# Labrador/ pitbull mix food problems help!? :(



## jocelynnt21 (Mar 27, 2014)

Hey everyone I got a 4 year old male Labrador / pit mix. He weight almost 100 lbs. He used to eat purina until i started learning how horrible this food was for him so i switched him to merrick GRAIN FREE because i heard it was the best from workers at petco. I switched it very gradually. I started hearing very weird sounds his stomach was making after eating merrick. It wouldnt go away and he also was very gassy. he also seemed to be a little uncomfortable but i didnt know if its because his stomach hurts or he just has extra energy and wants to play because he cries alot. His teeth and breath seem to have got worst as well as his coat. Im so confused because i thought i made a way better switch from a bad food to a great top high food but then why is all this happening?! I was wondering if anyone out their can help me by telling me of a better quality food ? Ive been looking into orijen. Thanks! :smile:


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## stbernardlover (Jun 24, 2013)

It is very possible that the Merrick grain-free is too rich for your dog. I would recommend trying Acana instead of Orijen, as it is not as rich. Orijen is almost the same protein/fat wise as Merrick grain-free. Another great option to try would be Fromm's. I have never really heard of a dog that does bad on that food, unless it was allergy related. Remember that some foods will serve a dog well while others they just cannot tolerate for whatever reason. It can be a timely process, but be patient and you will find the perfect food for him  Good luck!


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Depends on which Purina formula you were feeding. One of my 4 dogs (poodle) has a super sensitive stomach. He's a little over a year now, but the entire time I've had him, I kept trying him on the "best" foods- fromm, merrick, the honest kitchen, etc. His stomach was in bad shape. Vomiting, diarrhea, gurgly tummy, Merrick made him lick his private parts an awful lot. 

Anyway, I tried Purina One Beyond (while gritting my teeth because I have been "taught" by the internet to believe it's really terrible food). His stomach problems ceased overnight and he has not puked or had cannon-butt one time! As a bonus, his anal glands no longer fill up and his butt-dragging has ended. 
Sometimes you have to do what the dog's body says is best, and ignore all the other buzz.

There are other really good foods out there to try, just see what your pup's tummy agrees with


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

Being part pit, I'd suspect that high protein may be the culprit. I used to have boxers, who are similar with regards to tummy issues. I found that a kibble with moderate protein/fat levels (nothing over 25%/15%) was the key to keeping their tummies happy (higher levels caused room clearing gas and diarrhea). I also found that they couldn't tolerate peas in the kibble, which unfortunately, many kibbles have nowadays (caused diarrhea). The only kibble that worked for my late boxer, Dempsey, was Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream (no other variety of TOTW worked, btw; lamb made him itch and the others were too high in protein/fat). As Shamrockmommy stated, you just have to find what works for your dog and go with it.


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