Gun Dog Forum

I am feeding Victor All Life Stages which is 33% protien 16 % fat. My 3 month old eats about 1.2-2 cups per day. To me she is pooping a lot. No problems with the poop but I was thinking a quality dog food with no grain would stay with ber more. Is this common for high energy dog foods? My other dogs are low energy lap dogs so this is new territory for me.


Thanks
Greg

How big is your pup it sounds like you may just be feeding too much. The dog can only use so much and the rest gets pooped out.

Nmhuntr wrote:I am feeding Victor All Life Stages which is 33% protien 16 % fat. My 3 month old eats about 1.2-2 cups per day. To me she is pooping a lot. No problems with the poop but I was thinking a quality dog food with no grain would stay with ber more. Is this common for high energy dog foods? My other dogs are low energy lap dogs so this is new territory for me.


Thanks
Greg

I question if pooping a lot is a problem, Especially since you are just thinking maybe and not really knowing. I do know grain free is a fad and actually a harmful one since grain is an important part of a working dogs diet. Just my opinion, but I don't see that you have a problem at all.

Ezzy

Thank

I was not sure if it was considered a problem with the type of food I am feeding and looks like it probbaly is not

bustingcover wrote:How big is your pup it sounds like you may just be feeding too much. The dog can only use so much and the rest gets pooped out.

Shenis 3 months and about 10 poinds. I feed 1.5-2 cups a day if she eats it.

Nmhuntr wrote:

bustingcover wrote:How big is your pup it sounds like you may just be feeding too much. The dog can only use so much and the rest gets pooped out.

Shenis 3 months and about 10 poinds. I feed 1.5-2 cups a day if she eats it.

2cups of that food is the recommended for a 40lb dog. Might just be a lot of food I wouldn’t worry about it

So I recently had this problem when I switched my dogs to a new food that I thought would be awesome and while they loved it and their coats looked great, good energy, the amount of poop was ridiculous. So I just had to find another one that worked for them. I don't think it has much to do with high protein or even grain free as much as how your individual dog processes the food.

I may try swapping food after this bag just to see. Feed another brand for a couple of bags. I dont like swapping feed on them but it is neccessary to find the right one for this dog.

Thanks

bustingcover wrote:2cups of that food is the recommended for a 40lb dog. Might just be a lot of food I wouldn’t worry about it

I agree. If you are feeding a 10 lb. dog 1.5-2 cups a day that is way too much. No wonder she is pooping a lot. I'd cut back to 1 cup a day. I have a 16 month old female Brittany that weighs 33#. I feed her 1.75-2 cups per day and she gets a lot of exercise especially now with hunting season in full swing.

Dakotazeb wrote:

bustingcover wrote:2cups of that food is the recommended for a 40lb dog. Might just be a lot of food I wouldn’t worry about it

I agree. If you are feeding a 10 lb. dog 1.5-2 cups a day that is way too much. No wonder she is pooping a lot. I'd cut back to 1 cup a day. I have a 16 month old female Brittany that weighs 33#. I feed her 1.75-2 cups per day and she gets a lot of exercise especially now with hunting season in full swing.

So just because she will eat does not mean she needs more nutrition?

Nmhuntr wrote:So just because she will eat does not mean she needs more nutrition?

That's probably true as long as she is getting a quality food. However, every dog is different. The feeding guidelines on the bag are just that "Guidelines". A starting point, and you need to adjust from there. You certainly do not want your pup to become overweight. But just because she will eat it doesn't mean she needs it. I've had some dogs that would eat themselves to death if you put down the amount they'd eat and then others that were very picky, light eaters. My recommendation would be to cut her back to 1-1.25 cups and see how she does. If you have the pup into the vet for a shot or checkup have the vet give you their opinion as to her weight. I'd rather have a dog a little on the thin side than on the overweight side. Good luck with your pup.

Dakotazeb wrote:

Nmhuntr wrote:So just because she will eat does not mean she needs more nutrition?

That's probably true as long as she is getting a quality food. However, every dog is different. The feeding guidelines on the bag are just that "Guidelines". A starting point, and you need to adjust from there. You certainly do not want your pup to become overweight. But just because she will eat it doesn't mean she needs it. I've had some dogs that would eat themselves to death if you put down the amount they'd eat and then others that were very picky, light eaters. My recommendation would be to cut her back to 1-1.25 cups and see how she does. If you have the pup into the vet for a shot or checkup have the vet give you their opinion as to her weight. I'd rather have a dog a little on the thin side than on the overweight side. Good luck with your pup.

Had her at the vet yesturday. She is 14.4 pounds at 4 months. I cannot see ribs but can easily feel them. I need to leard now to resize pictures.

If you want to view this photo properly right click on it and select "open image in new tab". It should show properly then.

Cute pup but difficult to tell about her weight from a sitting down pic. All I can say from the pic is she is not thin and may be a tab heavy. Go to this link as it may help you assess your dogs current weight and condition. https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feed ... al-weight/

Dakotazeb wrote:If you want to view this photo properly right click on it and select "open image in new tab". It should show properly then.

Cute pup but difficult to tell about her weight from a sitting down pic. All I can say from the pic is she is not thin and may be a tab heavy. Go to this link as it may help you assess your dogs current weight and condition. https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feed ... al-weight/

Maybe a better pic

She looks to be of about ideal weight in that last photo. I'd still try cutting back a little on her food, monitor her weight and see if it produces less poop!

I guess someone should have asked how much is she pooping?

Dakotazeb wrote:She looks to be of about ideal weight in that last photo. I'd still try cutting back a little on her food, monitor her weight and see if it produces less poop!

I guess someone should have asked how much is she pooping?

I feed her morning and evening and she poops about 5-6 good size piles a day.

Now what is a good size pile???? Who knows!

I personally don't like real high protein for a puppy. I like slow growth lower weight for proper bone development...........Cj

IMO she is over fed. If she is pooping 6 times each day, that would lead me to cut her feed in half. It is obvious that her body is passing straight through the majority of what you are feeding her. As you feed her less, she should poop less.

cjhills wrote:I personally don't like real high protein for a puppy. I like slow growth lower weight for proper bone development...........Cj

I agree. I only feed the weaning and newly weaned puppies the high protein and fat food. I change to lower protein at 10-12 weeks old to slow down the bone growth. Then start it back up when they reach 8-10 months old and are running and chasing wild birds.

There was a recent study that showed bird dogs working the field ran hotter body temperatures, used more water and had to breath harder to stay cool when fed high protein diets. The dogs fed a lower, more standard protein diet ran cooler and more efficiently. I will try to find the article.

isonychia wrote:There was a recent study that showed bird dogs working the field ran hotter body temperatures, used more water and had to breath harder to stay cool when fed high protein diets. The dogs fed a lower, more standard protein diet ran cooler and more efficiently. I will try to find the article.

There was a study from Cornell University that showed higher fat diet improved endurance, recovery, and nose in working dogs.

http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/03 ... s-sniffers

Urban_Redneck wrote:

isonychia wrote:There was a recent study that showed bird dogs working the field ran hotter body temperatures, used more water and had to breath harder to stay cool when fed high protein diets. The dogs fed a lower, more standard protein diet ran cooler and more efficiently. I will try to find the article.

There was a study from Cornell University that showed higher fat diet improved endurance, recovery, and nose in working dogs.

http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/03 ... s-sniffers

Thanks that is it, not only cutting protein but also adding more fat!

Adding fat is fine to a point and as long as you decrease food intake. Balance is best!

Last two sentences of that article:

A sled dog or greyhound may need more protein to keep going. But detection dogs tend to exercise in shorter bursts and need to recover quickly and smell well. For that, less protein and more fat could help."

So, does anyone know how long/fast/hard detection dogs work in a session? My young dog eats high protein, high fat, and tends to run hot. But he's big and muscular also. I'd like to find a good balance for him.

shags wrote:Last two sentences of that article:

A sled dog or greyhound may need more protein to keep going. But detection dogs tend to exercise in shorter bursts and need to recover quickly and smell well. For that, less protein and more fat could help."

So, does anyone know how long/fast/hard detection dogs work in a session? My young dog eats high protein, high fat, and tends to run hot. But he's big and muscular also. I'd like to find a good balance for him.

Yes when is the last time a detection dog covered 24 miles at 12 mph in 4 hrs. That was my Brittanys track on opening day of quail.

24 miles at 12 mph would be two hours:-)

Our hunting dogs do not work like the sled dogs because they stop and take breaks. I think practically everybody thinks their dog works harder than it does. I am not being critical but there is a huge difference between constant work and running and stopping like our dogs do.

Ezzy

Yes , that's what my sled dog friend up here in Canada tells me too.

I just read through again and didn't see it mentioned but...

The recommendations for amount of food by weight of dog on the back of the food bag are coming from a company that wants to sell you more food :roll:

isonychia wrote:I just read through again and didn't see it mentioned but...

The recommendations for amount of food by weight of dog on the back of the food bag are coming from a company that wants to sell you more food :roll:

You are right and the way they go about that is to provide the best info they can so you are happy with the food. If the err it is most likely to be on the short side for our sporting breeds.

Ezzy

isonychia wrote:I just read through again and didn't see it mentioned but...

The recommendations for amount of food by weight of dog on the back of the food bag are coming from a company that wants to sell you more food :roll:

I guess I know what your point is.
But, I have never had a dog that didn't require more food than the direction on the bag recommended and my dogs are never overweight...................................Cj

I feed mine everything that is non toxic to a dog .
The amount is dependant on whether the dog is a big dog or a small dog.
It's not a scientific approach ,so I can't post any facts and figures.
I figure ,over 40 years though ,that I haven't had an underweight dog or an overweight dog . I must have been real lucky.
I don't give any extra or high protein when a dog is working , the reserves of what was put in the previous months will be enough.
So with that in mind, I work mine throughout the year . Some don't.
Size of Poop?. well you only get out what you put in as they say. If the dog is pooping more than what is put in then perhaps not much has been absorbed ,and the rest is ''waste'' ?
I advocate 'Raw' feeding ,but that's just me ! ..Because of all the benefits of it .