First time puppy owner - luv our 5 month old yellow lab!
Trainer suggested switching over to Buffalo Blue puppy food due to the fact that the ingredients are "real" when you read them off instead of the by products and fillers in the brand that the vet sent us home with.
Did the 50/50 mix with the first bag. Has had a second bag on his own. Stools are still pretty loose -- sometimes we cannot even get them in a bag - yuck!
Anyway -- have tried mixing a tablespoon of pumpkin in with food to bulk up stool. Also 1/4 cup of white rice was suggested. Soooo confused...

To make matters worse - a fellow dog lover told me she thinks his eyes look blood shot. Could he be allergic to the food? How long before I throw in the towel on acclimating him to the new food?

Go back now. As near as I can tell, all this ''better ingredients'' talk is a bunch of marketing hype put out by those selling premium chows. There are plenty of people that will say they switched from brand X to brand Y and their dog did much better on it. Of course, look at how many roller coaster threads there are here where somebody tries one after another premium chows before finally finding one that works. In real life, I have seen thousands of dogs doing fine on Pro Plan and seldom having to change. I am familiar with other programs feeding Iams, Science Diet, Eukanuba, and Purina 1 with just as good of results.

There are those here that disagree with me, but I don't know of any studies available to the general public comparing the results of feeding different diets. Ask your trainer for proof Blue Buffalo is better than anything else.

Several members here say that over feeding causes loose stools. That could explain chow after chow causing loose stools. I am waiting to see on that. Too much, and too rich of a diet does cause joint problems. There was an extensive discussion of weight in a recent newsletter from a service dog school.

''Obesity is the number one nutritional disease affecting dogs. It's estimated that 25-45% of dogs in the US are obese. Studies have shown that joint and locomotive problems increase by 57%, circulatory problems by 74%, respiratory problems by 52%, skin problems by 40% and cancer by 50% in animals that are overweight.

Large breed dogs that are overweight also are more prone to developing hip dysplasia. Obesity is especially dangerous for young puppies, as their underdeveloped frame cannot support the extra poundage that it must carry.''

Switching to an adult chow for the larger breeds at 4 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

Thank you for your reply...I will research the site you sent me.
The trainer took me over to the aisle and showed me the ingredients on each bag - which made sense to the human diet side of things but may not be in the best interest of a Lab. I will continue my research - thank you for your facts.

Blue Buffalo ( although a very good chow for high end kibble) is extremly rich- maybe too much so for your little guy. There are many other foods out there- of all brands and degrees of popularity that are less rich. My advice would be to look for an All Life Stages diet. Don't assume because of loose stools that he has a food intolerance or allergy. My Lab has food allergies and she gets rashes- leisons-itchies and a host of other problems, she also has environmental allergies. IMO- loose stool alone does not consitute an allergy. He's 5 mo? he could have a bacteria- guardia-has he been wormed? sometimes worms take more than 1 treatment to throughly rid.
Keep us posted and good luck with your lab! You chose the best breed !! IMO ! LOL

As near as I can tell, all this ''better ingredients'' talk is a bunch of marketing hype put out by those selling premium chows.

Great advice :roll2:

It may take a while to find a food that works for you. Many of us feed premium food due to skin allergies/food intolerances and our dogs dietary needs are different than your average dogs. There are a lot of choices to feed and a lot of good foods for your dog to thrive. Sometimes finding that food is a headache but hang in there eventually you will find it. You can always Google Holistic Dog Foods and start your search there. Read the ingredients and go with your gut. Good luck.

Thanks, he is up to date on all of his shots and had heart guard on Sept 13th but it may be worth a followup call to the vet to make sure we do not want to run any test. Appreciate your info and supportive words...your dog is beautiful.