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We have always fed our standard dachshund Royal Canin for dachshunds. This has gone up to about $52. a bag, so I decided to try something cheaper.
I settled on ALDIs Pure Being Salmon and Sweet Potato, and it’s about $19. All the reviews I’ve read rate it highly, and it is nice small kibble for small dogs.
We mixed half and half for a month and now we’re on straight Pure Being. I’m getting to my question, I promise.
Our dog has never had gas or any digestive issues. Now he farts and his stomach rumbles. Do you think this is
temporary, or should I keep looking? His poops are fine, and he loves the food. His “dad” mixes in carrots celery and broth in his evening meal, as always.
Tummy rumbles are often associated with gassiness. In your case, I'd say likely. Do you need to change foods? Not if you don't mind some gas! Is it going to impact your pup's quality of life to stick with this food? Not likely, IMO. If your pup is an elite athlete among dachsunds, perhaps out chasing rats through the woodpiles for a couple of hours a day? Then it might mean a bit less energetic dog.
Get some live culture plain yogurt and add a spoonful to his meals for a few days. That will normally take care of any gas problems in dogs.
Gas can be caused by taking in more fiber than the body is accustomed to. The yogurt cultures will boost up his guts to handle the larger amount of fiber. Basically, your new food contains more fiber than the old food. That's not a problem if the dog likes the food and is maintaining his weight , health, and energy levels. If his coat looks good and he acts healthy, the additional fiber is fine.
In fact, a lot of dogs on expensive foods are not getting enough fiber and that leads to anal gland problems.
Get some live culture plain yogurt and add a spoonful to his meals for a few days. That will normally take care of any gas problems in dogs.
Gas can be caused by taking in more fiber than the body is accustomed to. The yogurt cultures will boost up his guts to handle the larger amount of fiber. Basically, your new food contains more fiber than the old food. That's not a problem if the dog likes the food and is maintaining his weight, health, and energy levels. If his coat looks good and he acts healthy, the additional fiber is fine.
In fact, a lot of dogs on expensive foods are not getting enough fiber and that leads to anal gland problems.
I ran off to check the fiber content of my expensive bag of dry dog food (40lb $67 + tax). Label states it has high protein content. Then I went to compare the "best fiber brands." I don't know... is 4.5% an adequate amount of fiber? Saw the "con" list in the article. Sigh. "High Carbohydrate Diet" yet she still calls it a superior dog food because of "nutrients." The article is written by a PhD in Public Health, Sharon Parry. I'd like to find a less expensive brand of dry dog food. However the way I currently use it, it works out to about $35/mo for both dogs. Probably can't do better than that.
Thanks for the tip about yogurt. I might add some yogurt a couple times a week just for good measure. I don't have a sense of smell, but I'm told that one of my dogs farts occasionally.
gentlearts, I hope your pooch is ok with being gassy for the time being and not feeling any pain as a result. Let us know how it turns out
I think this is grain free, so I assume the carbs are lower.
More than possible that is a mistaken assumption. Check the ingredient list. First items are the largest % of content, by weight, IIRC. Peas there? Or some other legumes? Sweet potatoes? Both are used to keep kibble "grain-free". Neither is superior to grain as a dog food. AFAIC, they are inferior for that purpose. Especially beans (or peas or whatever legume). They are fine, even desirable, as a very small % for extra nutrients that meat or grains doesn't have.
I am a big disser of "grain-free", as I am firmly convinced it is a fad. As far back as we have recorded history with any mention of dogs, grains have been a major part of their diet. That's going back to the days of Rome. Archeology confirms that dogs have been fed grains. Dogs have evolved to be able to better digest grains (as opposed to wolves, who have not). So, unless you are raising (or hunting) and butchering your own meat for dog food, I don't think much of "grain-free" canine diets.
I like oregon's yogurt suggestion. However, I prefer a good kefir, as they usually containa wider variety of those good probiotic strains. Yogurts tend to have only one or two. My kefir has like a dozen. Even better pro-biotics for dogs are available commercially, as food-toppers. They will include several strains of good stuff, plus a couple of strains of little beasties that are more specific to canine digestive tracts. Chewy carries a brand, and there's a brand often sold through vet's offices. Both are fine, and probably a little better than yogurt or kefir.
After researching this for awhile I settled on a formula that is made from more easily digestible grains. The formula they are on is made with "gluten-free" grains. I have no idea whether gluten free is better for digestion or not but the claim on the bag is that it is "formulated for superior digestibility."
In the past I've stayed away from formulas with a high corn content, or corn as the first ingredient. In the distant past I was a raw feeder for years. I wish it were still possible. The only butcher/meat market I've had that is reasonably priced is in Phoenix, Arizona.
We have always fed our standard dachshund Royal Canin for dachshunds. This has gone up to about $52. a bag, so I decided to try something cheaper.
I settled on ALDIs Pure Being Salmon and Sweet Potato, and it’s about $19. All the reviews I’ve read rate it highly, and it is nice small kibble for small dogs.
We mixed half and half for a month and now we’re on straight Pure Being. I’m getting to my question, I promise.
Our dog has never had gas or any digestive issues. Now he farts and his stomach rumbles. Do you think this is
temporary, or should I keep looking? His poops are fine, and he loves the food. His “dad” mixes in carrots celery and broth in his evening meal, as always.
If this is the first bag of new food, and you just switched, it can take several days if not a week or more for the animal to become accustomed to the new food. It's usually best to slowly add the new food to their old food intake, increasing the mix daily for about a week. I have to do that with our four GSP's before and after hunting season. I use Purina Pro Plan 'sport' and Kirkland canned during hunting, then regular Purina large breed during the off season.
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