# 18 week old pup on Canidae ALS question...



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Welcome to the forum. Im my years of reading this forum there is no ONE perfect food for goldens. I know I have tried several higher end foods but have finally settled on Purina One for my guys. If your pup is having loose stool you may have to go with a less rich food.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

If they eat all day long, they will poop all day long. I feed my dogs three times/day until four months. Then twice daily forever. Mine usually eat two to three cups/day at that age. Mine usually poop 4-5 times daily at that age. I like to know exactly how much my dogs eat at a feeding. Never mind, we have six, so grazing is not an option.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Did you have a fecal checked???


----------



## Olivers Mom (Mar 3, 2012)

Oh yes, he has had 2 fecals done since he has been with me, both of which have been negative...last one was done a little over 2 weeks ago...he has had this pooping problem since on Canidae. Maybe we would try to switch him to another food that is less rich, thanks for that tip. I really like the idea of feeding him a food that doesn't have all the "fillers" in it...so I'll do some more research. Thanks for the tip Oaklys Dad. It is a relief to know that he is not going poop in excess...


----------



## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

I was going to say that it sounds like a lot of food and Canidae is pretty high in calories. Does Oliver get training treats too? Congratulations on your puppy. I hope you'll post pictures at some point. We love puppy pictures


----------



## caseypooh (Dec 30, 2010)

This sounds a lot like our Jessie. We tried to switch her over to Blue Buffalo (very slowly) but she could not handle the richness of it. She is getting Nutro Ultra right now and is doing really well on it.


----------



## bowdense (Feb 22, 2011)

My pups do great on Canidae ALS. I didn't start it that young, though. We swtiched at 7 months old. I do think it is fine for younger pups, we just kept him on the food the breeder gave him until that age. I, too, kept them on three meals a day until 6 months old, then 2. 3 cups a day total, at 4-5 months old, so a cup at each feeding. Before switching foods again, you might try a set food schedule and see if that improved his pooping schedule.


----------



## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You should never feed the amount the bag says to feed, it is always too much food because the manufacturer wants you to buy more, more often! I think you could cut it to 3 cups a day total and that would be enough, as long as he continues growing at a good rate.

I agree with others who have said you should have a set feeding time, 2 or 3 times a day put down food for him, if he doesn't eat it all in 15 minutes pick it up. 

Cutting the amount and having set times to eat should make his pooping more predictable and more normal.


----------



## Olivers Mom (Mar 3, 2012)

Hmm...we really don't ever give him treats...his treats are green beans. So now you have me wondering if maybe that is whats going on!! Maybe I'll cut down on the greeen beans and see if that makes a difference before switching foods. THANKS! Silly me, I didn't even think about the "treats" =)
And I will try to set a feeding schedule for him. Since he was already a grazer, I guess I just ran with it because 3 days/ week my husband and I are both at work, so his lunch time feeding would be missed...
I'm glad you said that about the bag info, because he rarely finishes his food during the day...there is always some left there at the end of the day.


----------



## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

Well Canidae also has 468 calories per cup. So if he's eating 4 cups per day that's 1872 calories per day for a dog that isn't super active. I only mention this because over eating can cause soft stool.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

The Wellness I feed is just under 400 kcal per cup, that sounds like a lot of calories.


----------



## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

that sounds like a lot of food for a pup that age. my pup is apprx 22 weeks (turning 5 months on march 8) and he eats 3 meals a day 1 cup each of wellness large breed puppy formula (which is 366 kcal per cup). he's starting to not eat his lunch meal so I'm starting him next week on just 2 meals a day 1 1/2 cups each meal. 
also over feeding can cause loose stools (with my first golden I was feeding her too much food during the day and that caused her to have the loose stool problem)


----------



## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

Try going raw at least 50% of the time. A quality dry for one morning meal and say raw at night. You should get on a feeding schedule- twice a day as the dog grows into adult hood. As a puppy now maybe three meals a day. Grazing is probably not the best schedule to have long term.


----------



## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

I think you're overfeeding dear Oliver. Cut to 3 cups total a day. If you must continue with 3 times a day feedings, do 1 cup per meal. Phase out the lunch meal about 5-6 months. 

If the dog eats all day, he'll poop all day. Give him 10 or 15 minutes to eat. If there is food in the bowl after that time period, pick up the bowl. Offer the allotted 1 cup at the next scheduled feeding. He will get the idea that I need to eat now or go hungry. It also won't give him the chance to be a picky eater.


----------

