Some looseness while a dog moves onto a new food is common and usually settles within a few days. A few checks usually find the cause before the food itself is to blame.
Start here
How fast did you switch?
If you went straight to a full bowl, that's the likely cause. Go back to their old food and start again over a week, using a quarter, then half, then three quarters.
What stage are you on?
If it started when you stepped up the ratio, drop back a stage and hold there for three or four days longer. Some dogs need a fortnight to cross over.
Is anything else going in the bowl?
Treats, chews, table scraps and flavoured medication all count. During a changeover, keep it to the two foods and nothing else.
Are you feeding the right amount?
Overfeeding shows up as loose stools on its own. Check the daily amount against your dog's weight, and split it across two meals.
How long has it been going?
A few days of softness during a transition is normal. More than a week, or getting worse rather than better, means something else is going on.
When to call the vet instead
Don't work through the list above if you're seeing any of these. Ring your vet:
Blood or mucus in the stool
Vomiting alongside the diarrhoea
Your dog is lethargic, off water, or clearly unwell
Your dog is elderly, or has an existing health condition
If it just isn't suiting your dog
Email [email protected]. The 30-day Sensitivity Promise means a full refund, and it helps us to know what happened.