Need some advice please- food

[angelbaby]

Hi guys, been looking for advice of runny bums, and been noticing the raw food thing that alot of people are doing?
I dont know why and i cant work out what it is thats causing it but Quincy does seem to suffer alot with upset stomach his poo is very rarey solid for a few days at a time, usually out of his walks which is what he saves his poos for, he can go down for about four poos, usually after the first one which is a big one, all that comes out is tiny little runny bits? hardly worth it but he obviously thinks so? hes always full of himself and eats well and drinks well too, coat is shiny and he always gets compliments on his condition.
Im thinkin he may just be one of those people that has a sensitive tum, hes on naturesmenu at the mo usually mixed with, mince,steak or chicken to help him eat it and hes always been a bit fussy with dog food? but he also eats bakers complete too, probably my fault for spoiling him.
What id like to know is, what is meant by raw food? is it as simple as it sounds (like proper raw chicken bits and stuff like that?) and how would you feed it, recommended?
Please help, the poor little sod was in such a panic waking me up at 4oclock this morning to get out as quick as poss for what sounded like a very runny poo! bless him .
Thankyou!

[angelbaby]

ok this could of been in feeding but its poo too hence the health bit! so apologise if i have put it in the wrong place x

[cazza]

Hi

I'm sorry but I wouldn't feed him Bakers at all  (all the additives and colourants)

Someone should be along to help you soon on his sensitive tum.

But in answer to your question look at this thread and see 'Happydogs' post and the link to her diary on raw feeding 

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=33158.0

[angelbaby]

ah yes i was scooting through that this morning after posting mine duh!  poor little thing just done it again but didnt even ask to go out! on the carpet next to me again? im abit worried i might take him to the vets again about it  its very unlike him to have accidentsx ive always given him bakers as that what his breeder has always fed since he was young? maybe i should cut it out.

[cazza]

I would definately cut the bakers out and a trip to the vets would be a good idea too 

Hope you can get it sorted soon for him and you    (vet may suggest a food for him too, I'm not up on naturesmenu  but believe it is very good and a few people on here feed it )

[Cob-Web]

If his poo is usually normal, but loose after he has been exercising or running around for a bit, then this may not be a health problem, as such - many of us have noticed that hurtling around has a loosening effect on our dogs digestion!


Perhaps he would benefit from stabilising his diet - pick a diet and stick to it; mixing different complete foods can sometimes overload their tummies 

[angelbaby]

he always has a poo as soon as he gets out for a walk, never after being on a walk for a while? he munches on his dry food up til twelve when i take it up then his main food naturesmenu, with an extra meat at about 6oclock.   maybe being on that raw food diet would help dya think?  he always has raw hide or pigs tail/bulls willys to chew on whilst im out? do you think they might be too rich for him?

[Cob-Web]

he always has a poo as soon as he gets out for a walk, never after being on a walk for a while? he munches on his dry food up til twelve when i take it up then his main food naturesmenu, with an extra meat at about 6oclock.   maybe being on that raw food diet would help dya think?  he always has raw hide or pigs tail/bulls willys to chew on whilst im out? do you think they might be too rich for him?

They might be - pigs ears give my two the squits 

It may also be worth lifting his dry food so he doesn't have free access to it and sticking to two set mealtimes - lifting food after 15 minutes. Dogs can easily overeat - and the excess is poo'd out the other end 

[angelbaby]

ok will try that, hes my first doggy, so im still learning at his expense unfortunately poor thing x
thank Q x

[Smudgesmum]

Hi

I had this problem with my English setter for several years , without much help from vet!He was even passing blood on bad occasions . We moved to new area and he was diagnosed as having colitis! I changed his diet to Nutro Chicken and Rice for sensitive stomachs (dry food) and add a little Natures Diet again Chicken and Rice to moisten it,( not too much ).
I also feed my young cocker on the Nutro and a little raw beef mince and I am pleased to say that all the poos nowadays are brilliant! They are both lovely and slim as well. remember no additives and no animal derivitives!

[happydog]

Im thinkin he may just be one of those people that has a sensitive tum, hes on naturesmenu at the mo usually mixed with, mince,steak or chicken to help him eat it and hes always been a bit fussy with dog food? but he also eats bakers complete too, probably my fault for spoiling him.

Noooo. You are mixing two types of complete foods here and adding meat as well  . Complete foods are designed to be a balanced diet on their own and you are upsetting the vitamin, mineral balance by doing this. If you want to try again with the food you have then choose one and stick to it. (I would dump the Bakers myself  ).

As far as him being fussy, then don't let him fool you. Cocker are intelligent little dogs. No healthy dog will choose to starve themselves. If he thinks it's worth holding out for something better and you fall for it then they will do it again and again. Remove his bowl containing any uneaten food after half an hour and don't feed anything else until the next meal time. He will soon learn.

Is the mince/steak/chicken  raw or cooked? If raw then you are also putting an extra strain on his digestive system, as raw and cooked foods are not only digested at different rates, but they they involve different stomach enzymes. It takes a few weeks for a dogs digestive system to adjust when changing over from cooked food to BARF as their digestive enzyme balance readjusts too. (Bone digestion, for example improves gradually so that eventually no bits come out the other end at all ).  I never mix raw and cooked food in one meal.

Overfeeding can also cause the runs. How old is he?

Agree that excercise/excitement can stimulate poos too. Fern hangs on 'til her walk and then dashes out of the car to perform.

But in answer to your question look at this thread and see 'Happydogs' post and the link to her diary on raw feeding 

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=33158.0

Can only agree that it is a fabulously useful thread  Here is the direct link
http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=22308.0

Thanks Cazza 

[angelbaby]

hes 10 months now, i always cook the meats, and i only add a little bit to his naturemenu purely just to get him eating eat something!  i know i shouldnt give in but i just like to see him eating? ok im hearing bad things about bakers now so i think im gonna bin it?  shall i leave out the dry completely and just give him the one meal a day, cause he never seems that hungry till later in the evening anyway?

[LesleyW]

hes 10 months now, i always cook the meats, and i only add a little bit to his naturemenu purely just to get him eating eat something!  i know i shouldnt give in but i just like to see him eating? ok im hearing bad things about bakers now so i think im gonna bin it?  shall i leave out the dry completely and just give him the one meal a day, cause he never seems that hungry till later in the evening anyway?

....definitely dump the Bakers - stick to the natures menu for now, and check out the BARF threads! 

[happydog]

Some people feed twice a day but I have only ever fed once(evening after walk)  and the dogs have always been happy with that.