What Puppy/dog Food Do You Like?

My dogs eat the PetSmart store brand and I feed them about half what the bag recommends. If I feed them according to the chart, they get fat. They love it and we have no issues with gas or too frequent/soft poops.
The only one who doesn't is the one who has food allergies and he eats Hill's z/d, which is really expensive.

We switched our dog to a grain free diet and not only does he now poop once a day (and it is well formed), he also no longer suffers from itchy skin or ear infections which used to plague him often. Our food of choice is taste of the wild. It seems more expensive up front but since there are no fillers in it he eats much less of it and is satisfied.

Fillers do create "volume" in the fecal department. We switched to mostly grain-free and higher protein foods and our large breed dog's leavings diminished considerably.

Just be sure that when you do switch (to whatever you decide on) that you do it gradually. Over the course of 2 weeks maybe. Gradually add in the new food with majority of what pup is accustomed to eating. Then every other day adjust the percentages slightly increasing the new and decreasing the original type.

We have switched to Blue Buffalo mixed with Purina One grain free and only give Happy Hips pure jerky strips or dried pure liver as treats. Our dog is almost 13 years old.
--ETA
As far as gassiness. Our dog has never been gassy. Seriously... ever. There are so few times she passes gas that I can recall the occasions and one was a SEVERE case when we had made a food change too quickly and she ended up with diarrhea for 24 hours and I had to take her in on a Saturday after being up with her all night (diarrhea every 2 hours... just like with a toddler). Generally, in almost 13 years, she has maybe passed "normal" gas about 3 times. She's in the house with us and sleeps beside my side of the bed. I'd know.
She also generally does not eat people food. In the last year she has been spoiled a little by my teen son (in particular) b/c she is getting old and he "shares" deli meat and cheese with her when he goes to the fridge for a snack. And I tend to let her have the raw beef scraps from when I make stir fry (okay, a few strips of the stir fry before it's marinated).

we put our old dog on blue seal after i saw how well their horse feeds did for our horses. i swear it gave the old man an extra two years.
our current dog (now ancient and doddering) has been on it since we got him as a two year old (he's 17 now).
it'll be our dog food of choice if and when we get any future dogs.
my stupid cats won't eat it or they'd be on blue seal cat food too.
khairete
S.

My puppy just turned 1, she weighs 50 and is a lab/shar-pei mix.

I used Hills Science Diet puppy for large breed (vet recommended). That said, I've used Hills Science Diet for years. She's on Hills advanced fitness for ages 1-6 now.

My 11yr old toy poodle 12# is on a senior Hills diet with small bites.

The only gassy issues I see with her is when she chews a rawhide ( USA only of course).

My pup had that stinky, gigantic, smushy poop. At the pet store a clerk said this is common with foods containing chicken. Now that he's on a lamb or beef food (natural balance) he's doing very well.

1. You might be feeding too much. Too much in = faster transit time to make room for the next meal, & results in a loosely formed stool. You say you are feeding according to the bag - but this is just an estimate, & some dogs need much more or less than this amount. Better way to feed is to evaluate their condition. Check with your breeder to find out what your puppy should look & feel like as she matures. Also, puppies this age should be fed at least 3 times a day, so that they aren’t trying to eat too much at one time.
2. The gas is a bit concerning, and often formed by their inability to process one or more grain products. While many people will say “go grain free!!” it’s not usually necessary, and there are many products available that have alternatives. Corn is usually a #1 culprit, and I see that corn meal is the 2nd ingredient in your food. Looking for a product that has brown rice, oatmeal, or potato might eliminate the gas.
3. The protein source doesn’t necessarily cause any of the symptoms that you describe, but some are richer than others, & some are gentler on the stomach than others. Back in time when there were only a few options, lamb & rice was the “go to” food to be gentler on the system, but now there are many exotic mixes, including venison, fish & duck. I wouldn’t worry about the protein source at this time - if you decide to switch foods, sticking with a chicken protein (what you are feeding now) helps to limit the changes & narrow down what the issue really is.
4. There are some things you can add or supplement to help with the gas & stool as well, before you change food, or even with a change. First - canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) helps to add bulk to the food, & increase the ability to form firm stools. Green beans (if canned, buy “no salt added”) are great for adding bulk to help their bellies feel fuller, without contributing calories that might result in unwanted weight gain.
5. Yogurt added to food (plain or vanilla - NO artificial sweeteners!!) or probiotic capsules (acidophilus, lactobacillus) can help increase the natural gut bacteria to digest their food. You could even try this without changing the food & see if it helps - treat for 3-4 days & if there is improvement, continue for 2-4 weeks before trying to wean off.
6. Are you feeding treats? Treats & edible bones can be like junk food for dogs - richer, higher calorie, & remember it contributes to the overall food intake. Reduce treats until you get the diet under control.

If you change foods, do it over 2 or 3 days. Day 1 = 2/3 current food, 1/3 new food. Day 2 = 1/3 current food, 2/3 new food. Day 3 = all new food. Also, start by feeding the same total amount each day, and check the puppy’ weight in 1 - 2 weeks to make sure they aren’t gaining or losing too much; adjust as needed.

Look for a limited ingredient food - I recently put one of my dogs on Natural Balance ($53/30#) to resolve an allergy, but there are many other options. They do NOT have to break the bank, but keep in mind a higher quality food might cost more than what you are currently feeding. It doesn’t sound like you need to go “grain free” right now, just try to find something without corn to start with.

I hope this information is helpful for you - I’ve been breeding/showing/consulting on dogs for the last 17 years, so there’s been a lot of trial & error on my part, & collaborating with other breeders & vets on many cases during that time. If you have any additional questions, feel free to send me a private message. T. :)

Poor thing! (Her, and you with all the clean-up!)

We use Wellness Core grain free or whatever else the store has - adult formula, small breed (which is same food with smaller pieces). It's at the pet store, not the supermarket. Maybe you should start with grain free.

If you switch her, consider phasing her out of the old one - mix with new one 75/25 for 2 days, then 50/50, then 25/75. Usually the vets and shelters say not to shock them with 100% switch unless there's an identifiable allergy.

She must be starving if she's eliminating that much. Ask the vet about giving her half the food early in the day and half the food later, to reduce the strain on her system. And hydrate her like crazy.

Obviously, separate the 2 dogs during feeding times so they don't get into each other's food! And make sure she's not getting into anything else as a chewing puppy.

Updated

Poor thing! (Her, and you with all the clean-up!)

We use Wellness Core grain free or whatever else the store has - adult formula, small breed (which is same food with smaller pieces). It's at the pet store, not the supermarket. Maybe you should start with grain free.

If you switch her, consider phasing her out of the old one - mix with new one 75/25 for 2 days, then 50/50, then 25/75. Usually the vets and shelters say not to shock them with 100% switch unless there's an identifiable allergy.

She must be starving if she's eliminating that much. Ask the vet about giving her half the food early in the day and half the food later, to reduce the strain on her system. And hydrate her like crazy.

Obviously, separate the 2 dogs during feeding times so they don't get into each other's food! And make sure she's not getting into anything else as a chewing puppy.

Our vet suggested Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy. He also had us checking in with him at regular intervals with his weight and then would give us the amount to feed. It didn't always coincide with the bag instructions. He just wanted to make sure he got the most bang for the buck with his development. He is now on the adult version and is a healthy big creamy colored Golden Retriever! He usually poops twice a day. Sorry I can't remember the amount as a puppy, but they were always firm. Definitely check out their website, and also make sure you can find a place to purchase it in your area. In my city they sell it at a couple specialty pet food stores, not the big box pet stores. They also have a program where you buy 10 bags and number 11 is free!

Added: forgot to mention no gas, unless he gets a hold of some strange people food that doesn't agree with him.

My dog just turned 17yrs old and he has been on the same food for most of that time. I tried several brands when he was a puppy, but found some of your same issues to be the case. We have always used Pro Plan. I am very happy with that one.

my dogs were their best on Canidae All Lifes Stages dog food. my husky mix has sensitive tummy and was throwing up alot till we started her on that.. then the store we were purchasing from went out of business and the next nearest one was 40 miles away.. so we put the dogs on purina healthy weight samon. (we have learned that its was beef.. anything containing beef and our husky mix vomits)

I have tried all kinds of dog food for my dog. He now is a 4 year old german Shepherd, but had the same issues as your pup. Things got so much better when we switched over to grain free. He does the best on Taste of the Wild. However, NOW, Fromm, and Orijen are great brands to choose. My pup has a highly sensitive stomach, so grain free is just better for him.

Pumpkin, plain yogurt, and raw goats milk also is good to give as treats that will help aid digestion if you are noticing the soft poop..

Military,,

If your dog is pooping that much? I would have her tested for allergies. Soft Serve poop is NOT good. That means she's losing fluids too.

Do NOT just change her dog food. It will wreak havoc on her system. I would make some rice and chicken and feed her that. Then schedule an appointment with the vet to have her tested for allergies and gastro problems. It will NOT be cheap. However, if you KNOW what you are dealing with - you will save yourself a TON of stress and money in the long run.

Good luck!