Harringtons complete = hard poop?

[DarceyTheDog]

When we 1st got darcey she came with a 12.5kg bag of Wagg so she ate that till it was nearly finished but then lost interest. So we bought a bag of bakers it was on offer and have always fed my previous dogs this. Although she loved the bakers we thought to try her on Harringtons as it was more natural than bakers but it seems like it's made her a bit constipated. She's pooping less and it's fairly hard also I think it's hurting her bottom to push. She's always had healthy bowel habits till now. Any suggestions to get her bowel moving again. I'm switching back to bakers this weekend and hoping that will help.

Thanks Katie

[Mudmagnets]

Am I right in thinking Harrington's is hypoallergenic? if so that may explain the smaller poos as all the goodness in the food is being digested and there is less waste to chuck out - a bit like Burns - Smudge has very small hard poops, to the point that it sometimes became difficult for him, so what I did/do is add a bit of either Butchers tinned...or Naturediet to his Burns and that seems to help progress and stops his bottom getting sore...and no straining.

[mooching]

When we 1st got darcey she came with a 12.5kg bag of Wagg so she ate that till it was nearly finished but then lost interest. So we bought a bag of bakers it was on offer and have always fed my previous dogs this. Although she loved the bakers we thought to try her on Harringtons as it was more natural than bakers but it seems like it's made her a bit constipated. She's pooping less and it's fairly hard also I think it's hurting her bottom to push. She's always had healthy bowel habits till now. Any suggestions to get her bowel moving again. I'm switching back to bakers this weekend and hoping that will help.

Thanks Katie

Katie,

When you tried her on Harringtons, how long did you take to change her over? And do you give her anything else other than the Harringtons (eg treats, chews etc)

Rather than put her back on Bakers, which contain a number of ingredients that I wouldn't recommend at all, I would suggest that you first rest her tummy by giving her chicken and rice, or white fish and rice, and then consider a better quality food.

Bakers contains artificial colours, the main ingredient is cereals and it contains chemical preservatives which have been found to be carcinogenic to humans and has been reported as causing allergies and digestive issues, a number of which are major; it also contains what they call "meat and animal derivatives". This means that it contains (non-specific) meat and also animal matter that is not normally considered meat, which could even include things like feathers and fur. As they're so non-specific about it, it also means that what's in each batch of Bakers could vary each time, so you could never be sure exactly what the dog is eating.

[DarceyTheDog]

It took her a few days to get used to it mixed with a bit of left over bakers now just on that. She eats it happily but it's the change in bowel habits that worries me. She look like she has a sore bum after pooping tail stays stuck out and bottom twitching. I'll happily keep her on Harringtons if the pooping gets better i don't really want to have to mix in wet food as this can cause her sloppy poos. She has a denta type stick usually once a day and maybe 1 or 2 gravy bones if she's been good.

[mooching]

It took her a few days to get used to it mixed with a bit of left over bakers now just on that.
She eats it happily but it's the change in bowel habits that worries me. She look like she has a sore bum after pooping tail stays stuck out and bottom twitching. I'll happily keep her on Harringtons if the pooping gets better i don't really want to have to mix in wet food as this can cause her sloppy poos.

I would suggest you consider a dog food where the largest ingredient is a (named) meat or fish. With the Harringtons, the largest ingredient is maize, and the meat meal content is only 14%. With the Bakers, the largest ingredient is "cereals", but you will have no idea which cereals, so it's hard to compare what she is eating now with what she ate before (because you don't really know what she was eating before). It could be the increase in the amount of maize that is causing her the problem.

What are the major factors for you in choosing a dog food? Are cost and possibly availability an issue - is this why you've gone for Bakers before, and Harringtons?

[DarceyTheDog]

Yes they are and that I've always fed our dogs bakers. I'll deffinately look on the back of the packaging more not just what flavour it is. Got Harringtons as it looked better quality than bakers and was on offer so thought we'd give it a go. Is there anything you could suggest that won't break the bank I don't mind having to go to a pet shop for food rather than the supermarket. It's more the affordability. Her old owner was giving her netto's own when we got her.

[mooching]

Do you have a Pets At Home anywhere near? Their own brand, Wainwrights, is a reasonable quality brand. You can either buy it in the shop or order it online (delivery is free for orders over £19). It works out to about £34 for 15kg. I don't know how that compares with what you're paying for the Harringtons.

[DarceyTheDog]

Yes there's one a few miles away. For the harringtons it was about £4 for 2.5kg. Am gonna take a trip to the shops tomorrow and do some comparisons see which has the highest meat content. Looked online at the wainwrights will go to PAH tomorrow and have a look I think 2kg will last her about 3 weeks so it's not that expensive in the grand scheme just compared to what we usually buy. She doesn't eat huge amounts lol would rather have our food than hers doesnt tend to get it tho. 

[julie1]

I suggest you go on line & compare ingredients & cost.    I find with a better quality food they eat less so in the long-run it turns out cheaper ( if they eat less they poop less)
If you can afford to buy a bigger bag (7.5 kg) it works out much cheaper,  I buy mine on-line from Petplanet.   If your order is over £29 delivery is free, they also have some very good offers in all departments, sometimes by adding a small item you get free delivery.  I am using Arden Grange lamb & rice.

[bajoleth]

I have to say that I fed my 2 Burns until about 4 mths ago, when I was pregnant I ran out and my SIL bought some Harringtons on the way home from work, my 2 loved it, their poops stayed small and firm and their coats are as glossy etc as before, I also found that Monty who has always struggled to maintain his weight , looked far healthier on it, I was more than happy for my 2 to stay on it.
Very recently the small independent shop opposite has started selling Gelerts, it is 2.99 a bag and its great.
Its called Gelerts Natural choice premium, Lamb and Rice.
INGREDIANTS
lamb meal 25%, rice(min 25%),maize, barley,chicken oil,dried brewers yeast,whole linseed,seaweed, vitamins and minerals, MOS, glucosamine and chondroitin.
The beet pulp bothers some dogs apparantly but not mine

I am more than happy with the quality of the food and would recommend it 
What I am trying to say is that you don't have to pay loads of money to give your dogs decnt food, Gelert may not be Arden Grange etc, but its a good compromise as far as I am concerned.
The best thing is it costs 2.99 a 2kg bag and a bag lasts my 2 a week.
Just to add I posted pics of my 2 recently as they had to be shaved due to a gloss paint accident some of the replies commented on how well they looked, shape wise , muscle tone etc, so It can't be all bad eh
I know I have rambled on but smaller firmer poos are what you should be aiming for and if you are happy with Harringtons then stick with it

[mooching]

Just as an observation, the Gelert Lamb & Rice appears better in quality than the Harringtons, mainly because the lamb meal is the largest ingredient. In their other varieties, rice is the biggest ingredient, but that's (imo) a bit better still than maize being the biggest ingredient (as it is in the Harringtons). It's one to look out for, in terms of value for money!

[DarceyTheDog]

Thanks for all the advice. Looked in tesco today just to see what was available and only the Harringtons and eukanuba seems to have much meat in it at all. Will look at PAH tomorrow or tues to see the difference in meat meal and price.

[bajoleth]

Just as an observation, the Gelert Lamb & Rice appears better in quality than the Harringtons, mainly because the lamb meal is the largest ingredient. In their other varieties, rice is the biggest ingredient, but that's (imo) a bit better still than maize being the biggest ingredient. It's one to look out for, in terms of value for money!

I had noticed that with the other varieties, I wonder why that is

Thanks for all the advice. Looked in tesco today just to see what was available and only the Harringtons and eukanuba seems to have much meat in it at all. Will look at PAH tomorrow or tues to see the difference in meat meal and price.

Just to say my 2 will eat almost anything but we were given a bag of Eukanuba by my SIL as her dog wouldn't eat it, neither would my 2. I would try to steer clear of that if I were you

[DarceyTheDog]

Oh I will it's horribly expensive! Lol been looking on the net has anyone heard of trophy? I've ordered a sample as the ingredients look good. Not sure on price but sample will come with a price list.

[mooching]

You may well find that your Trophy samples are personally delivered by a rep! That's what happened with me anyway. I requested samples from the website, then two days later got a knock at the door!

Only with the Premium Active range is the largest ingredient meat. With the rest of the range the largest ingredient is rice or maize.

I would say probably it's medium quality, or perhaps slightly below medium. I posted about it here before and said I thought it was quite good and had it pointed out to me why it wasn't.  I was however just meaning that it was quite good in comparison to things like Bakers and Beta.

For me I decided against it as I didn't want to be tied to *have* to be buying it from a rep and then waiting to have it delivered. I am not the most organised of people, and like to be able to just go and get it from a shop if I have run out.