I have a 1 year old boxer, he usually has somewhat loose stool , hard to pick up when on walks if you no what I mean. I am currently using kirkland lamb and rice which seem to have some very good ingredients, was also on blue but no change in stool. Have read many threads on food am am currently looking at nutro,or natures choice. Have read about chicken soup, and solid gold. I wouldnt mind paying higher priced if the food does a world of difference. Did buy missing link today and used it for the first time today. Any thoughts on missing link also. Am very confused on all the food choices.Don not wnat to go raw or cook.
need advice on food choices
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when you change foods do you do it cold turkey? that could upset the apple cart sort to speak. there is a wealth of info here about kibble. you do not have to feed raw or cook alot of people give kibble.I have heard that the better quality foods might be more money but you feed less. which to me means less stools. as for the loose stools you could give your dog some 100% pumpkin in the can or fresh (not pumpkin pie filling) I can not tell you what kind of kibble would work for you. it is like a trial and error thing. it takes time but in the long run is well worth it.
apollosdad
Boxer Insane
as long as a you pick a food from the WDJ list you should be okay, assuming that your dog does not have any present allergies or allergic reaction to his new food. unfortunately, this is something that can only be done through trial and error. although it seems a bit tedious and frustrating at times, it is very well worth it in order to ensure that your dog is getting the optimal level of nutrition from his kibble.
i would suggest trying a smaller bag in order to see if your dog will like it. some manufacturers will even send out some sample bags if you call in and request them.
also remember to switch his food slowly utilizing the 25%/75%, 50%/50%, 75%/25%, and 100% steps.
i would suggest trying a smaller bag in order to see if your dog will like it. some manufacturers will even send out some sample bags if you call in and request them.
also remember to switch his food slowly utilizing the 25%/75%, 50%/50%, 75%/25%, and 100% steps.
Kirkland is OK, but it is a high/mid range food, not a premium grade kibble. It is made by Diamond Pet Foods, the makers of Diamond kibble and also Chicken Soup.
Here's it's ingredient list:
Lamb Meal, Rice Flour, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Fish Meal, Egg Product, Beet Pulp,, Brewers Yeast, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulphate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (Source of Vitamin K), Riboflavin, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid
Now there's nothing too offensive on there, though personally I wouldn't buy a kibble with any form of flour as the second ingredient. Where there are grains in a dog food, they should be whole grains, not fragments with little nutritional value. And since fat appears on the ingredient list before the second meat source, I don't think you can be confident that there's actually a great deal of meat in the food. It is better that the first two ingredients are meat - and you know, for some premium kibbles, the first four ingredients are meat.
Either way, a dog should not have loose stools all the time and this particular food would not appear to agree with your dog if he has constantly does have loose stools.
If I were in your position, I'd try feeding a food with a higher meat content and less grain. Something like Chicken Soup would probably be a good choice, as would Wellness or Innova. Each of those foods has a high meat content, includes fruits/vegetables, and far less grain (they use whole grains too, rather than fragments). IMO it is unlikely that Nutro would be a better bet than the Kirkland, unless it is the Ultra formula.
Here's it's ingredient list:
Lamb Meal, Rice Flour, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Fish Meal, Egg Product, Beet Pulp,, Brewers Yeast, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulphate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (Source of Vitamin K), Riboflavin, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid
Now there's nothing too offensive on there, though personally I wouldn't buy a kibble with any form of flour as the second ingredient. Where there are grains in a dog food, they should be whole grains, not fragments with little nutritional value. And since fat appears on the ingredient list before the second meat source, I don't think you can be confident that there's actually a great deal of meat in the food. It is better that the first two ingredients are meat - and you know, for some premium kibbles, the first four ingredients are meat.
Either way, a dog should not have loose stools all the time and this particular food would not appear to agree with your dog if he has constantly does have loose stools.
If I were in your position, I'd try feeding a food with a higher meat content and less grain. Something like Chicken Soup would probably be a good choice, as would Wellness or Innova. Each of those foods has a high meat content, includes fruits/vegetables, and far less grain (they use whole grains too, rather than fragments). IMO it is unlikely that Nutro would be a better bet than the Kirkland, unless it is the Ultra formula.
ARCHANGLBXRS
Boxer Pal
Give Exclusive a try! It's made by PMI nutrition. It is GRRReat !!! all my boxer babies love it! Their coats are like silk, their tear stains have gone away, and they just look beautiful! you can do a google search for a retailer near you. It will be in a feed store and is worth the trip to pick it up!
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