Prairie makes a "raw" kibble under the name Nature's Variety that excludes grains completely. I'd guess that's where the excess stool is coming from; your pup is unable to digest all that grain/filler. What was s/he eating before? I had a hard time transitioning my APBT to new food. I didn't feed her for the first day since she'd had surgery, and yet she was producing huge stools several times a day. I dramatically cut the amount, and the same thing happened. It was like she'd been storing all this and the new food (raw) I gave her just got everything moving. I'm not kidding; I gave her only water and RMBs for a few days to see what happened, and she still produced 3-4 good-sized stools daily. Now, she has one daily, half the size.

I know that an 8wk old is not the same, and hasn't been on crap food as long, if ever, but it could be similar in that unused food is just piling up. You could try some digestive enzymes that would help him/her break down all that cellulose, but if it were my pup, I'd skip the grains all together. I'd go raw, THK, or one of the Timberwolf Organics grain-free formulas (Ocean Blue and Wild and Natural). A combo of THK and Timberwolf is a great transition food, IMO/E. I'd still add enzymes like Prozyme or the one Ed sells to every meal, as well as Vit E,C, and wild salmon oil, but not until stools normalize so you know what you're dealing with.

FWIW, I have had/heard much more positive experiences on Timberwolf kibbles than either Evo or Raw Instinct, at least where transition ease is concerned. Longterm condition is also better (coat, teeth, energy, etc.).

How much are you feeding currently? Could it just be too much? I'd think stools would be loose if this were the case, but maybe not???

First the raw diet made me a poopspert and then the recent HGE my dog had made me even worse. My dog (2 yrs.) is pooping alot with THK. He's only been eating all THK for about 2.5 days after coming of a bland diet for his recent tummy woes. We are on our way to Colorado and he's pooped every stop we've made (4 times) all have been formed and looked good. He feels fine and is his normal self. Could feeding too much do this? I've had to come way off the amount on the bag because he looks like he's gonna' blow up if I feed him 1/2 the daily amount for his weight.

I feed her 2 1/4 cups daily. She was previosly on Iams food at the breeder. (yuck) I am going to have to look into the raw diet. I do supplement with cod liver oil. I was hoping both of my dogs could be on the same food but I guess not, my 14 month old Dobe has an extremely sensitive stomach so I cant feed him raw. I was originally under the assumtion Prairie was a good food and it was on Leerburg's list of dry kibble foods but the chicken meal, brown rice and oatmeal as the 1 st 3 ingrediants is not so good. Thanks for everybodys info I love this site, it is so helpful

 Quote: Michael_Wise

First the raw diet made me a poopspert and then the recent HGE my dog had made me even worse. My dog (2 yrs.) is pooping alot with THK. He's only been eating all THK for about 2.5 days after coming of a bland diet for his recent tummy woes. We are on our way to Colorado and he's pooped every stop we've made (4 times) all have been formed and looked good. He feels fine and is his normal self. Could feeding too much do this? I've had to come way off the amount on the bag because he looks like he's gonna' blow up if I feed him 1/2 the daily amount for his weight.

Michael, I read a lot about the lesser volume of poop (what a subject LOL) for a dog that gets fed raw but that has not been my experience. It's also said not to stink, also not my experience, sometimes it's awful.

So don't know if maybe my pup isn't digesting well? That would concern me so if anyone has a clue about this, please post. All I know is that my GSD pup has more poo volume than my previous GSD adult that was fed kibble and canned.

 Quote: Michael_Wise

First the raw diet made me a poopspert and then the recent HGE my dog had made me even worse. My dog (2 yrs.) is pooping alot with THK. He's only been eating all THK for about 2.5 days after coming of a bland diet for his recent tummy woes. We are on our way to Colorado and he's pooped every stop we've made (4 times) all have been formed and looked good. He feels fine and is his normal self. Could feeding too much do this? I've had to come way off the amount on the bag because he looks like he's gonna' blow up if I feed him 1/2 the daily amount for his weight.

It *could* be that you're feeding your dog too much...after all, a lot in means a lot out. Never feed by recommendations on the bag, is the advice I've gotten, I don't know if this applies to THK or not. There's a formula but I hope someone else remembers it 'cause I don't! Mostly go by how your dog looks. I've heard that a common mistake when feeding raw is to feed too much.

Also though, if you're doing a road trip, perhaps he's a little weird because his schedule is strange. Holding still...then exercise at the rest stop....then holding still...then exercise at the rest stop. You see what I mean?

Also, I've recently done some research and some people say that a dog will sometimes poop in the same way they pee, to mark territory, especially if they're off the type to kick dirt and leaves over it (this is thought to spread scent through their foot pads, actually) I had a foster dog once that would always poop on bedding. Messed up logic, but I guess to a dog it could make a certain amount of sense!!

 Quote: Amber Morgan

 Quote: Michael_Wise

First the raw diet made me a poopspert and then the recent HGE my dog had made me even worse. My dog (2 yrs.) is pooping alot with THK. He's only been eating all THK for about 2.5 days after coming of a bland diet for his recent tummy woes. We are on our way to Colorado and he's pooped every stop we've made (4 times) all have been formed and looked good. He feels fine and is his normal self. Could feeding too much do this? I've had to come way off the amount on the bag because he looks like he's gonna' blow up if I feed him 1/2 the daily amount for his weight.

It *could* be that you're feeding your dog too much...after all, a lot in means a lot out. Never feed by recommendations on the bag, is the advice I've gotten, I don't know if this applies to THK or not. There's a formula but I hope someone else remembers it 'cause I don't! Mostly go by how your dog looks. I've heard that a common mistake when feeding raw is to feed too much.

Also though, if you're doing a road trip, perhaps he's a little weird because his schedule is strange. Holding still...then exercise at the rest stop....then holding still...then exercise at the rest stop. You see what I mean?

Also, I've recently done some research and some people say that a dog will sometimes poop in the same way they pee, to mark territory, especially if they're off the type to kick dirt and leaves over it (this is thought to spread scent through their foot pads, actually) I had a foster dog once that would always poop on bedding. Messed up logic, but I guess to a dog it could make a certain amount of sense!!

Makes a lot of sense. At home when we walk he goes even if he went before we left the house. He's neutered so I don't know how much territorial instinct he has, but whenever I've released him to do his duty he has been marking a lot and also kicking up grass everytime which is unusual for him. Hmmmm.....Thanks for the idea's.

BTW, I like your pup's pic. Looks like s/he's ready to get into somethin'.

 Quote: Sandy Moore

 Quote: Michael_Wise

First the raw diet made me a poopspert and then the recent HGE my dog had made me even worse. My dog (2 yrs.) is pooping alot with THK. He's only been eating all THK for about 2.5 days after coming of a bland diet for his recent tummy woes. We are on our way to Colorado and he's pooped every stop we've made (4 times) all have been formed and looked good. He feels fine and is his normal self. Could feeding too much do this? I've had to come way off the amount on the bag because he looks like he's gonna' blow up if I feed him 1/2 the daily amount for his weight.

Michael, I read a lot about the lesser volume of poop (what a subject LOL) for a dog that gets fed raw but that has not been my experience. It's also said not to stink, also not my experience, sometimes it's awful.

So don't know if maybe my pup isn't digesting well? That would concern me so if anyone has a clue about this, please post. All I know is that my GSD pup has more poo volume than my previous GSD adult that was fed kibble and canned.

I've thought about the not digesting well part too because the THK comes out looking alot like it did when it went in, but he's gained a little weight back and has all the energy he had before. I'm just gonna watch him and if he acts fine and holds weight then I'll just have to get over extra poop.

 Quote: Michael_Wise

 Quote: Sandy Moore

 Quote: Michael_Wise

First the raw diet made me a poopspert and then the recent HGE my dog had made me even worse. My dog (2 yrs.) is pooping alot with THK. He's only been eating all THK for about 2.5 days after coming of a bland diet for his recent tummy woes. We are on our way to Colorado and he's pooped every stop we've made (4 times) all have been formed and looked good. He feels fine and is his normal self. Could feeding too much do this? I've had to come way off the amount on the bag because he looks like he's gonna' blow up if I feed him 1/2 the daily amount for his weight.

Michael, I read a lot about the lesser volume of poop (what a subject LOL) for a dog that gets fed raw but that has not been my experience. It's also said not to stink, also not my experience, sometimes it's awful.

So don't know if maybe my pup isn't digesting well? That would concern me so if anyone has a clue about this, please post. All I know is that my GSD pup has more poo volume than my previous GSD adult that was fed kibble and canned.

I've thought about the not digesting well part too because the THK comes out looking alot like it did when it went in, but he's gained a little weight back and has all the energy he had before. I'm just gonna watch him and if he acts fine and holds weight then I'll just have to get over extra poop.

The lesser volume of poop on raw changes dramatically with the amount of prodice, IME.

THK has a lot of ingredients besides meat, and my dogs too have way more poop on THK that they do on straight raw.

And on raw, if I feed extra produce, there's more poop.

The smell of poop on raw, though -- IME, the bad so-called detox smell when first switching to raw lasts a very short time.

I agree with everyone who says to watch the dog rather than the package instructions. Michael, did you decide to supplement THK with meat or RMBs? I really like that compromise.

But I would not hesitate to use THK for the primary food if I couldn't do raw.

 Quote: Michael_Wise

.... but he's gained a little weight back and has all the energy he had before. I'm just gonna watch him and if he acts fine and holds weight then I'll just have to get over extra poop.

I'm with you.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Michael, did you decide to supplement THK with meat or RMBs? I really like that compromise.

But I would not hesitate to use THK for the primary food if I couldn't do raw.

I plan on it. I'm going to talk to the holistic vet when we get back home. I mixed the bland and the THK for a few days before going straight to THK and figured I would give him this whole week before I add anything in. I hope I didn't take him off the bland food too fast. I adjusted for what came out. If it wasn't runny I went to more real less bland every meal.