# Grain-free problems?



## pjkelley64 (Mar 27, 2010)

I am new to this site and am in the process of switching my dog's to a better food now that I know Nutro seems to be bad for them. I have read that some dog's cannot handle going grain free. What does this mean? My boys are sometimes at home alone for awhile and I need something that will not cause them to have "accidents" in the house while we are away. Also, am wondering about the whole rotation thing. I always thought I should keep them on one kind so it does not mess with their stomaches. I guess I was so wrong. Do I have to do the whole mixing foods for a week everytime I rotate and do you rotate every other bag? So many questions, I know. Thanks for your help, Pam


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

most dogs that cannot handle grain free are the ones who the owner switching food without mixing old with the new. IMO when you make the switch to grain free it is best to gradually mix it in over the course of two weeks.

this is not the case with every dog. some formulas of grain free are known to be too rich for some dogs. Evo comes to mind, but many dogs do great on it.

If your dog does not seem to have a sensitive stomach you can rotate foods without mixing. but I advise people to mix it at least a few days. 

Keeping the dog on the same food all of the time is not ideal because of allergies. if that dog eats the same food all of his life he might become allergic to a new food if for some reason you cannot get his old food anymore. and i feel like the more variety in dog food,different vitamins and minerals they get the better! Plus eating the same thing all of the time is boring!
it is recommend to switch protein sources at least every 6 months, however may do it every 2 or 3 months with no problems.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

pjkelley64 said:


> I have read that some dog's cannot handle going grain free. What does this mean?


Grain free foods are very rich and some dogs with more sensitive tummies have a hard time handling the richness of the foods, causing diarrhea and in some cases vomiting after eating. There are a lot of ways to reduce the chances of this happening, though, and you shouldn't let it scare you away from going grain free. 
---Make the transition very slowly, mixing small amounts of the new food with the old over time. 
---Remember to feed less of the richer foods. Overfeeding them will cause the diarrhea. 



pjkelley64 said:


> Also, am wondering about the whole rotation thing. I always thought I should keep them on one kind so it does not mess with their stomaches.


This is a common belief. It's not wrong necessarily, but it's also far from right. Variety is so important in ANY kind of deit, be it kibble, homecooked, raw, or any other way you could possibly feed a pet. (or human, for that matter) The more you rotate foods, the less likely it is for a dog to develop allergies, too. 
Some dogs and cats transition easier than others and have tougher tummies. SOme dogs and cats have a hard time transitioning foods. This is where each dog is different comes into play. I always recommend transitioning as often as you feel your pet can handle it. For dogs who have a harder time, this might only be once or twice a year, and that's okay. You don't want to totally upset their systems. For other dogs, this might be every month. My cat, for example, never has any digestive upset. I can transition her in less than a week without any upset tummy or stool issues, so I change her food every bag. She can handle this. 



pjkelley64 said:


> Do I have to do the whole mixing foods for a week everytime I rotate


the simple answer is yes. There is no real rule on how long you should take to transition. I always just say as long as stools are solid during transition, you're on the right track. SOme dogs need to go slower, some can do it in a matter of four or five days. The only way to know is to start and watch stools and you'll know if you're moving too fast.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

IDK WAT IM DOING WRONG. I STARTED SWITCHING 2 WEEKS AGO, AND IM GOING SLOW. TWO DAYS AGO I STARTED MIXING 50/50.

i feed 2.5 cups a day. my dogs stools come out normal shape, then i poke it with a stick and it smears, its so gushy and soft. im getting frustrated here. i never checked his stools on regular canidae, but i assumed they were ok. i mean canidaes a decent food, so if dogs on purina are doing ok, hsi stools should be ok.

hes 75 pounds should i feed less????? this food is way to expensive for him not to be absorping.


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## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

pjkelley64 said:


> My boys are sometimes at home alone for awhile and I need something that will not cause them to have "accidents" in the house while we are away.


i would agree a switch from Nutro would be a good move, but a change wont necessarily stop them from having accidents in the house. there are things to consider like: how long are they alone in the house, do they eliminate before being left alone, have they just eaten when they are left alone.

a house trained dog would not normally poop or pee in the house unless they are left inside for an unreasonable amount of time.

edit: i wasnt clear if you were saying they are having accidents now or that you are worried about grainless foods upsetting their stomach.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

agree with the others...slowwwwwww is the key with food transitions and in my experience, grain free makes it even more paramount. 

I don't agree with the typical one week transition you see on bags...my guys are all a bit different. One is fine almost right away...the other kind of in the middle and the 3rd takes a good 2-3 weeks to transition and I would guess it just depends on the food. You've got a littany of variables in different foods. 

All in all...slow and gradual is the best advice and watch them close to see how they are doing.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

pjkelley64 said:


> I am new to this site and am in the process of switching my dog's to a better food now that I know Nutro seems to be bad for them. I have read that some dog's cannot handle going grain free. What does this mean? My boys are sometimes at home alone for awhile and I need something that will not cause them to have "accidents" in the house while we are away. Also, am wondering about the whole rotation thing. I always thought I should keep them on one kind so it does not mess with their stomaches. I guess I was so wrong. Do I have to do the whole mixing foods for a week everytime I rotate and do you rotate every other bag? So many questions, I know. Thanks for your help, Pam


Grain free can cause gassiness I find. Seems they have to get use to it. Once they are though for my dogs then they are fine and they have no issues with grain free. I am one who always says go slow when transitioning food, but then again I never follow through with this I sort of go ok lets get this show on the road and go to fast. My dogs can get gassy but never poop in the house. And like I said then they are fine. My beagle had a couple accidents though and this was when one of my kids though *cough cough* forgot to let him out. Thats a whole nother story haha! :wink:
If your at work do you by chance (since you said they can be alone for a while at times) can you have someone who could let them out at some point or do you have a dog walking service you could do. I know people are desperate for jobs and responsible kids in the neighborhood or adults who want to make extra cash would gladly take them for maybe a 20 minute or whatever time or length of walk for a price though! This could help you out. The trick with grain less or not grain less is seeing what works best for you pups!


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