Dog Community

What do you think?

Posted : 3/22/2009 4:19:24 PM

The ex is currently feeding Dingo ( 9yr. old blue heeler x) this food called Professional (sr. formula). I am watching Dingo this weekend and he poops alot and they have form, but are soft and light in color. First, is this food decent? Or should I reccomend something else?

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, millet, ground rice, beet pulp, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural chicken flavor, flaxseed, fish meal, potassium chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, choline chloride, dried chicory root, chondroitin sulfate, l-carnitine, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, yucca schidigera extract, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

glenmar

Posted : 3/22/2009 9:23:37 PM

Never heard of it, and personally, I won't feed anything with all the grain fragments. Clearly if he' pooping so much, he's not using as much of the food as he should be, so yeah, I'd suggest something else.

brookcove

Posted : 3/22/2009 11:11:44 PM

Those aren't grain fragments, they are whole grains. There's three different kinds, which can be scary with only the chicken listed - but checking the GA, it's 26% protein with only the chicken as a significant protein source. That means there's got to be a decent amount of chicken in there.

So, probably we are looking at a sensitivity issue. Ironically, it might be the chicken - because there is so much. This is the arrrgh thing about commercial food, you just never could ever find out what it is that made your dog react - you'll just have to switch to a different food.

The unstated question, whether soft frequent poops are an acceptable outcome - not for me - but first make sure we don't have an overfeeding problem, which that does sound a bit like. Since it's a food with a concentrated protein source, it's probably pretty calorie dense. If he's careless with the feeding cup or free feeding, that could be an issue too.

tiffy

Posted : 3/23/2009 8:51:58 AM

He gets exactly one cup am and pm.

stardog85

Posted : 3/23/2009 4:56:46 PM

If I were in your position I might just mention the soft stool thing and suggest trying a different food (and give one or two examples) to see if it would help, but honestly it's not that bad of a food and if he's happy feeding it I don't see a problem with it.

Keep in mind that your helpful suggestions could be taken wrong - I know I'd have an issue with someone who I had caring for my pets saying that the food I was feeding was bad.

tiffy

Posted : 3/23/2009 7:37:35 PM

I was with this guy for 8 yrs. I can tell him anything and if he takes offense, oh well. Dingo was on EP Holistic Fish and he did great on that, but the ex is not good with money and has no budgeting skills. This food is ALOT cheaper and the pet store is very close. I just see this poop and know it could be better, also this dog has been in my life since he was 1 and I want nothing but the best for him.