my 5 1/2 mos old mastiff poops 6 times a day

by CINDY
(Milford MA US)

Riley poops 6 times a day she is eating six cups a day ( 2 in the morning 2 at noon and 2 at night) and weighs 47 pounds.

She always seems hungry we feed her Eagle Pack Holistic for large breed puppies. Should we change her food?





Hi Cindy
The food you are using is a good quality one, but it's possible that Riley has a sensitivity to one or more of the ingredients. You may want to try one of the other premium puppy foods that are covered on my Hypoallergenic Dog Food page. Try to choose a food with different ingredients as much as possible.

Also, at this age I wouldn't be feeding a large breed puppy three times a day, when you do that her digestive system is working all day and it's not so surprising that she poops very frequently. I'd recommend feeding twice a day, and as long as you know she doesn't have worms and the food you are using is specifically formulated for large breed pups, allow her to eat as much as she wants. Puppies go through phases and stages where sometimes they are hungry all the time, and at other times they're simply not interested in eating. That's pretty normal.

More important than the volume of feces is their consistency. If they're very loose, or she has diarrhea, or they smell very strong, then she could have an infection of some sort - either bacterial or parasitic, or some other health condition and I'd recommend having your vet give her a check up. However if her stools are firm and seem 'normal' to you, then hopefully reducing the number of times she eats will help her get into a better routine.

If this doesn't help or she seems to be sick in any way, isn't gaining weight (or is losing it) etc. then I'd strongly recommend a vet visit.

Hope this helps some. Best of luck with your pup.