How much is too much poop?

[Jellybean33]

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Hi everyone
I have an 11 week old Frenchie who has been on butternut box for a couple of weeks and pooped 2/3 times a day.
The amount of food didn’t seem much though. I felt like she was always hungry.
Anyway we just changed over to an apparently high quality kibble from our local pet shop as it worked out a lot cheaper but the amount recommended to feed her seems an awful lot and she’s now pooping 6/10 times a day!
They’re all firm but it just seems a lot.

Any advice/is this normal? or shall I just accept paying more and go back to butternut box?
Thanks in advance

 

[Hemlock]

Some commercial foods contain a lot of indigestible filler and so result in more poop. While we all have to keep an eye on expenses, I am of the opinion that we should give our dogs, growing pups especially, the best food we can. We only get out in health what we put in as food.

 

[JudyN]

It could be that the amount really is too much, for her at least, rather than being a poor-quality food. Could you say which food it is (brand and variety)? Though my dog pooed a lot on every kibble, even the high-quality grain-free ones, and a lot less on raw.

 

[Jellybean33]

It could be that the amount really is too much, for her at least, rather than being a poor-quality food. Could you say which food it is (brand and variety)? Though my dog pooed a lot on every kibble, even the high-quality grain-free ones, and a lot less on raw.

It’s my local pet shops own brand, it’s grain free and high meat content.
But even when I started introducing little bits while switching it over she started pooping more.
Today being on it completely she’s been about 10 times! And I haven’t even given her the full recommended amount.
I think I may go back to butternut box.

 

[Jellybean33]

Some commercial foods contain a lot of indigestible filler and so result in more poop. While we all have to keep an eye on expenses, I am of the opinion that we should give our dogs, growing pups especially, the best food we can. We only get out in health what we put in as food.

I think you’re right there about giving them the best. Thank you

 

[CoCo2014]

I've never fed any kibble in 60 years of dog owning. Used to be mainly green tripe in the 1950s to a fully mixed raw including all types of meat including game. My dogs only ever poo 2/3 times a day in line with their feeding times-raw food is digested at a slower rate than kibble & the poo is small in consistency. Because raw food is slower than processed food to be fully digested, more of the actual raw is digested, meaning small poops

 

[Rox]

Pooping 3 times a day is normal for a dog.
How Many Times A Day Should A Dog Poop? We Asked An Expert - Ollie Blog.

 

[Rupert Barnes]

If the dog can go and Poop as many times as they like without having to wait or "hold it in" then maybe this is more likely the problem. A house trained dog that is left alone long periods learns to do this, whreas one that can get outside anytime may not.

 

[Colleen BA]

I've been wondering about the very same thing. My 14 week GSD was weaned on raw beef mince with Arden Grange kibble and his stools were massive, often very loose and erratic. I've substituted lightly cooked veggies such as carrot, sweet potato, squash and potato for the kibble and he poohs 3 to 4 times a day now, and stools are much easier to pick up! I was debating whether to switch to just kibble earlier, as the scientific evidence for raw just isn't available, but I'm going to investigate a Barf alternative now. Can anyone recommend a large breed puppy barf complete meal provider? I want to make sure he's getting all the correct minerals and vitamins for his joints as he's going to be a big boy...probably 50+kg.

 

[JudyN]

I tried Natural Instinct recently as a new local pet shop sold it, and was happy with it - there's lots of good stuff in the ingredients. Though I'd always feed some sort of whole bone as well for dental health - I feed chicken carcasses which are ideal for a large dog (chicken wings could be swallowed whole and be a choking risk).

Nature's Menu is also worth a look.

 

[Colleen BA]

Thanks Judy, I was considering that, so it's good to know. I also really appreciated the full post of raw feeding you did which I discovered after I'd posted my earlier query. It was really informative and just the thing for a newbie like me. I've always fed dry complete food, but I'm convinced raw is the way to go now!