Potential problem w/ Diamond Naturals Puppy

[Duke06182012]

I just joined so if there is already a thread similar to this, I apologize.

My Duke is 5 1/2 months old and on Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice Large Breed Puppy. He looks great, appears to feel good, growing well, but he consistently has very loose, gooey stool. He also has frequent, HORRIBLE farts, like chemical warfare grade. Now, he's starting to eat the poop too, both his and my lab-mix who is on the adult version of the puppy food. Lab-mix does fine on the food, her stool is always good.

We are thinking maybe he needs a change in food, but I'm not sure what to change to. Was thinking Nutro, but then I read a lot of bad posts about it.

My local feed store, where I buy Diamond has these other options:

Chicken Soup Dog Food
Taste of the Wild
Before Grain
Nutro Dog Food
Merrick Dog Food
Innova Dog Food
Evo Dog Food
California Natural Dog Food
Royal Canin Dog Food
Wellness Dog Food
Muenster Dog Food
Country Value Dog Food
Bryant's Dog Food

[Jax08]

Cross Nutro and TOTW off your list. TOTW has to much calcium for a growing puppy. Nutro has a bad track record.

I liked the look of Merrick and Wellness if they have a LBP food or if their calcium levels are appropriate for LBP.

[Ken Clean-Air System]

If I had to pick a food from that list the ones I would choose would be (in order of first to last pick): Innova, California Naturals, Merrick, and Wellness.

Evo is made by the same company as Innova and California Naturals, but not appropriate for a puppy due to high calcium level. Before Grain was Merrick's grain-free line, but has been replaced by a new line branded as Merrick Grain-Free, so any Before Grain still on shelves has probably been there a while.

The rest I wouldn't feed personally, either because I don't know anything about them (Muenster, Country Value, and Bryant's), or because I simply don't like and/or trust the company that makes them (Chicken Soup, Taste of the Wild, Nutro, Royal Canin).

[GrammaD]

TOTW has 2 puppy varieties which are fine (1.4% calcium as fed)

With constant "soft serve" I always think of overfeeding first. Have you tried cutting back the amount?

[Duke06182012]

Have not tried cutting the amount. Feeding him the recommended amount for his age/weight that is on the bag, 4-4 2/3 cups. Half in the AM and half in the PM.

[msvette2u]

Try 1.5 c. AM and PM. See if the soft stool clears up. I agree it's often not the food but overfeeding.

[GrammaD]

The amounts on the bags tend to be.... um.... generous

I have come to the conclusion that GSDs are very efficient consumers - Huxley gets a scant 4 cups per day to keep him at a good weight and growing appropriately- he is 11mo and 76lb- and my kibble is approximately the same kcals per cup as yours.

So maybe try cutting back a bit and see if it helps.

But if that doesn't help- at his age you can certainly put him onto an all life stages food provided the calcium % is appropriate so that will expand your options should you choose to switch.

[VanBuren shepherds]

I've used Diamond Naturals for large breed puppies before. I was worried about the recalls and all the deaths of dogs from the Diamond Natural small breed dog food. I use TOTW, but it also has had some recalls and is manufactured by the same company.
I've used SD Ideal Balance grain free, the dogs liked it, but they had bad gas and soft stools.
Royal Canin was a bust with my dogs and a waste of money. My dogs are still pups around 8 months and I know the calcium in TOTW is to high for them.
Does anyone know about the calcium content of Blue Buffalo and which one is best for a GSD? My Vet said that the protein contents are not adjusted right in Blue Buffalo and they recommend Science Diet.
I'm thinking raw might be the best way to go, that way I know exactly what my dogs are getting. This is the mixture I use for a raw food diet:
Fresh Raw Chicken quarter
Fresh carrots
Fresh blueberries
fresh spinach leaves
Chicken liver
Chicken gizzard
Raw egg
Salmon oil
Pumpkin
Oatmeal
Apple
Rice
Cottage cheese
I place the chicken quarter in their bowl then mix all the other ingredients in a blender. Then I place them in the bowl with the quarter and the dogs absolutely love it. Bowl licked clean every time.
It takes a lot of prepping, but I think its worth it.


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[JakodaCD OA]

I've used Diamond for years, my dogs do well on it..

I agree with cutting the amount, My adult dog gets 2 cups am/ 2 cups pm

If you want to change foods, of the ones listed I really liked California Natural..isn't available to me anymore went back to Diamond

[Duke06182012]

Thank you everyone, I will try to reduce his food a little and see if that helps.