

Thanks again for all the info!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Carol, your comment that Pilot ate his breakfast at 2 pm tells me that you are free feeding. You will get better results if you don't. Pilot has learned that food is available any time he feels like having a mouthful, which makes it easy to practice "avoidance", lol.

Give him his breakfast at the regular time, sit down nearby and keep him company, eliminate distractions (people coming in and out of the room or calling to each other back and forth, kids playing, etc), give him 10 minutes to eat, and then put the food away. Do not offer food again until the next scheduled meal time. This will be hard for you, but a normal healthy dog will not starve himself. It will not take more than a day or two for Pilot to learn that food is in fact not always available, so he needs to eat when he's fed, or wait til the next meal. 

Jack's favorite protein has always been fish. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned's also, but the Six Fish is more expensive so he rarely gets it.

[Carol B & Pilot]

It's funny, we normally do that.  I left the food because I figured he'd get hungry later.  After he ate "breakfast" at 2, he still wanted dinner around 6.  Ate normally this morning.  Maybe we're past the fussiness.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Good! I hope that continues, but if he skips breakfast every so often, it won't do him any harm. :) 

[Amy and Annabelle]

I see that Chewy is carrying both the US and Canada versions for their regular adult formula at the moment. It looks like they are still only carrying the Canada version of the Six Fish. It would be nice if Chewy kept both versions so we could have a choice with which one we bought.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We are camping (if you call staying in an RV camping!) and Ned has a history of not eating well when we are on the road and coupled with the 'new' taste of his Orijen, he hadn't eaten for 2 days. When he quit pooping I got a little concerned, so I broke down and sprinkled a little cheese on his dinner.  Of course he gobbled it right up.  No poop yet, but tomorrow is another day.  It will be one without cheese sprinkles.