too Poopy?

[Jeffrey]

I brought my new PWC, Napoleon, home about 10 days ago and we're settling right in. He's now a few days past 8 weeks old. I'm able to take him in his crate to work with me (of course he's the hit of the office - I cant get any work done due to co-workers wanting to know if Napoleon can come out to play) and we're proceeding with house breaking which is going fairly well. I'm wondering how often it's normal for an 8 wk old to poop? I always get him outside after eating and he will do one nice firm poop, then usually a little bit later another soft serve type. this is 4 times a day, so he's pooping like 6 - 8 different times throughout the day. Is this within the range of normal? Long time since I've had a puppy and can't really remember.

After I brought him home I gradually changed him over to an all life stages food (so I could feed the same food to the older border collie mix as well). He's been on that solely for several days now, but no change to poop pattern. Any advice from the experts here?

Another piece of it is that when he goes out after breakfast and dinner it's also play time with the border collie - Could high energy play activity also cause him to be pooping more?

[Corgis4me]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

I brought my new PWC, Napoleon, home about 10 days ago and we're settling right in. He's now a few days past 8 weeks old. I'm able to take him in his crate to work with me (of course he's the hit of the office - I cant get any work done due to co-workers wanting to know if Napoleon can come out to play) and we're proceeding with house breaking which is going fairly well. I'm wondering how often it's normal for an 8 wk old to poop? I always get him outside after eating and he will do one nice firm poop, then usually a little bit later another soft serve type. this is 4 times a day, so he's pooping like 6 - 8 different times throughout the day. Is this within the range of normal? Long time since I've had a puppy and can't really remember.

After I brought him home I gradually changed him over to an all life stages food (so I could feed the same food to the older border collie mix as well). He's been on that solely for several days now, but no change to poop pattern. Any advice from the experts here?

Another piece of it is that when he goes out after breakfast and dinner it's also play time with the border collie - Could high energy play activity also cause him to be pooping more?

I wish I could remember how many times my dog pooped as a puppy, but I know it wasn't as much as yours; Im thinking it was more like 4 times a day, but he was at that time being fed 3X a day. Are you feeding him twice a day?

[littlestar0316]

Sounds normal to me. Bella did probably 6-7 times per day during the first few weeks that we had her; she's down to 3, maybe 4 times a day now (at 5 months).

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Corgis4me

I wish I could remember how many times my dog pooped as a puppy, but I know it wasn't as much as yours; Im thinking it was more like 4 times a day, but he was at that time being fed 3X a day. Are you feeding him twice a day?

I'm feeding him 3 times a day and only what he will eat within 15 minutes. I'm hoping its not the food - Nutro Natural Choice - which I found out after forking over an arm and a leg (ouch!) is only rated as a "2 star" food. I know there are better foods for the same (or lesser) price but would like to get through this bag first if at all possible.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by littlestar0316

Sounds normal to me. Bella did probably 6-7 times per day during the first few weeks that we had her; she's down to 3, maybe 4 times a day now (at 5 months).

Great to hear this may be in the normal range - was afraid I was going to have take out a mortgage to try a different supposed "high quality" food.

[Truffled]

My Phoebe (at 4 months) is going 2-4 times, depending. We feed her twice a day.

I had to chuckle at your poo descriptions cause we have the same kind of poo with Pheebs. I use the words "log" "nugget" and "squiggle". It irks me when she makes me use a bag for a nugget and half-squiggle.

[Corgis4me]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

I'm feeding him 3 times a day and only what he will eat within 15 minutes. I'm hoping its not the food - Nutro Natural Choice - which I found out after forking over an arm and a leg (ouch!) is only rated as a "2 star" food. I know there are better foods for the same (or lesser) price but would like to get through this bag first if at all possible.

In My case I tried the Nutro when Cody was a puppy and he had too many soft poops on that. I just remember not being happy with the food. Then I tried the Natural balance which seemed to be better but I finally switched then to Fromms and he has been on this from about the time he turned 1; he's 3 1/2 now and this has been a good choice for him.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Corgis4me

In My case I tried the Nutro when Cody was a puppy and he had too many soft poops on that. I just remember not being happy with the food. Then I tried the Natural balance which seemed to be better but I finally switched then to Fromms and he has been on this from about the time he turned 1; he's 3 1/2 now and this has been a good choice for him.

Thanks - yeah, today its been almost all soft-serve, so I'm going to try a different food and let the border collie finish the Nutro. I don't know that Fromm's is available in this area (North central Oregon) but will look for it. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with the Chicken Soup varieties?

[Liam's Mommy]

Well I live here in Vancouver, WA (basically Portland, OR) and suggest Blue Wilderness. You can buy it at Petsmart.

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Thanks - yeah, today its been almost all soft-serve, so I'm going to try a different food and let the border collie finish the Nutro. I don't know that Fromm's is available in this area (North central Oregon) but will look for it. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with the Chicken Soup varieties?

Don't assume it's the food right off. He's had a lot of changes in his life. Are you feeding what he was eating before you got him? If not then give his system some time to get used to this food.

Have you tried adding pumpkin or yogurt to his food? Sometimes that will firm things up.

Also, things that might cause a puppy diahrrea or soft stool:
- change in diet
- change in water
- stress
- teething
- coccidosis (a parasite)
- giardia (a parasite)
- worms

So before you change food, take those things into account and perhaps have your vet do a fecal check for parasites and/or worms. Both are quite common with puppies.

Peggy

[Corgis4me]

I agree with Peggy, it could be other things, as she mentioned at his age. I only mentioned that I did not like the way my dogs stools were on the Nutro. After going back and reading your first post, it sounds like you switched him to the Nutro after you brought him home.(All Life stages) What was the breeder feeding?

I will mention though that there have been many complaints about Nutro food and digestive problems people have had with their pets.You can do some searching and read about it.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Liam's Mommy

Well I live here in Vancouver, WA (basically Portland, OR) and suggest Blue Wilderness. You can buy it at Petsmart.

Thank you - I live in Hood River - we have a feed and tac store here that carries a wide variety of foods, I'll check there - also Petco in The Dalles

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Corgis4me

I agree with Peggy, it could be other things, as she mentioned at his age. I only mentioned that I did not like the way my dogs stools were on the Nutro. After going back and reading your first post, it sounds like you switched him to the Nutro after you brought him home.(All Life stages) What was the breeder feeding?

I will mention though that there have been many complaints about Nutro food and digestive problems people have had with their pets.You can do some searching and read about it.

I really appreciate your and Peggy's advice. I transitioned him over a weeks time from the supermarket food he was weened on. He's now about 10 weeks and no change. He's really settled in quite well and gets lots of positive attention, so I think any stressful periods are done with. He has been wormed 2x by the breeder - but I'll have vet do fecal exam as well when he goes back on Friday. I should say that there is nothing abnormal about how is poop looks - either fairly solid or squiggly (no diarrhea or very loose stools). I just have a sneaky suspicion its the Nutro. Otherwise he seems very healthy and a happy boy

[DSimmon]

Originally Posted by Truffled

My Phoebe (at 4 months) is going 2-4 times, depending. We feed her twice a day.

I had to chuckle at your poo descriptions cause we have the same kind of poo with Pheebs. I use the words "log" "nugget" and "squiggle". It irks me when she makes me use a bag for a nugget and half-squiggle.

Ha!

My wife and I rate it based on how long it's been marinating. There's the old crusty ones, and the one's with the DQ curl (if you are familiar with Dairy Queen soft server that is).

Glad we aren't the only odd ones with nicknames for the puppy poo.

[gogogiraffes]

I always ask my boyfriend, well how was Gizmo's poop today? Esp. when he had Giardia... that was the WORST! He would poop... like... 4 times in one sitting of being outside.