9 Signs Your Dog Might Need a New Diet

When it comes to feeding your dog, there’s certainly no shortage of food options available to choose from. Whether you go for kibble, wet food, raw food or a combination, knowing what is the best food for your dog isn’t always easy. Thankfully, there are plenty of tell-tale signs that you may notice in your dog if they require a change of diet. Some of these signs might be more obvious than others, but if you have noticed your dog acting differently lately or something just doesn’t seem normal for them, it’s always worth booking an appointment with your vet to check your dog’s health, talk about their dietary needs, and make sure that there aren’t any underlying health issues that you should be aware of. Here are some of the main signs that your dog might need different food.

Bowel Issues:

As a dog owner, you probably pick up dog poo multiple times a day. But this article what should your dogs poo look like from Bella &  Duke explains what to look for. Healthy poo is usually quite firm, so if you’re always making a mess with the poo bags and find it difficult to pick up after your dog on walks, this could be a sign that they are in need of a different diet. Diarrhoea and constipation can both be sure signs that the food your dog is getting is not right for their digestive system. Many dog owners report that their dog has much more regular and healthier poos after switching to Bella and Duke’s raw food. Their food is made from all-natural, raw ingredients that are filled with all the nutrients your dog needs to stay in top health. And, they come pre-prepared in handy meals, making feeding time easier than ever.

Itchiness:

Scratching or itching periodically throughout the day is just as normal for dogs as it is for humans, so don’t worry too much if you see your dog having the occasional itch. However, excessive itchiness or scratching so often that everybody’s started to notice it could be cause for concern. However, before you switch out your dog’s diet, it’s worth making sure that the problem isn’t caused by something else, like fleas. If your dog is flea-free, excessive itching could be due to an allergy to the ingredients in their food. Your vet will be able to perform tests or instruct you on what to feed your dog to find out what it is that they are reacting to.

Flatulence:

All dog breeds can get gassy from time to time, and some are more prone to passing wind than others – unfortunately, it’s just something that you can’t get away from when a dog is a part of your family. However, the smell of it shouldn’t be driving you out of your house! If you’ve noticed that your dog is much gassier than normal recently, or it’s unusual in terms of the smell, it could be an indicator that something in her food isn’t being digested properly or is not sitting well in the digestive system.

Weight Changes:

Like humans, dogs can sometimes fluctuate with their weight, and a weight change could be down to numerous causes, such as an underlying health condition, a change in activity level, or even stress. However, most commonly, a dog who loses or gains an unusual amount of weight, especially after being started on a new type of food, is not getting the proper nutrients or getting too many carbohydrates in their diet. If you have noticed a sudden or unusual weight change in your dog, the best thing to do is speak to your vet in order to rule out any underlying health conditions that could have caused it.

Sickness:

Every dog throws up from time to time, and usually, it’s nothing to worry about – perhaps they ate something dodgy off the floor when you weren’t looking that has upset their stomach, wolfed their food down too quickly, or ran around immediately after eating. But if your dog has started to act sick after eating every meal and is bringing more food back up than he is keeping down, it might be a cause for concern regarding his diet. If your dog is throwing up or acting sick more often than usual after changing to a different type of food, the food is the likely culprit.

Behaviour Changes:

There are several reasons why your dog’s behaviour may have changed. If you have had your dog since she was a young puppy and she is developing still, it may simply be due to growing up and all the great training you’ve been giving her. Hormones can also have an effect, and dogs will typically demonstrate some behavioural changes once they become sexually mature and after being spayed or neutered in some cases. However, if nothing else but your dog’s diet has changed for them, and they have suddenly started acting differently to how they used to, it could be the food to blame. For example, a dog who isn’t getting enough food to fill them up at each meal might start stealing food from your plate when they never felt the need to do that before.

Lack of Energy:

If your dog doesn’t seem to be as energetic as usual after switching their food, it may well be down to the dietary change. However, before changing their diet, it could be worth speaking with your vet as there are several possible underlying health conditions that can also cause a dog’s energy levels to drop. In addition, if your dog is getting on in years, it might be a natural decline in energy due to old age. But if your dog’s energy suddenly dropped after you switched their food or it does not seem right for their age and breed, and they do not have any underlying health conditions, their diet might not be providing them with all the nutrients that they need.

Loss of Appetite:

If your dog has gone from being super excited at mealtimes to barely sniffing at their food, it might not be the right diet for them. Again, as with many other potential signs, if your dog has suddenly gone off their food when they used to love it, it’s important to have them checked for any underlying conditions at the vet. If you have recently changed your dog’s food and they haven’t had much of an appetite since, however, then it’s likely to be the food.

Increased Appetite:

On the other hand, if your dog has always usually been quite satisfied after a meal and has recently started acting hungry all the time after switching their food, it might be that they are either not getting enough of it or the food isn’t providing enough nutrients. Increased appetite can also be caused by other conditions like worms, so a visit to the vet is worth it too – especially if you haven’t changed your dog’s food recently and this behaviour has seemingly come out of nowhere.

With such a plethora of dog food options to choose from, getting the right one for your pooch isn’t always easy. If you’ve noticed any of these signs in your dog and they don’t have any underlying health conditions that might cause them, a change of diet might be just what they need.