Should I try switching foods

[StunnedMonkey]

Darby (6 months) has eaten Natural Balance dry since she was 9 weeks old. She eats well and her weight gain has been normal all along. She gets the normal assortment of doggie treats during the day, but generally no people food.

But she's always had soft stools. Her first stool of the day is always firm, but throughout the day they get softer and softer until evening it's pudding. She's not distressed by this, nor does she have any problem holding it. After a night in the crate the morning poop is firm again. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. She poops maybe 5 times a day.

She's had her stools checked twice by the vet. Nothing. Do you think I should consider trying a different food, or is this no cause for concern?

 

[~Jessie~]

I would try switching foods. My dogs poop 2 times a day, and they always have firm, small poops.

They were on Innova as puppies, and had pudding poos/diarrhea... we switched them to another holistic food, and the problem cleared right up.

What NB formula are you feeding?

 

[StunnedMonkey]

I would try switching foods. My dogs poop 2 times a day, and they always have firm, small poops.

They were on Innova as puppies, and had pudding poos/diarrhea... we switched them to another holistic food, and the problem cleared right up.

What NB formula are you feeding?

It's the regular Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium Dry Dog Food for all life stages in the white and blue bag. I'd been feeding 3 times a day, but switched to 2 times a day when she turned 6 months. Same amount of daily food, just two feedings. That hasn't changed anything about her poop habits, btw.

I'm open to suggestions for a new dry food I guess. Preferably something that I can get locally at a Petco or Petsmart.

 

[juliefurry]

I find that the natural balance also states to feed quite a bit more than you probably should. Maybe try decreasing the amount your puppy is fed?

 

[StunnedMonkey]

I find that the natural balance also states to feed quite a bit more than you probably should. Maybe try decreasing the amount your puppy is fed?

I always thought their recommendation for puppies was way high, and I've never fed that much. That said, how much dry should a 23 pound (and still growing) puppy be eating? I've been feeding about 1 1/2 to 2 cups a day.

 

[juliefurry]

I would maybe try cutting it down, if your gonna stay with the Natural Balance to 1 to 1 and 1/4 cups. If that doesn't help they do have other allergy formulas and stuff you could try. I can't think of any really good foods at petsmart, or petco.

 

[fillyone]

First have you had a Giardia Antigen run? Not the regular Giardia fecal but the antigen? More expensive than the regular but VERY often false negative!