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bex1984

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...my two dogs have done 12 poos between them!!! We must be getting something wrong with their food?

They are both jrt x boys, one is 5, the other is 5 months. I think the older one did 3 of the poos and the puppy did the rest.

They are eating Fishmongers dry food ad lib. We changed to that a few weeks ago after their previous food gave them the runs for weeks (which included several vet visits). All poos are now solid so at least that's an improvement...

Any thoughts?
 

splashgirl45

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agree with murphys minder....if I put food down ad lib my lurcher would just eat what she needed and wouldn't pig out, however my collie cross would be eating all day and would soon be the size of a house!!!!!! if your 2 are like my collie cross they are probably best to be fed regular meals(obviously the pup needs to be fed more often than the older one)
 

Cinnamontoast

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Why ad lib? As a puppy, Bear once did head in kibble bag for ten minutes before we realised, he looked like he was going to explode!

I think you should consider feeding according to the pack instructions. Fishmongers is apparently very good, but does contain potato, probably a good bulker, no wonder they're pooing loads!
 

bex1984

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That's true about the potato!
They're fed ad lib because we've always done that for the 5 yo, their breeder does it too (they visit their regularly so it helps that it's not a novelty) and it just works for us. Their weight is spot on according to the vet.

I'm wondering if the pup is eating a lot to get the calories he needs from that food?
He's just had some sardines and I'll give him something extra in the mornings before the older one drags himself out of bed, maybe then he'll eat less dry food?
 

planete

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Do they have access to other 'edibles' such as horse droppings or even crumbly pieces of wood? it is amazing how much these can bulk out a dog's output!
 

bex1984

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Hmmm definitely no access to anything (puppy ate loads of horse poo last time he came to the yard and then threw it up in the car - lovely).

He had sardines last night and some cheese this morning... He's eaten less of the biscuits but has had the runs (he also had a pig ear this morning which might be to blame). Have bought fish eggs and rice for him today. Squits on the lawn are a bit of a nightmare as we have a 3 year old and a small garden.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Cheese very likely the culprit for the runs, it's very high in fat, which makes for sloppy poo. I would start feeding several times spreading the amount recommended on the pack over the day and output will reduce if input is less, easy equation.
 

Exploding Chestnuts

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Dogs are natural meat eaters and they are perfectly capable of eating only once a day, I would never feed ad lib, its not the natural way, once off the mothers milk, which is not ad lib, they should be weaned slowly on to two meals a day, then a small one a.m., [maybe a bonio] and a larger one at 6.00pm, ad lib water. Once they are getting this regularly and walked soon after a feed they will poop regularly not excessively.
No dairy at all.
There are cases where dogs are messy with ordinary dog foods and can only take dry foods, collies don't do well on a rich diet for example, but no, never ad lib, regardless of the breeder, I can't believe the breeder feeds ad lib, it would be very expensive, apart from massive excretia!
A plain and consistent diet, with a change one a week, sardines, salmon, liver etc is fine, keep it simple. Don't try to give a variety on a day to day basis, that is almost bound to lead to gut problems.
 
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honetpot

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Not heard of the dog food you are using but a lot use sugar beet to bulk up and make the stool more formed so it may be the change over has bulked everything out. My dry cat food does the same, if they are on the cheap stuff its nasty,runny and smelly, when they are on the expensive stuff which is mainly meat and sugar beet, order is restored.
My dogs are on Arden Grange and they have a bowl out all day, they just get that bowl how ever quick or slow they are to eat it, it contains sugar beet and provide they do not snack on anything else they go two to three times a day.
 

Dobiegirl

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The only time Ive ever fed ad lib was for my laying hens and horses with hay nets, imo feeding dogs ad lib encourages fussy eaters and there is every chance they will wake you up in the night as they want to poo.
 

bex1984

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I'm really surprised that other people don't feed ad lib! It's just normal to us, and I thought most people did it. I've always seen it as more natural because food is never scarce so they just eat what they need.
The 5 yo has done so well on it (he usually does one, maybe 2 poos a day and only eats a small amount) so we're keen to stick to it but it is harder with 2 of them, especially as they have different nutritional needs at the moment.

Puppy has had egg and fish over the past few days and is doing better - poos are ok and not quite as many, and he's not eating as many biscuits. He won't poo on walks (and rarely does a wee on walks) so whatever he does, he does in the garden - it's only a small garden so lots of poo is not great.

They are half brothers but we're finding out that they are very different dogs!
 
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